WO2024245669A1

WO2024245669A1 - A molded cask seal, use of said molded cask seal and an extractor tube assembly

Info

Publication number: WO2024245669A1
Application number: PCT/EP2024/061825
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ken Riis
Original assignee: Micro Matic AS
Current assignee: Micro Matic AS
Priority date: 2023-06-02
Filing date: 2024-04-30
Publication date: 2024-12-05
Anticipated expiration: 2025-12-02

Abstract

Disclosed is a cask seal (10) for an extractor tube for a beverage cask. The cask seal (10) comprises a colored ring-shaped gasket (8) having a top portion (6) integral with a bottom portion (4), said top portion (6) having an upper face (2) and said bottom portion (4) extending downwards from said top portion (6) in the installed position when installed in an extractor tube, said bottom portion (4) and said top portion (6) defining a through-going passage (7) of said gasket (8), characterized in that the ring-shaped gasket (8) is made from a colored composition containing less than 1% by weight of carbon black, said composition defining said color of said gasket (8).

Description

A MOLDED CASK SEAL, USE OF SAID MOLDED CASK SEAL AND AN EXTRACTOR TUBE ASSEMBLY

FIELD

The present invention relates to a molded cask seal for beverage casks, use of said molded cask seal in an extractor tube assembly for a beverage container and an extractor tube assembly for a beverage container.

BACKGROUND

Beverage containers are typically used for storing and/or transporting large quantities of beverage such as 10-20 liters of beverage. By way of example the beverage may be beer.

Gaskets of such beverage containers need to provide a suitable closure and comply with standard food requirements. Conventional gaskets are typically made of silicone and thermoplastic elastomers (TPE). However, such materials do not comply with the standard food requirement and do not resist degradation when exposed to cleaning chemicals such as caustic detergent. In addition, such materials have a high permeability level which may allow oxygen to pass through them. Therefore, there is a need for improved gaskets that address the abovementioned problems.

SUMMARY

According to a first aspect of the invention, a cask seal for an extractor tube for a beverage cask/keg is provided. The cask seal comprises a colored ring-shaped gasket having a top portion integral with a bottom portion. The top portion has an upper face and the bottom portion extends downwards from the top portion in the installed position when installed in an extractor tube. The bottom portion and the top portion define a through-going passage of the gasket. According to the invention the ring-shaped gasket is made from a colored elastomeric composition containing less than 1 % by weight of carbon black, the composition defining the color of the gasket.

It is of a particular advantage when the ring-shaped gasket is made from a colored elastomeric composition containing less than 1% by weight of carbon black. In a preferred embodiment, the colored composition contains no carbon black at all. Thus, the colored composition of the ring-shaped gasket complies with the standard food requirements, as carbon black is forbidden to use in some countries. It is an advantage that the ring-shaped gasket is made from the colored composition, as the colored composition allows for identifying the cask seal, such as by representing data reflecting a given time/year of installation or manufacture of the gasket, whereby the color of the gasket is varied by using another coloring agent for the composition. Thus, there is no need to provide the gasket with any other identifications such as a molded or printed identification. Moreover, with the invention cutting up the gasket into portions will allow an inspector to verify that the color registered when viewing the surface of the gasket is the same as the color of the composition, thus allowing for a verification of the aforementioned data, i.e. to verify that the gasket has not been painted in an attempt to change the age or origin of the gasket as represented by the color and registered by inspecting the surface of the gasket.The colored elastomeric composition may be obtained by mixing an elastomeric composition with a color e.g. a coloring agent.

Conventionally, a colored pattern e.g. a colored ring or colored dots are printed on the upper face of the top portion of the gaskets to identify the production year of a beverage inside a keg comprising such gasket. A disadvantage of such printed colored pattern is that the print may come off if the gasket surface onto the print is applied has not been properly prepared or if the printing ink does not resist cleaning agents used for cleaning the kegs when they are cleaned for refilling.

It is an advantage of the colored ring-shaped gasket of the present inventive concept that it allows for identifying the gasket in a more reliable, stable and durable manner. Thus, there is no need to provide any other identification such as a molded identification, as the color of the gasket may not accidentally or intentionally be removed. The cask seal of the present inventive concept may be used for any types of spears such as A/G-type, S-type, L/M-type, D-type or II- type spears.

In preferred embodiments, the composition comprises ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber (EPDM) and/or nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) and a coloring agent. In some embodiments, the composition consists exclusively of ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber (EPDM), or nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR), and a coloring agent. It is an advantage that the composition comprises EPDM or NBR since EPDM and NBR resists filing and/or general handling in connection with the use of kegs in the brewing industry. It is further an advantage that the composition comprises EPDM and/or NBR since EPDM and NRB containing less than 1% by weight of carbon black, or preferably no carbon black, complies with the standard food requirement. The coloring agent may be any conventional and commercially available coloring agent. The coloring agent may be in the form of power or liquid. The coloring agent may be a colored substance.

In some embodiments, said color is selected from any of or any combination of purple, blue, magenta, green, red, brown, yellow or pink color. Thereby, the color of the ring-shaped gasket may be selected from any of or any combination of purple, blue, magenta, green, red, brown, yellow or pink color. Thus, a different color, obtained by selecting a corresponding coloring agent for the composition may be associated to a given production year which in turn may facilitate identification of the production year.

In some embodiments, the composition of the gasket is selected such that the gasket resists degradation when exposed to ultraviolet light and/or ozone. In some embodiments, the composition of the gasket is selected such that the gasket resists degradation when exposed to acid and/or caustic detergent. Thus, the composition of the gasket may allow for a more durable and stable gasket that may not degrade when exposed to ultraviolet light and/or ozone and/or acid and/or caustic detergent, compared to the conventional gaskets made of silicone and TPE. Thus, the color of the upper face of the top portion of the gasket may remain identifiable by the identification tool such as a camera over a long time given that in this particular technical area the gaskets are exposed to harsh cleaning agents.

In some embodiments, the color is selected to be identifiable by a color identification tool, such as a camera, viewing said upper face. Thus, the color of the ring-shaped gasket may be identified by e.g. a camera viewing the upper face in a convenient and user-friendly manner. The color identification tool may be any conventional and commercially available color identification tool.

In some embodiments, the gasket is made by 3D-printing, compression molding or injection molding. The gasket may be made using any conventional and commercially available molding tool suitable for molding the gasket.

In some embodiments, the upper face of the top portion of the gasket contains no molded or printed identification or identifier in the form of letters, numbers or symbols. According to a second aspect of the invention, an extractor tube assembly for a beverage container is provided. The extractor tube assembly comprises a gas valve and a beverage valve adapted to cooperate with each other. The gas valve and the beverage valve comprise a cask seal. The cask seal comprises a colored ring-shaped gasket having a top portion integral with a bottom portion. Said top portion has an upper face and said bottom portion extending downwards from said top portion in the installed position. Said bottom portion and said top portion define a through-going passage of said gasket, characterized in that the ring-shaped gasket is made from a colored composition containing less than 1% by weight of carbon black, said composition defining said color of said gasket.

The second aspect may generally present the same or similar advantages as the first aspect of the invention.

According to a third aspect of the invention, use of a cask seal according to the first aspect of the invention in an extractor tube assembly for a beverage container is provided. The third aspect may generally present the same or similar advantages as the first aspect of the invention.

The present invention relates to different aspects including the molded cask seal, use of said molded cask seal and an extractor tube assembly for a beverage container, and corresponding device parts, each yielding one or more of the benefits and advantages described in connection with the first mentioned aspect, and each having one or more embodiments corresponding to the embodiments described in connection with the first mentioned aspect and/or disclosed in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other features and advantages will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art by the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

Figs. 1a-1e schematically illustrate different views of an exemplary gasket.

Figs. 2a-2e schematically illustrate different views of another exemplary gasket.

Figs. 3a-3e schematically illustrate different views of yet another exemplary gasket.

Figs. 4a-4e schematically illustrate different views of yet another exemplary gasket. Figs. 5a-5e schematically illustrate different views of yet another exemplary gasket.

Fig. 6 schematically illustrates an exemplary extractor tube comprising a gasket of the type shown in figs. 3a-3e.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments are described hereinafter with reference to the figures. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. Like elements will, thus, not be described in detail with respect to the description of each figure. It should also be noted that the figures are only intended to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the claimed invention or as a limitation on the scope of the claimed invention. In addition, an illustrated embodiment needs not have all the aspects or advantages shown. An aspect or an advantage described in conjunction with a particular embodiment is not necessarily limited to that embodiment and can be practiced in any other embodiments even if not so illustrated, or if not so explicitly described.

Figs. 1a schematically illustrates a side view of a cask seal 10 for installation in an extractor tube of a beverage cask. The cask seal 10 is a colored ring-shaped gasket 8. Fig. 1b schematically illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the gasket 8 along line A-A shown in Fig. 1a. Fig. 1b shows that the colored ring-shaped gasket 8 has a top portion 6 integral with a bottom portion 4. Fig. 1c schematically illustrates a top view of gasket 8 shown in Fig. 1a. Fig. 1c shows that the top portion 6 has an upper face 2. The bottom portion 4 extends downwards from said top portion 6 in the installed position (see Fig. 6). The bottom portion 4 and the top portion 6 define a through-going passage 7 of said gasket 8. Fig. 1d and Fig. 1e schematically illustrate a perspective top view and a perspective bottom view of the gasket 8 shown in Fig. 1a. The ring-shaped gasket 8 is made from an elastomeric colored composition containing less than 1% by weight of carbon black. The colored composition may preferably contain no carbon black. The composition defines the color of the gasket 8, i.e. the color of the gasket 8 that a viewer will note when looking at the gasket 8. The composition preferably comprises EPDM, or NBR. and a coloring agent. The composition in a preferred embodiment consists (exclusively) of EPDM and/or NBR and a coloring agent. The color may be selected from any of or any combination of e.g. purple, blue, magenta, green, red, brown, yellow or pink color. The composition of the gasket 8 may preferably be selected such that the gasket 8 resists degradation when exposed to ultraviolet light and/or ozone and/or temperature variations. The composition of the gasket 8 may preferably be selected such that the gasket 8 resists degradation when exposed to acid and/or caustic detergent such as commonly used in the process of cleaning beverage kegs/containers with extractor tubes with a gasket 8 during filling of the kegs/containers. The color may be selected to be identifiable by a color identification tool, such as a camera, viewing the upper face 2. The gasket 8 may be made by any conventional method, such as 3D-printing, compression molding or injection molding. The upper face 2 of the top portion 6 of the gasket 8 preferably is flat and preferably contains no other identification, such as molded or printed identifications/indicia in the form of letters, numbers or symbols, than represented by the color of the gasket 8, allowing for a simple manufacturing. Fig. 1c shows that the upper face 2 of the top portion 6 of the gasket 8 contains no other identification. The gasket 8 shown in Figs. 1a-1e is an RS-A/G type gasket 8 as is well-known in the art of beer kegs. Fig. 1a shows that a height of the gasket 8 from the top portion 6 to the bottom portion 2 may be 10 mm. Fig. 1c shows that a diameter of the gasket 8 across the top portion 6 may be 39 mm. Fig. 1 b shows that a diameter of the through-going passage 7 may be 16.75 mm. The upper face 2 of the top portion 6 of the gasket 8 may contain information, such as molded or printed identifications/indicia in the form of letters, numbers or symbols.

Figs. 2a-2e schematically illustrate a side view, a cross-sectional side view, a top view, a perspective top view and a perspective bottom view of a RS-L type gasket 8, respectively, which gasket type is well-known in the art of beer kegs. The shown gasket 8 is made from a colored composition as described above. The upper face 2 of the top portion 6 of the gasket 8 may as shown contain information, such as molded or printed identifications/indicia in the form of letters, numbers or symbols.

Figs. 3a-3e schematically illustrate a side view, a cross-sectional side view, a top view, a perspective top view and a perspective bottom view of a RS-D type gasket 8, respectively, which gasket type is well-known in the art of beer kegs, wherein the cask seal 10 additionally comprises a metal insert which metal insert is arranged in the gasket 8. An example of an RS-D type gasket with a metal insert is disclosed in WO 2015/007881 A1. The shown gasket 8 is made from a colored composition as described above. The upper face 2 of the top portion 6 of the gasket 8 may as shown contain information, such as molded or printed identifications/indicia in the form of letters, numbers or symbols.

Figs. 4a-4e schematically illustrate a side view, a cross-sectional side view, a top view, a perspective top view and a perspective bottom view of another, RS-D type, gasket 8, respectively, which gasket type is well-known in the art of beer kegs. The shown gasket 8 is made from a colored composition as described above. The upper face 2 of the top portion 6 of the gasket 8 may as shown contain information, such as molded or printed identifications/indicia in the form of letters, numbers or symbols.

Figs. 5a-5e schematically illustrate a side view, a cross-sectional side view, a top view, a perspective top view and a perspective bottom view of another RS-S type gasket 8, respectively, which gasket type is well-known in the art of beer kegs. The shown gasket 8 is made from a colored composition as described above. A lower face of the top portion 6 of the gasket 8 may contain information, such as molded or printed identifications/indicia in the form of letters, numbers or symbols

Each of Figs. 2a-2e, Figs. 3a-3e, Figs. 4a-4e, and Figs. 5a-5e illustrate a colored ring-shaped gasket 8 having a top portion 6 integral with a bottom portion 4. Said top portion 6 has an upper face 2 and said bottom portion 4 extending downwards from said top portion 6 in the installed position. Said bottom portion 4 and said top portion 6 define a through-going passage 7 of said gasket 8. The ring-shaped gasket s is made from a colored composition containing less than 1% by weight of carbon black. Said composition defines said color of said gasket 8. The gaskets 8 shown in Figs. 2a-2e, Figs. 3a-3e, Figs. 4a-4e, and Figs. 5a-5e may have the same or similar properties e.g. composition and color of the gasket 8 shown in Figs. 1a-1e defined above.

Figs. 2a-2e, Figs. 3a-3e, Figs. 4a-4e, and Figs. 5a-5e further illustrate exemplary dimensions of each type of the gasket 8. The dimensions provided in all figures is in mm. Any of the cask seals 10, shown in Fig. 1a-1e, Figs. 2a-2e, Figs. 3a-3e, Figs. 4a-4e, or Figs. 5a-5e may be used in an extractor tube assembly 100 for a beverage container.

Fig. 6 shows an extractor tube assembly 100 for a beverage container. The extractor tube assembly 100 comprises a gas valve 20 and a beverage valve 30 adapted to cooperate with each other. The gas valve 20 and the beverage valve 30 comprise a cask seal 10. The cask seal 10 comprises a colored ring-shaped gasket 8. The colored ring-shaped gasket 8 has a top portion 6 integral with a bottom portion 4. The top portion 6 has an upper face 2 and the bottom portion 4 extends downwards from said top portion 6 in the shown installed position. The bottom portion 4 and said top portion 6 define a through-going passage 7 of said gasket 8. The ring-shaped gasket 8 is made from a colored composition containing less than 1 % by weight of carbon black. The composition defines the color of the gasket 8. The gasket 8 of fig. 6 has the same properties e.g. composition and color, as the gaskets 8 discussed above.

Although particular features have been shown and described, it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the claimed invention, and it will be made obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. The specification and drawings are, accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than restrictive sense. The claimed invention is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents. The embodiments shown in figs. 3a-6 may have a fully or partially embedded insert, as discussed above with reference to figs. 3a-3e, preferably in the form of an annular metal body.

Claims

1 . A cask seal (10) for an extractor tube for a beverage cask, comprising a colored ring-shaped gasket (8) having a top portion (6) integral with a bottom portion (4), said top portion (6) having an upper face (2) and said bottom portion (4) extending downwards from said top portion (6) in the installed position when installed in an extractor tube, said bottom portion (4) and said top portion (6) defining a through-going passage (7) of said gasket (8), characterized in that the ringshaped gasket (8) is made from a colored composition containing less than 1% by weight of carbon black, said composition defining said color of said gasket (8).

2. The cask seal (10) according to claim 1 , said colored composition containing no carbon black.

3. The cask seal (10) according to 1 or 2, said composition comprising ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber (EPDM), and/or nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR), and a coloring agent.

4. The cask seal (10) according to any of the preceding claims, said composition consisting of ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber (EPDM), or nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR), and a coloring agent.

5. The cask seal (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said color is selected from any of or any combination of purple, blue, magenta, green, red, brown, yellow or pink color.

6. The cask seal (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the composition of the gasket (8) is selected such that the gasket (8) resists degradation when exposed to ultraviolet light and/or ozone.

7. The cask seal (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the composition of the gasket (8) is selected such that the gasket (8) resists degradation when exposed to acid and/or caustic detergent.

8. The cask seal (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the color is selected to be identifiable by a color identification tool, such as a camera, viewing said upper face (2).

9. The cask seal (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the gasket (8) is made by 3D-printing, compression molding or injection molding.

10. The cask seal (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the upper face (2) of the top portion (6) of the gasket (8) contains no molded or printed identification or identifier in the form of letters, numbers or symbols.

11. The cask seal (10) according to any of the preceding claims, with an embedded annular body.

12. An extractor tube assembly (100) for a beverage container, comprising a gas valve (20) and a beverage valve (30) adapted to cooperate with each other, the gas valve (20) and the beverage valve (30) comprising a cask seal (10), the cask seal (10) comprising a colored ring-shaped gasket (8) having a top portion (6) integral with a bottom portion (4), said top portion (6) having an upper face (2) and said bottom portion (4) extending downwards from said top portion (6) in the installed position, said bottom portion (4) and said top portion (6) defining a through-going passage (7) of said gasket (8), characterized in that the ring-shaped gasket (8) is made from a colored composition containing less than 1 % by weight of carbon black, said composition defining said color of said gasket (8). 13. Use of a cask seal (10) according to any of the claims 1-11 in an extractor tube assembly

(100) for a beverage container.