Residual pressure valve

Description

Technical field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a valve assembly. More specifically, the disclosure relates to a valve assembly as defined in the introductory parts of the independent claims.Background art

[0002] A problem with the solutions of the prior art of pressure delivery systems for delivering gas to a gas consuming system where beverages are carbonized is that pressure regulation in hitherto known valves and valve assemblies being detachably attached to the gas container, often a CO 2 container, is not sufficiently stable regulated or regulated at all.

[0003] A problem with the solutions of the prior art of pressure delivery systems for delivering gas to a gas consuming system where beverages are carbonized is that hitherto known valves and valve assemblies being detachably attached to the gas container, often a CO 2 container, is contributing to the noise in the premises where they are used by adding noise during use.

[0004] A problem with the solutions of the prior art of pressure delivery systems for delivering gas to a gas consuming system where beverages are carbonized is that hitherto known valves and valve assemblies being detachably attached to the gas container, often a CO 2 container, is too easy to disassemble, wherefore the risk of tampering with them is increased, this being in particular disadvantageous when used for beverages.

[0005] A known valve assembly for carbonized beverages is disclosed in WO 2019 / 110714 A1. A valve assembly is also disclosed in US2020 / 378559Al.

[0006] There is thus a need for an improved valve assembly for use in pressure delivery systems for delivering gas to a gas consuming system where beverages are carbonized.Summary

[0007] It is an object of the present disclosure to mitigate, alleviate or eliminate one or more of the above-identified deficiencies and disadvantages in the prior art and solve at least the above-mentioned problem. According to a first aspect there is provided a valve assembly comprising a valve housing with a first end and a second end, the first valve housing end comprises an inlet and the second end comprises an outlet, the valve assembly being configured to be detachably connected with the first end to an opening of a container comprising pressurized gas being CO 2 , the valve assembly comprising a spring-loaded movable inner valve unit configured to provide a gas filling valve plug and channel when pushed down, the spring-loaded movable inner valve unit comprising a spring-loaded consumption valve configured to be arranged at the outlet at the second end of the valve housing and a spring-loaded residual pressure valve configured to be arranged at the first valve housing end and inside the spring-loaded movable inner valve unit together with the spring-loaded consumption valve, the valve housing and the spring-loaded movable inner valve unit having at least one flow path in the form of at least one inner bore through which CO 2 is able to pass from the CO 2 container when CO 2 is discharged out of the valve assembly or to the CO 2 container when the CO 2 container is intendedly filled with CO 2 , wherein the spring-loaded inner residual pressure valve comprises a piston having a first end as a piston head and a second end as a stem, which piston head is configured to be arranged closer to the first valve housing end than the piston stem and comprises a first closing part facing the first valve housing end and is configured to ensure that the CO 2 container maintains a predetermined overpressure to hinder unintended flow of any gas and / or substance into the CO 2 container by being configured to abut against a residual pressure valve seat at the inlet of the valve assembly sealingly closing the CO2 container, characterized in that the piston head comprises at least one flow path arranged downstream of the first closing part, the flow path having an opening facing the first closing part and extending through the piston head and into and through the interior of the piston stem.

[0008] This removes noise and whistling during consumption of CO 2 , i.e. when discharging CO 2 gas by means of the valve assembly from or out of the CO 2 container, in particular under high flow conditions.

[0009] According to some embodiments, the piston head comprises more than one through flow path, each through flow path being a channel or inner bore extending from the opening in the surface of the piston head and into and through the piston head and into and fully through the piston stem via an inner through channel ending in an opening enabling fluid communication between the gas container, the inner bores and the outlet at the second end of the valve housing.

[0010] This removes noise and whistling during consumption of CO 2 , i.e. when discharging CO 2 gas by means of the valve assembly from or out of the CO 2 container, in particular under high flow conditions.

[0011] According to some embodiments, the piston head comprises a circumferential groove in which two or more of the openings are arranged, whereby two or more flow paths extend through the piston head and join into the through channel of the piston stem forming one common inner channel extending through the piston stem.

[0012] This removes noise and whistling during consumption of CO 2 , i.e. when discharging CO 2 gas by means of the valve assembly from or out of the CO 2 container, in particular under high flow conditions.

[0013] According to some embodiments, the valve comprises a spring-loaded pressure reduction valve configured to reduce the pressure of the CO 2 coming from the CO 2 container from a first pressure to a second pressure when flowing through the valve housing, the pressure reduction valve is arranged between the spring-loaded consumption valve and the spring-loaded residual pressure valve and in fluid communication therewith.

[0014] This leads to a more precise pressure regulation between 35 bar under 60 bar inlet (20°C ambient) and 80 bar under worst-case condition of 250 bar bottle pressure as it provides a separation of the residual pressure valve function and the pressure reduction valve function of the valve assembly.

[0015] According to some embodiments, the first closing part has a smooth surface and rounded outer shape configured to abut against a smooth surface and rounded shape of the residual pressure valve seat at the inlet of the valve assembly to sealingly close the CO 2 container when the predetermined overpressure inside the CO 2 container is reached and the force of a spring urging the residual pressure valve piston towards the residual pressure valve seat exceeds the force of the flowing CO 2 on the piston head.

[0016] This removes noise and whistling during consumption of CO 2 , i.e. when discharging CO 2 gas by means of the valve assembly from or out of the CO 2 container, in particular under high flow conditions.

[0017] According to some embodiments, the rounded outer shape of the first closing part of the piston head is formed by an outer varying diameter providing an external circumferential curvature of the piston head varying from being convex at the surface configured to abut against the residual pressure valve seat to being concave at and where the openings of the flow paths end via a smooth rounded transitional or intermediate form between the convex and the concave surfaces.

[0018] This removes noise and whistling during consumption of CO 2 , i.e. when discharging CO 2 gas by means of the valve assembly from or out of the CO 2 container, in particular under high flow conditions.

[0019] According to some embodiments, the valve assembly comprises a protective device arranged at another valve housing outlet in connection with and configured to interact with the inner spring-loaded valve unit to discharge CO 2 when the pressure in the CO 2 container is higher than a predetermined pressure.

[0020] This improves the safety of the valve assembly.

[0021] According to some embodiments, the valve housing of the valve assembly is made up of two parts detachably connected via threading, a first valve housing member being the lower part of the valve housing configured for detachable connection to the CO 2 container and a second valve housing member of the valve housing being the upper and exposed part of the valve assembly when detachably connected to the CO 2 container, the second valve housing member comprising a section forming a circumferential mantle surface of the valve assembly, which circumferential section is rounded with a smooth surface.

[0022] This makes the valve assembly tamper-proof as the upper part or member of the valve housing being exposed when the valve assembly is detachably assembled to a CO 2 container is round and has a smooth surface making it very difficult to misuse / tamper with the valve assembly as any grip around it is almost "impossible" to achieve to be able to unscrew the upper part or member of the valve assembly. Any tampering requires a high torque above 110 Nm to unscrew the valve assembly / its upper part / member.

[0023] Hence, it is to be understood that the herein disclosed disclosure is not limited to the particular component parts of the device described or steps of the methods described since such device and method may vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting. It should be noted that, as used in the specification and the appended claim, the articles "a", "an", "the", and "said" are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements unless the context explicitly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to "a unit" or "the unit" may include several devices, and the like. Furthermore, the words "comprising", "including", "containing" and similar wordings does not exclude other elements or steps.

[0024] Terminology -- The term "downstream / upstream" is to be interpreted as a relative positioning of entities in relation to a direction of flow, in this case gas flow, i.e. CO 2 gas flow when discharged from or out of a CO 2 container, not in the direction of CO 2 gas flow when the CO 2 container is filled or replenished with CO 2 .Brief descriptions of the drawings

[0025] The above objects, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure, will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following illustrative and non-limiting detailed description of example embodiments of the present disclosure, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 shows a valve assembly when mounted in a CO 2 gas cylinder in perspective and side view according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 shows a position of the valve assembly when mounted in a CO 2 gas cylinder in a cross-sectional view according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 shows a perspective of the valve assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 4 shows an upper view from the side and a lower view from the top of the valve assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view along line A - A of the upper view of fig. 4 from the side of the valve assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure in a closed state, i.e. not in operation. Figure 6 shows a cutout enlarged cross-sectional view C from fig. 5 of the valve assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 7 shows a cutout enlarged cross-sectional view D from fig. 5 of the valve assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 8 shows a cross-sectional view along line A - A of the upper view of fig. 4 from the side of the valve assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure in a consumption state, i.e. in operation when discharging CO 2 gas from a gas container. Figure 9 shows a cutout enlarged cross-sectional view E from fig. 8 of the valve assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 10 shows a cutout enlarged cross-sectional view F from fig. 8 of the valve assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 11 shows in two perspective views a movable part of the valve assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 12 shows - in a cross-sectional view along line A - A in the upper view of fig. 4 from the side - the valve assembly itself according to an embodiment of the present disclosure in a CO 2 gas filling state, i.e. in operation when filling or replenishing a CO 2 container with said gas. Figure 13 shows - in a cross-sectional view along line A - A in the upper view of fig. 4 from the side - an inner movable unit of the valve assembly of figs. 4 and 12 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure before being assembled into the valve assembly or after disassembly therefrom. Figure 14 shows a side view of the valve assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 15 shows a side view of the valve assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 16 shows a top view from above of the valve assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 17 shows a cross-sectional view along line B - B of fig. 16 from the side of the valve assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure in a closed state, i.e. not in operation. Figure 18 shows a cutout enlarged cross-sectional view G from fig. 17 of the valve assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 19 shows - in perspective and a plan side view - a pressure regulating device detachably connected with the valve assembly when detachably arranged in a CO 2 container according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 20 shows in perspective a gas consuming system in the form of a beverage dispensing system comprising a pressure regulating device and a valve assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 21 shows in perspective two exploded views of the valve assembly, one to the left and one to the right being an enlargement of the parts making up the movable inner valve unit in the views of figs. 12 and 13 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure in a closed state, i.e. not in operation. Detailed description

[0026] The present disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings 1 to 21, in which preferred example embodiments of the disclosure are shown. The disclosure may, however, be embodied in other forms and should not be construed as limited to the herein disclosed embodiments. The disclosed embodiments are provided to fully convey the scope of the disclosure to the skilled person. All the figures are highly schematic and not necessarily to scale, and they show only those parts which are necessary in order to elucidate the invention, other parts being omitted or merely suggested.

[0027] Figure 1 shows a valve assembly 10 detachably attached to a container 1 comprising pressurized gas, preferably CO 2 . Figure 2 shows the valve assembly 10 detachably attached with a first and lower end 110 to the opening or inlet 2 of the CO 2 container 1 to enable fluid communication between the opening 2 of the CO 2 container 1 and an inlet 120 of the valve assembly 10. The valve assembly 10 comprises a second and upper end 140 with a first and upper outlet 130. The valve assembly 10 comprises a second outlet 131 extending to the side or laterally between the first and second ends 110, 140. The valve assembly 10 comprises a protective device configured to discharge CO 2 when having a pressure being higher than a predetermined pressure through the second outlet 131. Figure 3 shows the valve assembly 10 in perspective. Figure 4 shows the valve assembly 10 in two plan views, in the upper view from one side in a direction towards the second outlet 131 and in the lower view from above in a direction towards its second end 140. In fig. 3, the first end 110 of the valve assembly 10 is shown without an outer thread and in fig. 4, the outer thread is shown. This outer thread is configured to enable the detachable attachment of the valve assembly 10 into an inner thread in the opening 2 of the CO 2 cylinder 1.

[0028] The first aspect of this disclosure shows the valve assembly 10 comprising a valve housing 100 with the first end 110 and the second end 140. The valve assembly 10 comprises a spring-loaded movable inner valve unit 200 (fig. 13 shows only this unit 200) configured to work and provide a gas filling channel when it is pushed down as shown in fig. 12. The spring-loaded movable inner valve unit 200 comprises a spring-loaded consumption valve 20. The spring-loaded consumption valve 20 is configured to be arranged at the outlet 130 at the second end 140 of the valve housing 100 and inside the spring-loaded movable inner valve unit 200. The spring-loaded movable inner valve unit 200 comprises a spring-loaded residual pressure valve 30. The spring-loaded residual pressure valve 30 is configured to be arranged at the first valve housing end 110 and inside the spring-loaded movable inner valve unit 200. The valve housing 100 and the spring-loaded inner valve unit 200 comprises at least one flow path in the form of at least one inner bore 22, 27, 36, 101 through which CO 2 is configured to flow. The CO 2 400 is able to pass from the CO 2 container 1 when CO 2 is discharged out of the valve assembly 10 or to the CO 2 container 1 when the CO 2 container is intendedly filled with CO 2 . The spring-loaded inner residual pressure valve 30 comprises a piston 31 having a first end 32 as a piston head and a second end 33 as a stem. The piston head 32 is configured to be arranged closer to the first valve housing end 110 than the piston stem 33. The piston head 32 comprises a first closing part 34 facing the first valve housing end 110. The residual pressure valve 30 is configured to ensure that the CO 2 container 1 maintains a predetermined overpressure to hinder unintended flow of any gas incl. CO 2 and / or substances into the CO 2 container by being configured to abut against a residual pressure valve seat 35 at the inlet 120 of the valve assembly 10 sealingly closing the CO 2 container 1 when the predetermined overpressure is reached in the CO 2 container 1, see figs. 5, 6 and 7. The piston head 32 comprises at least one flow path 36 formed by one or more inner bores or channels in the valve assembly. The at least one flow path 36 is arranged downstream of the first closing part 34 of the piston head 32. Each flow path 36 has an opening 38 facing the first closing part 34 and extending through the piston head 32 and into and through the interior of the piston stem 33, see figs. 8 to 11, 12 and 13.

[0029] The valve assembly 10 with the valve housing 100 is shown in figs. 2 - 5, 8 - 10 and 12 - 18. The valve assembly 10 is shown detachably connected with the first housing end 110 and the inlet 120 to the cylinder opening 2 of the CO 2 container 1 in figs. 1, 2, 12 (fig. 12 shows gas filling of the CO 2 container 1 via the opening 2, the entities 1, 2, 60 used for gas filling only being schematically shown in dashed lines), 19 and 20. The valve housing 100 has at least one flow path 101 through which CO 2 is able to pass to the CO 2 container 1. All or some of the inner bores 22, 27, 36 and 101 may in some embodiments be at least partly in fluid communication as gas may flow along the easiest and least resistful paths to fill cavities but the gas of course does not flow further into or through any inner bore being closed or sealed. The residual pressure valve 30 and the at least one flow path 36 enable CO 2 to only pass from the CO 2 container 1 into the inlet 120 of the valve housing 100 of the valve assembly 10 and to the outlet 130 at the second housing end 140 when the spring-loaded consumption valve 20 is open. The valve housing outlet 130 is arranged downstream of the residual pressure valve 30 seen in the flow direction of the CO 2 when the spring-loaded consumption valve 20 is sufficiently open and discharges CO 2 . The valve housing inlet 120 is arranged upstream of the residual pressure valve 30 seen in the flow direction of the CO 2 when the spring-loaded consumption valve 20 is sufficiently open and discharges CO 2 . Hence, the valve housing 100 and the spring-loaded movable inner valve unit 200 each has at least one flow path in the form of an inner bore 22, 27, 36, 101 through which CO 2 is able to pass as a flow 400 shown with non-solid arrows and dotted lines from the CO 2 container 1 when CO 2 400 is discharged out of the valve assembly 10, see at least figs 8 to 11 and to the CO 2 container when the CO 2 container is intendedly filled with CO 2 400 via the spring-loaded movable inner valve unit 200 of the valve assembly 10, see at least figs. 12 and 13.

[0030] Hence, a valve assembly 10 according to the present disclosure comprises at least two or three valves 20, 30 and / or 50 which each has different functions. The valve housing 100 has an outer face at the second housing end 140, and the outer face comprises first connection means configured to detachable receive corresponding second or external connection means of a gas pressure regulation device or an adaptor unit (not shown). In the present embodiment, the first connection means is a circumferential groove.

[0031] Figs. 5 to 7, 17 and 18 show the valve assembly 10 when not operating, i.e. neither being used for consumption of gas / CO 2 (discharge of gas / CO 2 from the container 1) nor filling of gas / CO 2 (replenishing) into the container 1, in other words, the valve assembly 10 is shown closed or shut-off. Fig. 12 shows the valve assembly 10 when open / used for gas filling of the gas / CO 2 container 1 via its opening 2 by a gas filling device 60, these entities 1, 2, 60 used for gas filling only being schematically shown in dashed lines. In figs. 8, 9, and 10, the valve assembly 10 is shown when open / used for consumption / discharge of gas / CO 2 from the container 1 via its opening 2 by means of a gas regulating device 60, 61 (schematically shown in dashed lines).

[0032] The piston head 32 comprises more than one through flow path 36. Each through flow path 36 being a channel or inner bore extending from the opening 38 in the surface of the piston head 32 and into and through the piston head and into and fully through the piston stem 33 via an inner through channel 36 ending in an opening enabling fluid communication between the CO 2 container 1, the inner bores 22, 27, 36 and the outlet 130 at the second end 140 of the valve housing 100, see figs. 8 to 11.

[0033] The piston head 32 comprises a circumferential groove 39 in which two or more of the openings 38 are arranged. Two or more flow paths 36 extend through the openings 38 of the piston head 32 and join into the through channel 36 of the piston stem 33 forming one common inner channel extending through the piston stem to enable CO 2 400 to flow further through the valve assembly 10.

[0034] In an embodiment, the valve assembly 10 comprises at least one spring-loaded valve unit 200 movably arranged in an inner bore 101. In an embodiment, the movable inner spring-loaded valve unit 200 comprises a spring-loaded consumption valve 20 and a spring-loaded residual pressure valve 30, see figs. 2, 5, 8, 12, 13 and 15.

[0035] In the embodiment shown in figs. 17 and 18, the movable inner valve unit 200 further comprises a first pressure reduction valve 50 (see the arrow pointing at the double dotted and dashed line in fig. 17) configured to reduce a pressure in the CO 2 cylinder 1 from a first gas pressure to a second gas pressure, e.g. as disclosed in WO 2019 / 110714 A1, besides the spring-loaded filling valve 20 and the spring-loaded residual pressure valve 30. In an embodiment shown in figs. 17 and 18, a pressure reduction valve 50 (see the arrow pointing at the double dotted and dashed line in fig. 17) is arranged upstream of the spring-loaded consumption valve 20 and downstream of the spring-loaded residual pressure valve 30 in the valve assembly 10. The pressure reduction valve 50 is spring-loaded and configured to reduce the pressure of the CO 2 coming from the CO 2 container 1 from a first pressure to a second pressure when flowing through the valve housing 100. The pressure reduction valve 50 is in the embodiment of fig. 17 arranged between the spring-loaded gas consumption valve 20 and the spring-loaded residual pressure valve 30 and in fluid communication therewith. In an embodiment of the valve assembly 10 having a pressure reduction valve 50 with a piston head 51 as shown in fig. 17 arranged between the spring-loaded gas consumption valve 20 and the spring-loaded residual pressure valve 30, the piston head 51 seal against a hard plastic surface in Polyether ether ketone (PEEK) that give more precise regulation results when using the valve assembly 10 compared to previous solutions in Polyoxymethylene (POM), also known as acetal, polyacetal, and polyformaldehyde, that did not withstand an aging test under 65°C with liquid CO 2 .

[0036] The movable inner valve unit 200 comprises a thin tube crimping 205 to hold all parts of the valve unit 200 together by gripping into grooves 206, see figs. 5 to 10, 12, 13, 17, 18 and 21. The inner space of the valve unit 200 is sealed by O-rings 207 after the crimping by means of the thin tube 205 is done. This connecting of the parts incl. top end part 208, centre part 210 and bottom end part 209 making up the whole inner movable valve unit 200 reduces material and avoids thread connections between the different parts.

[0037] The second part or member 141 of the valve housing 100 of the valve assembly 10 comprises a section between the ends as shown in figs. 3, shown and marked with right braces in dashed lines in upper view of fig. 4 and in figs. 14 and 15, which section is an outer surface of the valve assembly 10 that is rounded with a smooth surface making it difficult to unscrew this second part or member 141 from the first part or member 111 of the valve housing as any gripping around it is much harder, hence, this design of the second part or member 141 makes it difficult to open the valve assembly 10 without hex nut opening as it requires higher opening torque, whereby the valve assembly of the disclosure is tamper-proof as the second and upper part 141 of the valve housing 100 is round and therefore very difficult to misuse / tamper with as any grip around it is hard to achieve.

[0038] The first closing part 34 of the piston head 32 has a smooth surface and rounded outer shape configured to abut against a smooth surface and rounded shape of the residual pressure valve seat 35 at the inlet 120 of the valve assembly 10 (see figs. 5 to 13) to sealingly close the CO 2 container 1 when the predetermined overpressure inside the CO 2 container is reached and the force of a spring 37 urging the residual pressure valve piston 31 towards the residual pressure valve seat 35 exceeds the force of flowing CO 2 400 on the piston head 32.

[0039] In figs. 5 to 13, in particular figs. 7, 10, 11 and 13, the rounded outer shape of the first closing part 34 of the piston head 32 is clearly shown as formed by an outer varying diameter providing an external circumferential curvature of the piston head 32 varying from being convex at the surface 34 configured to abut against the residual pressure valve seat 35 to being concave at and where the openings 38 of the flow paths 36 end in the rounded groove 39 via a smooth rounded transitional or intermediate form between the convex and the concave surfaces of the groove 39.

[0040] In an embodiment, the valve housing 100 of the valve assembly 10 is made up by two parts or members as a two-part housing, a first housing member or part 111 and a second housing member or part 141, this is clearly shown in the cross-sections of figs. 5, 8 and the view in fig. 12 and in fig. 17, and also in the exploded view of fig. 21 (in fig. 2, the valve housing 100 is not shown as an embodiment with a two-part housing). The first housing member 111 is configured to be arranged closer to the CO 2 container 1 than the second housing member 141 when detachably attaching the valve assembly 10 therein. The second housing member 141 can be defined as an upper or top or outer part of the valve housing 100 and the first housing member 111 can be defined as a lower or bottom or inner part of the valve housing 100 when the valve assembly 10 is detachably assembled to the opening 2 of the CO 2 container 1. The inner bore 101 extends between the valve housing inlet 120 and the valve housing outlet 130 and through the two housing members 111, 141. The spring-loaded valve unit 200 is movably arranged in the inner bore 101. In an embodiment shown in figs. 14 and 17, the movable inner spring-loaded valve unit 200 comprises a spring-loaded consumption valve 20, a spring-loaded residual pressure valve 30 and a spring-loaded pressure reduction valve 50. The valve assembly 10 of fig. 14 is longer or higher, i.e. have a length or height being larger by a distance or length or height ΔH as shown in fig. 15 compared to a valve assembly 10 only comprising a spring-loaded consumption valve 20 and a spring-loaded residual pressure valve 30 as shown in figs. 2, 5, 8, 12, 13 and this fig. 15. A valve assembly 10 without a spring-loaded pressure reduction valve 50 is therefore more compact.

[0041] In an embodiment, the valve assembly 10 comprises a protective device 300 arranged at the other or the second valve housing outlet 131 in connection with and configured to interact with the spring-loaded movable inner valve unit 200 to discharge CO 2 when the pressure in the CO 2 container 1 is higher than a predetermined pressure. The pressure relief or protective valve 300 is arranged between the first housing end 110 and the second housing end 140. The pressure relief valve 300 projects radially out from the outer face of the valve housing 100. The pressure relief valve 300 comprises a burst disc being set to burst at a predetermined pressure. In addition, the pressure relief valve 300 comprises one or more outlets 131 for letting the CO 2 out into the surroundings after the burst disc has burst. Preferably, the outlets are in the axial direction of the valve assembly 10, so that it is avoided that the CO 2 cylinder 1 is over-turned when the gas relieves via the pressure relief valve 300.

[0042] In figs. 3, 5, 8, 12, 15 and 17, no outer threads on the first end 110 enabling the valve assembly 10 to be detachably and sealingly threaded into the opening or orifice or inlet 2 of the CO 2 container 1 are shown as are done in figs. 2, upper view of figs. 4, and 14, however, the first ends 110 shown in figs. 3, 5, 8, 12, 14, 15 and 17 are of course provided with complementary threads even if not shown to provide a detachable connection therebetween.

[0043] In Figs. 8, 9 and 10, the valve assembly 10 is shown in cross-sectional views. In these figs., the consumption valve 20 has been activated so that it is open to deliver gas = CO 2 to a gas consuming system 500, see figs. 19 and 20. The consumption valve 20 has been opened by an external pressure body 61 shown in dash-dotted lines. The consumption valve 20 comprises a first closing member 21 arranged in a first inner bore 22 of the inner valve unit 200. The consumption valve 20 has a first consumption valve spring 23 forcing the closing member 21 upwards to the closed position of the consumption valve 20 (as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7). The inner bore 22 has an upper groove 24 arranged at a distance from the first opening or outlet 130 of the valve assembly 10. In the upper groove 24 sealing elements 25 are arranged. At least the sealing element 25 arranged in the upper groove 24 seals off around the first closing member 21 when it is in the closed position. The first closing member 21 has at least one narrowing area where the diameter of the first closing member 21 is smaller than the rest of the first closing member so that, in the open position as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the gas 400 may flow past the first closing member 21 between the inner bore 22 and the first closing member 21.

[0044] The consumption valve 20 also comprises a second closing member 26 arranged downstream of the first closing member 21- as seen in the flow of CO 2 gas when consumed - in a second inner bore 27 of the inner valve unit 200. This second closing member 26 has a first end facing the first closing member 21 and a second end downstream of the first end, i.e. the second end is closer to the inlet 120 of the valve assembly. The consumption valve 20 has a second consumption valve spring 28 abutting the second end of the second closing member 26 to force the second closing member 26 upwards to the closed position of the consumption valve 20 (as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7). The second closing member 26 has an outer groove 29 arranged with sealing elements, such as the sealing elements 25 of the upper groove 24, between the first and the second end. At least the sealing elements 25 arranged in the outer groove 29 seals off around the second closing member 26 when it is in the closed position. The second closing member 26 has at least one narrowing area where the diameter of the second closing member 26 is smaller than the rest of the second closing member so that in the open position as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the CO 2 gas 400 may flow past the second closing member 26 between the second inner bore 27 and the second closing member 26 and further past the first closing member 21 upstream and out through the first outlet 130 of the valve assembly 10 during consumption of gas.

[0045] The first closing member 21 of the consumption valve 20 comprises a first end arranged at the first outlet 130 and a second end downstream of the first end, i.e. the second end is closer to the inlet 120 of the valve assembly 200. The second end of the first closing member comprises an inner cavity being configured to receive the first end of the second closing member 26, see figs. 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 17 and 18.

[0046] When the consumption valve 20 is to be opened, an external pressure body 61 presses on the first end of the first closing member 21 with a force greater than the force of the first consumption valve spring 23 and the regulated pressure of the CO 2 gas cylinder 1 until the first closing member 21 is moved a first distance wherein the first end of the second closing member 26 abuts or bottoms in the inner cavity of the first closing member 21 (this two-step opening procedure provides a clearance to eliminate the risk of unintentional opening of the valve assembly 10), i.e. after only the first closing member 21 is moved this first distance both the first and the second closing member 21 and 26 are moved together and out of sealing engagement with the concerned valve seats 24, 29 and sealings 25 the second closing member opens the consumption valve 20 to let CO 2 gas out from the CO 2 gas cylinder 1, see figs. 8 - 11.

[0047] When the valve assembly 10 is opened for consumption as described above and shown in figs. 8 - 11, i.e. discharge of CO 2 gas via the consumption valve 20 when the closing member 21 has been moved downwards and past the upper sealing element(s) 25, the gas present in the CO 2 cylinder 1 having a first gas pressure flows via the filter element 203 to the residual pressure valve 30. In the residual pressure valve 30, the piston 31 then is displaced slightly upwards, so that a gap exists between the valve seat(s) 35 and the sealing surface(s) 34 of the piston head 32, whereby the CO 2 gas 400 flows through this gap 36 into the piston stem 33 and the central inner piston stem bore 36 via the openings 38 and the groove 39 and the inner bores or flow paths 36 through the piston head 32 into the interior of the piston stem 33 and further out and towards the consumption valve 20 and finally out through the outlet 130 of the valve assembly 10. The first CO 2 gas pressure is reduced accordingly to a second gas pressure.

[0048] The CO 2 flow 400 is enabled by the fact that when the gas filling valve, i.e. the whole valve unit 200 being a filling valve plug in accordance with the standard of type approval testing of valves, has been moved out of sealing engagement between its valve seat 201 and sealings 204 for filling gas into the CO 2 cylinder 1, and when the consumption valve 20 and its valve seat(s) 24 and outer groove(s) 29 with valve sealing(s) 25 and the residual pressure valve 30 and its valve seat(s) 34 and sealing(s) 35 have been moved out of sealing engagement for discharging CO 2 out of the CO 2 cylinder 1, these entities are configured to leave gaps between them and the inner bores 22, 27, 36, 101 of the valve assembly 10, whereby the CO 2 gas may flow through these gaps and the valve assembly 10 and into the CO 2 cylinder 1 and out of the outlets 130, 131 of the valve assembly 10 depending on need. The filling of the CO 2 cylinder 1 and discharge of CO 2 therefrom does not occur at the same time. When the filling valve 200 is open, i.e. when the whole inner valve unit 200 is moved out of sealing engagement with the inner bore 101 of the valve housing the CO 2 gas cylinder 1 is filled with CO 2 gas by in fact bypassing the spring-loaded movable inner valve unit 200 by leading CO 2 gas around the spring-loaded movable inner valve unit body 200 and towards and into the CO 2 cylinder 1, see fig. 12.

[0049] The filter element 203 shown in figs. 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13 and 17 is arranged at the inlet 120 to the inner valve unit 200 for filtering the CO 2 before it enters the inner valve unit 200 and the residual pressure valve 30 and the consumption valve 20 and / or the pressure reduction valve 50.

[0050] Fig. 11 shows the residual pressure valve piston 31 in two perspective views; the left view shows the openings 38 into the manifold of flow paths 36 arranged in the circumferential outer groove 39 of the piston head 32 of the residual pressure valve 30. Here, the CO 2 flow 400 into, through and beyond / past / out of the piston 31 of the residual pressure valve 30 is shown in the view to the right for better clarity compared to figs. 8, 9 and 10 where the manifold of inner bores or channels 36 leading into the piston stem 33, which piston stem 33 forms a joining of the manifold of separate and different flow paths and inner bores 36 in the piston head 32 into a common and central inner bore or channel 36 through the piston stem 33 are shown in both solid and dotted lines for better understanding.

[0051] Figs. 19 and 20 show a gas pressure regulation device 60, e.g. as disclosed in WO 2019 / 110714 A1. The gas pressure regulation device 60 is configured to be connected with the second housing end 140 of the valve housing 100 of the valve assembly 10, see figs. 1 and 2. The gas pressure regulation device 60 comprises a pressure indicator, a handle for regulating the pressure for the gas flowing from the CO 2 container 1 through the valve assembly 10 and further through the gas pressure regulation device 60 and an outlet connectable to a gas supply tube. The gas pressure regulation device 60 is configured to be detachably connected with the valve assembly 10, as disclosed herein or an adaptor unit at a first end. The handle of the gas pressure regulation device 60 comprises in some embodiments a plurality of holes configured to receive a tamper-evident strip (not shown). The gas pressure regulation device 60 also comprises a pressure relief device valve in some embodiments. The gas pressure regulation device 60 comprises an external pressure body 61 (shown schematically by dashed lines) configured to be displaced downwards to open the consumption valve 20 of the valve assembly 10, see figs. 8 to 10.

[0052] Fig. 18 shows the gas pressure regulation device 60 connected with the valve assembly 10 arranged in the CO 2 cylinder 1. In figs. 1, 2, 19 and 20, an embodiment of a shield 3 around the valve assembly 10 is arranged for protecting the valve assembly 10 against damage.

[0053] In Fig. 20, a gas consuming system is shown as an embodiment of a beverage dispensing system 500 for dispensing beverages. The beverage dispensing system 500 comprises a gas delivering system 150. The gas delivery system 150 comprises the CO 2 cylinder 1 having the valve assembly 10 and a gas pressure regulation device 60. The gas delivery system 150 is configured to deliver a predetermined gas pressure to a beverage container 175 having an extractor tube (not shown). A dispense head 176 is coupled to the extractor tube and is configured to lead CO 2 , from the gas cylinder 1 through the valve assembly 10 and the gas pressure regulation device 60 to and through a gas supply line 177 into the beverage container 175 wherein the CO 2 is used to expel the beverage from the beverage container 175 into the dispensing line 178 for further use (not shown).

[0054] The second housing member 141 of the valve housing 100 comprises a first end configured to detachably and sealingly receive a gas pressure regulation device 60 and / or a gas filling and / or consumption device 60, 61, see figs. 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, 19 and 20. The first end of the second housing member 141 corresponds to the second end 140 of the valve housing 100 and the valve assembly 10. The second end 140 of the second housing member 141 comprises an outer thread enabling the second housing member 141 to be detachably assembled to the first housing member 111 by being threaded into an inner thread of a first end of the first housing member 111. The second end of the first housing member 111 corresponds to the first end 110 of the valve housing 100 and the valve assembly 10 and comprises an outer thread to enable threading the valve assembly into an inner thread of the CO 2 container 1.

[0055] In an embodiment shown in figs. 17 and 18, the sealing of the CO 2 gas filling valve 200 is provided by a valve seat 201 with a straight but inclined or angled shape against which a sealing 204 having a complementary shaped form with an angled, e.g. about or at 45°, but straight surface abuts for sealing. In some embodiments, the inner movable valve unit 200 comprises another or third inner bore 211 arranged in the upper part 208 as seen in figs. 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 17, and 18. This inner bore 211 extends between the upper end of the mid or centre part / end 210 working as enclosure of second spring-loaded movable closing member 26 and the upper end or surface of the upper or top part / end 208 working as a top end or top lid being part of the body of the inner filling valve 20 and therefore the inner movable valve unit 200. This inner bore 211 works as a safety valve configured to let out any excessive pressure being "trapped" within the inner movable valve unit 200 after filling and / or consumption to the surrounding.NOMENCLATURE

[0056] 1: Container comprising pressurized CO 2 . 2: Opening of the pressurized CO 2 container 1. 3: Flange / Shield of the pressurized CO 2 container 1. 10: Valve assembly. 20: Inner consumption valve. 21: First spring-loaded movable closing member. 22: First inner bore of inner valve unit 200. 23: First spring. 24: Upper groove. 25: Sealing elements. 26: Second spring-loaded movable closing member. 27: Second inner bore of inner valve unit 200. 28: Second spring. 29: Outer groove on the second closing member 26. 30: Inner residual pressure valve. 31: Piston of the inner residual pressure valve. 32: First end or part of the piston having a head-like shape. 33: Second end or part of the piston having a stem- / rod-like shape. 34: First closing / sealing member / section of inner residual pressure valve to abut against seat 35. 35: Residue pressure valve seat in the form of O-ring sealings. 36: Inner flow path / through channel / bore of piston / Third inner bore of valve unit 200. 37: Spring for biasing the inner residual pressure valve piston against the seat 35. 38: Opening / Orifice into the flow path / channel 36. 39: Outer / External groove around the circumference of the piston head 32. 50: Inner pressure reduction valve. 51: Piston of the inner pressure reduction valve 50. 60: Gas pressure regulation device and / or gas filling control device. 61: External pressure body 61 configured to close and open consumption valve 20. 100: Valve assembly housing / body. 101: Inner flow path / bore of the valve housing / body 100. 110: First valve housing end. 111: First valve housing part / member. 120: Valve housing inlet. 130: First valve housing outlet. 131: Second valve housing outlet. 140: Second valve housing end. 141: Second valve housing part / member. 150: Gas delivery / delivering system. 175: Beverage container. 176: Dispense head. 177: Gas supply line. 178: Dispensing line. 200: Movable spring-loaded inner valve unit. 201: Inner valve seat(s). 202: Spring biasing spring-loaded inner valve unit / body 200 against seat 201 to seal. 203: Filter in the spring-loaded inner valve unit / body. 204: Inner valve sealing(s) giving access for bottle / container filling and is / are also working as general sealing against the atmosphere / surrounding. 205: Thin tube crimping to hold all parts of valve unit 200 together. 206: Outer groove(s) on valve unit 200 into which the thin tube 205 is crimped. 207: Sealings inside the thin tube crimping 205 in the form of O-rings. 208: Upper / Top part / end working as a top end or top lid being part of the body of the inner filling valve 20 and therefore the inner movable valve unit 200. 209: Lower / Bottom part / end working as a bottom end or bottom lid being part of the body of the inner movable valve unit. 210: Mid / Centre part / end working as enclosure of second spring-loaded movable closing member 26. 211: Another / Third inner bore of inner valve unit 200 in upper part 208. 300: Protective device for discharging CO 2 when having a pressure being higher than a predetermined pressure. 400: Gas flow (CO 2 ) visualised by non-solid arrows and dotted lines. 500: Beverage dispensing system.

Claims

1. A valve assembly (10) comprising a valve housing (100) with a first end (110) and a second end (140), the first valve housing end (110) comprises an inlet (120) and the second end (140) comprises an outlet (130), the valve assembly (10) being configured to be detachably connected with the first end (110) to an opening (2) of a container (1) comprising pressurized gas being CO2, the valve assembly (10) comprising a spring-loaded movable inner valve unit (200) configured to provide a gas filling valve plug and channel when pushed down, the spring-loaded movable inner valve unit (200) comprising a spring-loaded consumption valve (20) configured to be arranged at the outlet (130) at the second end (140) of the valve housing (100) and a spring-loaded residual pressure valve (30) configured to be arranged at the first valve housing end (110) and inside the spring-loaded movable inner valve unit (200) together with the spring-loaded consumption valve (20), the valve housing (100) and the spring-loaded movable inner valve unit (200) having at least one flow path in the form of at least one inner bore (22, 27, 36, 101) through which CO2 (400) is able to pass from the CO2 container (1) when CO2 is discharged out of the valve assembly (10) or to the CO2 container (1) when the CO2 container is intendedly filled with CO2, wherein the spring-loaded inner residual pressure valve (30) comprises a piston (31) having a first end (32) as a piston head and a second end (33) as a stem, which piston head (32) is configured to be arranged closer to the first valve housing end (110) than the piston stem (33) and comprises a first closing part (34) facing the first valve housing end (110) and is configured to ensure that the CO2 container (1) maintains a predetermined overpressure to hinder unintended flow of any gas and / or substance(s) into the CO2 container by being configured to abut against a residual pressure valve seat (35) at the inlet (120) of the valve assembly (10) sealingly closing the CO2 container, characterized in that the piston head (32) comprises at least one flow path (36) arranged downstream of the first closing part (34), the flow path having an opening (38) facing the first closing part (34) and extending through the piston head (32) and into and through the interior of the piston stem (33).

2. The valve assembly (10) according to claim 1, wherein the piston head (32) comprises more than one through flow path (36), each through flow path being a channel or inner bore extending from the opening (38) in the surface of the piston head (32) and into and through the piston head and into and fully through the piston stem (33) via an inner through channel ending in an opening enabling fluid communication between the CO2 container (1), the inner bores (22, 27, 36) and the outlet (130) at the second end (140) of the valve housing (100).

3. The valve assembly (10) according to claim 2, wherein the piston head (32) comprises a circumferential groove (39) in which two or more of the openings (38) are arranged, whereby two or more flow paths (36) extend through the piston head (32) and join into the through channel (36) of the piston stem (33) forming one common inner channel extending through the piston stem.

4. The valve assembly (10) according to any preceding claim comprising a spring-loaded pressure reduction valve (50) configured to reduce the pressure of the CO2 (400) coming from the CO2 container (1) from a first pressure to a second pressure when flowing through the valve housing (100), the pressure reduction valve (50) is arranged between the spring-loaded consumption valve (20) and the spring-loaded residual pressure valve (30) and in fluid communication therewith.

5. The valve assembly (10) according to any preceding claim, wherein the first closing part (34) has a smooth surface and rounded outer shape configured to abut against a smooth surface and rounded shape of the residual pressure valve seat (35) at the inlet (120) of the valve assembly (10) to sealingly close the CO2 container (1) when the predetermined overpressure inside the CO2 container is reached and the force of a spring (37) urging the residual pressure valve piston (31) towards the residual pressure valve seat (35) exceeds the force of the flowing CO2 (400) on the piston head (32).

6. The valve assembly (10) according to claim 5, wherein the rounded outer shape of the first closing part (34) of the piston head (32) is formed by an outer varying diameter providing an external circumferential curvature of the piston head varying from being convex at the surface configured to abut against the residual pressure valve seat (35) to being concave at and where the openings (38) of the flow paths (36) end via a smooth rounded transitional or intermediate form between the convex and the concave surfaces.

7. The valve assembly (10) according to any preceding claim comprising a protective device (300) arranged at another valve housing outlet (131) in connection with and configured to interact with the spring-loaded movable inner valve unit (200) to discharge CO2 when the pressure in the CO2 container (1) is higher than a predetermined pressure.

8. The valve assembly (10) according to any preceding claim, wherein the valve housing (100) is made up of two parts (111, 141) detachably connected via threading, a first valve housing member (111) being the lower part of the valve housing (100) configured for detachable connection to the CO2 container (1) and a second valve housing member (141) of the valve housing (100) being the upper and exposed part of the valve assembly (10) when detachably connected to the CO2 container, the second valve housing member (141) comprising a section forming a circumferential mantle surface of the valve assembly (10), which circumferential section is rounded with a smooth surface.