Fitting comprising a data carrier for a beverage keg

Abstract

The invention relates to a fitting assembly (1) for a beverage keg (13), said fitting assembly comprising: a fitting housing (2) having a resilient riser pipe (6) that is located therein and is in particular movable relative thereto; and a seal (4), characterised in that an electronic data carrier (22) is located on or in the seal (4) and / or in a cover (24) for the seal (4).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a fitting arrangement for a beverage barrel with the features in the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] It is known from the prior art to store beverages for consumption in containers. This enables transport from the beverage production site, for example a brewery, to the place of consumption, for example a restaurant.

[0003] Common containers for beverages are bottles, cans, and beverage kegs. In the latter case, it is possible to provide larger quantities of the respective beverage, for example, more than 10 liters, in particular more than 20 liters, and preferably more than 30 liters, in a beverage keg.

[0004] To fill the beverage into the keg at the filling point and extract it at the dispensing point, it is known to use a gas, in particular, to dispense the beverage under pressure from the keg. CO2 is especially commonly used for this purpose. The kegs have a body with an outer shell. The body is usually made of a metallic material. The body typically has an opening in the center of its upper surface into which a fitting is inserted. The fitting serves as the connection point for filling the keg. Once the filling process is complete, the fitting remains on the keg and has a seal or sealing arrangement, ensuring that the beverage remains sealed and, if necessary, under pressure within the keg.

[0005] At the point of use, the beverage keg is connected to a dispensing system. This system includes a gas line for introducing gas into the keg and a beverage line for dispensing the beverage. A dispensing head is used for this purpose, which is connected to the fitting, specifically in a form-fitting and fluid-tight manner, but with a detachable connection.

[0006] Since the barrel body itself is usually made of a metallic, i.e., non-transparent and opaque, material, and since the barrels are often cleaned and refilled dozens of times after initial filling, it is necessary to obtain information about the respective barrel contents and, if applicable, other information about the barrel and / or the fitting. Particularly due to the reuse of the fitting, external markings, such as stickers, labels, or even permanent markings, for example, by laser engraving, are only suitable to a limited extent.

[0007] From GB 2 383 990 A4, a riser pipe is known in which a transponder is cast in place by means of a sealing compound, for example, a rubber material. Furthermore, from WO 2005 / 085076 A1, for example, a fitting arrangement is known in which a transponder is cast in a seal.

[0008] From US patent 2016 / 137478 A1, an overpressure function on a seal for a fitting arrangement is known.

[0009] The present invention therefore aims to provide a beverage barrel in which information about the beverage barrel and, optionally, about the beverage remains rewritable and indelible on the beverage barrel.

[0010] The aforementioned problem is solved according to the invention with a fitting arrangement according to the features in claim 1.

[0011] Advantageous design variants are described in the dependent claims.

[0012] The fitting arrangement for a beverage barrel comprises a fitting sleeve with a riser pipe arranged therein, preferably spring-elastic and, depending on the design variant, sometimes also relatively movable, as well as a seal.

[0013] The fitting assembly, in particular the sleeve and the riser pipe, is made of metallic material, especially food-grade material, for example stainless steel. The seal is located between the fitting body, in particular on the inner surface of the fitting body, and the riser pipe, thus sealing the riser pipe against the fitting body.

[0014] According to the invention, the fitting arrangement is characterized by the fact that an electronic data carrier is arranged on the seal. The data carrier is an NFC tag. This makes it possible to store information on the electronic data carrier, which includes, in particular, the following data, either individually or cumulatively, but not exclusively: Information about the keg, including the age of the seal and / or fitting, fitting changes, and / or filling history, can be stored. The keg's capacity may also be recorded. However, the system specifically records the age, type or brand, and / or bottling location of the keg's contents, i.e., the beverage contained within. Furthermore, information such as keg pressure can be provided. With integrated sensors, data on temperature, keg pressure, and / or the transport of the keg and its contents can be stored and analyzed. The system also records the beverage's expiration date, the beverage's name, and the brewery / manufacturer.

[0015] The data carrier itself is designed to be energy-free. Therefore, it has no active energy source.

[0016] The data carrier itself is rewritable. Ideally, the data carrier features encryption or password protection. This means that writing to the data carrier is only possible with special technical tools and authentication. This prevents misuse or accidental overwriting.

[0017] The fitting arrangement is particularly well-suited for data reading with appropriate reading hardware. This can even consist of a smartphone with suitable software or an app, allowing for random checks of each beverage keg upon delivery at a wholesaler's transshipment point or at an event or restaurant delivery point, verifying its contents, filling date, beverage type, etc. The kegs can also be recorded at least partially or fully automatically at the breweries or transshipment points. This stores information such as the number of times the keg has been rinsed, as well as the date and contents of the filling. The manufacturer can then fully automate the tag recording process at their bottling plant or at a downstream point in the process chain.

[0018] However, this fitting arrangement is particularly suitable in conjunction with sensors in a tap head. This makes it possible, for example for a publican or even a higher-level brewery, to identify where a specific keg containing the filled beverage is located on tap or connected to a dispensing system.

[0019] To integrate the electronic data carrier according to the invention, it has proven advantageous for the data carrier to be preferably arranged either within the seal, and particularly in an upper region of the seal in the vertical direction or towards the tap head, or for the data carrier to be arranged on the seal. In the case of the data carrier being arranged on the seal, a cover is placed over it. The data carrier can preferably be self-adhesive and thus attached to the seal or the cover. The seal is made of a rubber-like material, in particular an elastomeric material. The cover is preferably made of a non-electronically shielding material, for example, a plastic material. Thus, despite the fact that the data carrier itself has no active energy source, it is possible to read the data from the data carrier.to label the data carrier, and to do so wirelessly.

[0020] Because the data carrier is either positioned in the upper area of ​​the seal or covered by a cover, it is not in direct contact with the beverage or cleaning agents. Furthermore, during filling or when a dispensing head is engaged, the data carrier is not subjected to abrasive wear or direct mechanical contact. This makes the data carrier particularly durable, allowing it to be read and rewritten for the entire product lifespan of the seal or fitting.

[0021] For the production of the data carrier, for which food-grade material is preferably used, it has proven particularly advantageous, especially in the case of an NFC tag, to provide electronic conductor tracks on a plastic film or a dimensionally stable material such as a plastic ring or a PCB (so-called FR-4 glass fiber composite material) and then to encapsulate the data carrier in the seal or to encapsulate the cover onto the seal or attach it to the seal cover. This process is called overmolding. During the overmolding process, the circuit board or the conductor film of the data carrier may melt at least partially, and in particular completely. However, because the seal or the cover is electrically non-conductive, the conductor tracks of the data carrier are electrically insulated from each other, especially from direct contact, so that the functions remain intact after the seal or cover has been produced.The seal remains intact after a cover is applied. The data carrier according to the invention can therefore have a height of less than 0.5 mm. In one embodiment of the fitting arrangement according to the invention, the electrical data carrier is provided on a plastic ring and cast into the seal.

[0022] It has proven particularly advantageous, though not part of the invention claimed in the claims, to mount the data carrier on a dimensionally stable ring carrier and then attach it to the underside of the sealing cover using epoxy resin. This creates a chemically / force-fit connection that is free of gaps or other irregularities and is particularly suitable for food contact applications. Since the assembly can also be located outside the drum, the use of bonding material approved for food contact is recommended. This connection must, of course, withstand the thermal, chemical, and mechanical stresses of a drum's service life. The space required for the data carrier and bonding material can be compensated for by optimizing the design of the elastomeric seal, such that the assembly consisting of the seal and data carrier, including the tag, is interchangeable on a 1:1 basis with the seal and carrier assembly as previously available on the market.

[0023] For other design variants of fittings (especially A- and G-type: Figure 8 The arrangement of the data carrier within the main seal is particularly advantageous. Therefore, integrating the data carrier into the overall product by replacing the seal is also conceivable in existing fittings. This integration can be achieved during the seal manufacturing process by inserting the data carrier into the seal's production tool, such that the data carrier is held in place within the tool and overmolded with elastomer. Alternatively, the data carrier can be attached to the seal after production, or subsequently inserted into the top of the seal in a separate carrier component, or positioned on the underside of the seal.

[0024] Further advantages, features, properties, and aspects of the present invention are the subject of the following description. Preferred embodiments are also described below. These serve to facilitate understanding of the invention. They show: Figure 1 shows a fitting arrangement in cross-sectional view, Figure 2 shows a fitting arrangement in cross-section with a data carrier in the parting plane between the carrier and the seal, Figure 3 shows an exploded view of Figure 2Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the housing 2, Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view with a data carrier cast into the seal (not according to the invention), Figure 6 shows a non-inventive embodiment with a data carrier cast into the cover, Figure 7 shows an alternative embodiment with a U-type fitting arrangement with the tag applied to the seal carrier, and Figure 8 to 11 shows various cross-sectional views through an A-type fitting arrangement, wherein the fitting arrangement is according to Figure 9 according to the invention and the fitting arrangements according to Figures 8 , 10 , 11 are not based on the invention.

[0025] The same reference symbols are used in the figures for identical or similar components, even if a repeated description is omitted for the sake of simplicity.

[0026] In Figure 1The fitting arrangement 1 is shown in a cross-sectional view. A fitting housing 2 has an outer sealing ring 3 for fluid-tight installation in a beverage keg 13 (not shown). The seal 4 is arranged in the fitting housing 2 and is positively engaged in the upper end 5 of a riser pipe 6, creating a fluid-tight seal. For this purpose, a sealing element in the form of a ball 7 with a helical compression spring 9 is inserted, such that the ball 7 is positively engaged against an inner sealing surface of the seal 4 against a spring force. For this purpose, bulges 8 are formed in the riser pipe 6, which positively engage the helical compression spring 9 within the riser pipe 6. Furthermore, a helical compression spring 10 encompassing the riser pipe 6 and a retaining ring 11 are arranged, which press the entire riser pipe 6 from the inside into the fitting housing 2. The fitting housing 2 also has recesses 12 in its outer surface.Furthermore, the seal 4 is arranged between the fitting housing 2, specifically on an inner surface of the fitting housing 2 at a sealing surface 17, and the riser pipe 6. The seal 4 thus seals the fitting housing 2 against the riser pipe 6. The riser pipe 6 itself can be arranged relatively freely within the fitting housing 2. However, the riser pipe 6 can also be fixed within the fitting housing 2, in which case another valve body is mounted within the riser pipe 6.

[0027] Figure 2Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view through a compound fitting assembly 1, wherein the fitting assembly 1 is inserted into a beverage keg 13. For this purpose, a gas side 14 is formed in the beverage keg 13 itself, and a beverage side 15 is formed in the riser pipe 6 itself and below the fitting assembly 1, provided the beverage keg 13 is oriented upwards with respect to the vertical direction V. In particular, the gas side 14 is formed between the fitting housing 2 and the riser pipe 6, which is achieved by the recesses 12 in the fitting housing 2. In the closed sealing state, the spring force F9 presses the ball 7 against an inner sealing surface 16 of the seal 4. Any beverage present on the beverage side 15 is thus prevented from escaping to the environment U.

[0028] The upper end 5 of the riser pipe 6 is flared, where the second helical compression spring 10 comes into positive contact and presses the entire riser pipe 6 against a spring force F10 with the seal 4 against an internal sealing surface 17 of the fitting housing 2. This also ensures that, in the closed state, the beverage is sealed from the gas side 14 against the environment U.

[0029] In the event of activation, a dispensing head (not shown in detail) would be positively inserted into a dispensing head receptacle 18 and would press the riser pipe 6 with seal 4 downwards in the vertical direction V. This would cause gas to be conveyed via the gas side 14 into the beverage keg 13, so that, upon connection of the dispensing head, the ball 7 or sealing plate would also be moved downwards in the vertical direction V relative to the seal 4, thus allowing the beverage to flow out and be dispensed from the beverage keg 13.

[0030] The seal 4 itself is formed from a reinforcing ring 19 and an elastic sealing material 20 surrounding it. The seal 4 has an upper head section K and a web section S.

[0031] This is an S-type fitting. A data carrier 22 is arranged on the seal 4, specifically on the upper side of the seal 4. This electronic data carrier 22 is arranged in the form of a circular ring or a segment of a circular ring around or on the seal 4. A cover 24 is arranged above the seal 4 in the direction of a possible outlet 23 of the fitting assembly 1, and this cover at least partially overlaps the seal 4. The cover 24 also overlaps the electronic data carrier 22, so that it does not come into contact with the liquid or beverage in the barrel 13. To manufacture the seal 4 with the cover 24, the data carrier 22 is positioned on the material of the seal 4 or the material of the cover 24, and then the two components are fitted together. Furthermore, it is possible to injection mold the cover 24 onto the seal 4 from a plastic-like material.to be cast, in particular in the form of an overmolding process. The data carrier 22 is thus cast between cover 24 and seal 4 and is therefore also sealed. With a suitable reading device, the data carrier 22 can then be read through cover 24.

[0032] Figure 3 shows an exploded view of Figure 2 . Here it can be seen that the data carrier 22 is designed as a circumferential ring.

[0033] Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view, analogous to Figure 2 However, here the data carrier 22 is cast directly into the seal 4 itself. The cover 24 is additionally applied to the seal 4. The seal 4 is initially manufactured together with the data carrier 22. The tag is held or positioned in the mold for the seal 4, and then the seal 4 is cast in one piece in a single step.

[0034] Figure 5Figure 1 shows an alternative design variant. In this variant, the data carrier 22 is cast into the cover 24. Thus, the data carrier 22 is located on the seal 4, but is completely encased or cast into the cover 24 itself.

[0035] Figure 6Figure 1 shows an alternative embodiment. Here, a U-type fitting arrangement 1 is depicted. The data carrier 22 is arranged on a circumferential ring 25, preferably made of metal or alternatively of plastic. The metal ring 25 is at least partially cast into the seal 4. Here, too, the data carrier 22 can initially be arranged on the metal ring 25 or the metal reinforcement of the sealing body, and then overmolded with the sealing material 20, also in an overmolding process. The data carrier 22 is thus sealed from the beverage, at least with respect to the outlet 23. The data carrier 22 can extend partially laterally beyond the metal ring 25 to facilitate positioning in the mold.

[0036] Figure 7 shows an already in Figure 1The fitting arrangement 1 of the D-type described at the beginning. Here, too, a metallic reinforcing ring 19 is arranged in the seal 4 itself. Here, the electronic data carrier 22 is mounted on a reinforcing ring 19, metallic or made of plastic, but sufficiently dimensionally stable, and then overmolded with the sealing material 20 in an overmolding process, so that here, too, the data carrier 22 is sealed off from a beverage to be dispensed.

[0037] Figure 8 Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view through a fitting assembly. The seal 4 is located between the riser pipe 6 and on the inside of the fitting. The data carrier 22 itself is centrally located within the seal 4 and was overmolded with elastomer during manufacturing.

[0038] In Figure 9Alternatively, it is shown that the data carrier 22 is inserted into a top surface of the seal 4. For this purpose, it can also be injected directly into the seal 4, but it can also be subsequently inserted into a groove.

[0039] In an alternative design variant according to Figure 10 The data carrier 22 is arranged below the seal 4. It rests on an upper sleeve 26.

[0040] According to Figure 11 The data carrier 22 is completely integrated into the seal 4, and thus completely overmolded by the sealing material 20, in particular elastomer. Reference symbol:

[0041] 1- Fitting assembly 2- Fitting housing 3- Sealing ring 4- Gasket 5- Upper end to 6 6- Riser pipe 7- Sealing body or ball 8- Curvature 9- Helical compression spring 10- Helical compression spring 11- Retaining ring 12- Recess to 2 13- Beverage barrel 14- Gas side 15- Beverage side 16- Inner sealing surface to 4 17- Sealing surface 18- Tap head receptacle 19- Reinforcing ring 20- Elastic sealing material 21- Material recess at 19 22- Data carrier 23- Outlet 24- Cover 25- Metal ring 26- Sleeve

Claims

1. A fitting arrangement (1) for a beverage keg (13), having a fitting housing (2) with a riser pipe (6) arranged therein and in particular also relatively movable, and a seal (4), arranged between the fitting housing (2) and the riser pipe (6), characterized in that an electronic data carrier (22) is arranged on the seal (4) or that an electronic data carrier (22) is provided on a plastic ring and is cast into the seal (4) and that the data carrier (22) is an NFC tag.

2. The fitting arrangement (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the data carrier (22) is configured as an at least partially circumferential circular ring section, preferably as a fully circumferential circular ring section.

3. The fitting arrangement (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, in the case of a data carrier (22) arranged on the seal (4), said data carrier is covered by a cover (24), wherein the cover (24) is made of a plastic material, in particular a material which does not shield wireless waves.

4. The fitting arrangement (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the data carrier (22) is cast into the seal (4) and / or that the data carrier (22) is cast under the cover (24) on the seal (4) and / or the cover (24).

5. The fitting arrangement (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electronic data carrier (22) is operated without energy.

6. The fitting arrangement (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the data carrier (22) has a coding protection.

7. The fitting arrangement (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the following information is recorded on the data carrier (22): type and age of the seal and / or fitting, age and / or capacity of the beverage keg, age, brand and / or filling location of the keg contents, unique ID number, fill volume of the keg, best before date of the beverage, designation / name of the beverage, brewery / manufacturer, filling location.

8. The fitting arrangement (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fitting housing (2) has a conically extending internal sealing surface (17) tapering towards an upper end and a seal (4) is incorporated between the internal sealing surface (17) and the upper end (5) of the riser pipe (6) and the riser pipe (6) is pressed with the seal (4) against the sealing surface (17) due to a spring force (F10) and the seal (4) is arranged on the inside in the upper end (5) of the riser pipe (6), wherein a sealing body (7) is arranged in the upper end (5) of the riser pipe (6) in a spring-elastic manner and is relatively movable, which sealing body comes into contact in a form-fitting manner with an inner sealing surface (16) of the seal (4) due to a spring force (F9).

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