Pressurized gas supply equipment and gas cylinders

Abstract

A gas source for pressurizing carbonated and other beverage containers, for example for repressurizing the container to maintain the carbonation level of the beverage during storage. The gas cylinder may include a cap with a flange and a catch under the flange. The catch may be engaged by a cylinder support to move the cylinder into contact with a piercing element to pierce a gas outlet of the cylinder and form a seal between the cylinder and a gas receiver. The pressure indicator may have a single pressure sensor to indicate the capacity of the gas cylinder to deliver pressurized gas and the pressure within the beverage container.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] (CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS) This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 253,833, filed October 8, 2021, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. [Background technology]

[0002] The present invention relates generally to dispensing pressurized gas, for example to repressurize a bottle of sparkling wine after the wine has been poured from the bottle. Summary of the Invention

[0003] One or more embodiments allow a user to dispense a beverage, such as wine, from a bottle or other container. In some cases, such dispensing of liquid from a bottle may be performed one or more times, and a stopper may be engaged with the bottle to seal the interior of the bottle after each beverage dispense. Thus, a beverage may be dispensed from a bottle multiple times and stored for long periods of time between dispenses with minimal impact on beverage quality. In some embodiments, little or no gas, such as air, that reacts with the beverage may be introduced into or remain in the bottle after dispensing the beverage from within the bottle. Thus, in some embodiments, a user may dispense wine from a wine bottle, then purge the bottle of air and seal the bottle to prevent air or other potentially damaging gases or liquids from entering the bottle. In some embodiments, a pressure above ambient pressure may be introduced and maintained in the bottle after dispensing is completed, which may help maintain the carbonation level in the carbonated beverage, and such pressure may be established by introducing pressurized gas through the stopper.

[0004] In some embodiments, a pressurized gas source for use in providing pressurized gas into a beverage container or other receptacle comprises a housing configured to support a gas cylinder. The housing may be arranged to be held in the hand, e.g., may have a handle that a user can grip or that assists the user in gripping. A gas outlet may be mounted to the housing, e.g., at a bottom end of the housing, and arranged to provide pressurized gas for delivery to the beverage container or other receptacle. For example, the gas outlet may be arranged with a valve such that pressing the housing downwardly onto a gas port of a gas receiving device (such as a stopper on a beverage container) moves a portion of the valve upwardly and opens the valve to deliver gas. Removal of the downward force on the housing may close the valve to stop gas delivery. A regulator may be supported by the housing and arranged to receive gas from the gas cylinder at a first pressure and supply gas to the gas outlet at a second pressure lower than the first pressure. The regulator may be arranged in a variety of ways, such as having one or more pressure regulation stages, an adjustable output pressure, etc. The perforation lance may be positioned to perforate the outlet of the gas cylinder to release the pressurized gas for delivery to the regulator. The perforation lance and the gas cylinder may be movable relative to one another to perforate the gas outlet of the gas cylinder. In some embodiments, the cylinder holder may engage a portion of the cap on the gas cylinder to engage the gas cylinder with the perforation lance. Alternatively, the cylinder holder may engage a portion of the cap to support the gas cylinder while the perforation lance moves to engage the gas outlet for perforation. Thus, the gas cylinder may be supported at the cap and held stationary relative to the gas source housing during movement of the perforation lance to perforate the outlet of the gas cylinder, or may move relative to the gas source housing for perforation. This arrangement may allow the gas source to accommodate a wide variety of different sizes and / or shapes of gas cylinders, since the cylinder only needs to be engaged at the cap portion of the cylinder to allow for effective and repeatable perforation.

[0005] In some aspects, the gas cylinder comprises a body having a storage volume and a neck having a top surface with a pierceable gas outlet. The gas cylinder can hold pressurized gas and / or liquid, such as argon, carbon dioxide, nitrogen or other compounds or mixtures of compounds in either liquid and / or gas form. The cap can be secured to the neck and have a sidewall extending around the top surface of the gas cylinder body and a portion of the neck. The sidewall can define an interior space and an upper opening to the interior space and can include a flange extending radially outward from the sidewall and having a lower surface positioned above a lower portion of the sidewall. The lower surface of the flange and the lower portion of the sidewall can form a catch for an engagement pawl, for example, that is used to engage the gas cylinder, engage the gas cylinder with a gas receptacle, and deliver pressurized gas to the gas receptacle. A gasket can be configured to be disposed within the interior space and form a seal with the top surface and form a seal with a piercing element that extends into the interior space and pierces the gas outlet. For example, when a gas cylinder is engaged with the gas receiver, a piercing lance of the receiver can extend through the top opening of the cap into the interior space to form a seal with the gasket and pierce a gas outlet of the cylinder. Thus, the cap can be configured to support the gas cylinder and pierce a gas outlet in response to the engagement tab engaging the catch and engaging the cap and body with a piercing element received within the top opening.

[0006] In some embodiments, the flange and cap are made as a single, integral piece, whereas in some embodiments, the flange and cap are made separately and then attached together, whether prior to or during attachment to the gas cylinder body.

[0007] In some embodiments, the sidewall of the cap may be arranged to extend above the top surface of the neck, for example, such that the top opening is positioned above the gas outlet. The gasket may have an upper surface, an area of ​​the upper surface exposed at the top opening of the cap and arranged to contact a piercing element received in the top opening of the cap to pierce the gas outlet of the cylinder. The gasket may also have a lower surface arranged to form a seal with the top surface of the neck, for example, in response to the piercing element pushing the gasket into contact with the top surface of the cylinder body. In some cases, the cap comprises an upper wall having an annular shape extending radially inward from the sidewall and comprising a radially inner portion defining the top opening. The upper wall may, for example, help to keep the gasket within the interior space. In some embodiments, the gasket has an uppermost portion of the upper surface arranged radially inward of the radially inner portion of the upper wall, and in some cases, the uppermost portion of the gasket's upper surface may extend into the top opening, for example, to help form a seal with the piercing element before the piercing element pierces the gas outlet.

[0008] In some embodiments, the cap includes female threads arranged to engage with the male threads on the neck, and in some cases the cap can be secured to the neck by adhesive, welding, or other attachment in addition to or instead of threaded engagement.

[0009] In some embodiments, the catch has a curved shape at the junction between the underside of the flange and the bottom of the sidewall, for example, the curved shape can extend around the cap The curved shape helps to ensure that the engagement tabs engage the cap in the proper alignment and can help to center or otherwise position the cap for proper engagement with the gas receiver.

[0010] In some embodiments, the gas cylinder can be combined with a cylinder holder having a space for receiving the body of the gas cylinder. The cylinder holder can have one or more engagement tabs at an opening to the space configured to engage a catch of a gas cylinder received in the space. For example, the gas cylinder can be received in the cylinder holder by inserting a bottom end of the cylinder opposite the cap into the cylinder holder. The cylinder can be received in the holder until the one or more engagement tabs engage the cap at a catch under the flange. With the engagement tab(s) engaged with the cap, the gas cylinder can be suspended or otherwise held by the tab(s) relative to the cylinder holder. In some cases, the one or more engagement tabs can be positioned to engage the gas cylinder to engage the cap, gasket, and gas outlet with a piercing element of a gas receptacle of the gas supply apparatus to pierce the gas outlet. In some cases, the cylinder holder includes a threaded portion configured to engage the gas supply apparatus to move the gas outlet into engagement with the piercing element in response to rotation of the cylinder holder relative to the gas supply apparatus. In some embodiments, the one or more engagement pawls are pivotally mounted to move into a path in which the gas cylinder is received within the space. For example, the gas cylinder body and the one or more engagement pawls can be configured such that movement of the gas cylinder body into the space pivots the one or more engagement pawls out of the path. This movement can allow the gas cylinder to be received within the space. In some cases, the one or more engagement pawls can be resiliently biased to move into the path, e.g., the cylinder body can move the pawl(s) against a resilient bias to allow the cylinder body to be received within the space of the cylinder holder. With the body at least partially received within the space, the pawl(s) can be biased into a position to engage with a catch of the cap. In some embodiments, the cylinder holder, cap, and body can be configured such that the body is suspended within the space of the cylinder holder when the one or more engagement pawls are engaged with a catch of the cap.In some cases, one or more engagement claws each have an engagement end that engages the catch opposite a mounting end at which the engagement claw is mounted to the cylinder holder, for example, the engagement end can be positioned closer to the opening of the space than a mounting end that can be pivotally attached to the cylinder holder.

[0011] In some embodiments, a pressurized gas source for use in supplying pressurized gas into a beverage container may include a housing having a support for a gas cylinder holding pressurized gas, a gas outlet (e.g., having an outlet valve) mounted to the housing and arranged to supply pressurized gas for delivery to the beverage container, and a regulator supported by the housing and arranged to receive gas from the gas cylinder at a first pressure and supply gas to the gas outlet at a second pressure lower than the first pressure. A conduit may be coupled between the regulator and the gas outlet to deliver gas from the regulator to the gas outlet, and a pressure indicator may be configured to indicate whether the pressure in the beverage container exceeds a threshold value when the gas outlet is coupled to the beverage container and the outlet valve is open, and to indicate whether the gas cylinder has the capacity to deliver pressurized gas to the beverage container when the outlet valve is closed. The pressure indicator may thus perform two functions with respect to the ability of the gas source to deliver pressurized gas to the container and may indicate the gas pressure in the container after or during gas is delivered to the container.

[0012] In some embodiments, the pressure indicator is configured to indicate whether the gas cylinder has the capacity to pressurize the beverage container when the outlet valve is closed and the gas outlet is disconnected from the beverage container. In some cases, the outlet valve is normally closed and is opened by moving the gas outlet into engagement with a stopper on the beverage container.

[0013] In some cases, the pressure indicator includes a single pressure sensor element and a single indicator element to indicate both whether the pressure in the container exceeds a threshold value and whether the gas cylinder has the capacity to pressurize the beverage container. For example, the single pressure sensor element can include a resiliently biased piston that is movable based on the pressure in the conduit, and the single indicator element can be coupled to and move with the piston to provide an indication based on the position of the piston. In some cases, the indicator element is movable between a position where a first portion of the indicator element is visible for pressures below the threshold value and a second portion of the indicator element is visible for pressures above the threshold value. In some embodiments, the first and second portions of the indicator element are visible through a window in the housing.

[0014] In some embodiments, the regulator comprises a piercing lance arranged to pierce the outlet of the gas cylinder to release the pressurized gas. In some cases, the gas supply apparatus comprises a gas cylinder support configured to move the gas cylinder relative to the housing to pierce the outlet of the gas cylinder. For example, the gas cylinder support can be configured to engage a flange disposed on the neck of the gas cylinder to move the gas cylinder relative to the housing to pierce the outlet of the gas cylinder.

[0015] In one embodiment, a stopper is provided for use with a beverage container having a neck, an opening in the neck for accessing the interior volume of the container, and a lip on an exterior surface of the neck. The stopper may comprise a stopper body having a sealing surface arranged to contact and form a seal with a portion of the neck around the opening, for example, to seal the interior space of the bottle from gas or other external environmental conditions. The stopper may comprise a gas inlet port arranged to receive pressurized gas from a gas outlet of a gas source and deliver the pressurized gas into the interior space of the container. The stopper may be arranged to seal the opening of the container to hold or otherwise adequately maintain a pressure above ambient pressure within the container, for example, to help maintain the carbonation level of the beverage at an appropriate level. For example, the stopper may comprise a gas pathway extending from the gas inlet port to a gas outlet. The gas pathway may extend from a top of the stopper body where the gas inlet port is located to an arrangement adjacent the sealing surface where the gas outlet is located to introduce pressurized gas into the container. A check valve or other one-way valve may be provided in the gas pathway to prevent flow from the gas outlet to the inlet. For example, a vent and / or pressure indicator may be provided in the stopper to allow purging of air from the bottle and to vent pressure above a threshold level to indicate pressure within the bottle.

[0016] Various exemplary embodiments of the device are further shown and described below. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] Aspects of the invention are described with reference to various embodiments and figures, including the following. [Figure 1] 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a gas source and a beverage container stopper in an exemplary embodiment; [Diagram 2] 2 shows a perspective view of the beverage container and stopper shown in FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] 3 shows the stopper of FIG. 2 disengaged from the beverage container. [Figure 4] 2 shows a detailed view of the pressure indicator of the embodiment of FIG. 1; [Diagram 5] 1 shows an enlarged view of a gas cylinder with a cap engaged with a piercing element and a regulator. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cylinder holder in the embodiment of FIG. 1. [Figure 7] 7 illustrates a gas cylinder received in the cylinder holder of FIG. 6; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Although the features of the present invention are described below with reference to exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that the features of the present invention should not be narrowly construed in view of the specific embodiments described. Thus, aspects of the present invention are not limited to the embodiments described herein. It should also be understood that the various features of the present invention may be used alone and / or in any suitable combination with each other, and thus the various embodiments should not be construed as requiring a specific combination or combination of features. Instead, one or more features of the described embodiments can be combined with other suitable features of other embodiments. For example, one embodiment of a gas supply apparatus employs a gas cylinder supported on a portion of a cap on the gas cylinder and a pressure indicator configured to indicate both the capacity of the gas cylinder to supply pressurized gas to the beverage container and the pressure within the beverage container. These features may be used together as in the following embodiments or independently of each other, for example, the gas cylinder cap feature may be used in a gas supply apparatus that does not have a pressure indicator, and a gas supply apparatus that includes a pressure indicator as described may be configured to operate with a gas cylinder that does not have a cap or other support arrangement, etc.

[0019] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a gas source 1 that may be used for a variety of applications, such as inflating tires, pressurizing or repressurizing sparkling wine and other carbonated beverage bottles after dispensing, purging air from pressurized beverage containers that store beverages at low or no pressure, filling accumulators, etc. In the following description, specific reference is made to the use in pressurizing carbonated beverage containers, but aspects of the invention should not be limited to this application. The gas source 1 has a housing 2 that supports various components of the gas source 1, and in this embodiment has a rectangular box-like shape, although other shapes and configurations are possible. For example, the housing 2 may include an opening that defines a handle through which a user can extend fingers to grip the main body of the housing 2 with fingers and thumb. In some embodiments, the gas source 1 includes a gas cylinder holder 6 that is removably attached to the housing 1 and has a portion that extends below the bottom wall of the housing 1. The cylinder holder 6 may be configured to provide a handle or other gripping area for a user so that the user can manipulate and operate the gas source 1 while holding the cylinder holder 6. For example, in some embodiments, the gas source 1 has a gas outlet 9 disposed on the bottom wall of the housing 2. This positioning for the gas outlet 9 may allow a user to place the gas source 1 over a gas receiving port (such as the inflation valve or tire or gas inlet port 71 of a beverage container stopper 7 as shown in FIG. 1 ) and press the gas source 1 downwards on the receiving port to deliver gas. In some embodiments, the gas outlet 9 is disposed with an outlet valve 91 that is normally closed and opens to allow gas flow when the gas outlet 9 is pressed downwards on the receiving port (moving a portion of the gas outlet valve 91 to open the valve). Releasing the gas source 1 from the receiving port closes the gas outlet valve 91 and stops the gas flow. However, in some embodiments, the gas may be released by the user by operating a lever or button, by squeezing a handle, or in other ways.

[0020] In some embodiments, the gas source 1 can be configured to deliver gas into the beverage container such that the interior space of the container can be pressurized to a desired level to store the beverage in the container. Different arrangements can be used to seal the container and receive pressurized gas from the gas source 1 to pressurize the container. The stopper 7 shown in FIG. 1 is one such device, configured to engage with the beverage container to seal the container and maintain a pressure higher than the ambient pressure in the container for an extended period of time, for example, days, weeks, or more. FIGS. 2 and 3 show the stopper 7 of FIG. 1 engaged with and disengaged from the container 8, respectively. A lever 75 or other user-operable element can be operated to engage the sealing surface and one or more prongs 73 with the container to establish and maintain a seal at the container opening and / or to disengage the stopper 7 from the container 8. For example, the lever 75 can be moved to an open position as shown in FIG. 3 which moves the prongs 73 to a disengaged position, allowing the stopper 7 to be removed from the container 8 and / or the container neck to be received within the cavity of the stopper 7 in which the prongs 73 are located. With the container neck received within the cavity of the stopper 7, the lever 75 can be operated to engage the pawl 73 with the lip 82 of the container neck and the sealing surface of the stopper 7 with the opening 81 of the container to form a seal with the opening 81 and seal the interior space of the closed container 8. Gas can then be supplied to the gas inlet 71 of the stopper 7, for example, to pressurize and / or purge gas from the beverage container 8. The pressurized gas supplied to the gas inlet 71 of the stopper 7 can be directed into the beverage container through a check valve 72 or other arrangement of the stopper 7. The gas inlet 71 can be located in other arrangements, such as in the top wall of the housing 74 of the stopper 7 or in a side wall of the stopper 7. In addition to or as an alternative to a check valve or other arrangement to prevent gas from escaping the container, the stopper 7 can be equipped with a vent valve or other features to allow gas to be purged from the container interior space and / or to properly pressurize the container. For example, a vent valve may allow pressurized gas to be introduced into the container to build up pressure within the container up to a threshold value, after which the vent valve opens to release pressure above the threshold value.The pressure indicator 76 may indicate whether the interior space of the container is properly pressurized and may, for example, prompt the user to stop introducing gas into the container.

[0021] To provide the pressurized gas, the gas source 1 comprises a gas cylinder 4 that holds pressurized gas in a storage volume, e.g., carbon dioxide (CO2), argon, nitrogen, or other gas at a relatively high pressure of 200-5000 psi. The gas cylinder 4 is held by a cylinder holder 6, which operates to hold the gas cylinder 4 in engagement with a perforation lance 51 to perforate a gas outlet of the cylinder 4 and release pressurized gas from the gas cylinder 4 to a gas path of the gas source 1 or other gas receiver. The pressurized gas may be received by a regulator 5, which is configured to receive the high pressure gas from the cylinder 4 and reduce its pressure, e.g., for delivery to a gas outlet 9 via a tube or other conduit 25. For example, a gas cylinder 4 holding carbon dioxide may have an internal pressure of 500-1000 psi, and the regulator 5 may reduce this pressure to one suitable for the intended use, such as 15-50 psi for repressurizing a carbonated beverage container. In some cases, the regulator 5 may be adjustable by a user or technician to provide different gas pressures at the gas outlet 9. For example, the regulator 5 may comprise a dial, an adjustable screw, or other features used to adjust the output gas pressure. In some embodiments, the regulator 5 and the drilling lance 51 may be fixed together and moved relative to the housing 2 and the gas cylinder 4 to drill the gas cylinder outlet. Alternatively, the regulator 5 and the drilling lance 51 may be fixed relative to the housing 2, and the gas cylinder 4 may be moved relative to the drilling lance 51 by the cylinder holder 6 to drill the gas outlet of the cylinder 4. While a regulator 5 is included in some embodiments, a regulator is not required. Instead, a flow restrictor or other element may operate to reduce the delivery pressure of the gas at the gas outlet 9, at least when the gas is flowing above a threshold velocity.

[0022] In some embodiments, the gas source 1 may include a pressure indicator, the gas outlet 9 of which is coupled to a beverage container, configured to indicate whether the pressure in the beverage container (or other device receiving pressurized gas from the gas source 1) exceeds a threshold value when the outlet valve 91 is open, and to indicate whether the gas cylinder 4 has the capacity to pressurize the beverage container when the outlet valve 91 is closed. Thus, a single pressure indicator may provide two functions, i.e., to indicate the pressure in the beverage container or other device receiving pressurized gas from the gas source 1, as well as to indicate whether the gas cylinder has a suitable capacity to deliver pressurized gas to the beverage container or other delivery device. This may simplify operation of the gas source 1 by a user, for example, since the user only needs to monitor a single pressure indicator to determine whether the beverage container is properly pressurized as well as whether the gas cylinder is capable of delivering pressurized gas. That is, although the pressure indicator may not necessarily indicate the pressure in the container and the capacity of the gas cylinder to deliver pressurized gas at the same time, the single pressure indicator may provide an indication of both at separate times, such as based on whether the gas outlet valve 91 is open or closed.

[0023] In some embodiments, the pressure indicator may include a single pressure sensor element and a single indicator element to indicate both the pressure in the beverage container and whether the gas cylinder has the capacity to deliver pressurized gas. For example, FIG. 1 shows a single pressure sensor element 24 fluidly coupled to a conduit 25 through which pressurized gas is supplied to a gas outlet 9. The pressure sensor element 24 includes a movable element that moves to different positions in response to the pressure in the conduit 25. The movable element is coupled to a lever arm 23 that is pivotally mounted to the housing 2 at one end, e.g., the left side of FIG. 1. The opposite end of the lever arm 23 is coupled to an indicator element 22 such that movement of the movable element of the pressure sensor element 24 causes the indicator element 22 to move up and down relative to an indicator window 21 in the housing 2. The indicator window 21 is positioned such that a relatively small portion of the indicator element 22 is visible through the indicator window 21. As a result, the portion of the indicator element 22 that is visible through the indicator window 21 indicates the relative pressure in the conduit 25. In some embodiments, the indicator element 22 includes two marked portions, e.g., a first portion with an "X" and a second portion with an "O". The X is intended to indicate a relatively low pressure or no pressure, and the O is intended to indicate a relatively high pressure or pressure above a threshold. Of course, other indicia, such as red and green markings or other colors, numbers (e.g., "0" and "1"), text (e.g., "full" and "empty"), etc., can be used. The indicator element can also be configured to provide more than two indications, e.g., three or more indications representing the pressure in the conduit 25, e.g., "0", "1 / 2", "3 / 4", and "full", or other indications to provide three or more pressure level indications. Although the indicator window 21 in some embodiments is located on the side of the housing 1, the indicator window 21 can be located in any suitable location, such as on a top wall or surface of the housing 1. This may allow the user to more easily see the indicator window 21 in some use configurations.Also, while indicator element 22 moves vertically in some embodiments, it may move in any suitable manner, such as moving horizontally along the inner surface of the top wall or surface of housing 1. As will be appreciated, the mounting arrangement of lever arm 23 and pressure sensor element 24 may be adjusted to accommodate appropriate positioning and movement of indicator window 21 and element 22.

[0024] The pressure indicator can provide an indication of the volume or pressure in the gas cylinder 4 when the outlet valve 91 is closed, such as when the gas outlet 9 is disconnected from the stopper 7 or other pressurized gas receiver. In some embodiments, the regulator 5 outputs pressurized gas up to a pressure limit that causes the pressure in the conduit 25 to reach the pressure limit when the outlet valve 91 is closed. The pressure indicator can be configured to provide an appropriate indication (e.g., "O" or green) when the pressure in the conduit 25 exceeds a threshold value (e.g., 10-30 psi) to indicate that the gas cylinder 4 has the capacity to deliver pressurized gas to a beverage container or other delivery device, and to provide another indication (e.g., "X" or red) when the pressure in the conduit 25 falls below a threshold value (e.g., 20 psi or less) to indicate that the gas cylinder 4 does not have the appropriate capacity to deliver pressurized gas. Similarly, the pressure indicator can provide an indication of the pressure in the beverage container or other destination device when the gas outlet 9 is coupled to the beverage container and the outlet valve 91 is open. In some embodiments, the pressure in the conduit 25 is equal to or approximately equal to the pressure in the beverage container fluidly coupled to the gas outlet 9 when the outlet valve 91 is open. Thus, the pressure indicator provides an indication of whether the pressure in the beverage container is at one or more particular levels or otherwise exceeds a threshold. This allows a user to couple the gas outlet 9 to a stopper 7 engaged with the beverage container 8 and allow gas to be delivered, such as by pressing the outlet 9 into engagement with the gas inlet 71 of the stopper 7 to open the outlet valve 91. During gas delivery, the user can observe the indicator window 21 until a desired pressure level is established in the container 8, for example, gas can be delivered until the pressure indicator 22 provides an "O" indication in the window 21. At this point, the user can stop the gas delivery and disconnect the gas source 1 from the stopper 7. With the gas outlet valve 91 closed, the gas pressure in the conduit 25 will reach the pressure limit of the regulator 5 if the gas cylinder 4 has an adequate capacity, or will be at a pressure lower than the pressure limit if the gas cylinder 4 is appropriately depleted.Pressure indicator 22 provides an "O" or other indication of relatively high pressure (e.g., above a threshold) if cylinder 4 has the proper volume, and an "X" or other indication of relatively low pressure (e.g., below a threshold) if cylinder 4 does not have the proper volume. As a result, when a user picks up gas source 1 for use, the user can observe the pressure indication in window 21 to determine whether gas cylinder 4 has the proper volume for use. If not, the user can replace gas cylinder 4 as needed.

[0025] In some embodiments, the pressure indicator can provide a user with the ability to verify that gas is being provided to the beverage container and that the pressure within the container is increasing. For example, when the gas source 1 is at rest and not being used to deliver gas, the pressure indicator provides an indication of the capacity of the gas cylinder 4 to provide pressurized gas. When the gas source 1 is coupled to the stopper 7 to deliver gas to the beverage container 8, the pressure within the conduit 25 initially drops below the pressure limit of the regulator 5. In some embodiments, a flow restrictor can be provided within the conduit 25 between the regulator 5 and the gas outlet 9 upstream of where the pressure sensor 24 is coupled to the conduit 25. This flow restrictor can help maintain the pressure within the conduit 25 downstream of the flow restrictor closer to the pressure within the beverage container during gas flow above a threshold flow rate, thereby allowing the pressure indicator to provide a relatively accurate indication of the pressure within the container 8 while gas is being delivered to the container 8. As the pressure within the container 8 increases, the pressure indicator indicates an increase in pressure that the user can see to verify that gas is being delivered and pressure is increasing within the container 8. Once the pressure in the container 8 reaches a desired level, the user can stop the gas delivery, such as by separating the gas source 1 from the stopper 7, releasing a lever, button, etc., or performing other suitable action.

[0026] 4 shows a close-up view of the pressure indicator in the embodiment of FIG. 1. In some embodiments, the pressure sensor 24 comprises a resiliently biased piston 243 that is movable based on pressure in a conduit 25, which is coupled to an inlet 244 of the sensor 24. Pressure at the inlet 244 moves the diaphragm 242 upward, which moves the piston 243 upward against the bias of the spring 241. The piston 243 is coupled to the lever arm 23 by a pin 245 that engages with a slot 231 in the lever arm 23. The upward movement of the piston 243 and the pin 245 causes the lever arm 23 to pivot counterclockwise about a pivot 232 at a proximal end of the lever arm 23 fixed relative to the housing 2. This causes the distal end of the lever arm 23 to move upward, which in turn causes the indicator element 22 to move upward relative to the indicator window 21, which is fixed relative to the housing 2. Movement of the indicator element 22 relative to the window 21 corresponds to different pressures at the inlet 244 of the pressure sensor 24, causing different portions of the indicator element 22 to be visible at the window 21. Thus, the portion of the indicator element that is visible at the window 21 (e.g., containing an "X" or "O" or other marking) provides an indication of the pressure in the conduit 25. A relatively low pressure at the inlet 244 of the pressure sensor 24 allows the piston 243 to move downward under the bias of the spring 241, which moves the indicator element 22 downward relative to the indicator window 21. As described above, the indicator element 22 may be movable between a position in which a first portion of the indicator element (e.g., having an "X") is visible for pressures below a threshold value and a second portion of the indicator element (e.g., having an "O") is visible for pressures above the threshold value. Thus, the first and second portions of the indicator element 22 are visible through the window 21 of the housing 2 depending on the pressure in the conduit 25. As also mentioned above, the indicator element 22 may include three or more display portions which may be visible through the window 21 to provide indications of different pressure levels, for example a first which is low or no pressure, a second which is a desired pressure level within the beverage container, and a third which indicates the capacity of the gas cylinder pressurizing the beverage container.

[0027] In some embodiments, the gas source 1 can be configured to use a gas cylinder arranged to engage a cap attached to a cylinder body to apply a piercing force to pierce the gas outlet and maintain a seal between the gas cylinder and the piercing element or other gas receptacle of the gas source 1. This can allow the gas source 1 to use gas cylinders 4 of different sizes and shapes, since the size and shape of the cylinder body is not relevant to the piercing action as is the case with most gas cylinder piercing arrangements. That is, many gas cylinder piercing arrangements support the bottom of the cylinder opposite the gas outlet for piercing. As a result, variations in the length, shape or other characteristics of the cylinder can prevent proper piercing. However, in an arrangement where a gas cylinder cap can be engaged to apply a piercing and sealing force, the cylinder body size and / or shape is not relevant to the engagement of the gas cylinder.

[0028] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary embodiment in which a gas cylinder 4 is engaged with a cap to apply a piercing and sealing force to the cylinder 4. In some embodiments, the cylinder 4 comprises a body 43, e.g., a steel or other metal container configured to hold high pressure gas and / or liquefied gas for delivery to the gas source 1. The body 43 can have a neck 42 with a top surface having a pierceable gas outlet that can be pierced by a piercing lance or other element 51 by moving the pierceable gas outlet into contact with the piercing element 51. A cap 48 can be secured to the neck 42 and can have a sidewall 44 extending around the top surface and sides of the neck 42. By way of example, the cap 48 can be secured to the neck 42 by adhesive, threaded engagement as shown, welding, or the like. The sidewall 44 defines an interior space in which a gasket 45 is disposed and an upper opening 46 to the interior space. The gasket 45 can be configured to form a seal with the top surface of the neck and with a piercing element 51 that extends through the top opening 46 into the interior space and pierces a gas outlet of the neck. For example, movement of the piercing element 51 into the interior space can deform the gasket 45 so that the gasket forms a seal with both the piercing element 51 on the upper side and the gas outlet of the neck on the lower side. The cap 48 can include a flange 41, the flange 41 having a lower surface that extends radially outward from the sidewall 44 and is positioned above a lower portion of the sidewall. That is, at least a portion of the sidewall 44 can extend below the underside of the flange 41 such that the lower surface of the flange 41 and the lower portion of the sidewall 44 form a catch 47 for, for example, an engagement tab 62 to engage with the cap 48. The cap 48 can be configured to support the gas cylinder 4 to pierce the gas outlet in response to the engagement tab 62 engaging the catch 47, causing the cap 48 and body 43 to engage a piercing element 51 received within the top opening 46 of the cap 48. Because the gas cylinder is only engaged at the catch 47 of the cap 48 to apply a piercing and sealing force to the cylinder 4, the size and shape of the body 43 can be varied without affecting the piercing and sealing action. This allows the gas source 1 to use a variety of different sized and shaped cylinders 4.

[0029] In some embodiments, the engagement tab(s) 62 used to engage the catch 47 of the cap 48 on the cylinder 4 can be part of the cylinder holder 6. For example, as seen in Figs. 5 and 6, the cylinder holder 6 can have a space for receiving the body 43 of the gas cylinder 4, and one or more engagement tabs 62 can be configured at an opening to the space to engage the catch 47 of the gas cylinder received in the space. Fig. 5 shows the tab 62 engaging the catch 47 of the cap 48 with the cylinder 4 fully received in the space of the cylinder holder 6, and Fig. 6 shows an embodiment with three engagement tabs 62 located at an opening to the space of the cylinder holder 6 in which the gas cylinder is received. The engagement tabs 62 can be pivotally mounted to move in and out of the path in which the gas cylinder 4 is received in the space of the cylinder holder 6. For example, Figs. 5 and 6 show that the body 43 of the gas cylinder 4 is larger than the area defined between the tabs 62 when the tabs are pivoted to an engaged position as in Figs. 5 and 6. The gas cylinder body 43 (e.g., the lower end of the body 43) and the engagement pawl 62 can be configured such that movement of the gas cylinder body 43 into the space of the cylinder holder 6 pivots the engagement pawl 62 out of the passage (e.g., upward and outward against a resilient bias that moves the distal end of the pawl 62 inward) so that the cylinder 4 can be received within the holder 6 as shown in FIG. 7. The resilient bias on the engagement pawl 62 can urge the distal end of the pawl 62 to move into the passage such that when a larger portion of the body 43 is positioned under the pawl as in FIG. 5, the pawl 62 moves inward into the passage and engages the catch 47 of the cap 48. The pawl 62 can be pivotally mounted to the cylinder holder 6 body at a lower or proximal end and can have a distal end that engages the catch 47. The cylinder holder 6, cap 48 and body 43 can be configured such that the body 43 is suspended within the space of the cylinder holder 6 when the engagement claw 62 engages with the catch 47 of the cap 48. By suspending the cylinder 4 in the cylinder holder 6, the body 43 of the cylinder 4 can be prevented from contacting the holder 6.This may allow the holder 6 to accommodate a wider range of cylinder body 43 sizes and shapes, as the cylinder 4 may be supported only at the cap 48. However, this is not required and the holder 6 may engage the cylinder 4 at one or more portions of the body 43 in addition to, or as an alternative to, engaging at the cap 48. Also, it is not necessary to use the engagement tabs 62 to engage the cylinder 4 with the catch 47 of the cap. Any suitable support may be employed, such as a U-shaped component configured to receive and engage the catch 47, one or more hooks or tabs that engage under the flange 41, etc.

[0030] With the gas cylinder 4 engaged at the cap 48 by one or more engagement tabs 62 of the cylinder holder 6 or other cylinder support, the cylinder holder 6 can engage the housing 2 or other gas receiving portion of the gas source 1 to pierce the gas outlet of the cylinder and / or form a seal between the cylinder and the gas receiver. In some embodiments, the cylinder holder includes a threaded portion configured to engage the gas receiving portion of the housing 2 to move the gas outlet of the cylinder 4 into engagement with the piercing element 51 in response to rotation of the cylinder holder 6 relative to the housing 2. This configuration is shown in FIG. 5, where the cylinder holder 6 includes a threaded portion 61 that engages with a complementary threaded portion on the regulator 5. When the threaded portion of the holder 6 is rotated relative to the regulator 5, the tabs 62 urge the cap 48 and the gas outlet of the cylinder towards the piercing element 51 that is received within the top opening 46 of the cap 48. This causes the gasket 45 to deform and form a seal with the piercing element 51 and the gas outlet of the cylinder 4, while the piercing element 51 pierces the gas outlet to release the pressurized gas to the regulator 5. By configuring the pawl 62 as shown in FIG. 5 such that the contact area between the distal end of the pawl 62 and the catch 47 is located radially inward of the pivot point of the proximal end of the pawl 62 and between the pivot point of the proximal end of the pawl 62 and where the piercing element 51 contacts the cap 48 and the gas outlet of the cylinder 4, the pawl 62 presses inward and upward against the cap 48 as the engagement force between the cylinder 4 and the piercing element 51 increases. This helps ensure that the pawl 62 remains securely engaged with the catch 47, for example, because the portion of the cap sidewall 44 below the flange 41 keeps the distal end of the pawl 62 engaged with the catch 47.

[0031] A threaded engagement between the cylinder holder 6 and the gas receiving portion of the gas source 1 is not required and other configurations for engaging the cylinder 4 with the gas source 1 can be used. For example, the relative movement of the gas cylinder towards the piercing element or gas receiving portion can be driven by a lever, a motor drive, a suitable linkage arrangement, a hydraulic or other actuator, etc. For example, a two-bar linkage can be employed in which an end of a first link is pivoted to the housing 2 above the regulator 5, an end of a second link is pivoted to the regulator 5, and the other ends of the links are pivotally coupled to each other. A lever may be attached to the ends of the links that are coupled together such that movement of the lever causes a scissoring action of the links that moves the regulator 5 (downwards in FIG. 5) into engagement with the gas cylinder. A similar arrangement can be used to move the cylinder holder 6 rather than the regulator 5. Another arrangement can include a gear drive in which rotation of the lever rotates a pinion gear, causing a rack coupled to the regulator 5 or cylinder holder 6 to move up and down with the movement of the lever. Other variations will occur to those skilled in the art, including a motor drive that may be activated by a user pressing a button or the like. It is also noted that in some embodiments the regulator and drilling lance are not fixed together and the actuator may be arranged to move the lance and gas cylinder relative to each other, for example to move the gas cylinder relative to the lance, the lance remaining stationary relative to the housing. Thus the actuator may have a drilling state in which the lance and cylinder are engaged, and a retracted state in which the lance and cylinder are not engaged.

[0032] FIG. 7 illustrates some features of the gas cylinder 4 that can provide performance advantages, for example, with respect to forming a proper seal and proper perforation of the gas outlet. In some embodiments, the flange 41 and the cap 48 are made as a single integral part. This can help ensure that the engagement of the claws 62 or other cylinder support remains strong, for example, because the joint between the cap 48 and the flange 41 is less prone to failure. However, in some cases, the flange 41 and the cap 48 can be made separately and joined together or joined to the body 43. In some embodiments, the side wall 44 of the cap is arranged to extend above the top surface of the neck 42, for example, to define an interior space in which the gasket 45 is disposed. The gasket 45 can have an upper surface, an area of ​​the upper surface exposed at the top opening 46 of the cap 48 and arranged to contact a piercing element 51 received in the top opening of the cap to pierce the gas outlet of the cylinder. The lower surface of the gasket 45 can be configured to form a seal with the top surface of the neck. The cap may include a top wall having an annular shape extending radially inward from the side wall 44 and including a radially inner portion defining the top opening 46. This top wall may help accommodate the gasket 45, which may be substantially deformed during formation of a seal with the piercing element 51 and / or the top surface of the neck. In some cases, the gasket 45 has an uppermost portion of its top surface disposed radially inward of the radially inner portion of the top wall. This arrangement may help the gasket 45 to form a seal with the piercing element 51 before the gas outlet is pierced, which may reduce gas leakage. The catch may have a curved shape at the junction between the underside of the flange 41 and the bottom of the side wall 44, for example forming a fillet or a concave curved shape extending around the cap 48.

[0033] Although aspects of the present invention have been shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention contained in the appended claims.

Claims

1. 1. A gas cylinder comprising: a body having a storage volume and a neck having a top surface with a pierceable gas outlet; a cap secured to the neck and having a sidewall extending around the top surface and a portion of the neck, the sidewall defining an interior space and an upper opening to the interior space, the cap including a flange extending radially outward from the sidewall and having a lower surface positioned above a lower portion of the sidewall, the lower surface of the flange and the lower portion of the sidewall forming a catch for an engaging pawl; a gasket disposed within the interior space, the gasket configured to form a seal with the top surface and with a piercing element extending into the interior space to pierce the gas outlet; The cap is configured to support the gas cylinder and pierce the gas outlet in response to the engagement claw engaging the catch and engaging the cap and body with a piercing element received within the top opening.

2. 10. The gas cylinder of claim 1, wherein the flange and the cap are fabricated as a single, integral piece.

3. the sidewall of the cap is positioned to extend above the top surface of the neck; the gasket has an upper surface and a lower surface; an area of ​​the upper surface exposed at the top opening of the cap and positioned to contact the piercing element received in the top opening of the cap for piercing the gas outlet of the cylinder; 2. The gas cylinder of claim 1, wherein the lower surface is positioned to form the seal with the top surface of the neck.

4. 2. The gas cylinder of claim 1, wherein the cap includes a top wall having an annular shape extending radially inward from the side wall and includes a radially inner portion defining the top opening.

5. 5. The gas cylinder of claim 4, wherein the gasket has an uppermost portion of its upper surface disposed radially inward of the radially inner portion of the top wall.

6. 6. The gas cylinder of claim 5, wherein an uppermost portion of the top surface of the gasket extends into the top opening.

7. 10. The gas cylinder of claim 1, wherein the cap includes internal threads disposed to engage external threads on the neck.

8. 2. The gas cylinder of claim 1, wherein the catch has a curved shape at the junction between the lower surface of the flange and the lower portion of the side wall.

9. 9. The gas cylinder of claim 8, wherein the curved shape extends around the periphery of the cap.

10. A gas cylinder according to claim 1; a cylinder holder having a space for receiving the body of the gas cylinder; and one or more engagement pawls at an opening to the space configured to engage the catch on the gas cylinder received in the space.

11. 11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the cylinder holder is configured to engage a gas supply apparatus having a piercing element, such that the one or more engagement claws engage the cap, gasket, and gas outlet with the piercing element to pierce the gas outlet.

12. 12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the cylinder holder comprises a threaded portion configured to engage the gas supply apparatus to move the gas outlet into engagement with the piercing element in response to rotation of the cylinder holder relative to the gas supply apparatus.

13. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the one or more engagement pawls are pivotally mounted to move in and out of a path in which the gas cylinder is received within the space.

14. 14. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the gas cylinder body and the one or more engagement pawls are configured such that movement of the gas cylinder body into the space pivots the one or more engagement pawls out of the path.

15. The assembly of claim 13 , wherein the one or more engagement pawls are resiliently biased to move into the path.

16. 11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the cylinder holder, the cap, and the body are configured such that the body is suspended within the space of the cylinder holder when the one or more engagement claws engage the catch of the cap.

17. Each of the one or more engagement claws has an engagement end that engages with the catch, on the opposite side to a mounting end where the engagement claw is mounted on the cylinder holder, and The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the engagement end is positioned closer to the opening of the space than the mounting end.

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