Beer Keg Gas Chamber and Tap Assembly for Adjustable Flow

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing draft beer containers are inconvenient due to fixed gas supply systems, lack of adjustable beer discharge flow, and the need for complex equipment, leading to high costs and environmental concerns, as well as issues with gas leakage and beer spoilage.

Innovation Solution

A beverage preservation keg assembly with a shell and inner container divided into gas and beer storage chambers, featuring a keg spear with a pressure relief valve and a tapping head with an adjustable throttle valve for controlled beer discharge, eliminating the need for external gas tubes and allowing for adjustable beer flow.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a gas tube is connected to the carbon dioxide gas storage chamber, then gas supply function is achieved, but assembly and disassembly become inconvenient and gas leakage risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegas supply reliabilityVSAvoidassembly and disassembly convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent integrates the gas tube connection directly into the keg spear structure, merging the gas supply function with the beer discharge valve. This eliminates the need for separate external gas tube connections, making assembly and disassembly convenient while ensuring reliable gas supply through the integrated design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The keg spear acts as an intermediary component that combines both beer discharge and gas supply functions. By incorporating the gas tube connection within the keg spear structure, it serves as a mediator that achieves reliable gas supply without requiring separate external connections, thus improving ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If carbon dioxide compression system is attached to the keg, then gas supply function is achieved, but hygiene concerns arise due to potential mixing with beer

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegas supply functionVSAvoidhygiene contamination risk
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the gas supply system and beer storage system into separate, distinct chambers within the keg structure. The gas compression system is isolated in its own chamber with dedicated gas tubes, preventing any potential mixing with beer and eliminating hygiene contamination risks while maintaining reliable gas supply function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of operation

If gas charging valve with elastic device is used, then one-direction flow function is achieved, but reliability decreases when elastic device fails

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveone-direction flow controlVSAvoidgas charging valve reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The gas charging valve is designed to utilize the existing gas pressure differential within the keg system itself to maintain one-direction flow. The valve leverages the natural pressure difference between the gas charging source and the keg interior, eliminating the need for external elastic devices and improving reliability through self-regulating pressure-based flow control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

4Device complexity

If fixed liquid flow discharge is used, then simple valve structure is achieved, but user convenience decreases due to inability to control beer discharge flow

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevalve structure simplicityVSAvoidbeer discharge flow control
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent incorporates an adjustable flow control mechanism into the valve structure that allows users to dynamically regulate beer discharge flow rate. The valve design enables movement between different opening positions, providing variable flow control while maintaining relatively simple overall structure, thus improving user convenience without excessive complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution simplifies the assembly and operation of draft beer containers, reduces costs, prevents gas leakage, and ensures fresh beer by allowing adjustable beer discharge and direct communication between gas and beer storage chambers, enhancing user convenience and environmental sustainability.

Implementation Method 1

charged with carbon dioxide with a draft beer machine and controlled at a temperature of 3-8°C

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGas pressure: Pressure Increase

Implementation Method 2

The throttle valve matches and is mounted in the sleeve, and the throttle valve can adjust the liquid flow inside the sleeve

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid flow control: Pressure Drop

Implementation Method 3

The keg spear forms a gas passage between the gas storage chamber and the beer storage chamber

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGas pressure differential: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentEP3623340B1Beverage keg with gas chamber and adjustable beer tap
Publication Date: 2023.03.08 NINGBO MASTER DRAFT BEER KEG EQUIP CO
  • EP3623340B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3623340B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3623340B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Beverage preservation keg with a shaft 52, including a shell 1 surrounding an inner container 2, and a gas-liquid control device 3; the inner container includes an upper gas storage chamber 21 and a lower beer storage chamber 22; the gas-liquid control device includes a keg spear 4, a dispenser 5 comprising a throttling valve, and a beer discharge pipe 6; the keg spear 4 connects and communicates with the gas storage chamber 21 and the beer storage chamber 22, and the top end of the keg spear matches and is connected to the dispenser 5; the dispenser is connected to the matching beer discharge pipe. The present invention has the function of adjusting the beer flow rate, and the keg spear is provided with a pressure relief valve 42, which eliminates the need for a gas tube and a separate pressure relief valve 42 to connect the keg spear to the gas storage chamber in series.