JPH10258897A - Feed valve for effervescent beverage - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress a bubbling up of a beverage as it flows from a storage container into a feed valve. SOLUTION: At a vertically intermediate part inside a casing 2 having an intake port 3 and a feeding port 4 in the lower part and an air discharge port 6 in the upper part, a float chamber 11 which is surrounded by a cylindrical peripheral wall 7a and holds a float 15 in a manner of allowing it to rise and fall freely inside is provided and a feeding valve seat 12 provided on the bottom part of the float chamber 11 is connected to a feeding port 4. A feeding valve body 18 which takes its seat on the feeding valve seat 12 is provided on the lower part of the float 15. An opening-closing valve 41 for bleeding gas is provided in an air discharge passageway 40 connected to the top part of the float chamber 11. An inflow port 21 which is provided on the bottom of the float chamber 11 and, as seen from above, open in the tangential direction inside the float chamber 11 with respect to the circumference having a vertical axis 22 of the float chamber 11 as the center is connected to the intake port 3 so as to cause the beverage flowing in from the inflow port 21 to form a spiral flow around the vertical axis 22.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a delivery valve for delivering a sparkling beverage such as draft beer from a storage container.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, a beer barrel storing draft beer (hereinafter simply referred to as a barrel) is filled with carbon dioxide gas at the upper part of the liquid level of the beer. When connecting a beer hose and discharging beer, carbon dioxide gas is pumped into the barrel from another carbon dioxide gas cylinder, and the upward flow that rises in the discharging pipe that is vertically attached to the pouring tool and reaches near the bottom of the barrel. And the beer is pumped out and flows out of the barrel via the pouring tool.

[0003] When the barrel becomes empty, the carbon dioxide gas in the barrel flows out through the pouring pipe and is sent as foam to the dispenser. A delivery valve that automatically closes when the carbon dioxide gas flows out is attached, and the beer hose is connected to the delivery port of the delivery valve. As this delivery valve, for example, International Publication WO94 / 2 according to the PCT application
There is an automatic shut-off valve (shut-off valve) described in 5393 pamphlet. This valve is of a float valve type in which the float accommodated in the casing is opened by raising the beer by the buoyancy of the beer, and is closed by the descent of the float with reduced buoyancy when carbon dioxide gas flows in. A manually operated relief valve releases carbon dioxide and bubbles in the casing to the outside.

However, in the above automatic shutoff valve, the beer flowing into the casing of the shutoff valve from the barrel collides from the front against the lower surface of the flange of the float. In addition, the carbon dioxide gas is reduced to impair the flavor, and a part of the beer is discharged as foam and wasted, and furthermore, the release valve needs to be frequently operated due to the generation of a large amount of foam.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and it is possible to suppress foaming when a beverage flows into a delivery valve from a storage container and to operate an on-off valve for degassing. It is an object of the present invention to provide an effervescent beverage delivery valve that requires less.

The effervescent beverage delivery valve according to the present invention is surrounded by a cylindrical peripheral wall at a vertically intermediate portion of a casing having an inlet and an outlet at the lower portion and having an outlet at the upper portion, and accommodates the float in a vertically movable manner. A float chamber is provided, and an upwardly opening delivery valve seat provided on the bottom surface of the float chamber and the delivery port are connected by an outflow path, and at a lower portion of the float,
Providing a delivery valve element that sits on the delivery valve seat when the float reaches the lower end position, providing an on-off valve for venting gas in an exhaust path connecting the exhaust port and the top of the float chamber, Uplift driving means for raising the float at the lower end position to separate the delivery valve body from the delivery valve seat is provided, and is provided at the bottom of the float chamber and is provided at the bottom of the float chamber when viewed from above. An inlet, which opens into the float chamber in a tangential direction of a circumference centered on a vertical center axis, is connected to the inlet through an inflow path, and is sent from the inlet and the float is connected from the inlet. A swirling flow is formed around the vertical center axis by the beverage flowing into the room. (Claim 1)

[0007] In the sparkling beverage delivery valve of the present invention,
When the sparkling beverage flows into the float chamber from the inflow port provided at the bottom of the float chamber, the inflow port faces the tangential direction of the circumference around the vertical center axis of the float chamber as viewed from above. Since the beer is open, the beer flowing into the float chamber does not collide with the lower surface of the float from the front, collides obliquely with the peripheral wall of the float chamber, flows along the peripheral wall, and flows around the vertical center axis. Since the swirling flow is formed, foaming of the sparkling beverage is suppressed to a small amount.

In the present invention, the arrangement of the inflow ports and the number of the inflow ports as viewed from above can be arbitrarily selected, but as described in claim 2, two inflow points are provided at symmetrical positions about the vertical center axis of the float. It is preferable that the inflow port is provided.

With this configuration, the flow rate of the beverage flowing into the float chamber is dispersed at two locations, so that the flow rate of the beverage at the inlet is reduced, and further, the swirling of the beverage formed around the vertical center axis of the float chamber. This is because the flow velocity distribution on the circumference of the flow is also made uniform, so that the foaming of the beverage is further reduced.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. In the figure, 1 is a beer delivery valve, and each part except for a spring and an O-ring described later is made of a plastic material. Reference numeral 2 denotes a casing, and an inlet 3
And a short cylindrical lower casing 5 having an outlet 4
An upper casing 7 having an exhaust port 6 at an upper portion and having a cylindrical shape with an intermediate portion to a lower portion opening downward is connected by screws 8. 9 is an O-ring for sealing.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a float chamber formed by connecting the cylindrical portion of the upper casing 7 to the lower casing 5 with the screw 8. The float chamber 11 has a cylindrical peripheral wall 7 of the upper casing 7.
a, and the upper surface of the lower casing 5 forms the bottom surface 11 a of the float chamber 11. Reference numeral 12 denotes an upwardly opening delivery valve seat provided at the center of the bottom portion 11a. The delivery valve seat 12 and the delivery port 4 are connected by an outflow passage 13. In the upper casing 7, at least the peripheral wall 7a may be made of a transparent plastic material so that the situation in the float chamber 11 can be seen from the outside.

Numeral 15 denotes a float which is guided up and down along a shaft portion 31 of a pulling bar 30 which will be described later, and which is made of a material having a specific gravity smaller than that of beer, extends vertically and has a hole 16 having both ends closed. We have a club. At the lower part of the float 15, a downward conical delivery valve element 1 that is seated on the delivery valve seat 12 when the float reaches the lowest position.
8 are protruded. Reference numeral 19 denotes an O-ring for sealing between the valve body and the valve seat, and is fitted to the delivery valve element 18.

Numeral 21 denotes an inlet provided at the bottom of the float chamber 11, and as shown in FIG. 2, two inlets 21 provided at symmetric positions about the vertical center axis 22 of the float chamber 11 are provided. The opening 23 opens in the float chamber 11 in the direction of the tangent T of the circumference 23 centered on the vertical center axis 22 as viewed from above. These inflow ports 21 and 21 are connected to the injection port 3 by an inflow path 24.

The inflow passage 24 is provided at the upper end of a main flow passage 25 extending upward from the inlet 3 with a semicircular branch flow passage 26 branched bifurcated from the main flow passage 25 as shown in FIG.
Are connected to each of the inflow ports 2 at each end of the branch flow path 26.
It is formed by connecting bent passages 27, 27 leading to 1, 21. The distal end portion 27a of the bent flow path 27 faces the tangent T of the circumference 23 when viewed from above as described above, and when viewed from the side, as shown in FIG. The inflow port 21 does not directly face the lower surface of the float 15, and bubbles flowing from the inflow port 21 easily flow upward of the float chamber 11.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 30 denotes a pull-up rod which is ascending drive means for ascendingly driving the float 15 at the lower end position to separate the delivery valve element 18 from the delivery valve seat 12.
The shaft portion 31 is vertically slidably guided in a hole 32 provided in the upper casing 7, and a disk-shaped hooking piece 33 fixed to the lower end thereof has a clearance in the hole 16 of the float 15. Are fitted. Reference numeral 34 denotes a knob fixed to the upper end of the shaft portion 31, and reference numeral 35 denotes an O-ring for sealing the shaft portion.

On the other hand, reference numeral 40 denotes an exhaust passage connecting the exhaust port 6 and the top of the float chamber 11, and an opening / closing valve 41 for venting gas is provided at an intermediate portion thereof. 42 is the upper casing 7
A disc-shaped valve body 44 is urged in a valve closing direction by a compression spring 45 against a valve seat 43 formed at the end of the bent tubular valve case fixed to the valve body 44, and fixed to the valve body 44. Push rod 4
A push button 47 is fixed to the outside protruding end of 6, and the push button 47 is manually pressed to open the valve. 4
Reference numeral 8 denotes a sealing O-ring attached to the valve body 44.

In order to use the beer delivery valve 1 having the above structure, as shown in FIG. 4, the injection port 3 of the beer delivery valve 1 is connected to a spout 62a of a well-known pouring tool 62 mounted on an upper part of a barrel 61. Thread connection to make the valve self-supporting. A beer hose 63 is connected to a dispenser (not shown), and is connected to the outlet 4. An exhaust hose 64 is connected to the exhaust port 6 as needed. Then, carbon dioxide gas is pressure-fed from a carbon dioxide gas cylinder (not shown) into the barrel 61 through a gas hose 65 connected to the gas pressure inlet 62b of the pouring tool 62, and the pouring tool 62 is opened by operating the lever 62c. The beer is pressure-fed as an ascending flow that rises in a pouring pipe 66 vertically provided therein, and is supplied into the beer delivery valve 1 through a pouring tool 62.

When the beer delivery valve 1 is attached to the upper part of the new barrel 61 as described above and beer supply to the valve is started, air and air from the barrel before replacement are stored in the float chamber 11. The carbon dioxide gas is filled, the float 15 descends by its own weight, and the delivery valve element 18 is seated on the delivery valve seat 12. The beer pumped from the pouring tool 62 flows into the float chamber 11 through the inflow path 24 and the inflow port 21,
The inside of the float chamber 11 is 2 kg / cm which is close to the carbon dioxide pressure.
The pressure is increased to about ² but the float 15 is maintained at the lower end position.

If the push button 47 of the on-off valve 41 for degassing is manually opened to open the valve, the air and carbon dioxide in the float chamber 11 are exhausted from the exhaust port 6 through the exhaust path 40 and the on-off valve 41. Is done. Look at the inside of the float chamber 11 (look at the discharge from the exhaust port 6 when the peripheral wall 7a is opaque) until the beer is filled in the float chamber 11.
Is maintained in an open state, the air and carbon dioxide gas in the float chamber 11 are exhausted from the exhaust port 6, and beer is discharged from the float chamber 11.
When the pressure is full, the pressing of the push button 47 is stopped and the on-off valve 41 is closed.

When the knob 34 of the pull-up bar 30 which is a driving means for raising the float 15 is gripped by hand and pulled up, the hooking piece 33 is closed at the upper end of the hole 16 of the float 15.
6a, the float 15 is pulled up, whereby the delivery valve element 18 is separated from the delivery valve seat 12, and the float 15 is driven by the buoyancy of the beer and rises, so that the top is at the top of the float chamber 11. It reaches the rising end position in contact with the surface portion 11b. By opening the above-mentioned delivery valve seat 12, beer can be delivered from the delivery port 4 through the outflow channel 13, and beer from the barrel 61 is delivered via the delivery valve 1 in accordance with the injection of beer into the mug in the dispenser section. The beer is sent out into the beer hose 63.

At the time of degassing the float chamber 11 and at the time of beer delivery with the delivery valve 18 open, the inflow port 21 opening into the float chamber 11 is in the tangential T direction in FIG. , The beer flowing into the float chamber 11 from the inlet 21 does not collide with the lower surface of the float 15 from the front, but collides with the peripheral wall 7a of the float chamber 11 from an oblique direction. It flows along the peripheral wall 7a and forms a swirling flow around the vertical center axis 22 of the float chamber 11 as shown by an arrow R.

As described above, since the beer does not collide with the float 15 or the peripheral wall 7a from the front, foaming of the beer when flowing into the float chamber is suppressed to a small amount, and the carbon dioxide gas in the beer is suppressed. Is not reduced, and the flavor is not spoiled, and beer is not discharged as foam.

Further, in this example, since two inlets 21 and 21 are provided at symmetrical positions with respect to the vertical center axis 22, the flow rate of beer flowing into the float chamber 11 is dispersed at two places, and Of the beer formed around the vertical center axis 22 and the flow velocity distribution on the circumference of the swirling flow of the beer is also made uniform, so that the foaming of the beer is further reduced.

During the above-mentioned delivery use, when the temperature inside the barrel 61 rises due to the ambient temperature of the barrel 61 or the like, and the generated foam flows into the float chamber 11 and accumulates in the upper part of the float chamber 11, It is sufficient to operate the on-off valve 41 in the same manner as described above to discharge the carbon dioxide gas mixed with bubbles. Also in this case, since the bubbling when beer flows from the inflow port 21 as described above is small, the above-described on-off valve The frequency of operation of 41 can be reduced.

When the barrel 61 approaches the sky, a large amount of carbon dioxide gas in the barrel flows into the float chamber 11, so that the float 15
Is lowered due to lack of buoyancy and reaches the descending end position, and the delivery valve seat 12 is closed by the delivery valve element 18, so that the outflow passage 13 and the beer hose 63 are not filled with carbon dioxide gas or bubbles, and the barrel is not filled. After replacing 61, beer hose 6
There is no need to remove the foam inside 3, which saves labor and eliminates waste of beer.

The present invention is not limited to the above examples. For example, the specific shape and material of each part may be other than those described above. Other configurations may be used.

The present invention is also applicable to a delivery valve for sparkling beverages other than beer, such as sparkling wine and non-alcoholic sparkling sweet drinking water.

[0028]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the sparkling beverage flowing into the float chamber from the inflow port does not collide from the front with respect to the lower surface of the float or the peripheral wall of the float chamber, foaming of the sparkling beverage at the time of flowing into the float chamber is reduced. The amount can be suppressed to a small amount, so that the flavor of the beverage is not spoiled or the beverage is discharged as foam, and the beverage is not wasted, and the operation of the on-off valve for discharging the foam can be reduced.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the above-described effects, the inflow speed of the beverage from the inflow port is reduced, and the flow velocity distribution on the circumference of the swirling flow of the beverage is also made uniform. The effect is obtained that foaming of the sparkling beverage upon flowing into the float chamber is further reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a beer delivery valve showing an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a front view showing a use state of the beer delivery valve of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... beer delivery valve, 2 ... casing, 3 ... inlet, 4 ...
Outlet, 6 ... Exhaust port, 11 ... Float chamber, 12 ... Valve seat, 13 ... Outflow path, 15 ... Float, 18 ... Outlet valve, 21 ... Inlet, 22 ... Vertical center axis, 23 ... Circle Zhou,
24 inflow channel, 25 main channel, 26 branch channel, 27 channel
Bent flow path, 27a: tip, 30: pulling rod (elevating drive means), 40: exhaust path, 41: open / close valve.

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] April 10, 1997

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0006

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The foamable beverage delivery valve of the present invention, in the vertically intermediate portion of the casing provided with a discharge opening at the top provided with inlet and outlet at the bottom, is surrounded by a cylindrical peripheral wall A float chamber that accommodates the float so as to be able to move up and down is provided, and an upwardly open delivery valve seat provided at the bottom of the float chamber and the delivery port are connected by an outflow path, and the float is provided at a lower portion of the float. A delivery valve element that is seated on the delivery valve seat when the lower end position is reached, an open / close valve for venting gas is provided in an exhaust path connecting the exhaust port and the top of the float chamber; A lifting drive means for driving the float upward to separate the delivery valve body from the delivery valve seat, and is provided at the bottom of the float chamber and has a vertical center axis of the float chamber as viewed from above. Center around An inlet opening in the float chamber in a tangential direction of the circumference is connected to the inlet through an inflow path, and the beverage is sent from the inlet and flows into the float chamber from the inlet through the inlet. A swirling flow is formed around a vertical central axis. (Claim 1)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A float chamber which is surrounded by a cylindrical peripheral wall and accommodates a float so as to be able to move up and down is provided at an intermediate portion in a vertical direction of a casing having an inlet and an outlet at an lower part and an exhaust port at an upper part. An upwardly open delivery valve seat provided on the bottom of the chamber and the delivery port are connected by an outflow path,
At the lower part of the float, there is provided a delivery valve element which is seated on the delivery valve seat when the float reaches the descending end position, and a vent valve for connecting the exhaust port and the top of the float chamber for venting. An on-off valve is provided, and the ascending drive means for ascendingly driving the float at the lower end position to separate the delivery valve body from the delivery valve seat is provided, and provided at the bottom of the float chamber from above. When viewed from above, the inlet opening into the float chamber in the tangential direction of the circumference centered on the vertical center axis of the float chamber is connected to the inlet through an inflow path, and is sent from the inlet. A sparkling beverage delivery valve, wherein a swirling flow is formed around the vertical center axis by the beverage flowing into the float chamber from the inlet. 2. The sparkling beverage delivery valve according to claim 1, wherein two inflow ports are provided at symmetric positions about the vertical center axis.