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A tap for dispensing flowable materials. The tap includes a body and a plunger positioned within a channel in the body. The plunger is movable between first, second, and third positions. The plunger and the body form a first seal when the plunger is in the first position, and a second seal when the

A tap for dispensing flowable materials. The tap includes a body and a plunger positioned within a channel in the body. The plunger is movable between first, second, and third positions. The plunger and the body form a first seal when the plunger is in the first position, and a second seal when the plunger is in the second position. Flowable material may pass through the channel when the plunger is the third position. The tap also includes a connector to sealingly engage the body with a flowable material source and establish fluid communication between the flowable material source and the channel.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A tap for dispensing a flowable material from a container, the tap comprising: a body having a channel extending longitudinally between a first body end and a second body end, the channel including an inlet for receiving the flowable material and an outlet for discharging the flowable material, t

1. A tap for dispensing a flowable material from a container, the tap comprising: a body having a channel extending longitudinally between a first body end and a second body end, the channel including an inlet for receiving the flowable material and an outlet for discharging the flowable material, the channel arranged for flow of the flowable material therethrough;an elongate plunger movable generally axially along a length of the channel, between a first position and a second position, and between the first position and a third position, the plunger comprising: a plunger shaft having a first plunger shaft end and a second plunger shaft end;a first sealing surface proximate the first plunger shaft end to form a first seal with the body when the plunger is in the first position, wherein at least a portion of the first sealing surface has a greater cross-sectional surface area transversely to the length of the channel than at least a portion of the plunger shaft; anda second sealing surface proximate the first sealing surface to form a second seal with the body when the plunger is in the second position, wherein at least a portion of the second sealing surface has a greater cross-sectional surface area transversely to the length of the channel than at least a portion of the first sealing surface;a plunger stop proximate the first sealing surface and the second sealing surface to abut the body when the plunger is in the second position;wherein when the plunger is in the third position, the plunger is positioned for providing a flow of the flowable material through the channel;a handle connected to the second plunger shaft end; anda connector for attaching the tap to the container;wherein, when the tap is disposed generally vertically such that the handle is generally vertically below the body: the plunger is movable from the first position in which the plunger is positioned to inhibit the flow of flowable material to the third position in which the plunger is positioned for flow of the flowable material through the channel by manual application of a force to the handle to move the plunger vertically upwardly, against the force of gravity, to facilitate the flow of the flowable material;the plunger is automatically moved from the third position to the first position by the force of gravity acting on the handle and the plunger when the manual application of the force to the handle is discontinued such that the plunger always moves from the third position to the first position when no manual force that opposes the force of gravity is applied; andthe plunger is movable from the first position to the second position by a force applied to the handle to move the handle generally vertically away from the body and thereby pull the plunger into the second position in which the second sealing surface forms the second seal with the body, the plunger stop abuts the body, and the first sealing surface is out of sealing contact with the body. 2. The tap according to claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional surface area of the plunger increases along a length of the first sealing surface from the first plunger shaft end. 3. The tap according to claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional surface area of the plunger decreases along a length of the second sealing surface from the first sealing surface. 4. The tap according to claim 1, comprising a first sealing element affixed to the body to form the first seal with the first sealing surface and to form the second seal with the second sealing surface. 5. The tap according to claim 1, comprising a sealing shoulder extending from the body to form the first seal with the first sealing surface and to form the second seal with the second sealing surface. 6. The tap according to claim 1, wherein the connector is a collar extending from the first body end and at least a portion of the channel is coextensive with the collar. 7. The tap according to claim 1, wherein the connector comprises: an extension extending from the first body end, wherein at least a portion of the channel is coextensive with the extension; anda fastener to engage the extension. 8. The tap according to claim 7, wherein the extension is a threaded extension and the fastener is a nut. 9. The tap of claim 1, comprising a second sealing element affixed to the body proximate the first body end to form a third seal between the tap and the container. 10. The tap according to claim 1, comprising a guiding element affixed to the body for guiding the plunger along the length of the channel. 11. The tap according to claim 10, wherein the plunger extends through a plunger aperture of the guiding element, the plunger aperture for restricting lateral motion of the plunger. 12. The tap according to claim 1, a wherein the plunger stop extends from the second sealing surface to abut the body proximate the first body end when the plunger is in the second position. 13. The tap according to claim 12, comprising a plunger seat proximate the first body end for receiving the plunger stop. 14. The tap of claim 1, comprising a sealing cavity formed in a portion of the plunger proximate the second sealing surface to facilitate movement of the plunger between the first and second positions. 15. A tap for dispensing a flowable material from a container, the tap comprising: a body having a channel extending longitudinally between a first body end and a second body end, the channel including an inlet for receiving the flowable material and an outlet for discharging the flowable material, the channel arranged for flow of the flowable material therethrough;an elongate plunger movable along a length of the channel, the plunger comprising: a plunger shaft having a first plunger shaft end and a second plunger shaft end;a first sealing surface proximate the first plunger shaft end to form a first seal with the body when the plunger is in a first position, wherein at least a portion of the first sealing surface has a greater cross-sectional surface area transversely to the length of the channel than at least a portion of the plunger shaft; anda second sealing surface proximate the first sealing surface to form a second seal with the body when the plunger is in a second position, wherein at least a portion of the second sealing surface has a greater cross-sectional surface area transversely to the length of the channel than at least a portion of the first sealing surface;wherein when the plunger is in a third position, the plunger is positioned for providing a flow of the flowable material through the channel;a connector for attaching the tap to the container;a handle extending from the second plunger shaft end; anda knife proximate the handle for cutting an aperture in the container. 16. The tap of claim 15, comprising an anchor element proximate the handle to anchor the knife to the container while cutting an aperture in the container, and a cutter offset from the anchor element to rotationally cut the aperture while the anchor element is anchored to the container. 17. The tap according to claim 15, comprising a knife guard removably nested about the knife for enclosing the knife. 18. The tap according to claim 15 wherein the handle is removably attached to the second plunger end.