A closure system suitable for sealing a growler and dispensing beer under the influence of gravity and atmospheric pressure through a conventional tap faucet. A growler sealed with the closure system is held in an inverted position by a support system. The closure system is lower than the body of th
A closure system suitable for sealing a growler and dispensing beer under the influence of gravity and atmospheric pressure through a conventional tap faucet. A growler sealed with the closure system is held in an inverted position by a support system. The closure system is lower than the body of the growler and is connected to a conventional tap faucet. The closure system includes a cap with a manually operated valve. The valve rotates from a closed position to an open one, which opens two channels in the cap: one to conduct beer from the growler to the tap and the other to conduct ambient air into a collapsed bladder—which is an integral part of the cap—when the tap is opened to dispense beer. The collapsible bladder expands into the growler when the beer is dispensed to take up the volume vacated by the beer. The closure system and the support can be included in a kit, alternatively each component can be packaged as a stand-alone item.
대표청구항▼
1. A closure system for sealing and dispensing from a growler type vessel comprising an L-shaped dust cover, having a lateral and vertical portion:a turn valve having an upper surface with a recess for receiving the lateral portion of the L-shaped dust cover, a half-moon shaped opening which passes
1. A closure system for sealing and dispensing from a growler type vessel comprising an L-shaped dust cover, having a lateral and vertical portion:a turn valve having an upper surface with a recess for receiving the lateral portion of the L-shaped dust cover, a half-moon shaped opening which passes through the upper surface, and a tiered cylindrical stem with two lower stem surfaces each having different diameters and a circular-shaped channel connecting the upper surface with an opening on the side of the cylinder stem;a cylindrical tiered cap body having an upper surface, a recessed ring-shaped area within the upper surface for receiving and securing an opening of the growler type vessel forming an air and fluid tight seal, a large diameter lower surface, a small diameter lower surface, a half-moon shaped channel running longitudinally through the cap body, and a socket open to the upper surface for receiving the cylindrical stem of the turn valve, which socket permits rotation of the cylindrical stem about a longitudinal axis and which forms a fluid tight seal with the surfaces of the cylindrical stem of the turn valve;a bag tube, which attaches to the small diameter lower surface of the cap body; anda collapsible bladder having an opening and an expanded and deflated shape, which when deflated is gathered within the bag tube and which is connected to the small diameter lower surface of the cap body by the bag tube. 2. The closure system of claim 1, wherein the dust cover connects to the cap body and covers the circular channel in the turn valve. 3. The closure system of claim 2, wherein the connection between the dust cover and cap body is a hinged connection and the dust cover holds itself shut in the circular channel of the turn valve via a cylindrical protrusion. 4. The closure system of claim 3, wherein the hinged connection between dust cover and cap body consists of two legs with semi-spherical nodes on one end of the dust cover that fit into two detentes on a triangular prismatic protrusion of the cap body. 5. The closure system of claim 3, wherein the turn valve covers the half-moon shaped channel of the cap body when in a closed position and uncovers the half-moon shaped channel of the cap body when in an open position. 6. The closure system of claim 5, wherein the tiers of the cap body include an outer octagonal portion, and a central barrel. 7. The closure system of claim 6, wherein the hinged connection of the dust cover to the cap body is on a side of the outer octagonal portion, and the socket for the turn valve stem extends through the outer octagonal portion and into the central barrel with a circular opening located laterally on the central barrel. 8. The closure system of claim 7, wherein the circular opening located laterally on the central barrel of the cap body aligns with the exit through the circular opening of the circular channel in the cylindrical stem of the turn valve when the turn valve is in an open position exposing the half-moon shaped channel of the cap body providing a path for beer to exit the growler-type vessel through the turn valve and in the open position for air to enter the collapsible bladder through the half-moon shaped channel. 9. The closure system of claim 7, wherein the circular opening located laterally on the central barrel of the cap body is occluded by the turn valve, when the exit through the circular opening of the circular channel in the cylindrical stem of the turn valve is rotated toward the half-moon shaped channel of the cap body with the upper surface of the turn valve covering the half-moon shaped channel of the cap body in the closed position preventing beer from exiting the growler and air from entering the collapsible bladder in the growler. 10. The closure system of claim 1, wherein the socket in the cap body provides for a male/female connection between the stem of the turn valve and the socket in the cap body. 11. The closure system of claim 1, wherein the turn valve stem has a circular channel that runs from the upper surface of the turn valve through the cylindrical stem before turning to exit through a circular opening on a side of the lower tier of the cylindrical stem of the turn valve, additionally, the opening of the circular channel on the upper surface of the turn valve tapers and flares, internally, in an hourglass shape to provide a connection for a length of tubing. 12. The closure system of claim 1, wherein the two channels extend from the exterior of the cap body to the interior of the growler, when sealed. 13. The closure system of claim 1, wherein the small diameter lower surface of the cap body is tapered for frictional attachment with the bag tube. 14. The closure system of claim 13, wherein the opening of the collapsible bladder gathered within the bag tube is compressed between an interior surface of the bag tube and the small diameter lower surface of the cap body creating an air/watertight seal. 15. The closure system of claim 1, wherein the small diameter lower surface of the cap body is threaded to engage with a threaded portion on the tube. 16. The closure system of claim 15, wherein the opening of the collapsible bladder gathered within the bag tube is compressed by the small diameter lower surface of the cap body and the threaded portion on the bag tube creating an air/watertight seal. 17. The closure system of claim 1, wherein the bag tube is a hollow cylinder having an upper attachment portion and a smooth-bore end. 18. The closure system of claim 17, wherein the upper attachment portion is threaded to attach to the small diameter lower surface of the cap body that is threaded. 19. The closure system of claim 17, wherein the upper attachment portion is smooth-bore. 20. The closure system of claim 1, wherein the expand shape of the collapsible bladder has a volume equal to or greater than the volume of the growler-type vessel. 21. The closure system of claim 1, wherein the half-moon shaped channel in the cap body communicates with the interior of the collapsible bladder. 22. An assembled support structure suitable for holding a growler, having a handle and sealed with the closure system of claim 1, in an inverted position to dispense beer using gravitational flow comprising a horizontal base, a vertical support, and a slide lock, wherein the horizontal base is affixed to the vertical support, wherein the vertical support holds the growler in an inverted position, where the closure system is lower than the growler, in the inverted position, and wherein the slide lock engages the handle, thereby positioning and holding the growler in an inverted position, and wherein the slide lock slides in a groove located on the vertical support and parallel to the horizontal base, and thereby engages the handle. 23. The support structure of claim 22, wherein the horizontal base has a notch and keyhole cutout to receive the bottom portion of the vertical support. 24. The support structure of claim 23, wherein the vertical support has a wishbone shaped cutout to stabilize the growler in an inverted position with the growler handle setting in the spinal portion of the wishbone shape, a horizontal groove cut across the spinal portion of the wishbone shape to receive the slide lock, a hole in the middle to accommodate tap faucet tubing, and a notched foot to insert into the notch and keyhole cutout in the horizontal base. 25. The support structure of claim 22, wherein the slide kick secures the growler to the vertical support with a semicircular portion that passes through the growler handle when moved in the groove of the vertical support. 26. A non-pressurized system suitable for dispensing beer from a growler-type vessel employing gravitational flow comprising a growler sealed with the closure system of claim 1 and held by a support structure in an inverted position so that beer can flow from within the growler through the closure system as the collapsible bladder expands from the bag tube into the growler to take up the volume vacated by the dispensed beer. 27. A kit or dispensing liquids from a growler comprising the closure system according to claim 1 and a support structure suitable for holding a growler in a position to dispense beer using gravitational flow. 28. A method for dispensing beer from a growler sealed with the closure system according to claim 1, comprising: introducing beer into the growler,sealing the growler with the closure system, which avoids the introduction of headspace gas,placing the sealed growler on a support so that the closure system is held in a position lower than the growler vessel,connecting the closure system to a tap with tubing,rotating the turn valve to an open position, opening the circular channel so that beer in the growler is in liquid contact with the tap via tubing while simultaneously connecting the collapsed bladder to ambient air through the half-moon shaped channel,dispensing the beer by opening the tap, allowing ambient air to expand the collapsible bladder which fills the growler vessel. 29. A method for dispensing beer from a growler sealed with the closure system according to claim 1, comprising: dispensing the beer by opening a tap, allowing ambient air to expand the collapsible bladder which fills an inverted growler vessel. 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the turn valve is rotated to an open position, where the circular channel is opened so that beer in the growler is in liquid contact with the tap via tubing while simultaneously connecting the collapsed bladder to ambient air through the half-moon shaped channel.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (2)
Rutter Christopher C. (25200 Carlos Bee Blvd. Hayward CA 94542), Fluid dispenser.
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