Positioning of a Container in a Beverage Dispensing Apparatus

Abstract

The invention relates to a beverage dispensing assembly ( 11 ) comprising a tapping device ( 10 ) for connection to pressure means ( 13 ), a container ( 1 ) connectable to the tapping device ( 10 ), a base element ( 8 ), wherein at least a section of an outer surface of a bottom part ( 5 ) of the container ( 1 ) is outwardly curved with a predetermined radius of curvature ( 4 ) and the base element ( 8 ) is outwardly curved with said predetermined radius of curvature ( 4 ′) for receiving the bottom part ( 5 ) of the container ( 1 ), wherein a center point ( 3 ) of the radius of curvature is provided on a central axis ( 6 ) of the container ( 1 ) and the radius of curvature ( 4 ) is in the range of 0.6 to 1.6 times the height of the container ( 1 ), the height of the container ( 1 ) being measured from an intersection point of the central axis ( 6 ) with an upper surface ( 12 ) of the container ( 1 ) to an intersection point of the central axis ( 6 ) with the curvature of the bottom part ( 5 ).

1 . A beverage dispensing assembly comprising: 
 a tapping device for connection to pressure means;    a container connectable to the tapping device ( 10 );    a base element;    wherein at least a section of an outer surface of a bottom part of the container is outwardly curved with a predetermined radius of curvature and the base element is outwardly curved with said predetermined radius of curvature for receiving the bottom part of the container,    wherein a center point of the radius of curvature is provided on a central axis of the container and the radius of curvature is in the range of 0.6 to 1.6 times the height of the container, the height of the container being measured from an intersection point of the central axis with an upper surface of the container to an intersection point of the central axis with the curvature of the bottom part.    
     
     
         2 . A beverage dispensing assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the radius of curvature is in the range of 0.75 to 1.30, preferably 0.85 to 1.15, and most preferably equal to the height of the container.  
     
     
         3 . A beverage dispensing assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the radius of curvature is 100 mm to 1000 mm, preferably 200 mm to 500 mm, and most preferably 250 mm to 350 mm; and/or    the volume of the container is 1 l to 100 l, preferably 2 l to 50 l, more preferably 3 l to 25 l, and most preferably 5 l to 10 l; and/or    the diameter of the container is 50 mm to 500 mm, preferably 100 mm to 300 mm, and most preferably 150 mm to 250 mm.    
     
     
         4 . A beverage dispensing assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the surface of the outer bottom part has at least one outer flat-shaped surface section and at least one outer outwardly curved surface section, preferably the center section of the outer surface of the container bottom being flat and being surrounded by an outwardly curved container bottom.  
     
     
         5 . A beverage dispensing assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the radius of curvature is adjusted in such a way that a tilt motion of the container relative to the central axis of the container placed at the designated position on the base element causes a horizontal movement of the center point of the radius of curvature of at most 25% in a direction parallel to the movement of the center point of the outer surface of the container bottom.  
     
     
         6 . A beverage dispensing assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein a tilt motion of the container relative to the central axis of the container placed at the designated position of at most 4°, preferably at most 2.5°, and more preferably at most 1.5°, causes a horizontal movement of the center point of the radius of curvature of at most 25%, preferably at most 15%, and more preferably at most 10% in a direction parallel to the movement of the center point of the outer surface of the container bottom.  
     
     
         7 . A beverage dispensing assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein a tilt of the container relative to the central axis of the container placed at the designated position of 1.5° causes: 
 a horizontal movement of the center point of the radius of curvature of 3 mm to 2 mm, preferably 2 mm to 1 mm, and more preferably 1 mm to 0 mm; and/or    a horizontal movement of the center point of the outer surface of the container bottom of 6 mm to 4 mm, preferably 4 mm to 2 mm, and more preferably 2 mm to 0 mm.    
     
     
         8 . A beverage dispensing assembly according to  claim 1  comprising: 
 an outer housing comprising the base element and pressure means;    the container, preferably a keg, with an adapter connectable with the tapping device, wherein the container contains an inner bag for holding a beverage and said inner bag being placeable in the outer housing, said inner bag having a deformable wall part which is compressible, for dispensing beverages from the container upon deformation of the flexible wall part caused by gas pressure produced by the pressure means, and the outer housing comprising the base element for receiving the container, the base element of the outer housing functioning as a chiller, and the tapping device having at least one pressure port which is releasably connectable to the pressure means.    
     
     
         10 . A container for use with a beverage dispensing assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a section of an outer surface of a bottom part of the container is outwardly curved with a predetermined radius of curvature.  
     
     
         11 . A base element for use with a beverage dispensing assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said base element is outwardly curved with said predetermined radius of curvature for receiving the bottom part of the container.