Cartridge containing a beverage intended to be mounted in a device for storing and controlling the opening and closing of said cartridge, associated device, assembly and method

Abstract

A device for the transport, storage, opening and closing of a cartridge capable of receiving a liquid, the cartridge being closed by a valve, includes a shell, a base, and a cap including a tubular body, a neck, a stopper, a safety system and a locking ring. The cartridge is intended to be mounted in such a device. A method for mounting such a cartridge in such a device is also included.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device for transport, storage, opening and closing of a cartridge, the cartridge capable of receiving a liquid, the cartridge comprising:
 a wall defining a body;   a bottom; and   an opening, the opening being closed by a valve,   
       the valve comprising:
 a fixed part secured to the opening; and 
 a movable part, the movable part configured to slide with respect to the fixed part between an open position, in which the movable part is configured to allow passage of a liquid from an outside of the cartridge towards an inside of the cartridge or from the inside of the cartridge towards the outside of the cartridge, and a closed position, in which the movable part is configured to inhibit the passage of liquid, from the outside of the cartridge towards the inside of the cartridge, and from the inside of the cartridge towards the outside of the cartridge; 
 an element for returning the movable part to the closed position 
 wherein an upper end of the movable part of the valve projects beyond the opening of the cartridge, 
 
       the device further comprising:
 a shell configured and dimensioned to receive the body of the cartridge, a lower end of the shell leaving free access to the bottom of the cartridge and an upper end of the shell leaving free access to the movable part of the valve, the cartridge being slidably mounted with respect to the shell, between a low position of the cartridge, in which the movable part of the valve is in the closed position, and a high position of the cartridge, in which the movable part of the valve is in the open position; 
 a base, configured to be secured to the lower end of the shell, the base being dimensioned to close access to the bottom of the cartridge, the base comprising a pusher capable of moving from a rest position, in which the pusher does not exert any stress on the cartridge, to an activation position, in which the pusher is pressed on the bottom of the cartridge in order to slide the cartridge from the low position to the high position, the pusher being able to move from the rest position to the activation position due to pressure exerted by a user on the pusher; and 
 a cap, configured to close the upper end of the shell and to control the opening and closing of the movable part of the valve, the cap comprising:
 a tubular body configured to receive the liquid leaving the cartridge via the valve, the tubular body comprising first coupling elements configured to secure the tubular body at the upper end of the movable part of the valve and second coupling elements configured to secure the tubular body to the upper end of the shell; 
 a neck configured to receive the tubular body, the neck being secured with the tubular body, the neck comprising an open upper end; 
 a stopper configured to close the open upper end of the neck, the stopper being intended to be removed to allow the liquid coming from the cartridge to be evacuated from the device; 
 a safety system, slidably mounted opposite the neck, the safety system configured to move between a low position, in which the safety system inhibits the removal of the stopper and inhibits the activation of the pusher, and a high position, in which the stopper can be removed and the pusher can be activated; and 
 a locking crown, mounted on the neck and rotating with respect to the neck, the locking crown configured to rotate from a first position, in which the crown inhibits displacement of the safety system from the low position of the safety system to the high position of the safety system, to a second position, in which the safety system is allowed to move from the low position of the safety system to the high position of the safety system. 
 
 
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the safety system comprises two substantially parallel rods whose upper ends are connected together by a ring portion, the ring portion being dimensioned to at least partially cover the stopper, the two rods configured to slide in rails provided in a wall of the neck, the two rods being dimensioned so that their lower ends are in contact with the fixed part of the valve when the safety system is in the low position of the safety system. 
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 2 , wherein the locking crown comprises locking elements capable of maintaining the safety system in the low position when the locking crown is in the first position. 
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 3 , wherein the locking elements comprise two cams provided on the crown, each cam accommodating a rod, each cam comprising a stop point in which the rod is engaged and inhibited from moving when the locking crown is in the first position, the rod disengaging from the stop point and becoming free to move when a user rotates the locking crown from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein a lower end of the tubular body being provided with a first radial flange and the upper end of the movable part of the valve being provided with a second radial flange, the first coupling elements comprise a plurality of screws and bolts intended to cooperate with a plurality of orifices provided in the first and second radial flanges and arranged facing each other in order to couple the first and second radial flanges together. 
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper end of the shell is provided with an internal thread, the second coupling elements comprise an external thread intended to cooperate with the internal thread of the upper end of the shell in order to secure the tubular body to the shell. 
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 6 , wherein the lower end of the shell is provided with an internal thread, the base is provided with an external thread intended to cooperate with the internal thread of the shell in order to secure the base to the shell. 
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 7 , wherein the shell is made of aluminum and is provided with portholes made of transparent plastic material, the internal threads of the upper end of the shell and the internal threads of the lower end of the shell being made of metal. 
     
     
         9 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the cartridge being mounted within the device, and the device being in a storage configuration,
 the tubular body is coupled to the movable part of the valve of the cartridge,   the tubular body is secured to the upper end of the shell,   the cartridge is in the low position of the cartridge,   the base is secured to the lower end of the shell,   the stopper closes the open upper end of the neck,   the safety system is in the low position of the safety system,   the locking crown is in the first position.   
     
     
         10 . An assembly comprising a device according to  claim 1  and a cartridge for mounting in the device, the cartridge comprising:
 a wall defining a body; 
 a bottom; and 
 an opening, the opening being closed by a valve, 
 
       the valve comprising:
 a fixed part secured to the opening; and 
 a movable part, the movable part being able to slide with respect to the fixed part between an open position, in which the movable part is configured to allow the passage of a liquid from the outside of the cartridge to the inside of the cartridge or from the inside of the cartridge to the outside of the cartridge, and a closed position, in which the movable part is configured to inhibit the passage of liquid, from the outside of the cartridge to the inside of the cartridge, and from the inside of the cartridge to the outside of the cartridge; 
 an element of returning the movable part in the closed position, 
 wherein an upper end of the movable part of the valve projects beyond the opening of the cartridge. 
 
     
     
         11 . The assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the wall of the cartridge is made of glass. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the movable part of the valve of the cartridge comprises at a lower end of the valve a valve stop of conical shape configured to cause a wedge effect with respect to the liquid contained in the cartridge. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein the valve stop has a ribbed wall. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the cartridge contains a carbonated beverage. 
     
     
         15 . A method for mounting a cartridge according to  claim 10  wherein the method comprises:
 A) the following elements are disposed, separated from each other: the cartridge, the shell, the cap, and the base; 
 B) the cartridge is inserted into the shell through the lower end of the shell, until the opening of the cartridge abuts against a shoulder of the shell formed around a free access formed by the upper end of the shell, the upper end of the movable part of the valve projecting beyond the upper end of the shell; 
 C) the tubular body of the cap is secured to the upper end of the movable part of the valve via the first coupling elements; 
 D) the tubular body is secured to the shell via the second coupling elements; and 
 E) the base is secured to the lower end of the shell. 
 
     
     
         16 . A cartridge for mounting in a device according to  claim 1 , the cartridge comprising:
 a wall defining a body;   a bottom; and   an opening, the opening being closed by a valve,   
       the valve comprising:
 a fixed part secured to the opening; and 
 a movable part, the movable part being capable of sliding with respect to the fixed part between an open position, in which the movable part is configured to allow the passage of a liquid from the outside of the cartridge towards the inside of the cartridge or from the inside of the cartridge towards the outside of the cartridge, and a closed position, in which the movable part is configured to inhibit the passage of liquid, from the outside of the cartridge to the inside of the cartridge, and from the inside of the cartridge to the outside of the cartridge; 
 a return element of the movable part in the closed position; 
 wherein an upper end of the movable part of the valve projects beyond the opening of the cartridge. 
 
     
     
         17 . The cartridge according to  claim 16 , wherein the wall of the cartridge is made of glass. 
     
     
         18 . The cartridge according to  claim 16 , wherein the movable part of the valve of the cartridge comprises at a lower end of the valve a valve stop of conical shape configured to cause a wedge effect with respect to the liquid contained in the cartridge. 
     
     
         19 . The cartridge according to  claim 18 , wherein the valve stop has a ribbed wall. 
     
     
         20 . The cartridge according to  claim 16 , wherein the cartridge contains a carbonated beverage.