Connector assembly for use in a system for dispensing alcoholic beverages

A connector assembly for controllably coupling a plurality of containers containing a liquid, each container having a fitment, each fitment having a channel and configured to releasably connect a respective container to the connector assembly, the containers being housed in a box with the fitments being arranged in predetermined relative locations, comprising:

• a valve assembly movable between an unengaged position and an engaged position, the valve assembly including a plurality of fitment receptacles, each fitment receptacle being associated with a respective fitment, the plurality of fitment receptacles being arranged in a pattern coinciding with the predetermined relative locations of the fitments, the valve assembly having a liquid flow channel and an outlet, wherein the liquid flow channel couples the fitment receptacles to the outlet;
• and,
• an actuator coupled to the valve assembly, the actuator being movable between an unlocked position and a locked position, wherein the valve assembly is configured to move from the unengaged position to the engaged movement in response to movement of the actuator from the unlocked to locked positions, wherein the fitments are inserted into the respective fitment receptacles in response to movement of the valve assembly from the unengaged position to the engaged position, wherein the actuator includes a first hinge assembly and a lever coupled to the first hinge assembly, wherein the lever is moveable between an unsecured position to a secured position, wherein the valve assembly is moved from the unengaged position to the engaged position in response to actuation of the lever from the unsecured to the secured position.

A connector assembly for controllably coupling a plurality of containers containing a liquid, each container having a fitment, each fitment having a channel and configured to releasably connect a respective container to the connector assembly, the containers being housed in a box with the fitments being arranged in predetermined relative locations, comprising:

• a valve assembly movable between an unengaged position and an engaged position, the valve assembly including a plurality of fitment receptacles, each fitment receptacle being associated with a respective fitment, the plurality of fitment receptacles being arranged in a pattern coinciding with the predetermined relative locations of the fitments, the valve assembly having a liquid flow channel and an outlet, wherein the liquid flow channel couples the fitment receptacles to the outlet, wherein the valve assembly includes a valve pusher and an interior passage, the valve pusher being located at a bottom of each fitment receptacle, each fitment includes a fitment valve, the valve pusher being configured to be received within a respective fitment as the fitments are inserted into the fitment receptacles thereby opening the respect fitment valve and allowing liquid to flow from the containers, the interior passage connecting each fitment receptacle and the outlet;
• and,
• an actuator coupled to the valve assembly, the actuator being movable between an unlocked position and a locked position, wherein the valve assembly is configured to move from the unengaged position to the engaged movement in response to movement of the actuator from the unlocked to locked positions, wherein the fitments are inserted into the respective fitment receptacles in response to movement of the valve assembly from the unengaged position to the engaged position, wherein the valve assembly has a front and a back, wherein the actuator includes a first hinge assembly located near the front of the valve assembly, a second hinge assembly located near the back of the valve assembly, and a lever coupled to the first hinge assembly, the second hinge assembly being fixedly coupled to the first hinge assembly such that the second hinge assembly moves in concert with the first hinge assembly, wherein the lever is moveable between an unsecured position to a secured position, wherein the actuator is moved from the unlocked position to the locked position in response to actuation of the lever from the unsecured to the secured position.

A connector assembly for controllably coupling a plurality of containers containing a liquid, each container having a fitment, each fitment having a channel and configured to releasably connect a respective container to the connector assembly, the containers being housed in a box with the fitments being arranged in predetermined relative locations, comprising:

• a guiderail having an inner track, the guiderail being configured to be positioned relative to the containers such that the inner track engages the channel of each fitment;
• a valve assembly coupled to the guiderail and being movable between an unengaged position relative to the guiderail and an engaged position relative to the guiderail, the valve assembly including a plurality of fitment receptacles, each fitment receptacle being associated with a respective fitment, the plurality of fitment receptacles being arranged in a pattern coinciding with the predetermined relative locations of the fitments, the valve assembly having a liquid flow channel and an outlet, wherein the liquid flow channel couples the fitment receptacles to the outlet, wherein the valve assembly includes a valve pusher located at a bottom of each fitment receptacle, each fitment includes a fitment valve, the valve pusher being configured to be received within a respective fitment as the fitments are inserted into the fitment receptacles thereby opening the respect fitment valve and allowing liquid to flow from the containers;
• and,
• an actuator coupled between the guiderail and the valve assembly, the actuator being movable between an unlocked position and a locked position, wherein the valve assembly is configured to move from the unengaged position to the engaged movement in response to movement of the actuator from the unlocked to locked positions, wherein the fitments are inserted into the respective fitment receptacles in response to movement of the valve assembly from the unengaged position to the engaged position, wherein the actuator includes a first hinge assembly fixedly coupled to one of the guiderail and the valve assembly and rotatably coupled to an other one of the guiderail and the valve assembly and a lever coupled to the first hinge assembly, wherein the lever is moveable between an unsecured position to a secured position, wherein the valve assembly is moved from the unengaged position to the engaged position in response to actuation of the lever from the unsecured to the secured position, wherein the valve assembly has a front and a back, wherein the first hinge assembly is located along the front of the valve assembly, wherein the actuator includes a second hinge assembly fixedly coupled to the one of the guiderail and the valve assembly and rotatably coupled to the other one of the guiderail and the valve assembly, wherein the second hinge assembly is fixedly coupled to the first hinge assembly such that the second hinge assembly moves in concert with the first hinge assembly.