# US 2019/0169013 A1 · Beverage dispensing assembly and beverage container > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0169013 A1 - Document ID: US20190169013A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/315,232 - Filed: 2017-07-05 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-05 - Assignees: Heineken Supply Chain B.V. - Applicants: Heineken Supply Chain B.V. - Inventors: ARIE MAARTEN PAAUWE; PIETER GERARD WITTE - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190169013A1 ## CPC - B67D 1/0406: {with means for carbonating the beverage, or for maintaining its carbonation (B67D1/0418 takes precedence)} - B67D 1/0462: {Squeezing collapsible or flexible beverage containers, e.g. bag-in-box containers} - B67D 1/06: Mountings or arrangements of dispensing apparatus in or on shop or bar counters (shop or bar counters per se A47F9/00) - B67D 1/0872: {Aesthetics, advertising} - B67D 1/16: Devices for collecting spilled beverages - B67D 2001/0814: {for upside down use} - B67D: DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (cleaning pipes or tubes or systems of pipes or tubes B08B9/02; emptying or filling of bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels, or similar containers, not otherwise provided for B67C; water supply E03; pipe systems F17D; domestic hot-water supply systems F24D; measuring volume, volume flow, mass flow or liquid level, metering by volume G01F; coin-freed or like apparatus G07F) ## Abstract Beverage dispensing assembly, comprising a dispenser and a beverage container, wherein the beverage container has a neck portion and a shoulder portion adjacent the neck portion, wherein the neck portion is provided with at least an outflow opening and at least one gas inlet opening and wherein the dispenser comprises a housing, wherein the housing is provided with a receptacle for receiving at least part of the container, wherein the container is positioned in the dispenser with the neck and shoulder portion facing downward, such that the neck portion and at least part of the shoulder portion are received in the receptacle, wherein part of the shoulder portion extends close to and/or is in contact with a wall of the receptacle, wherein preferably a lid is provided over the container, enclosing a part of the container extending outside the receptacle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Beverage dispensing assembly, comprising a dispenser and a beverage container, wherein the beverage container has a neck portion and a shoulder portion adjacent the neck portion, wherein the neck portion is provided with at least an outflow opening and at least one gas inlet opening and wherein the dispenser comprises a housing, wherein the housing is provided with a receptacle for receiving at least part of the container, wherein the container is positioned in the dispenser with the neck and shoulder portion facing downward, such that the neck portion and at least part of the shoulder portion are received in the receptacle, wherein part of the shoulder portion extends close to and/or is in contact with a wall of the receptacle, wherein preferably a lid is provided over the container, enclosing a part of the container extending outside the receptacle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Beverage dispensing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the container is provided with a dispensing unit, including at least a dispensing line., and the housing comprises a tap for connecting to and/or cooperating with the dispensing line, wherein the dispensing line is preferably a disposable line. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) Beverage dispensing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a cooling device for cooling at least a part of the wall of the receptacle, preferably for contact cooling of a part of at least the shoulder portion of the container. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) Beverage dispensing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle is substantially bowl shaped, preferably semi-spherical, wherein the container is supported by at least a part of the wall of the receptacle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) Beverage dispensing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle is provided with an indentation at a lower end thereof for receiving the neck portion of the container. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) Beverage dispensing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the lid is at least partly transparent, such that at least part of the container extending outside the receptacle can be seen through the lid, preferably from at least two opposite sides, more preferably over an angle of at least about 270 degrees, more preferably over an angle of about 360 degrees around a longitudinal axis. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) Beverage dispensing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the lid rests on the housing, sealing a space between the lid and an outer surface of the container, wherein the lid isolates the container from a surrounding space. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) Beverage dispensing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the lid is a double walled lid. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) Beverage dispensing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the lid is made of plastic and/or glass. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) Beverage dispensing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the container is a plastic container, especially a BIC type container. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) Beverage dispensing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the container is provided with a closure ring closing off the neck of the container, and wherein preferably the closure ring and/or the neck portion of the container is or are provided with the at least one gas inlet opening, for introducing a fluidum, preferably gas, under pressure into the container, preferably between an inner and an outer container of the container, wherein preferably a beverage valve is provided in and/or on the dispense opening provided by the closure ring. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) Beverage dispensing assembly according to claim 1, wherein an adapter is provided at the neck portion of the container. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) Beverage dispensing assembly according to claim 12, wherein the adapter is an adapter fitting over at least part of the neck portion of the container, wherein the adapter comprises at least part of a dispensing unit, including at least a dispensing line, wherein the dispensing line at a first end is provided with a connector or dispense adapter for connecting to the outflow opening or a beverage dispensing valve provided in said outflow opening, and at an opposite end is provided with a beverage dispense opening, which beverage dispense opening is preferably provided by a dispense valve integral to or connected to the dispense line, more preferably disposable with the dispense line. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) Beverage dispensing assembly according to claim 12, wherein the adapter is arranged for connecting a gas connector of the dispenser with the at least one gas inlet opening. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) Beverage dispensing assembly according to claim 12, wherein the container is a BIC type container, comprising an outer container and an inner container, wherein at least one gas inlet opening is provided in the neck portion of the container, in a peripheral wall portion of container, preferably in a peripheral wall portion of the neck portion of the outer container, opening into a space between the inner and outer container, wherein the adapter covers at least said at least one gas inlet opening, and is provided with at least one adapter opening extending radially outward, in fluid communication with the said at least one gas inlet opening, and in fluid connection with a gas connector of the dispenser, wherein the housing is provided with a supply for gas under pressure, especially a gas compressor, connected to the gas connector. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) Beverage dispensing assembly according to claim 12, wherein the receptacle is provided with an indentation at a lower end thereof for receiving the neck portion of the container with the adapter, wherein the adapter and the indentation are preferably provided with orientation defining elements, such that the position of the adapter within said indentation is defined in a desired orientation relative to a gas connector of the dispenser. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) Beverage dispensing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the dispenser is provided with at least one gas connector, movable relative to the container and/or the receptacle, preferably substantially radially relative to a longitudinal axis of the neck portion of the container. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) Beverage dispensing assembly according to claim 17, wherein the gas connector is movable mechanically, preferably electro mechanically. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) Beverage dispensing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the dispenser is provided with at least one sensing element, movable relative to the container and/or receptacle, which sensing element engages the container and/or an adapter mounted on the neck portion of the container for sensing a correct position of the container and/or adapter in said receptacle, wherein the sensing element can be part of or form a locking element for locking the container inside the dispenser. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) Beverage dispensing assembly according to claim 18, wherein the sensing element and the at least one gas connector are coupled such that the gas connector can only be brought into an extended state if: the sensing element detects a correct position of the container and/or an adapter thereof; or the sensing element detects a correct position of the container or an adapter thereof or senses no container or adapter thereof. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) Beverage dispensing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle is provided with a channel extending from an indentation near a lower end thereof upward in a wall portion of the receptacle, wherein a dispensing line extends inside said channel. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) Beverage dispensing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the container is a BIC type container, comprising an outer container and an inner container, wherein the inner container is substantially filled with a beverage and wherein the inner container at least has a shoulder portion which is flexible, such that the beverage pushes the shoulder portion of the inner container against an inner surface of the outer container within the receptacle. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) Beverage dispensing assembly according to claim 1, wherein lighting is provided for illuminating at least part of the lid, wherein the lighting is preferably provided in the housing, emitting light into the lid from a lower end thereof resting on said housing. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) Beverage container for use in a beverage dispensing assembly according to claim 1. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) Beverage container according to claim 24, wherein the container is a BIC type container, preferably integrally blow moulded from a preform assembly made of plastic, more preferably made of a crystalline or semi-crystalline plastic such as PET and/or PEN and/or PEF, wherein the container is provided with an adapter at a neck portion of the container, wherein the adapter: connects to a gas inlet opening of the container and is provided with at least one adapter opening extending radially outward, in fluid communication with the said at least one gas inlet opening; and/or is provided with a dispensing unit including at least a dispensing line; and/or is provided with a non-circular outer portion for specific orientation of the adapter inside the housing. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) Container according to claim 25, wherein the adapter is provided with an end surface with a slot or channel for receiving part of a or the dispensing line, preferably such that the container can rest on the end surface without restricting flow of beverage through said dispense line. ### Claim 27 (depends on 1) Assembly of a beverage dispensing assembly according to claim 1 and a bar, wherein the dispensing assembly is placed on said bar, such that at least the part of the container extending above the housing is positioned substantially at eye level of a person standing at said bar.