Assembly for storing and dispensing beer and other carbonated beverages

A method for tapping a beverage, wherein:

• the beverage in a closed fluid container is placed in a box shaped part of a tapping device with a lid,
• the fluid container is provided with a fluid storage compartment therein, a dispensing opening and a closing part which surrounds the dispensing opening at a distance therefrom and which is laid sealingly against the box-shaped part to form a pressure chamber when said lid is in a closed position, at least between the fluid container, the inner wall of the box-shaped part and the closing part,
• a free end of an at least partially relatively flexible, tubular dispensing means, connected to the fluid container adjacent the dispensing opening, is moved to a position outside the tapping device, whereupon a lid of said tapping device is closed over the fluid container and secured in a closed position, such that said lid of said tapping device, when in said closed position substantially simultaneously:
• a) brings said dispensing means into fluid communication with said fluid storage compartment of said fluid container;
• and
• b) brings said pressure chamber into fluid communication with a pressure source to enable pressurization of said pressure chamber,
• wherein said beverage and said tubular dispensing means are brought into fluid communication, and said pressure chamber is enabled for pressurization, only when said lid is in said closed position,
• the part of the tubular dispensing means extending outside the tapping device is placed in a clamping device whereby the passage in the dispensing means can be opened and closed as desired,
• the pressure in the pressure chamber is increased by means of pressure means,
• whereupon the interior of the fluid container is brought into free communication with the environment, at least by means of the clamping device,
• at least a part of the beverage is discharged through the tubular dispensing means to the environment by reducing at least the beverage-containing part of the fluid container under the influence of the pressure buildup.

A tapping device comprising a pressure chamber (11) into which a fluid container (3) is inserted during use, and a lid which is closed over said fluid container (3) in a closed position during use, said fluid container (3) having a fluid storage compartment therein, wherein an upper portion of said fluid container extends at least partially outside said pressure chamber (11), such that the pressure chamber (11) is at least partly enclosed between the fluid container (3) and the tapping device, whereby the pressure chamber is at least partially defined and closed to the environment by a closing part (15) of said fluid container (3), surrounding the dispensing opening (43) and spaced radially therefrom, the dispensing opening (43) of the fluid container (3) being located outside the pressure chamber (11), and wherein said lid of said tapping device, when in said closed position substantially simultaneously:

• a) brings a dispensing means into fluid communication with said fluid storage compartment of said fluid container;
• and
• b) brings said pressure chamber into fluid communication with a pressure source to enable pressurization of said pressure chamber,
• wherein said storage compartment and said dispensing means are brought into fluid communication, and said pressure chamber is enabled for pressurization, only when said lid is in said closed position.

An assembly for dispensing a fluid, said assembly comprising a tapping device (1) and a fluid container (3), wherein said tapping device has a closable lid and said fluid container has a storage compartment therein for said fluid, said fluid container being inserted within said tapping device, said assembly further comprising dispensing means (95, 92,95) attached to said fluid container at an upper portion thereof, and a pressure chamber disposed within said tapping device, wherein said upper portion of said fluid container extends at least partially outside said tapping device, such that said lid of said tapping device, when in a closed position thereof substantially simultaneously:

• a) brings said dispensing means into fluid communication with said fluid storage compartment of said fluid container;
• and
• b) brings said pressure chamber into fluid communication with a pressure source to enable pressurization of said pressure chamber,
• wherein said storage compartment and said dispensing means are brought into fluid communication, and said pressure chamber is enabled for pressurization, only when said lid is in said closed position,
• pressure means being provided for feeding a pressure medium into the pressure chamber to compress said fluid storage compartment, thereby forcing said fluid, via the dispensing means, from the fluid container (3) without the pressure medium contacting the fluid, a dispensing opening (43) being located outside the tapping device (1) during use,
• wherein said fluid container (3) is bottle-shaped or barrel shaped, comprising a shoulder part (39) in which the dispensing opening (43) is disposed, the closing part (15) extending adjacent the circumferential edge of the shoulder part (39), which edge is remote from the dispensing opening (43), whereby the closing part (15) is fixedly connected to and integrally manufactured with the fluid container (3), said assembly further comprising a fit-on part (56), said fit-on part (56) being provided with means such that it can be mounted on said fluid container surrounding the dispensing opening (43), on a neck part (41) of said fluid container.

An assembly for dispensing a fluid, said assembly comprising a tapping device (1), a fluid container (3), and dispensing means, wherein said tapping device has a closable lid and said fluid container has a storage compartment therein for said fluid, said tapping device having a chamber therein, in which chamber during use the fluid container is inserted, an upper portion of said fluid container extending at least partly outside said chamber, such that said lid of said tapping device, when in a closed position, cooperates with said extending upper portion of said fluid container to retain said container inside said tapping device, pressure means being provided for feeding a pressure medium into the container to compress said fluid, thereby forcing said fluid, via the dispensing means, from the fluid container without the pressure medium contacting the fluid, wherein, during use, the container is suspended in said chamber by said upper part, wherein upon closing said lid of said tapping device, said dispensing means are brought into fluid communication with said fluid inside of said fluid container, the upper part being shaped for leading pressure exerted on said fluid container by said lid in a closed position to the tapping device, said upper part hating a valve, said valve being actuated by said lid of said tapping device when brought into said closed position thereof to bring said dispensing means into fluid communication with said fluid in said fluid container for dispensation thereof, and said lid substantially simultaneously enabling delivery of said pressure medium to said container only when in said closed position thereof.