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EP-4380875-B1 - DEVICE FOR STORING AND CONTROLLING THE OPENING AND CLOSING OF A CARTRIDGE CONTAINING A BEVERAGE, ASSEMBLY AND METHOD ASSOCIATED

EP4380875B1EP 4380875 B1EP4380875 B1EP 4380875B1EP-4380875-B1

Inventors

  • DE GAULLE, Octave
  • SINDALL, Matthew

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20220801

Claims (15)

  1. A device (1) intended to authorize the transport, storage, opening and closing of a cartridge (100) capable of receiving a liquid, said cartridge (100) being formed of a wall (101) defining a body (102), a bottom (103) and an opening (104) of said cartridge, said opening being closed by a valve (110), said valve comprising a fixed part (111) secured to said opening and a movable part (115), said movable part being capable to slide with respect to said fixed part between an open position, in which it allows the passage of a liquid from the outside of the cartridge (100) towards the inside (107) of the cartridge or from the inside of the cartridge towards the outside of the cartridge, and a closed position, in which it prevents 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, said valve (110) being provided with means (122) for returning said movable part to its closed position, an upper end (119) of the movable part of said valve projecting beyond the opening of the cartridge, said device (1) comprising: - a shell (2), configured and dimensioned to receive the body of said cartridge (100), a lower end (6) of the shell (2) leaving free access to the bottom (103) of the cartridge and an upper end (5) of the shell leaving free access to the movable part (115) of said valve, said cartridge being slidably mounted with respect to the shell, between a low position, in which the movable part of said valve is in its closed position, and a high position, in which the movable part of said valve is in its open position, - a base (10), intended to be secured to the lower end (6) of the shell (2), said base (10) being dimensioned to close access to the bottom (103) of the cartridge (100), said base comprising a pusher (13) capable of moving from a rest position, in which said pusher (13) does not exert any stress on said cartridge, to an activation position, in which the pusher (13) has pressed on the bottom (103) of said cartridge in order to slide said cartridge from its low position to its high position, said pusher (13) being able to move from its rest position to its activation position under the action of pressure exerted by a user on said pusher (13), - a cap (17), intended to close the upper end (5) of the shell (2) and to control the opening and closing of the movable part (115) of said valve (110), said cap (17) comprising: ∘ a tubular body (18) configured to receive the liquid leaving the cartridge (100) via the valve (110), said tubular body (18) comprising first coupling means (20, 120) configured to secure said tubular body (18) at said upper end (119) of the movable part (115) of said valve (110) and second coupling means (21, 8) configured to secure said tubular body (18) to the upper end (5) of said shell (2), ∘ a neck (22) configured to receive said tubular body (18), said neck (22) being secured with said tubular body (18), said neck comprising an open upper end (23b), ∘ a stopper (26) configured to close the upper end (23b) of said neck (22), said stopper (26) being intended to be removed to allow the liquid coming from the cartridge (100) to be evacuated from the device, ∘ a safety system (27), slidably mounted opposite the neck (22), said safety system being able to move between a low position, in which said safety system prevents the removal of said stopper (26) and prevents the activation of said pusher (13), and a high position, in which said stopper can be removed and said pusher can be activated, ∘ a locking crown (30), mounted on the neck (22) and rotating with respect to the neck, said locking crown (30) being capable of rotating from a first position, in which said crown prevents the displacement of said safety system from its low position to its high position, to a second position, in which said safety system is allowed to move from its low position to its high position.
  2. The device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said safety system (27) comprises two substantially parallel rods (28) whose upper ends are connected together by a ring portion (29), said ring portion being dimensioned to at least partially cover said stopper (26), said two rods being able to slide in rails (25) provided in a wall of said neck (22), said two rods being dimensioned so that their lower ends (28b, 28c) are in contact with the fixed part (111) of said valve (110) when the safety system is in its low position.
  3. The device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the locking crown (30) comprises blocking means (33, 34) capable of maintaining the safety system (27) in its low position when the locking crown is in its first position.
  4. The device (1) according to claims 2 and 3, characterized in that the locking means (33, 34) comprise two cams (33) provided on the crown, each cam accommodating a rod (28), each cam comprising a stop point (34) in which the rod (28) is engaged and prevented from moving when the locking ring (30) is in its first position, the rod (28) disengaging from the stop point (34) and becoming free to move when a user rotates the locking crown from its first position to its second position.
  5. The device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a lower end of said tubular body (18) being provided with a first radial flange (19) and the upper end of the movable part (115) of the valve (110) being provided with a second radial flange (119), said first coupling means (20, 120) comprise a plurality of screws and bolts intended to cooperate with a plurality of orifices (20, 120) provided in the first (19) and second radial flanges (119) and arranged facing each other in order to couple the two flanges (19, 119) together.
  6. The device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper end (5) of said shell (2) being provided with an internal thread (8), said second coupling means (21, 8) comprise an external thread (21) intended to cooperate with said internal thread (8) of the upper end of said shell (2) in order to secure said tubular body (18) to said shell (2).
  7. The device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lower end (6) of the shell (2) being provided with an internal thread (9), said base (10) is provided with an external thread (12) intended to cooperate with the internal thread (9) of the shell (2) in order to secure the base (10) to said shell (2).
  8. The device (1) according to claims 6 and 7, characterized in that said shell (2) is made of aluminum and is provided with portholes made of transparent plastic material, said internal threads (8, 9) of the upper and lower ends of said shell (2) being made of metal.
  9. The device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said cartridge (100) being mounted within the device, and said device being in storage configuration, - said tubular body (18) is coupled to said movable part (115) of said valve (110) of the cartridge (100), - said tubular body (18) is secured to the upper end of the shell (2), - the cartridge (100) is in its low position, - the base (10) is secured to the lower end of the shell (2), - the stopper (26) closes the upper end of the neck (22), - the safety system (27) is in the low position, - the locking crown (30) is in its first position.
  10. An assembly comprising a device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9 and a cartridge (100) intended to be mounted in said device (1), said cartridge (100) being formed of a wall (101) defining a body (102), a bottom (103) and an opening (104) of said cartridge, said opening being closed by a valve (110), said valve comprising a fixed part (111) secured to said opening and a movable part (115), said movable part being able to slide with respect to said fixed part between an open position, in which it allows the passage of a liquid from the outside of the cartridge (100) 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 it prevents the passage of liquid, from the outside of the cartridge (100) to the inside of the cartridge, and from the inside of the cartridge to the outside of the cartridge, said valve being provided with a means of returning (122) said movable part in its closed position, an upper end (119) of the movable part (115) of said valve (110) projecting beyond the opening of the cartridge (100).
  11. The assembly according to claim 10, characterized in that the wall (101) of said cartridge (100) is made of glass.
  12. The assembly according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the movable part (115) of the valve of the cartridge (100) comprises at its lower end a valve stop (118) of conical shape intended to cause a wedge effect with respect to the liquid contained in the cartridge.
  13. The assembly according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that said cartridge (100) contains a carbonated beverage.
  14. The assembly according to claim 12, and optionally according to claim 13, characterized in that said valve stop (118) has a ribbed wall.
  15. A method for mounting a cartridge (100) of an assembly according to any one of claims 10 to 14 in a device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: - A) the following elements are disposed, separated from each other: the cartridge (100), the shell (2), the cap (17), the base (10), - B) the cartridge (100) is inserted into the shell (2) through the lower end of the shell, until the opening of the cartridge (100) abuts against a shoulder of the shell (2) formed around the free access formed by the upper end of the shell, the upper end (119) of the movable part (115) of the valve (110) projecting beyond the upper end of the shell (2), - C) the tubular body (18) of the cap (17) is secured to the upper end (119) of the movable part (115) of the valve (110) by means of the first coupling means (20, 120), - D) the tubular body (18) is secured to the shell (2) by means of the second coupling means (21, 8), - E) the base (10) is secured to the lower end (6) of the shell (2).

Description

La présente invention se rapporte à un dispositif pour stocker, transporter, ouvrir et fermer une cartouche contenant une boisson, en particulier une boisson gazeuse telle que du champagne. L'invention concerne également une cartouche destinée à être montée dans un tel dispositif, ainsi qu'un procédé de montage d'une telle cartouche dans un tel dispositif. Dans le domaine de la technique antérieure se rapportant au domaine des bouteilles pour boisson telle que le vin ou le champagne, la fermeture d'une bouteille est typiquement réalisée à l'aide d'un bouchon en liège. Dans une bouteille de champagne classique, la bouteille est en verre et le bouchon en liège est généralement retenu par un muselet que l'on dégoupille avant d'ôter le bouchon. La pression présente à l'intérieur de la bouteille peut parfois pousser naturellement le bouchon hors du goulot de la bouteille, le bouchon émettant alors un bruit caractéristique. Le déclenchement du service du champagne dans les verres des convives se fait alors traditionnellement en tenant la bouteille avec le pouce placé dans le culot de la bouteille. Le fait que la bouteille soit en verre, que le bouchon en liège émette un son caractéristique lorsqu'il quitte le goulot de la bouteille, que le champagne soit servi en tenant la bouteille par son fond sont des éléments d'un rituel qui est au cœur du service du champagne. Une bouteille de champagne classique répondant aux critères de l'appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) Champagne, autrement dit en verre et fermée avec un bouchon de liège comme décrit ci-dessus, ne peut résister aux conditions particulières d'un habitacle pressurisé d'un engin réalisant un vol habité dans l'espace. En effet, la fermeture d'une telle bouteille avec un bouchon en liège et le risque généré par la présence du verre ne répondent pas aux normes de sécurité en vigueur dans un habitacle d'engin spatial. En effet, tout objet présent dans un tel habitacle doit répondre à des normes précises afin de résister aux différentes pressions qu'il peut subir dans l'habitacle, telles que les vibrations, le changement de température, les contraintes exercées sur l'objet par l'effet de l'accélération, lors des différentes phases du transport, tels que le décollage, le vol, l'atterrissage, etc... De plus, l'absence de pesanteur rend impossible l'action de verser, ou de recueillir le liquide dans un verre...II n'est donc pas possible de servir du champagne aux personnes d'un vol habité au moyen d'une bouteille classique de champagne. La demande WO2019/207234 décrit une bouteille destinée à recevoir du champagne. Il est décrit dans ce document que la bouteille peut être ouverte en conditions d'impesanteur. Pour ce faire, la bouteille décrite dans ce document comprend un système de piston et d'injection traversant le corps de la bouteille. La présence d'un tel système rend difficile la manufacture d'une telle bouteille à l'échelle industrielle, ainsi que son remplissage. De plus, le fait que ce système traverse toute la bouteille pose de nombreux problèmes d'alignements mécaniques, et il en résulte une fiabilité aléatoire du mécanisme, peu compatible avec les exigences spatiales. La présence d'un tel système traversant le corps de la bouteille, dans lequel le champagne est stocké, ne permet pas la conservation du champagne dans des conditions optimales. Par ailleurs, du fait de la présence d'un système de piston traversant le corps de la bouteille, l'aspect esthétique de la bouteille est altéré, dénaturant le rituel classique généralement associé au service de champagne à des convives souhaitant célébrer un évènement. Enfin, le système décrit dans WO2019/207234 est peu compatible avec les exigences spatiales en matière de transport des liquides notamment, ces exigences préconisant un « double confinement » des liquides en cas de rupture d'une barrière, en particulier en présence d'un contenant en verre. Le document EP3106406A1 décrit un appareil pour la distribution contrôlée du contenu d'un récipient. Le document US2020/0205858A1 décrit un dispositif de neutralisation des ectoparasites comprenant un récipient contenant un milieu de congélation neutralisant, et un logement au sein duquel ledit récipient est reçu. Il subsiste donc le besoin d'un dispositif qui permettrait de stocker et de transporter du champagne au sein d'un contenant répondant aux exigences de l'appellation d'origine contrôlée, autrement dit en verre, et ce d'une manière sécurisée au sein de l'habitacle pressurisé d'un vol spatial, capable entre autres de résister aux différentes contraintes subies lors du décollage, le vol et l'atterrissage tout en étant compatible avec les exigences spatiales en matière de sécurité. Il subsiste également le besoin d'un dispositif permettant de servir du champagne à des convives en conditions d'apesanteur, le dispositif permettant autant que faire se peut de respecter un rituel au plus proche du rituel classique de l'ouverture de la bouteille de champagne et