US 11,946,595 B2
Enclosure for the fill plug of a beverage carbonation system or the like
Josh Money, Kings Mountain, NC (US); Mike Suggs, Statesville, NC (US); and Jesse Nelson, Concord, NC (US)
Assigned to DIXON VALVE & COUPLING COMPANY, LLC, Chestertown, MD (US)
Filed by Dixon Valve & Coupling Company, LLC, Chestertown, MD (US)
Filed on Dec. 1, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/108,289.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/948,537, filed on Dec. 16, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0178344 A1, Jun. 17, 2021
Int. Cl. F17C 5/02 (2006.01); F16K 27/12 (2006.01); F17C 13/06 (2006.01)
CPC F17C 13/06 (2013.01) [F16K 27/12 (2013.01); F17C 5/02 (2013.01); F17C 2205/0311 (2013.01); F17C 2205/037 (2013.01); F17C 2221/013 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An enclosure for a fill plug, comprising:
a base to which at least one retainment plate is secured, said retainment plate having an opening for engaging about a throat of the fill plug such that axial and rotational movement of the fill plug relative to said base is prevented;
a lid secured to said base via a hinge and being movable between a closed position in which said lid covers said base and an open position in which said base is uncovered by said lid, said lid defining a cavity for accommodating the fill plug when said lid is in said closed position relative to said base;
a lock carried by said lid for locking said lid in said closed position;
a spring for resiliently urging said lid to said open position when said lid is unlocked relative to said base;
a gasket carried by said lid for forming a seal between said lid and said base when said lid is in said closed position; and
a backplate to which said base is removably secured such that, when said backplate is secured to said base, said base is configured for being mounted on a wall and secured to a wall-mounted fill plug and, when said backplate is removed from said base, said base is configured for being connected to a fill plug on a free-standing tank;
wherein, when said backplate is secured to said base, said backplate is entirely external of said cavity and forms no part of a wall that defines said cavity.