|Publication number||US7562793 B2|
|Application number||US 11/054,214|
|Publication date||Jul 21, 2009|
|Filing date||Feb 8, 2005|
|Priority date||Feb 8, 2005|
|Also published as||CA2535209A1, CN1817780A, EP1688388A1, EP1688388B1, US20060213928|
|Publication number||054214, 11054214, US 7562793 B2, US 7562793B2, US-B2-7562793, US7562793 B2, US7562793B2|
|Inventors||Gerhard Ufheil, Balakrishna Reddy, Richard Farrell|
|Original Assignee||Nestec S.A.|
|Export Citation||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Patent Citations (30), Referenced by (8), Classifications (17), Legal Events (2)|
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet|
In the restaurant industry beverages that require mixing are often prepared by beverage dispensers which quickly add two or more ingredients together in a mixing bowl, mix these ingredients and dispense the mixed product. Concentrated beverages, and/or syrups and dairy products can be mixed and, under some circumstances, are whipped into a foam, and then dispensed through a nozzle which dispenses the beverage for consumption by the consumer. The dispensing nozzle, as well as the remainder of the surfaces that contact the product in a beverage dispenser, require regular cleaning to prevent the build up of food deposits. Cleanliness is all the more important when the beverages include dairy products because residual amounts of dairy products encourage bacterial growth and quickly decompose into poor tasting, inedible products having a putrid smell.
After a certain amount of use, solid residues accumulate in dispensing machines, particularly in the nozzle. This build up can alter the taste and/or quality of dispensed beverages and can disrupt beverage supply thereby reducing or terminating the flow of product. Consequently, dispensing machines must be cleaned. However, maintenance operations reduce the efficiency of dispensing machines which are often taken out of service for the amount of time required to clean them.
Beverage dispensers have been designed that provide for cleaning of nozzles such that they can be rinsed and/or cleaned while they remain in-place in the beverage dispenser. US 2004/0118291, which is incorporated herein by reference, describes an automated food product dispenser comprising an interface connection configured to establish a supply of a milk-based fluid from a reservoir (for example a container or bag), a mixing device configured to receive the milk-based fluid (e.g., a milk liquid concentrate) and prepare a milk-based product (e.g., a cappuccino or latte type beverage), a nozzle in fluid association with the mixing device for dispensing the milk based product, a product flowpath configured for directing the milk-based product to flow from the interface connection through the mixing device to the nozzle, and a clean-in-place flowpath assembly. The device also includes a supply of cleaning or sanitizing fluid and a cleaning solution flowpath, which is configured to deliver the cleaning or sanitizing fluid so that it can pass through and clean the product flowpath. To maintain the dispenser in a sanitized state, the product flowpath and surfaces that contact the beverage components are routinely cleaned by flushing those surfaces with cleaning fluids at periodical intervals.
Although such a system provides for improved cleanliness, additional improvements that can potentially clean the dispenser more thoroughly and that can potentially reduce the risk of microbial contamination and/or growth even further are always desirable and sought after.
Another important aspect of a beverage dispenser nozzle is the flow pathway required to bring the mixed beverage product through the dispenser. This is particularly important for whipped foam products. In beverage dispensers a beverage is typically mixed in a mixing bowl and passes through the bowl passed a whipper which generates a foam. The foam often travels a tortuous path that winds around the dispensing machine through a piston to the dispensing head where it takes one last 180 degree bend and is dispensed through an outlet for consumption. Such a flow pathway is lengthy and contains numerous turns which cause the buildup of air pockets in the product pathway as the foam is gradually disrupted along the pathway. In addition, such a pathway provides numerous locations for food deposits to accumulate and bacteria to grow. Thus, new nozzle compositions that provide short pathways for delivering mixed beverage products, particularly foam products, are needed. Such compositions could be used to deliver higher quality foam products to consumers.
The present invention is directed to a beverage dispenser and more specifically to a beverage dispensing nozzle within the dispenser that provides a short and direct beverage pathway. The nozzle is adapted for use in a self-cleaning assembly that provides for efficient cleaning of the surfaces that contact beverage components. The nozzle can be configured with a conduit having an inlet port that provides a relatively direct product flow pathway from a beverage mixing chamber in the dispenser to the dispenser head. Preferably, the beverage pathway through the dispensing head is substantially straight.
In an embodiment, the nozzle assembly comprises a dispensing head and a cylinder wherein at least one of the two elements is moveable relative to the other for providing a dispensing position and a cleaning position. In the dispensing position, beverages are delivered through a liquid flow path to a beverage delivery outlet. In the cleaning position, the liquid flowpath is diverted to at least one drain port for draining liquid such as a cleaning or rinsing solution through the beverage delivery outlet.
The nozzle assembly includes an actuator, a cylinder, a piston and a dispensing head. The cylinder can be mounted to the actuator and the piston and dispensing head can be joined in an assembly that is housed within the cylinder. The actuator is capable of moving the cylinder with respect to the piston and dispensing head assembly to position the dispensing head in either of at least two positions. In one position the dispensing head is in a dispensing position in which beverage is dispensed. In another position, the dispenser head is in a cleaning position in which the dispensing head can be rinsed clean with a cleaning solution. The dispensing head can be connected to the outlet of a mixing bowl through a tube.
In an embodiment, the nozzle includes an inlet port on the dispensing head. The inlet port can be connected to a tube in connection with an outlet port of a whipping assembly wherein the connections are substantially free of fluid leaks. In an embodiment, the tube connector is rigid and can be made of rigid materials, such as hard plastics or stainless steel.
In an embodiment, the dispensing head of the nozzle includes an outlet port.
In an embodiment, the piston in the nozzle is fastened to a frame in the dispensing machine. In this configuration an actuator can move the cylinder in two positions such that the dispensing head can be opened into a dispensing position or can be in a closed configuration for cleaning the dispensing head. In the open position, the dispensing head is free to pour a food beverage into a receiving vessel for consumption. In the closed position, the dispensing head is positioned such that liquid moves through a cleaning fluid system that can recirculate or drain cleaning fluids after they pass through the food dispenser.
In an embodiment, the nozzle cylinder has at least one port through which a liquid such as a cleaning fluid can flow. In an alternate embodiment, the cylinder has at least two such ports.
In an embodiment, the dispensing head of the nozzle includes an inlet and an outlet and defines a channel from the inlet to the outlet port through which fluid can flow. Preferably, the channel through the dispensing head is substantially direct or straight.
In an embodiment, a rigid conduit passes through the dispensing head and extends upwardly beyond the dispensing head. Preferably the extension has a bend of no less than about 90° which facilitates a fluid connection to the whipping assembly.
In an embodiment, the invention includes a dispensing device that includes the nozzle of the invention.
In an embodiment, the nozzle comprises a dispensing head with a beverage delivery outlet and a cylinder; wherein at least one of said head or cylinder is moveable relative to the other for encompassing, in a cleaning position, the product outlet and diverting the flowpath to at least one drain port for draining liquid; wherein the dispensing head is traversed by a portion of beverage conduit from the top of the head to the bottom of the head up to the product outlet.
In an embodiment, the beverage conduit is substantially straight from the top to the bottom of the dispensing head. In an embodiment, the cylinder comprises two drain conduits which are vertically spaced one another.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention are described in, and will be apparent from, the following Detailed Description of the Invention and the figures.
The present invention is directed to dispensing devices and methods of dispensing beverages. The present invention is specifically directed to a nozzle for dispensing beverages from a beverage dispenser. The nozzle provides a short and direct flow pathway that can be cleaned efficiently and offers a fluid inlet port that provides for a more direct, less tortuous, product flow pathway from a beverage mixing chamber.
Referring now to the figures and specifically to
In an embodiment, the passageway through the dispenser head from the inlet to the outlet is substantially direct in that it contains no sharp turns. This feature allows dispenser head 30 to be more easily cleaned during cleaning cycles, provides a shorter pathway for the liquid food product and avoids potentially disrupting the foam delivery of foamy beverage products.
In an embodiment, cylinder 20 has one or two holes axially drilled into its wall that create a conduit through which cleaning fluid can pass from the dispensing head, when in the closed position. The holes can be fitted with ports 60 which can be adapted to receive tubing for circulating cleaning fluid. In such embodiments, one port can be used for drainage during clean-in-place cleaning cycles. The second port can be used as an inlet for cleaning fluid flushing or as a secondary drainage port.
Referring now to
As illustrated in
A cross section of the beverage pathway can be seen in more detail by reference to
As illustrated in
The internal flow pathway of the nozzle in the closed position is illustrated in
In the embodiment illustrated in
As illustrated in
One advantage of this configuration is that the angles in the flow pathway between whipping assembly 100 and dispenser head 30 are relatively direct, as compared to prior devices. As illustrated in
Another improvement to the design of the nozzle assembly lies in the upper venting and/or draining channel(s) 60. This channel alleviates difficulties in evacuating the chamber during cleaning. In the present novel design of
The present design also avoids the use of long tubing for connecting the whipping assembly to the dispenser head because in the present design the dispenser head is anchored to the frame of the food dispenser and cylinder 20 moves with respect to the dispenser head piston assembly. Because the positions of both the dispenser head and whipping assembly are fixed in a single position, they can be joined by a tube of fixed (exact) length. Non-moving tubes avoid risks present with moving flexible tubes which can fold and form creases which can interfere or stop product or cleaning fluid flow. Folding can also create areas within the tubing where solid residue can more easily settle.
As indicated previously and illustrated in
In an embodiment, the clean-in-place system can include a tank 205 which can contain a heater 210 to heat cleaning solution such as water to suitable rinsing or sanitizing temperatures. The cleaning or sanitizing fluids can be circulated through the circulation path by a pump 206 to valves 207 where the flow can be diverted to clean a product interface 4 and food contact surfaces in whipping assembly 100. A portion of the cleaning fluid can then flow from the whipping assembly into the dispenser head 30 to clean nozzle assembly 90. With respect to nozzle assembly 90, the cleaning occurs with the nozzle in the closed position, as illustrated. In this nozzle head configuration, the fluid will flow through the channels in the nozzle assembly to further cleanse the nozzle. A portion of the cleaning fluid will flow from the lower channel into fluid line 220 to a temperature sensor 208, then to a “T” connection which diverts the flow to two valves 209; one which leads to a drain, the other which leads fluid back to tank 205 for recirculation (e.g., CIP or auto rinse). Cleaning fluid can also flow from the top channel of the nozzle 202 and back to tank 205 through fluid line 211 and can be recirculated.
Nozzle assembly 90 is mounted in a food dispenser which can be controlled by a microprocessor to automatically initiate cleaning using the method disclosed above at least once a day. Thus, adequate sanitation of the food contact surfaces within the food dispenser can be maintained by using the presently disclosed compositions and methods.
The system can be programmed such that at periodic intervals (e.g., every 2 hours) a cleaning program will automatically initiate to cleanse all food contact surfaces throughout the food dispensing machine including those surfaces in whipping assembly 100, and dispensing nozzle assembly 90 with a cleaning solution, such as hot water from the boiler. Suitable water temperatures include temperatures that can sufficiently clean and sanitize the dispenser. Temperatures of about 150° F. or more are typically used, more preferably temperatures of about 175° F. or more and still more preferably temperatures of about 190° F. or more, or even 200° F. or more can be used. The system can be programmed such that adequate times and temperatures must be sensed by temperature sensors, such as sensor 208 at the drain inlet, or the system will reinitiate the cleaning process for a predetermined number of attempts, such as 2 attempts. If the time/temperature conditions are not met, a fault can be generated and displayed on the operator panel. Such an “autorinse” operation could also be manually started from the operator panel.
The system can also be programmed such that a timer is set upon the completion of the clean-in-place program. Then, if an operator does not complete another cleaning cycle within a certain period of time, for example within the following 28 h, the system could be programmed to initiate a dispensing lockout until a clean-in-place cycle is completed.
By way of example and not limitation, a daily clean-in-place cycle can be as follows:
It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishing its intended advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.
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|U.S. Classification||222/148, 222/149, 239/104, 239/106, 222/129.1|
|International Classification||B67D1/08, B67D7/06|
|Cooperative Classification||B08B9/0321, A47J31/60, A47J31/46, A47J31/401, Y10T137/4245, B67D1/07|
|European Classification||A47J31/46, B67D1/07, B08B9/032B, A47J31/60|
|May 11, 2005||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: NESTEC S.A., SWITZERLAND
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:UFHEIL, GERHARD;REDDY, BALAKRISHNA;FARRELL, RICHARD;REEL/FRAME:016211/0987;SIGNING DATES FROM 20050502 TO 20050504
|Dec 27, 2012||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 4