[특허]Food product dispenser with cleansing mechanism

Nestec S.A.

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Food product dispenser with cleansing mechanism

국가/구분	United States(US) Patent 등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)	B08B-007/00 B08B-007/04 B08B-009/00
미국특허분류(USC)	134/022.18; 134/018; 062/303
출원번호	UP-0692500 (2003-10-24)
등록번호	US-7857910 (2011-02-24)
발명자 / 주소	Carhuff, Peter W. Masu, Takeshi Clyde, Gene Dickinson, Edward L. Harvey, Andrew C. Kolvek, Edward M. Lago, Michael H.
출원인 / 주소	Nestec S.A.
대리인 / 주소	Winston & Strawn LLP
인용정보	피인용 횟수 : 6 인용 특허 : 18

초록
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The invention relates to a food product dispenser that includes a food delivery mechanism and a cleansing mechanism. The food delivery mechanism includes a food source, a food conduit associated with the food source for receiving a food component therefrom, and a dispensing mechanism configured to dispense servings of the food component from the conduit. The cleansing mechanism includes a cleansing conduit associated with the food delivery mechanism to direct a cleansing fluid along a fluid path in cleansing association with the food delivery mechanism under conditions for performing a cleansing operation on the food delivery mechanism. A controller can be provided for automatically conducting cleansing operations based on predetermined conditions. The controller, delivery mechanism and cleansing mechanism can be configured to switch between the dispensing of the servings and the cleansing operation at a plurality of intervals during a day without substantial intervention from an operator.

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What is claimed is: 1. A method for operating a food product dispenser in the form of a single unit defined by an outer housing and including a food delivery mechanism having a mixing bowl for preparing a food or food component, a conduit for dispensing the prepared food or food component from the mixing bowl to an outlet along a dispensing path, a cleansing fluid supply located within the housing, and a cleansing fluid path that at least partially includes that portion of the dispensing path from the mixing bowl to the outlet, the method comprising: preparing the food or food component in the mixing bowl; dispensing servings of the food or food component from the food delivery mechanism along the dispensing path to the outlet; periodically directing a cleansing fluid along the cleansing fluid path from the cleansing fluid supply located within the housing from the mixing bowl and through the dispensing conduit of the food delivery mechanism to the outlet along the component dispensing path to conduct a cleaning operation on at least that portion of the dispensing path when the food or food component is not being dispensed, and recirculating the cleansing fluid within the housing and back to the cleansing fluid supply; rinsing that portion of the dispensing path from the mixing bowl and through the dispensing conduit of the food delivery mechanism to the outlet with hot water alone after the cleaning operation to remove cleansing fluid therefrom and conduct a sanitizing operation, wherein the hot water is at a temperature which is sufficient to sanitize the rinsed portion of the dispensing path before dispensing further food or food components, wherein the water is heated upstream of the mixing bowl to the temperature which is sufficient to sanitize; and switching between the dispensing of the food or food component and the conducting of the cleaning and sanitizing operations at a plurality of time intervals without having to connect an external source of cleaning fluid to the dispensing path each time cleaning is needed. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sanitizing operation is conducted a plurality of times between the cleaning operations. 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising heating the cleansing fluid upstream of the mixing bowl. 4. The method of claim 1, further including automatically determining with a controller device when one of the cleaning and sanitizing operations will begin and sending one of a cleaning start signal and a sanitizing start signal, wherein the cleaning start signal automatically starts the cleaning operation and wherein the sanitizing start signal automatically starts the sanitizing operation. 5. The method of claim 1, conducted by a controller in the food product dispenser, wherein the food delivery mechanism further comprises: a dispensing mechanism configured for dispensing servings of the food or food component from the conduit along the dispensing path and through the outlet; and the dispenser includes a first mechanism comprising a cleansing conduit connected to the food delivery mechanism to form an entry point thereunto and for directing the cleansing fluid along the cleansing fluid path in cleansing association with the food delivery mechanism under conditions for performing the cleaning operation on the portion of the dispensing path; wherein the controller is electrically connected to the first mechanism for activating the first mechanism at the intervals to cleanse the portion of the dispensing path automatically in response to predetermined conditions, and the controller, delivery mechanism and first mechanism are configured to switch between the dispensing of the servings and the cleaning operation. 6. The method of claim 5, which further comprises configuring the food delivery mechanism for conducting the cleaning operation without interrupting delivery of the product. 7. The method of claim 6, which further comprises providing the cleaning operation with a duration that is selected to interrupt the dispenser for between about 10 and about 20 minutes. 8. The method of claim 5, which further comprises: configuring the first mechanism for performing the cleaning and sanitizing operations; and configuring the controller for automatically operating the food delivery mechanism for selectively conducting one of the cleaning and sanitizing operations, with the sanitizing operation conducted several times per day. 9. The method of claim 5, which further comprises configuring the food delivery mechanism to conduct the cleaning operation using a cleansing fluid selected from at least one of the group consisting of (i) a detergent, (ii) a caustic material, and (iii) an acid material. 10. The method of claim 5, which further comprises configuring the dispenser to dispense product servings of a single serving to about 10 servings at one time wherein each product serving is sized for consumption by an individual. 11. The method of claim 5, which further comprises recirculating the cleansing fluid through the cleansing fluid path. 12. The method of claim 11, which further comprises providing the dispenser with an inline heating device located within the housing, wherein the heating device is positioned on a fluid path upstream of the mixing bowl and is used to heat the cleansing fluid or the rinsing water, or both before the cleansing fluid or rinsing water passes through the cleansing fluid path. 13. The method of claim 11, which further comprises providing the first mechanism with a reservoir in fluid communication with the cleansing fluid path configured to hold a volume of the cleansing fluid. 14. The method of claim 5, which further comprises configuring the controller to activate the first mechanism at predetermined intervals for sanitizing a portion of the delivery mechanism. 15. The method of claim 5, which further comprises providing a dispenser housing that houses the food source, bowl, food conduit, dispensing mechanism, and first mechanism. 16. The method of claim 1, wherein the dispenser includes a source of food product and a source of cleansing fluid so that it is unnecessary for an operator to connect an external source of food product or cleansing fluid to perform a dispensing or cleaning operation. 17. The method of claim 5, wherein the first mechanism is operably associated with the food conduit and dispensing path and is configured to cleanse the food conduit and dispensing mechanism. 18. The method of claim 1, wherein the food product is a milk-based product, and the hot water has a temperature of between about 75° C. and about 95° C. 19. A method for operating a food product dispenser in the form of a single unit defined by an outer housing and including a food delivery mechanism having a mixing bowl for preparing a food or food component, a conduit for dispensing the prepared food or food component from the mixing bowl to an outlet along a dispensing path, a cleansing fluid supply located within the housing, and a cleansing fluid path that at least partially includes that portion of the dispensing path from the mixing bowl to the outlet, the method comprising: preparing a food or food component that is milk-based within the mixing bowl; dispensing the food or food component product that is milk based from the mixing bowl of the food delivery mechanism along the dispensing path to the outlet; periodically conducting a cleaning operation on at least a portion of the dispensing path when the food or food component is not being dispensed by directing a cleansing fluid from the cleansing fluid supply located within the housing to the mixing conduit of the food delivery mechanism to the outlet, and recirculating the cleansing fluid back to the cleansing fluid supply; conducting a sanitizing operation after the cleaning operation by directing hot water alone along that portion of the dispensing path that has encountered the milk based product from the mixing bowl and through the dispensing conduit of the food delivery mechanism to the outlet, wherein the hot water is heated upstream of the mixing bowl to a temperature which is sufficiently hot to reduce microbiological deposits and sanitize that portion of the dispensing path; and switching between the dispensing of the food or food component and the conducting of the cleaning and sanitizing operations at a plurality of time intervals during a day automatically according to a time controlled cleansing program or upon request of an operator without having to connect an external source of cleaning fluid to the dispensing path each time cleaning is needed. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the hot water has a temperature between about 70° C. and about 95° C. and is directed along the fluid path at a velocity between about 0.2 to 2.0 m/s to cause flow along the fluid path and to sanitize that portion of the dispensing path. 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the hot water is directed at intervals occurring once about every 10 minutes to about every 12 hours and with the interval including a fluid directing time period of between about 30 seconds and about 30 minutes during which period the dispensing of the food product is interrupted. 22. A method for operating a food product dispenser in the form of a single unit defined by an outer housing and including a food delivery mechanism having a mixing bowl for preparing a food or food component, a conduit for dispensing the prepared food or food component from the mixing bowl to an outlet along a dispensing path, a cleansing fluid supply located within the housing, and a cleansing fluid path that at least partially includes that portion of the dispensing path from the mixing bowl to the outlet, the method comprising: preparing the food or food component in the mixing bowl; dispensing servings of the food or food component from the food delivery mechanism along the dispensing path to the outlet; directing a cleansing fluid along a cleansing fluid path from the cleansing fluid supply located within the housing from the mixing bowl and through the dispensing conduit of the food delivery mechanism to the outlet to conduct a first cleaning operation on that portion of the dispensing path, and recirculating the cleansing fluid within the unit through the cleansing fluid path; periodically directing recirculated cleansing fluid along the cleansing fluid path from the mixing bowl and through the dispensing conduit of the food delivery mechanism to the outlet to conduct a second cleaning operation on that portion of the dispensing path when the food or food component is not being dispensed, wherein the second cleaning operation occurs a period of time after the first cleaning operation, and recirculating the cleansing fluid back to the cleansing fluid supply; rinsing that portion of the dispensing path from the mixing bowl and through the dispensing conduit of the food delivery mechanism to the outlet with hot water alone to remove cleansing fluid therefrom to thus conduct at least one sanitizing operation at least after the second cleaning operation, wherein the hot water is heated u stream of the mixing bowl to a temperature which is sufficiently hot to reduce microbiological deposits and sanitize that portion of the dispensing path; and switching between the dispensing of the food or food component and the conducting of the cleaning and sanitizing operations at a plurality of time intervals without having to connect an external source of cleaning fluid to the dispensing path each time cleaning is needed. 23. The method of claim 12, wherein the cleansing fluid has a first temperature in the portion of the dispensing path at the beginning of the cleaning operation, and the cleansing fluid is recirculated while being heated upstream of the mixing bowl to increase its temperature during the recirculation in the cleaning operation. 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the cleansing fluid or rinsing water is heated by an inline heater.

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Food product dispenser with cleansing mechanism

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Food product dispenser with cleansing mechanism

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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (18)

이 특허를 인용한 특허 피인용횟수: 6

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