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US 12,623,897 B1Granted
Clean in place system for a beverage dispenser
OwnerPeter Ward, David James Keenerinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method to automatically clean the lines of a beverage dispenser system by purging the beverage lines, then cleaning with detergent, purging again, sanitizing, and recharging the lines. The present invention has a series of reservoirs, pumps and solenoid operated valves all run by an automated controller which carries out the cleaning process without human intervention.
Claims10
A line cleaning system for a beverage dispenser, said line cleaning system comprising:
- a beverage dispenser system with a plurality of dispensing heads each head having a beverage reservoir, a dispensing conduit, a head valve, a solenoid operated cleaning isolation valve and a beverage pump and a head switch configured to operate the head valve, the solenoid operated cleaning isolation valve, and the beverage pump, wherein upon activations of the head switch the dispensing conduit is placed in fluid communication with the dispensing head, the solenoid operated cleaning isolation valve, the beverage reservoir and the beverage pump;
- a detergent reservoir, and solenoid operated detergent valve, all in fluid communication with each dispensing head, the solenoid operated detergent valve configured to selectively isolate the detergent reservoir from the dispensing conduit;
- a sanitizer reservoir, and solenoid operated sanitizer valve, all in fluid communication with each dispensing head and the solenoid operated sanitizer valve configured to selectively isolate the sanitizer reservoir and pump from the dispensing heads;
- a nitrogen reservoir;
- a plurality of nitrogen injectors, each nitrogen injector in fluid communication with the nitrogen reservoir, each dispensing head in fluid communication with one of the nitrogen injectors, the nitrogen injectors being configured to selectively isolate their respective dispensing head from the nitrogen reservoir;
- and
- a dispenser controller;
- wherein when one of the head switches is activated the dispenser controller opens the head valve of the respective dispenser head and activates the respective beverage pump, putting the dispenser head in fluid communication with the respective beverage reservoir, and following a timed delay the controller opens the nitrogen injector of the respective dispensing head, placing the nitrogen reservoir in fluid communication with the respective dispensing head.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.