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US 2023/0082476 A1Published application
Automated clean in process (cip) system
AssigneeCms Technology, LLC
InventorsJordan Koerwitz, Daniel Marken, Douglas Kroitsch, Mark Bramlett, Drew Dalton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Provided are foodstuff treatment systems that are convertible between a processing mode in which foodstuffs are processed (e.g., disinfected) and a clean-in-place mode in which the system operates to clean material (e.g., biological buildup) that has accumulated within the system.
Claims20
A foodstuff treatment system, comprising:
- a first foodstuff treatment module, the first foodstuff treatment module configured to receive a foodstuff, a foodstuff disinfecting fluid, and a cleaning fluid;
- and
- a fluidic pathway, the fluidic pathway comprising:
- a delivery section configured to communicate fluid within the fluidic pathway in a direction toward the first foodstuff treatment module,
- a first supply section in fluid communication with the delivery section and associated with the first foodstuff treatment module, and
- a return section configured to communicate fluid within the fluidic pathway in a direction away from the first foodstuff treatment module, and
- the fluidic pathway being configurable for any one or more of:
- (State 1) communicating a foodstuff disinfecting fluid to the first foodstuff treatment module via the delivery section and the first supply section while the first foodstuff treatment module is in fluidic isolation from the return section;
- (State 2) communicating a cleaning fluid to the first foodstuff treatment module via the delivery section and the first supply section while the first foodstuff treatment module is in fluidic isolation from the return section;
- and
- (State 3) communicating the cleaning fluid to the first foodstuff treatment module via the delivery section and the first supply section while the first foodstuff treatment module is in fluidic communication with the return section.
8 more elements
A method, comprising:
- (State 1) communicating a foodstuff treatment fluid via a fluidic pathway to a first foodstuff treatment module so as to disinfect a foodstuff disposed within the first foodstuff treatment module;
- and
- at least one of:
- (State 2a) communicating, via a first portion of the fluidic pathway, a cleaning fluid to the first foodstuff module so as to disinfect the first portion of the fluidic pathway and the first foodstuff module, and
- (State 2b) communicating, via the first portion of the fluidic pathway, the cleaning fluid to a second portion of the fluidic pathway that at least partially forms a loop with the first portion of the fluidic pathway, the communicating disinfecting the first potion of the fluidic pathway and the second portion of the fluidic pathway.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.