# US 9,518,760 B2 · Method for treating limescale deposits within water heaters inside beverage dispensing machines > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,518,760 B2 - Document ID: US9518760B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/095,607 - Filed: 2006-12-20 - Published: 2010-06-24 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2005-12-23 - Assignees: RHEAVENDORS SERVICES S.p.A - Applicants: Luca Doglioni Majer - Inventors: Luca Doglioni Majer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9518760B2 ## CPC - F24H 9/0042: {Cleaning arrangements} - A47J 31/60: Cleaning devices - B08B 3/12: by sonic or ultrasonic vibrations - C02F 1/36: ultrasonic vibrations - C02F 5/025: {Hot-water softening devices} - C02F 2209/006: comprising a software program or a logic diagram - F24H: FLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL (steam generation F22) - A47J: KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES - B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) ## Abstract A method and an apparatus for detaching limescale deposits within a water heater of a beverage dispensing machine, by powering an ultrasonic generator discontinuously to scan frequencies within a range of 20 kHz to 100 kHz so as to induce ultrasonic vibrations. Advantageously the step of inducing ultrasonic vibrations is implemented discontinuously at high energy levels. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of detaching limescale deposits from a beverage machine dispensing component of a beverage dispensing machine, the beverage dispensing machine component being selected from the group consisting of a water heater and a mixing chamber, the method comprising the steps of: memorizing a natural frequency of the water heater, in a memory means of a control unit; determining a frequency in a range of 20 kHz to 100 kHz inclusive; inducing ultrasonic vibrations at the determined frequency only if the determined frequency is other than equal to the memorized natural frequency of the water heater; selecting an increased or decreased frequency of an ultrasonic generator device if the determined frequency is equal to the memorized natural frequency of the water heater; inducing ultrasonic vibrations at the selected frequency to said beverage dispensing machine component or within water contained in the beverage dispensing machine component by powering the ultrasonic generator device for a preset time interval, yet controlling the ultrasonic generator device to avoid the natural frequency of the water heater by skipping the natural frequency of the water heater within the range of 20 kHz to 100 kHz inclusive during the inducing steps, and detaching said limescale deposits in response to the induced vibrations. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of: discarding the detached limescale deposits by gathering the detached limescale deposits in a separate container or flushing out the detached limescale deposits. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein said ultrasonic generator device comprises at least one piezo-electric transducer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of: inducing ultrasonic vibrations is implemented during a stand-by condition of said beverage dispensing machine. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: detaching alimentary residues within the mixing chamber of the beverage dispensing machine. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the activating powering of the ultrasonic generator is carried out with water within an enclosure, the vibrations being induced to the enclosure or within the water. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the determined frequency is in the range of 20 kHz to 25 kHz inclusive and the duration of the preset time interval is in the range from 20 to 30 minutes. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the determined frequency is in the range of 35 kHz to 100 kHz inclusive and the duration of the preset time interval is in the range from 30 seconds to 30 minutes. ### Claim 9 A method of detaching limescale deposits from a beverage dispensing machine component of a beverage dispensing machine, the beverage dispensing machine component being selected from the group consisting of a water heater and a mixing chamber, the method comprising the steps of: powering an ultrasonic generator device, memorizing a natural frequency of the water heater, in a memory means of a control unit; determining a frequency in a range of 20 kHz to 100 kHz inclusive; selecting an increased or decreased frequency of the ultrasonic generator device if the determined frequency is equal to the memorized natural frequency of the water heater; inducing ultrasonic vibrations at the determined frequency only if the determined frequency is other than equal to the memorized natural frequency of the water heater; inducing ultrasonic vibrations at the selected frequency to said beverage dispensing machine component or within water contained in the beverage dispensing machine component by powering the ultrasonic generator device for a preset time interval, yet controlling the ultrasonic generator device to avoid the natural frequency of the water heater by skipping the natural frequency of the water heater within the range of 20 kHz to 100 kHz inclusive during the inducing steps; and detaching said limescale deposits in response to the induced ultrasonic vibrations.