DEVICE FOR PREPARING DRINKS AND METHOD FOR CLEANING SUCH A DEVICE

• US 20110049187A1
• Filed: 02/06/2009
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toeca International Company B.V.
• Original Assignee: Toeca International Company B.V.
• Inventors: Arns, Maarten, Boekhoorn, Marcel Martinus Jacobus Johannes, Schippers, Harry
• Granted Patent: US 8,534,503 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/148
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/402 Liquid dosing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/60 Cleaning devices
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/0321 using pressurised, pulsating or purging fluid E04F17/126 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/0323 Arrangements specially designed for simultaneous and parallel cleaning of a plurality of conduits
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/0325 Control mechanisms therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2400/12 Means for sanitation
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 3/10 using liquefied gases, e.g. liquid air for cooling semiconductor devices H01L23/445
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 31/002 Liquid coolers, e.g. beverage cooler receptacle coolers F25D31/006

Abstract

A device for preparing drinks, in particular, cooled drinks. Also disclosed is a multi-way coupling for use in a device for cooling drinks and a method for cleaning a device for preparing drinks.

Claims

1. A device for preparing drinks, comprising:

(a) at least one drink supply container;

(b) at least one dosing element connected to the drink supply container by at least one supply conduit for dosing a quantity of drink;

(c) at least one drinking cup holder adapted to releasably hold at least one drinking cup to enable collection of a dosed quantity of drink dispensed by the dosing element, wherein the drinking cup holder has at least one discharge;

(d) at least one discharge conduit connected to the discharge of the drinking cup holder;

(e) at least one flushing water supply connected to the supply conduit and closable relative to the supply conduit for flushing the supply conduit; and

(f) a closing element for substantially liquid-tight closing of the drinking cup holder, wherein the dosing element is connected to said closing element, and wherein the orientation of the drinking cup holder relative to the closing element can be changed between an opened configuration positioned at a distance from the closing element, and a closed configuration connecting to the closing element.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises at least one stirring element adapted to be positioned at least partially in a space enclosed by the drinking cup holder.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the closing element is adapted to enclose at least a part of the stirring element.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the flushing water supply is connected to the supply conduit via a first multi-way coupling, which wherein the first multi-way coupling is adapted for simultaneous coupling to a plurality of drink supply containers.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the first multi-way coupling comprises a plurality of coupling conduits for coupling the drink supply containers to the first multi-way coupling.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the first multi-way coupling comprises a plurality of closing valves to enable selective closure of the coupling conduits relative to the supply conduit.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein each closing valve comprises sealing means to enable substantially liquid-tight closure of the coupling conduit relative to the supply conduit.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the first multi-way coupling further comprises biasing means for urging the closing valves to a position closing the coupling conduits relative to the supply conduit.

9. The device of claim 6, wherein the first multi-way coupling further comprises an axially rotatable camshaft having a plurality of cams, wherein each cam is adapted to operate at least one closing valve.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the device further comprises at least one motor for driving the camshaft.

11. The device of claim 6, wherein the first multi-way coupling has a modular construction, wherein each module comprises at least one coupling conduit and at least one closing valve co-acting with the coupling conduit.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the supply conduit has at least one pump for pumping drink or flushing water to the dosing element.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the supply conduit has at least one flow meter.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the supply conduit has at least one conductivity sensor.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the flushing water supply is connected to the at least one supply conduit via at least one flushing conduit.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the device further comprises at least one cleaning agent supply container connected to the flushing conduit for the purpose of enriching the flushing water situated in the flushing conduit with cleaning agent.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the at least one discharge conduit is coupled to the flushing conduit.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the discharge conduit is coupled to a waste container.

19. The device of claim 15, wherein the device further comprises a second multi-way coupling for selective mutual coupling of the discharge conduit, the supply container for cleaning agent, the waste container and the flushing conduit.

20. The device of claim 1, wherein the dosing element is coupled to at least one additive supply container for enriching a quantity of drink dosed by the dosing element with a dosed quantity of additive.

21. The device of claim 1, wherein the dosing element is coupled to at least one cooling medium supply container for the purpose of cooling a quantity of drink dosed by the dosing element using a dosed quantity of cooling medium.

22. A multi-way coupling for use in a device for preparing drinks, the device comprising:

(a) at least one drink supply container;

(b) at least one supply conduit for dosing a quantity of drink;

(c) at least one dosing element connected to the drink supply container by the at least one supply conduit;

(d) at least one drinking cup holder adapted to releasably hold at least one drinking cup to enable collection of a dosed quantity of drink dispensed by the dosing element, wherein said drinking cup holder has at least one discharge;

(e) at least one discharge conduit connected to the discharge of the drinking cup holder;

(f) at least one flushing water supply connected to the supply conduit and closable relative to the supply conduit for flushing the supply conduit,

(g) a first multi-way coupling connecting the flushing water supply to the supply conduit, wherein the first multi-way coupling includes

(i) a plurality of coupling conduits for coupling the drink supply containers to the first multi-way coupling,

(ii) a plurality of closing valves to enable selective closure of the coupling conduits relative to the supply conduit,

(iii) biasing means for urging the closing valves to a position closing the coupling conduits relative to the supply conduit,

(iv) an axially rotatable camshaft having a plurality of cams, wherein each cam is adapted to operate at least one closing valve, at least one coupling conduit and at least one closing valve co-acting with the coupling conduit, wherein each closing valve comprises sealing means to enable substantially liquid-tight closure of the coupling conduit relative to the supply conduit,

wherein the first multi-way coupling has a modular construction,

wherein said first multi-way coupling is adapted for simultaneous coupling to a plurality of drink supply containers;

(f) at least one motor for driving the camshaft; and

,

(g) a closing element for substantially liquid-tight closing of the drinking cup holder, wherein the dosing element is connected to the closing element, and wherein the orientation of the drinking cup holder relative to the closing element can be changed between an opened configuration positioned at a distance from the closing element, and a closed configuration connecting to the closing element.

23. A method for cleaning a device having at least one drink supply container, the device comprising at least one dosing element connected to the drink supply container by at least one supply conduit for dosing a quantity of drink;

at least one drinking cup holder adapted to releasably hold at least one drinking cup to enable collection of a dosed quantity of drink dispensed by the dosing element, wherein said drinking cup holder has at least one discharge;

at least one discharge conduit connected to the discharge of the drinking cup holder;

at least one flushing water supply connected to the supply conduit and closable relative to the supply conduit for flushing the supply conduit; and

a closing element for substantially liquid-tight closing of the drinking cup holder, wherein the dosing element is connected to said closing element, and wherein the orientation of the drinking cup holder relative to the closing element can be changed between an opened configuration positioned at a distance from the closing element, and a closed configuration connecting to the closing element, the method comprising the steps of;

(a) flushing the supply conduit with flushing water from the flushing water supply;

(b) collecting flushing water flushed through the supply conduit in the drinking cup holder; and

(c) discharging collected flushing water from the drinking cup holder.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

(d) closing the drinking cup holder before the drinking cup holder collects flushing water.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

(e) actively setting into motion flushing water situated in the drinking cup holder after closing the drinking cup holder according to step (d).

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

(f) heating the flushing water before flushing the supply conduit according to step (a).

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

(g) adding cleaning agent to the flushing water before flushing the supply conduit as according to step (a).

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

(h) flushing the supply conduit again with at least a part of the collected flushing water after discharging collected flushing water from the drinking cup holder according to step (c).

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

(i) measuring the conductivity of flushing water flowing through the supply conduit during flushing of the supply conduit with flushing water according to step (c).

30. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

(j) collecting the flushing water in a waste container after disci discharging collected flushing water from the drinking cup holder according to step (c).

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

(k) heating flushing water to a temperature of a maximum of 40 degrees Celsius according to step (f);

(l) flushing the supply conduit with the heated flushing water according to step (a);

(m) collecting flushing water flushed through the supply conduit in the drinking cup holder according to step (b);

(n) discharging collected flushing water from the drinking cup holder according to step (c);

(o) collecting flushing water discharged from the drinking cup holder in a waste container according to step (j);

(p) heating flushing water to a temperature of between 50 and 100 degrees Celsius according to step (f);

(q) enriching the heated flushing water with at least one cleaning agent according to step (g);

(r) flushing the supply conduit with the heated flushing water according to step (a);

(s) collecting flushing water flushed through the supply conduit in the drinking cup holder according to step (b);

(t) discharging collected flushing water from the drinking cup holder according to step (c);

(u) guiding at least a part of the collected flushing water through the supply conduit and the drinking cup holder again according to step (h);

(v) collecting flushing water discharged from the drinking cup holder in a waste container according to step (j);

(w) flushing the supply conduit with flushing water as according to step (a); and

,

(x) measuring the electrical conductivity of the flushing water in the supply conduit according to step (i).