FLUID CONDUIT CLEANING APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 20190313841A1
• Filed: 12/20/2017
• Published: 10/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2016
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Hygienic Innovations Limited
• Original Assignee: Hygienic Innovations Limited
• Inventors: Quinn, Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US16/472,135
• Publication Number:
  US 20190313841A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/60 Cleaning devices
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/12 by sonic or ultrasonic vibrations washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware using sonic or ultrasonic waves A47L15/13; of natural teeth, of prostheses using ultrasonic techniques similar to those used for natural teeth A61C17/20; application of ultrasonic vibrations to chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general B01J19/10

Abstract

An apparatus (100) for cleaning open ended conduits such as milk steam wands (10) comprises a container (106) connected to an ultrasonic transducer (132) to clean the conduit (10) immersed in liquid (12).

Claims

1. A hand-held cleaning apparatus for an open ended fluid conduit of a food and/or drink production device comprising:

a container for receiving a liquid, the container having an opening for a fluid conduit; and

an ultrasonic transducer configured to transmit ultrasonic energy into the container in use.

2. A hand-held cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, in which the container comprises a base end opposite the opening, and the apparatus comprises a base, adjacent the base end of the container, the base housing the ultrasonic transducer.

3. A hand-held cleaning apparatus according to claim 2, in which the ultrasonic transducer is in contact with the base end of the container.

4. A hand-held cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a battery arranged to power the ultrasonic transducer.

5. A hand-held cleaning apparatus according to claim 4, having:

a container assembly comprising the container, the ultrasonic transducer and the battery; and

,

a dock;

in which the dock is configured to charge the battery when the container assembly is assembled therewith.

6. A hand-held cleaning apparatus according to claim 5, in which the dock is configured to charge the battery by induction charging.

7. A hand-held cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, in which the container comprises a container outer and a container inner, in which the container outer is constructed from a first material, and the container inner is constructed from a second, different material.

8. A hand-held cleaning apparatus according to claim 7, in which the container outer is constructed from a plastics material.

9. A hand-held cleaning apparatus according to claim 8 in which the container inner is constructed from a metal material.

10. A hand-held cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, in which the container comprises a handle.

11. A hand-held cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a controller configured to control the ultrasonic transducer, in which the controller has a user-activated input.

12. A hand-held cleaning apparatus according to claim 11, in which the controller has at least two modes of operation in which the time which the ultrasonic transducer is activated for is different for each mode.

13. A method of cleaning an open ended fluid conduit of a food and/or drink production device comprising the steps of:

providing a food and/or drink production device having an open ended fluid conduit attached thereto;

providing an assembly of a container and an ultrasonic transducer;

at least partially filling the container with a liquid;

moving the container into position such that the fluid conduit is at least partially immersed in the liquid whilst still being attached to the food and/or drink production device; and

activating the ultrasonic transducer to transmit ultrasonic energy to the liquid to clean the fluid conduit.

14. A method according to claim 13, in which the ultrasonic transducer is activated for between 5 seconds and 30 seconds.

15. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

18. (canceled)