JP2005212838A - Cleaning device for beverage feeding apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cleaning device for a beverage feeding apparatus capable of automatically cleaning a beverage feeding pipe. <P>SOLUTION: This beverage feeding apparatus is constituted so that when beer stored in a beer barrel 1 is fed, a gas cylinder 23 and a gas introducing hole 21 are communicated with each other, and the beer extracted from the beer barrel 1 by a pressure of carbon dioxide gas is fed into a dispensing valve 8. When a beer piping 5 is cleaned, a controlling part 15 provided on the apparatus blocks communication between the gas cylinder 23 and an air cylinder, encloses a connection passage of the gas introducing hole 21 and a beverage outlet 4 to a beverage extraction hole 2, communicates a tap water pipe 17 with the gas introducing hole 21, and feeds a cleaning water to clean the beer pipe 5. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a beverage supply device, and more particularly to a cleaning device used for a beverage supply device capable of automatically cleaning a beverage supply pipe for supplying a beverage.

For example, in a beverage supply device for supplying beverages, a beverage container for storing beverages, a dispense head connected to a beverage extraction port of the beverage container, and a beverage connected to a gas inlet of the dispense head via a gas pipe A gas cylinder for supplying a pressurized gas for extraction and a dispense valve connected to a beverage outlet of a dispense head via a beverage supply pipe, and a beverage at a pressure of the pressurized gas supplied from the gas cylinder by opening the dispense valve The beverage is pushed out of the container.
The beverage supply pipe that leads from the dispense head to the dispense valve is always filled with the beverage. There is a risk of breeding, and the taste of the beverage is also reduced. For this reason, when the sales (supply) of the day is completed, the beverage supply pipe is removed from the dispense head, the washing water is injected, and the inside of the beverage supply pipe reaching the dispense valve is cleaned (for example, Patent Documents). 1). Alternatively, after the dispensing head is removed from the beverage container and replaced with a washing water container filled with washing water, washing is performed, and then the beverage container is replaced again.
Japanese Utility Model Publication No.59-196495

However, all of these series of operations have to be performed manually, which requires a lot of labor and time, and has become a major problem in beverage supply apparatus management.
In view of the above circumstances, the present invention relates to a beverage supply device that supplies beer and the like, and an object thereof is to provide a beverage supply device cleaning device that can automatically clean a beverage supply tube or replace a beverage container. To do.

In order to achieve the above object, a washing apparatus for a beverage supply apparatus according to claim 1 of the present invention comprises a dispensing head connected to a beverage extraction port of a beverage container for storing beverages, and gas to the gas introduction port of the dispensing head. A beverage supply apparatus comprising: a gas cylinder to be supplied; and a dispense valve connected to a beverage outlet of the dispense head via a beverage supply pipe.
Dispensing water through a first valve that communicates or shuts off between the water supply and the gas inlet, and gas dispenses through a second valve that communicates or shuts off between the gas cylinder and the gas inlet. Connect to the gas inlet of the head,
An opening / closing mechanism that opens and closes a connection passage between the gas introduction port of the dispensing head and the beverage outlet to the beverage extraction port of the beverage container using the gas supplied from the gas cylinder as a driving source is provided, and the gas cylinder communicates with the opening / closing mechanism. Or a beverage supply device cleaning device connected to a gas cylinder through a third valve to be shut off,
When supplying the beverage to be stored in the beverage container, the third valve is energized to communicate between the gas cylinder and the opening / closing mechanism to supply the gas and connect the gas inlet and the beverage outlet to the beverage extraction port Open the passage, energize the second valve to communicate between the gas cylinder and the gas inlet, and supply the beverage extracted from the beverage container with the pressure of the gas supplied from the gas cylinder to the dispense valve,
When washing the beverage supply pipe, the energization to the third valve is stopped, the gas cylinder and the opening / closing mechanism are shut off, and the connection passage for the beverage extraction port of the gas inlet and the beverage outlet is closed, The first valve is energized to communicate between the water supply and the gas inlet and supply a cleaning water to clean the beverage supply pipe.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the washing apparatus for a beverage supply apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the control means energizes the first valve to communicate between the water supply and the gas inlet. After supplying the washing water and washing the beverage supply pipe, the second valve is energized to communicate between the gas cylinder and the gas inlet and supply gas to supply the washing water to the beverage supply pipe. It is characterized by discharging.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a beverage supply apparatus cleaning apparatus according to the first aspect, further comprising a switching means for outputting a signal for selectively driving the opening / closing mechanism to the control means. It is characterized by that.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the beverage stored in the beverage container is supplied to the beverage supply device that supplies beer or the like, the third valve is energized to communicate between the gas cylinder and the opening / closing mechanism. The pressure of the gas supplied from the gas cylinder by supplying the gas, opening the connection passage from the gas introduction port to the beverage extraction port at the beverage outlet, and energizing the second valve to communicate between the gas cylinder and the gas introduction port. When the beverage extracted from the beverage container is supplied to the dispense valve and the beverage supply pipe is washed, the power supply to the third valve is stopped and the gas cylinder and the opening / closing mechanism are shut off, and the gas inlet and the beverage outlet Since the connection passage to the beverage extraction port is closed, the first valve is energized to communicate between the water supply and the gas inlet and supply the cleaning water to clean the beverage supply pipe. Cleaning the beverage supply pipe automatically It becomes possible to realize a cleaning device for a beverage dispensing device.

According to the invention of claim 2, after the control means energizes the first valve to communicate between the water supply and the gas inlet and supply the wash water to wash the beverage supply pipe, Since the valve 2 is energized to communicate between the gas cylinder and the gas inlet to supply the gas and discharge the washing water of the beverage supply pipe, the effect of suppressing the growth of bacteria in the pipe after the washing is completed It can be kept hygienic by leaving a gas with gas.
According to the invention of claim 3, since the switching means for outputting the signal for alternatively driving the opening / closing mechanism to the control means is provided, when the dispensing head is removed from the beverage container, the switching means Since the dispensing head can be removed by stopping energization of the valve and closing the connection passage between the gas inlet and the beverage extraction port, the beverage container can be easily replaced when the beverage in the beverage container is exhausted. .

Exemplary embodiments of a beverage supply device cleaning device according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration when the present invention is applied to a beer dispenser (beverage supply device), and a dispense head 3 is connected to a beverage extraction port 2 of a beer barrel 1 as a beverage container. The supply of the carbon dioxide gas to the beer barrel 1 and the extraction of the beer pushed out by the pressure of the supplied carbon dioxide gas are performed from the beverage extraction port 2 via the dispense head 3, and the dispense head 3 is a one-touch beverage extraction port. 2 can be attached and detached, and all of these structures are already known. The beverage outlet 4 of the dispense head 3 is connected to a beer pipe (beverage supply pipe) 5, and the beer pipe 5 passes through the cooling water tank 7 of the dispenser body 6 and is connected to the dispense valve 8. Cooling water 10 cooled by the refrigeration apparatus 9 is stored in the cooling water tank 7.

  Reference numeral 11 denotes a cleaning device, a first valve (washing water on-off valve) 12, a second valve (beverage extraction gas on-off valve) 13, a third valve (dispense head on-off mechanism gas on-off valve) 14, A control unit (control means) 15 that controls the valve is provided, and each of the first valve 12, the second valve 13, and the third valve 14 is connected to the control unit 15. The inlet of the first valve 12 is connected to the water supply 17 through the connector 16, the outlet is connected to the cleaning water and the gas common pipe 20 through the check valve 18 and the connector 19, and the gas inlet 21 of the dispensing head 3. . Further, the inlet of the second valve 13 is connected to the gas regulator 24 of the gas cylinder 23 via the connector 22, and the outlet is shared with the washing water and gas via the check valve 18 and the connector 19 in the same manner as the first valve 12. The pipe 20 is connected to the gas inlet 21 of the dispensing head 3, the inlet of the third valve 14 is connected to the gas regulator 26 of the gas cylinder 23 via the connector 25, and the outlet is connected to the gas pipe 28 via the connector 27. It is connected to an air cylinder (opening / closing mechanism) 29 provided in the head 3. When gas pressure is applied to the air cylinder 29, the gas connection passage between the gas introduction port 21 and the beverage extraction port 2 is communicated, and the beverage connection passage and the beverage outlet 4 of the beverage extraction port 2 are communicated to extract beer from the beer barrel 1. When the gas pressure is not working, the gas introduction port 21 and the beverage outlet 4 are closed from the connection passage of the beverage extraction port 2, and the cleaning water supplied through the communication between the gas introduction port 21 and the beverage outlet 4 It has a structure that allows carbon dioxide gas to pass through directly. Further, the cleaning device 11 is provided with a sales / cleaning switch 60 and a dispensing head opening / closing mechanism changeover switch 70.

  FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of the beverage supply device cleaning device according to the present invention, which includes a beverage sales (supply) and beverage supply pipe cleaning signal and an operation display unit for displaying the operation state of the cleaning device 11. Carbon dioxide gas for opening and closing the connection passage between the gas inlet 21 and the beverage extraction port 2 when the beverage in the beverage container 1 runs out of drink and the dispensing head 3 is removed from the beverage extraction port 2 of the beverage container 1 Dispensing head opening / closing mechanism changeover switch (switching means) 70 having a built-in operation display unit for outputting a signal for communicating and shutting off the third valve for supplying air to the air cylinder 29, and for displaying the operation state of the air cylinder 29, a cleaning device 11, a data input device 80 for inputting control data, a control unit 15 (control means) for performing control for beverage supply and washing, and a control unit 1 The first valve 12 that operates in response to a signal output by each of the first valve 12 that permits passage of washing water for washing the beer pipe 5 when the valve is opened, and when the valve is opened, the beverage stored in the beverage container 1 is pushed out and extracted. A second valve 13 that permits the passage of carbon dioxide gas, a third cylinder that permits the passage of carbon dioxide gas to the air cylinder 29 that opens and closes the gas inlet 21 and the beverage outlet 4 of the dispensing head 3 from the connection passage of the beverage extraction port 2. A valve 102, a memory 102 for storing control data of the cleaning device 11, and a timer 103 for counting a clock generated by a reference clock generator (not shown) and measuring the time to open and close these valves for a predetermined time. have.

Next, the cleaning operation of the present invention will be described with reference to the time chart of FIG.
Assuming that the cleaning device 11 is currently set in the beverage sales (supply) operation state, as shown in FIG. 3, the operation display unit of the sales / cleaning switch 60 is turned on and dispensed by a signal output from the control unit 15. The head opening / closing mechanism changeover switch 70 displays the beverage sales operation state, shuts off the first valve 12, and the second valve 13 and the third valve 14 are in communication. Accordingly, the carbon dioxide gas stored in the gas cylinder 23 passes through the second valve 13 and the check valve 18 and is supplied to the gas inlet 21 of the dispensing head 3 through the connector 19 and is also stored in the gas cylinder 23. Since the carbon dioxide gas that has passed through the third valve 14 is supplied to the air cylinder 29 of the dispensing head 3 via the connector 27, the gas connection passage between the gas introduction port 21 and the beverage extraction port 2 communicates with the beverage. Beer can be extracted from the beer barrel 1 by connecting the beverage connection passage of the extraction port 2 and the beverage outlet 4. When the operation lever 8a of the dispense valve 8 is operated here, the dispense valve 8 is opened, and the beer pushed out of the beer barrel 1 by the pressure of the carbon dioxide gas supplied from the carbon dioxide cylinder 23 is discharged from the beverage extraction port 2 to the dispense head 3. It passes through the beverage outlet 4 and the beer pipe 5 and is poured into the cup from the outlet 8b of the dispensing valve 8.

  In order to clean the beer pipe 5, when the dispense valve 8 is opened and the sales / cleaning switch 60 is pressed (T 1), a signal is output to the control unit 15, and the control unit 15 stores the control data stored in the memory 102. When the signal is output based on the above, the operation display unit of the sales / cleaning switch 60 blinks, the cleaning operation state is displayed on the display unit of the dispensing head opening / closing mechanism changeover switch 70, the second valve 13 is shut off, and T2 (for example, When 0.5 second has elapsed from T1 and the third valve 14 is shut off and the supply of carbon dioxide gas is stopped, the air cylinder 29 closes the gas inlet 21 and the beverage outlet 4 from the connection passage of the beverage extraction port 2. At the same time, the gas inlet 21 and the beverage outlet 4 are connected. Further, at T3 (for example, 1 second after T2), the first valve 12 is communicated and the cleaning water supplied from the water supply 17 is supplied to the gas inlet through the first valve 12, the check valve 18, and the connector 19. When supplied to 21, the supplied wash water flows from the beverage outlet 4 through the beer pipe 5 and pushes the remaining beer while cleaning the inside, and is discharged from the outlet 8 b of the dispense valve 8. The time during which the first valve 12 is open (time from T3 to T4, for example, 30 seconds to 5 minutes) is stored in advance in the memory 102 of the control unit 15, and when the time reaches T4, the first valve 12 is reached. Is shut off, and washing with washing water is completed.

  Next, when the second valve 13 is opened at T5 (for example, after 0.5 seconds have elapsed from T4), the carbon dioxide gas stored in the gas cylinder 23 passes through the second valve 13 and the check valve 18 and is connected to the connector. 19 is supplied to the gas inlet 21 of the dispense head 3, and the supplied carbon dioxide gas flows away from the beverage outlet 4 and the cleaning water remaining in the path of the beer pipe 5 and the outlet 8 b of the dispense valve 8 and discharges it. After this gas blow is continued until T6 (for example, 10 seconds to 60 seconds), the second valve 13 is shut off, and the supply of carbon dioxide gas to the dispense head 3 is stopped. Then, at T7 (for example, 0.5 seconds after T6), the operation display unit of the sales / cleaning switch 60 is turned off, and the cleaning control of the control unit 15 is completed. Further, the dispensing valve 8 is closed to complete the cleaning operation. Even after this washing is completed, the beer pipe 5 can be kept hygienic because the carbon dioxide gas having an effect of suppressing the growth of bacteria remains.

  In order to start beverage sales (supply), when the sales / cleaning switch 60 is pressed (T8), a signal is output to the control unit 15, and the control unit 15 generates a signal based on the control data stored in the memory 102. Is output, the operation display unit of the sales / cleaning switch 60 is turned on, the beverage sales operation state is displayed on the display unit of the dispensing head opening / closing mechanism changeover switch 70, and a signal is output to the second valve 13 for communication. The carbon dioxide gas stored in the gas cylinder 23 passes through the second valve 13 and the check valve 18 and is supplied from the connector 19 to the gas inlet 21 of the dispense head 3. Then, at T9 (for example, 0.5 seconds after T8), the third valve 14 is communicated to supply carbon dioxide gas to the air cylinder 29 of the dispensing head 3, and the gas inlet 21 and the beverage extraction port 2 are connected. The gas connection passage is communicated and the beverage connection passage of the beverage extraction port 2 and the beverage outlet 4 are communicated, and the extraction pressure of carbon dioxide gas is applied to the beer stored in the beer barrel 1 so that the beer can be sold. In this way, it is possible to provide a beverage supply apparatus cleaning device in which a series of operations for cleaning these beverage supply pipes are all performed automatically.

  Next, the operation of removing the dispensing head 3 from the beer barrel 1 when replacing the beer barrel 1 with no beer of the present invention will be described with reference to the time chart of FIG. First, in a state where the cleaning device 11 is set to the beverage sales (supply) operation state, when the dispense head opening / closing mechanism changeover switch 70 is pressed (t1), a signal is output to the control unit 15, and the control unit 15 stores in the memory 102. When a signal is output based on the control data being recorded, the display of the dispensing head opening / closing mechanism changeover switch 70 is switched to shut off the second valve 13, and the third time is reached at t2 (for example, 0.5 seconds after t1). When the supply of carbon dioxide gas is stopped, the air cylinder 29 closes the gas inlet 21 and the beverage outlet 4 from the connection passage of the beverage extraction port 2. As described above, when the dispense head opening / closing mechanism changeover switch 70 is pressed, the control unit 15 outputs a signal based on the control data stored in the memory 102, shuts off the second valve 13, and starts from the gas cylinder 23. Since the gas supply port 21 and the beverage outlet 4 are shut off from the connection passage of the beverage extraction port 2 after that, the operation of removing the dispensing head 3 when replacing the beer barrel 1 is easy. Can be done.

  When the replacement of the beer barrel 1 is completed and the beverage sales (supply) operation state is reached, when the dispense head opening / closing mechanism changeover switch 70 is pressed again (t3), the display of the dispensing head opening / closing mechanism changeover switch 70 is switched to the second state. The carbon dioxide gas stored in the gas cylinder 23 is supplied to the gas introduction port 21 through the valve 13 and the third valve 14 is communicated through the third valve 14 at t4 (for example, 0.5 seconds after t3). , The air cylinder 29 communicates the gas connection passage between the gas inlet 21 and the beverage extraction port 2 and allows the beverage connection passage of the beverage extraction port 2 to communicate with the beverage outlet 4 to extract beer from the beer barrel 1. To do.

The schematic structure of the washing | cleaning apparatus for drink supply apparatuses which is embodiment of this invention is shown. The control block diagram of the washing | cleaning apparatus for drink supply apparatuses which is embodiment of this invention is shown. The time chart of the washing | cleaning operation | movement of the washing | cleaning apparatus for drink supply apparatuses which is embodiment of this invention is shown. The time chart of the container replacement | exchange of the washing | cleaning apparatus for drink supply apparatuses which is embodiment of this invention is shown.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Beer barrel 2 Beverage extraction port 3 Dispensing head 4 Beverage outlet 5 Beer piping 8 Dispense valve 11 Cleaning device 12 1st valve 13 2nd valve 14 3rd valve 15 Control part 17 Water supply 21 Gas introduction port 23 Gas cylinder 29 Air Cylinder 60 Sales / cleaning switch 70 Dispense head opening / closing mechanism changeover switch

Claims (3)

A dispense head connected to a beverage extraction port of a beverage container for storing beverages; a gas cylinder for supplying gas to a gas inlet of the dispense head; and a dispense valve connected to a beverage outlet of the dispense head via a beverage supply pipe Of a beverage supply device comprising,
Dispensing water through a first valve that communicates or shuts off between the water supply and the gas inlet, and gas dispenses through a second valve that communicates or shuts off between the gas cylinder and the gas inlet. Connect to the gas inlet of the head,
An opening / closing mechanism is provided for opening and closing a connection passage between the gas introduction port of the dispensing head and the beverage outlet to the beverage extraction port of the beverage container using the gas supplied from the gas cylinder as a driving source, and the gas cylinder communicates with the opening / closing mechanism. Or a beverage supply device cleaning device connected to a gas cylinder through a third valve to be shut off,
When supplying the beverage to be stored in the beverage container, the third valve is energized to communicate between the gas cylinder and the opening / closing mechanism to supply the gas and connect the gas inlet and the beverage outlet to the beverage extraction port Open the passage, energize the second valve to communicate between the gas cylinder and the gas inlet, and supply the beverage extracted from the beverage container with the pressure of the gas supplied from the gas cylinder to the dispense valve,
When washing the beverage supply pipe, the energization to the third valve is stopped, the gas cylinder and the opening / closing mechanism are shut off, and the connection passage for the beverage extraction port of the gas inlet and the beverage outlet is closed, A washing apparatus for a beverage supply apparatus, comprising a control means for energizing the first valve to communicate between the water supply and the gas inlet and supplying washing water to wash the beverage supply pipe. The control means energizes the first valve to allow communication between the water supply and the gas inlet to supply washing water to wash the beverage supply pipe, and then energizes the second valve. 2. The cleaning device for a beverage supply device according to claim 1, wherein gas is supplied by communicating between the gas cylinder and the gas inlet and the cleaning water in the beverage supply pipe is discharged. 2. The washing apparatus for a beverage supply apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a switching unit that outputs a signal for selectively driving the opening / closing mechanism to the control unit.

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