JP2010247854A - Beverage dispenser cleaning system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a beverage dispenser cleaning system that cleans a beverage passage by stably mixing cleaning water and carbon dioxide gas at a predetermined pressure ratio at all times. <P>SOLUTION: The beverage dispenser cleaning system includes a gas pipe 20 serving as a supply passage for a high pressure gas and a water pipe 30 serving as a supply passage for cleaning water. The gas pipe 20 branches off to two systems 21 and 22 from a high pressure gas supply source 10. A first system 21 is connected, via a gas valve 7, to a dispense head 2 freely attachable to or detachable from a beverage tank 3. A second system 22 is connected to a diaphragm pump 5 driven by gas pressure. Further, the water pipe 30 is sequentially connected from a cleaning water supply source 11, via a diaphragm pump 5 and a water valve 6, to a mixing cock 1 freely attachable to or detachable from the dispense head 2. To clean, the dispense head 2 detached from the beverage tank 3 is attached to the mixing cock 1, and pressure gas and cleaning water mixed at the predetermined pressure ratio in the mixing cock 1 is delivered from the dispense head 2 to the beverage server 4. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a beverage dispenser cleaning system, and more particularly to a configuration of a beverage dispenser cleaning system capable of cleaning a beverage flow path by mixing cleaning water and carbon dioxide at a predetermined pressure ratio by a simple operation. is there.

  As a general draft beer dispenser, there is one that causes beer filled in a barrel to be discharged by the power of carbon dioxide gas separately prepared and injected into a mug etc. Until a cooling device is built in and injected from the barrel into the mug What is allowed to cool is widely used. In this cooling device, a spiral beer pipe and a refrigerant pipe are provided in a cooling part in a draft beer dispenser, respectively, the cooling water in the cooling part is cooled by the refrigerant, and the beer flowing through the beer pipe is indirectly cooled. .

  By the way, since the beer and the sparkling liquor that are food and drink are likely to remain in the spiral beer pipe inside the draft beer dispenser, the generation of germs may occur and the flavor may be lowered. Therefore, it is required to frequently clean this pipe.

  Therefore, as a method for effectively cleaning the inside of the beer flow path, a method is known in which a mixture of cleaning water and high-pressure gas such as carbon dioxide gas is flowed into the beer flow path for cleaning (Patent Document 1). .

  The present inventor forms a so-called spiral flow in which the cleaning water flows while spirally rotating in the beer flow path, particularly when the pressure ratio at the time of mixing the cleaning water and the high-pressure gas is substantially the same pressure. It has been found that dirt can be washed very effectively even in a narrow and long beer channel.

  However, in order to make the pressure ratio between the cleaning water and the high-pressure gas almost the same at the sales site, it is necessary to prepare a cleaning water supply source and a gas supply source that are always maintained at a constant pressure. Although good, it was cumbersome and time consuming to change the dispensers to their source at the time of cleaning.

  Therefore, in order to save the trouble of switching, it is also conceivable to use the carbon dioxide gas used for extracting beer at the time of business as it is as a high-pressure gas supply source. However, the pressure of carbon dioxide varies depending on the server cooling method (instant cooling or air cooling) and the beer maker, and the water pressure must be adjusted according to the gas pressure each time. There was a trouble of having to do it. In addition, when water is used as a supply source of cleaning water, depending on the site, the water pressure may be extremely low. In such a case, it is difficult to make the pressure ratio of the cleaning water and the high-pressure gas almost the same pressure. There was a case.

JP-A-9-48497

  Therefore, the present invention overcomes the drawbacks of the conventional beverage dispenser cleaning device, and is a beverage dispenser cleaning system for cleaning the beverage flow path by always stably mixing cleaning water and carbon dioxide gas at a predetermined pressure ratio. Is the issue.

  The present invention solves the above-described problems, and is a cleaning system for a beverage dispenser that dispenses a beverage in a beverage tank to a beverage server with high-pressure gas, and the gas pipe and the cleaning that serve as a high-pressure gas supply path A water pipe serving as a water supply path is provided. The gas pipe is branched into two systems via a branch pipe from a high-pressure gas supply source, and the first system is connected to a dispensing head that is detachable from a beverage tank via a gas valve. The second system is connected to a diaphragm pump driven by gas pressure, and the water pipe is a mixing plug in which the dispensing head is detachable from the cleaning water supply source through the diaphragm pump and a water valve. At the time of washing, the dispensing head removed from the beverage tank is attached to the mixing stopper, and the mixing stopper The high-pressure gas and the washing water was mixed in the pressure ratio is a beverage dispenser cleaning system characterized by delivering to the beverage server from the dispensing head.

  In the beverage dispenser cleaning system of the present invention, the gas pipe is branched into two systems on the way, one (second system) is connected to the diaphragm pump, and the diaphragm pump is driven by the gas pressure. As a result, the wash water supplied from the water pipe connected to the diaphragm pump is also adjusted to the same pressure as the gas pressure fed to the diaphragm pump and discharged, and finally the other branched gas pipe ( It can be mixed with the gas of the first system) at almost the same pressure.

  That is, according to the beverage dispenser cleaning system of the present invention, even if the carbon dioxide gas used to pour out beer at the time of business is used as it is as a high-pressure gas supply source, the diaphragm pump automatically supplies cleaning water and carbonic acid. Since the gas pressure ratio is maintained at almost the same pressure, the labor of adjusting the pressure ratio according to differences in server cooling methods and beer makers can be saved. Further, since the cleaning water is supplied via the diaphragm pump, the water pressure of the water does not become a problem even when the water supply is used as the supply source of the cleaning water. Furthermore, the beverage dispenser cleaning system of the present invention only needs to remove the dispense head from the beverage tank, replace it with a mixing stopper, and turn on the switch.

  As described above, according to the beverage dispenser cleaning system of the present invention, it is possible to improve the cleaning efficiency by constantly generating a spiral flow effective for cleaning, simplify the cleaning work, and shorten the cleaning time. . Furthermore, the amount of cleaning water and gas required for the cleaning operation can be greatly reduced.

The figure which showed the arrangement | positioning of the path | route of each of the gas pipe | tube and water piping of a drink dispenser washing | cleaning system which concerns on this invention, and each member. The side view of the mixing stopper of the dispenser washing system for drinks concerning the present invention. Sectional drawing of the mixing stopper of the dispenser washing | cleaning system for drinks concerning this invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the beverage dispenser cleaning system of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing gas pipe and water pipe paths and arrangement of members of a beverage dispenser cleaning system according to the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a mixing stopper, 2 is a dispensing head, 3 is a beverage tank, 4 is a beverage server, 5 is a diaphragm pump, 6 is a water valve, 7 is a gas valve, 8 is a controller box, 9 is a branch pipe, 10 is High pressure gas supply source, 11 is a washing water supply source, 12 is a water gate valve, 13 is a backflow prevention valve, 20 is a gas pipe, 21 is a first system gas pipe, 22 is a second system gas pipe, 30 is a water pipe, Reference numeral 40 denotes a beverage pipe. As shown in the figure, the beverage dispenser cleaning system of the present embodiment has a gas pipe and a water pipe branched in two on the way. Basically, the method of feeding high-pressure gas into the beverage tank, pouring the beer in the tank to the beverage server, and instantaneously cooling with the cooling water in the beverage server is the same as that of a conventionally known draft beer dispenser.

  However, the present invention is characterized in that it is branched in the branch pipe 9 to the first system gas pipe 21 and the second system gas pipe 22 in the middle of the path for supplying the high pressure gas. The first system gas pipe 21 branched in this way is connected to the dispense head 2 mounted on the beverage tank 3 via the gas valve 7. On the other hand, the second system gas pipe 22 is connected to the diaphragm pump 5. Such a diaphragm-type pump has a gas inlet and a gas outlet, a water inlet and a water outlet, and is a type of pumping liquid by driving an internal pump by gas pressure. Can be used. Specific examples include the Flojet Beverage Pump N5000 series manufactured by Flojet in the United States.

  The diaphragm pump 5 is supplied with cleaning water from a cleaning water supply source 11. In this embodiment, general tap water is used as the washing water supply source 11, and a water gate valve 12 and a backflow prevention valve 13 are provided in the middle of the water pipe 30 leading to the diaphragm pump 5. . Then, the wash water discharged from the diaphragm pump 5 is sent to the mixing plug 1 through the water valve 6 through the water pipe 30.

  FIG. 2 is a side view of the mixing tap 1 of the beverage dispenser cleaning system according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view thereof. In the figure, 101 is a cleaning water supply port, 102 is a dispensing head mounting portion, 103 is an inner cylinder, 104 is a water inflow passage, 105 is an outer cylinder, and 106 is a spring portion.

  As shown in the figure, the mixing plug 1 has a dispensing head mounting portion 102 at the top and a cleaning water supply port 101 at the side. The dispense head mounting portion 102 is formed in a dish shape having an opening at the bottom, and is provided so that the outer cylinder 105 protrudes into the mixing plug 1 from the opening. An inner cylinder 103 is provided in the outer cylinder 105 so as to be slidable in the vertical direction. A spring portion 106 is provided between the bottom of the inner cylinder 103 and the floor surface inside the mixing plug 1. Is provided. Further, a water inflow passage 104 is formed in the lower side wall of the inner cylinder 103 so as to penetrate the side wall, and when the dispensing head is not attached to the mixing plug 1, the inner cylinder 103 is moved upward by the spring portion 106. The water inflow path 104 together with the inner cylinder 103 is housed in the outer cylinder 105.

  When the dispensing head 2 is connected to the mixing plug 1, the lower portion of the dispensing head 2 is inserted into the outer cylinder 105, and the inner cylinder 103 is pushed downward. As a result, the lower part of the inner cylinder 103 is exposed from the outer cylinder 105, and the water inflow path 104 communicates with the space in the mixing plug 1. Therefore, when cleaning water is supplied into the mixing plug 1 by a water pipe (not shown) connected to the cleaning water supply port 101, the water flows through the water inflow path 104 to the outer cylinder 105 and the outer cylinder 105. It flows into the dispensing head 2 from the lower part of the dispensing head 2 inserted therein.

  On the other hand, carbon dioxide gas is supplied from the first system gas pipe 21 connected to the dispense head 2 and mixed with the washing water in the mixing tap 1 to form a spiral flow, and the beverage pipe connected to the dispense head 2 in the same manner. 40.

  The flow of gas and washing water during the operation of the beverage dispenser washing system according to the present invention is as follows. First, during business hours, the water valve 6 is closed and the gas valve 7 is open. Accordingly, there is no flow of washing water, and the high-pressure gas supplied from the high-pressure gas supply source 10 is branched by the branch pipe 9 and then passes through the first system gas pipe 21 to the beverage tank 3 via the dispense head 2. It is sent. As a result, the beer in the tank is sent to the beverage server 4 and is instantaneously cooled by the cooling water in the beverage server 4 so that it can finally be poured into a glass or the like.

  Next, the flow of gas and washing water during washing in the beverage dispenser washing system according to the present invention is as follows. At the time of cleaning, first, the dispensing head 2 is removed from the beverage tank 3 and replaced with the mixing stopper 1. The water valve 6 and the gas valve 7 are both open, and the high-pressure gas supplied from the high-pressure gas supply source 10 is branched by the branch pipe 9 and then passed through the first system gas pipe 21. Is sent to the dispense head 2. Further, the gas passing through the second system gas pipe 22 is sent to the diaphragm pump 5 to drive the pump. Since the water valve 6 is open, the cleaning water supplied from the cleaning water supply source 11 is sent to the mixing plug 1 as a result of driving the diaphragm pump 5. Thus, the gas and the washing water sent to the dispensing head 2 and the mixing stopper 1 are mixed in the mixing stopper 1 and then sent to the beverage pipe 40 connected to the dispensing head 2 to wash the beverage flow path. Can do. Here, the beverage flow path means the beverage piping 40 and the beer piping of the beverage server 4.

  The gas pressure and water pressure necessary to form the spiral flow are maintained as follows. That is, the high-pressure gas branched by the branch pipe 9 is sent out to the first system gas pipe 21 and the second system gas pipe 22 at an equal pressure. The gas passing through the second system gas pipe 22 drives the diaphragm pump 5 to discharge the cleaning water. At this time, the input gas pressure and the discharged water pressure are substantially equal. Therefore, the water pressure of the washing water and the gas pressure of the first system gas pipe 21 are almost the same pressure, and finally, the water pressure can be sent to the mixing plug 1 at a pressure ratio suitable for forming a spiral flow. Even when the gas pressure and water pressure of the high-pressure gas supply source 10 and the washing water supply source 11 are changed, the high-pressure gas branched by the branch pipe 9 always has the same pressure. The water pressure and the gas pressure of the high-pressure gas are stably maintained close to the same pressure. If the pressure ratio of water and gas is maintained within the range of water: carbon dioxide gas = 2.5: 3 to 3: 3 (same pressure), a spiral flow can be formed, but it is close to the same pressure. Is more preferable.

  Further, both the water valve 6 and the gas valve 7 of the beverage dispenser washing system according to the present invention may be manually opened and closed, but the operation is simplified by controlling with the controller box 8 as in the present embodiment. Therefore, it is preferable. The controller box 8 controls the opening and closing of the water valve 6 and the gas valve 7 as follows. First, at the time of business, when the business switch of the controller box 8 is turned on, the gas valve 7 is opened and the water valve 6 is closed. During cleaning, both the water valve 6 and the gas valve 7 are opened by turning on the cleaning switch of the controller box 8. And when the set time (about 1 minute-about 4 minutes) passes by the timer with which the controller box 8 was equipped, only the water valve 6 is closed first. Since only the gas is sent to the beverage pipe 40 and the beverage flow path in the beverage server 4, the cleaning water remaining inside is discharged by the gas, and after 10 to 30 seconds, the gas valve 7 is closed and the cleaning is completed.

  As described above, the beverage dispenser cleaning system according to the present invention, which is provided with the controller box 8 for controlling the opening and closing of the water valve 6 and the gas valve 7, is provided with a sales switch of the controller box 8 at the time of business. By turning it on, it can be used as a normal draft beer dispenser. At the time of washing, simply remove the dispensing head 2 from the beverage tank 3, replace it with the mixing tap 1, and turn on the washing switch of the controller box 8. Since it is automatically performed until the cleaning is completed, the labor and time required for the cleaning are greatly reduced.

1…… Mixing tap 2…… Dispensing head 3…… Beverage tank 4…… Beverage server 5…… Diaphragm pump 6…… Water valve 7…… Gas valve 8…… Controller box 9…… Branch pipe 10…… High pressure gas Supply source 11…… Washing water supply source 12…… Water gate valve 13…… Backflow prevention valve 20…… Gas pipe 21…… First system gas piping 22…… Second system gas piping 30…… Water piping 40…… Beverage piping 101…… Washing water supply port 102…… Dispense head mounting portion 103…… Inner cylinder 104…… Water inflow passage 105…… Outer cylinder 106…… Spring portion

Claims (4)

  A beverage dispenser cleaning system for dispensing beverage in a beverage tank to a beverage server with high-pressure gas, comprising a gas pipe serving as a high-pressure gas supply path and a water pipe serving as a cleaning water supply path, The piping is branched into two systems via a branch pipe from a high-pressure gas supply source, the first system is connected to a dispensing head detachably attached to a beverage tank through a gas valve, and the second system is driven by gas pressure. The water pipe is connected to a diaphragm pump and a water valve through the diaphragm pump and a water valve, and the dispensing head is connected to a removable plug. The removed dispensing head is attached to the mixing plug, and the high-pressure gas and washing water mixed at a predetermined pressure ratio in the mixing plug Beverage dispenser cleaning system characterized by delivering to the beverage server from the dispensing head.   2. The beverage dispenser cleaning system according to claim 1, wherein the pressure ratio is maintained within a range of water: carbon dioxide gas = 2.5: 3 to 3: 3.   The beverage dispenser cleaning system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the high-pressure gas and the cleaning water mixed in the mixing plug form a spiral flow.   The beverage dispenser cleaning system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a controller box with a timer for controlling opening and closing of the gas valve and the water valve.

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