JP4225480B2 - Cleaning method for beverage dispensing device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for cleaning a beverage dispensing apparatus that cleans the inside of a beverage cooling pipe constituting a beverage dispensing apparatus such as a beer dispensing apparatus.

One type of beverage dispensing apparatus is a beverage dispensing apparatus disposed in a cooling water tank that contains cooling water. The beverage dispensing apparatus is connected to an upstream side of the beverage cooling pipe and connected to a downstream side of the beverage cooling pipe, a beverage supply pipe for supplying beverage into the beverage cooling pipe from a beverage supply source located outside. A pour-out means attached to the outside of the cooling water tank to pour out the cooled beverage in the beverage cooling pipe; and the beverage cooling pipe is surrounded from the outside in the cooling water tank and a part of the cooling water is frozen. And an evaporator for storing ice (see Patent Document 1). The beverage pouring device pumps draft beer, sparkling liquor, and the like into a beverage cooling pipe disposed in a cooling water tank, cools it in the beverage cooling pipe, and dispenses it through a dispensing means for drinking.
JP 11-255293 A

By the way, in this type of beverage dispensing device, when used for a long time , beverage components adhere to the inner wall of the beverage cooling pipe as dirt. In this state, when the beverage is pumped from the beverage supply source into the beverage cooling pipe, the beverage is contaminated by the dirt on the inner wall of the beverage cooling pipe and is poured out. For this reason, washing water is pumped into the beverage cooling pipe from the washing water supply source to wash the inner wall of the beverage cooling pipe.

  However, the soil on the inner wall of the beverage cooling pipe cannot be sufficiently washed by simply pumping the washing water into the beverage cooling pipe in this way.

Accordingly, the present invention is to cope with the above, employs the vibrating means, cooling water bath by the vibrating means, the cooling water in the cooling water tank, and, to vibrate the beverage cooling tube, beverage cooling pipe It aims at providing the washing | cleaning method which wash | cleans the inside of a drink cold tube through the water for washing | cleaning which distribute | circulates the inside .

The present invention relates to a method for cleaning a beverage dispensing apparatus. The beverage dispensing device to be cleaned by the present invention is a beverage dispensing device that includes a beverage cooling pipe disposed in a cooling water tank that contains cooling water, and the beverage dispensing apparatus includes the beverage cooling pipe. A beverage supply pipe for supplying beverage into the beverage cooling pipe from an external beverage supply source connected to the upstream side of the beverage, and connected to the downstream side of the beverage cooling pipe and attached to the outside of the cooling water tank. It is a beverage dispensing device of the type comprising a dispensing means for dispensing the cooled beverage in the cooling pipe, and an evaporator for freezing and storing a part of the cooling water in the cooling water tank.

Therefore, the washing method according to the present invention is for washing the inside of the beverage cooling pipe constituting the beverage dispensing apparatus of the above-described type, and in the beverage dispensing apparatus, the ice storage in the cooling water tank is performed. And a vibration means disposed at a site outside the remote position, and an operation means for operating the vibration means to vibrate, wherein the beverage supply pipe is selectively used as a beverage supply source and a washing water supply source. When the inside of the beverage cooling pipe is configured to be connectable, the beverage supply pipe is switched and connected to the washing water supply source, and the washing water is continuously supplied from the washing water supply source into the beverage cooling pipe. Then, it is discharged through the dispensing means, and during this time, the operating means is operated to vibrate the vibrating means.

In the cleaning method according to the present invention, while the cleaning water flows through the beverage cooling pipe, the vibration means is operated to vibrate, and the vibration water of the vibration means is accommodated in the cooling water tank and the cooling water tank. The cleaning water itself transmits vibrations to the cleaning water flowing through the beverage cooling pipe through the beverage cooling pipe supported on the upstream side and the downstream side in the cooling water tank. Vibrate vigorously.

Therefore, according to the cleaning method of the present invention, the contamination in the beverage cooling pipe is efficiently cleaned by the cleaning water that vibrates vigorously while flowing in the beverage cooling pipe, and the cleaned cleaning water is discharged from the dispensing means. The At this time, the inside of the pouring means can also be efficiently cleaned with the cleaning water flowing while vibrating.

Hereinafter, each embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a beer pouring device to which the present invention is applied. The beer pouring device includes an apparatus main body B, a gas cylinder G, and a beer barrel T.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the apparatus main body B includes a cooling water tank 10 and a beverage pipe circuit 20 for storing the cooling water Wc inside the housing B1, and the cooling water tank 10 is erected in the housing B1. Yes.

  In addition, the beverage pipe circuit 20 includes a coiled beverage cooling pipe 21 as shown in FIG. 1, and the beverage cooling pipe 21 is placed in the cooling water tank 10 so as to be immersed in the cooling water Wc. It is erected. The beverage cooling pipe 21 is connected to the beer barrel T via the beverage pumping pipe 22 and the dispensing head D at the inflow end 23 thereof. The beverage cooling pipe 21 is connected to the pouring cock 30 at the outflow end 24 thereof. In addition, the drink cooling pipe 21 is formed with the stainless steel pipe, and the drink pumping pipe 22 is formed with the soft resin hose.

  The dispensing cock 30 includes a cock body 31 and a tilt lever 32 supported on the top of the cock body 31 so as to be tiltable. The cock main body 31 is fitted to the upper part of the front wall B2 of the housing B1 by the inflow cylinder 33. The cock main body 31 passes through a part of the peripheral wall of the cooling water tank 10 by the inflow cylinder 33, and drinks. The outlet end 24 of the cooling pipe 21 is connected coaxially.

  The cock main body 31 has a built-in switching valve mechanism (not shown). The cock main body 31 moves in accordance with the tilting lever 32 in one direction from the neutral position shown in FIG. The mechanism portion is switched to form foam from beer inside, and the beer flowing from the beverage cooling pipe 21 through the inflow tube 33 is foamed and poured out from the dispensing nozzle 34.

  In addition, the cock body 31 is switched so that the switching valve mechanism is discharged from the neutral position shown in FIG. 1 of the tilting lever 32 in FIG. The beer flowing in through the nozzle is poured out from the dispensing nozzle 34 in a liquid state. Note that the cock body 31 shuts off the dispensing nozzle 34 from the inflow cylinder 33 by setting the switching valve mechanism portion to the non-switching state at the neutral position shown in FIG. This means that the pouring cock 30 is closed.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the ultrasonic oscillator 40 includes an ultrasonic oscillator 41 and a drive circuit 42, and the ultrasonic oscillator 41 ultrasonically vibrates at a vibration frequency of 20 kHz or more. As shown in FIG. 1, the ultrasonic oscillator 41 is attached to the center of the outer surface of the bottom wall of the cooling water tank 10 through the opening 11 a of the heat insulating layer 11.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the tubular heat insulating layer 11 is formed by accommodating a cooling water tank 10 therein, and the opening 11 a described above is formed in the bottom wall of the heat insulating layer 11. The opening 11a is configured to close the ultrasonic oscillator 41 with a lid 11b made of a heat insulating material.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the timer 50 includes a timer body 51 and normally open contacts 52 and 53. The timer main body 51 is supplied with power from an AC power supply via a normally open type operation switch SW, starts counting a predetermined time and closes the contacts 52 and 53. In the present embodiment, the predetermined time means a time suitable for cleaning the beverage cooling pipe 21 using the ultrasonic vibration of the ultrasonic oscillator 41.

  The contact 53 supplies power to the drive circuit 42 from the AC power supply by the closing operation. This means that the drive circuit 42 is operated by the power supply to cause the ultrasonic oscillator 41 to vibrate ultrasonically. The timer main body 51 opens the contacts 52 and 53 with the end of the predetermined time. As shown in FIG. 1, the operation switch SW is mounted on an operation panel provided on the upper part of the front wall B2 of the casing B1, and the operation switch SW is a self-returning switch that is temporarily turned on by the operation. It is. The operation switch SW and the contact 52 constitute a self-holding circuit.

The refrigeration apparatus 60 is built in the housing B1, and the refrigeration apparatus 60 causes the evaporator 61 to exhibit a cooling function by circulating a cooling medium through the evaporator 61.

Here, as shown in FIG. 1, the evaporator 61 is configured by forming an evaporator tube in a coil shape. It is housed so as to surround it. Thereby, the evaporator 61 cools the cooling water Wc accommodated in the cooling water tank 10, but freezes a part of the cooling water Wc adjacent to the coiled tube portion of the evaporator 61 to store the ice. This cooling water Wc plays a role of cooling the beer in the beverage cooling pipe 21. In addition, in FIG. 1, the code | symbol 70 shows a stirrer.

  The gas cylinder G is filled with high-pressure carbon dioxide gas, and the gas cylinder G pumps the carbon dioxide gas into the gas hose G3 through the pressure regulating valve G2 by opening the cock G1. This pumping is interrupted by the closing operation of the cock G1. Note that the pressure regulating valve G2 adjusts the pressure of the carbon dioxide supplied from the gas cylinder G to a predetermined high pressure.

The beer barrel T contains beer therein , and the dispensing head D is attached to the beer barrel T with the suction pipe inserted through the opening at the top of the beer barrel T. The beer in the beer barrel T is pumped to the beverage pumping tube 22 by the gas pressure pumped from the gas cylinder G.

  The dispensing head D is detachably attached to the opening of the beer barrel T, and the dispensing head D allows the carbon dioxide gas fed from the gas hose G3 to pass through the dispensing head body as the handle cock is opened. It introduces on the liquid level of beer from the top. The pumping of beer is interrupted by closing the handle cock.

In this embodiment configured as described above, the cleaning in the beverage cooling pipe 21 which is performed when the cleaning time has arrived, it will be described with reference to FIG. 3, after the dispense head D, was removed from the beer barrel T, washed It attaches to the washing tank 80 which accommodated the water W.

  When the handle cock of the dispensing head D is opened, the cleaning tank 80 receives the carbon dioxide gas fed from the gas hose G3 and pumps the cleaning water W into the beverage cooling pipe 21 via the beverage pumping pipe 22. Then, the beer remaining in the beverage pipe circuit 20 is pushed by the washing water W and is discharged from the dispensing nozzle 34 through the beverage cooling pipe 21 and the inflow tube 33. The beer and the cleaning water W discharged from the pouring nozzle 34 are collected in a draining bucket or the like (not shown) provided near the pouring nozzle 34.

  When the operation switch SW is operated in a state where the beer in the beverage pipe circuit 20 is discharged and only the cleaning water W flows in the beverage pipe circuit 20, the timer body 51 is powered by the AC power source and operates. The timing of the time is started and the contacts 52 and 53 are closed. Along with this, the drive circuit 42 is supplied with power from the AC power source and causes the ultrasonic oscillator 41 to vibrate ultrasonically.

Then, the ultrasonic oscillator 41 vibrates the cooling water Wc by vibrating the cooling water Wc through the bottom of the cooling water tank 10 and vibrates the cooling water Wc by vibrating the beverage cooling pipe 21 itself. Let Thereby, the cooling water Wc further vibrates the beverage cooling pipe 21 that itself vibrates, and vibrates the cleaning water W circulating in the beverage cooling pipe 21 . Here, since the ultrasonic oscillator 41 is attached to the center of the outer surface of the bottom wall where the ice in the cooling water tank 10 does not grow as described above, the bottom of the cooling water tank 10 is added to the cooling water Wc in the cooling water tank 10. It is easy to transmit the vibration. Therefore, the ultrasonic vibration of the ultrasonic oscillator 41 is transmitted well to the beverage cooling pipe 21.

  When the beverage cooling pipe 21 vibrates in this way, the dirt adhering to the inner wall of the beverage cooling pipe 21 is washed by the washing water W and discharged from the dispensing cock 34 together with the washing water W.

  In such a state, when the timer body 51 finishes timing and opens the contacts 52 and 53 as the predetermined time elapses, the ultrasonic oscillator 41 stops the ultrasonic vibration.

After the above cleaning operation, the dispense head D is connected to the beer barrel T, and the beer pouring device is put into an operating state, so that the beer in the beer barrel T receives the carbon dioxide gas from the gas cylinder G, and And fed into the beverage cooling pipe 21. The beer can be poured out from the dispensing nozzle 34 as clean beer via the washed beverage cooling pipe 21.

  As described above, in the first embodiment, when the beverage cooling pipe 21 is washed, the beverage cooling pipe 21 or the washing water is passed through the cooling water Wc in the cooling water tank 10 by the ultrasonic vibration of the ultrasonic oscillator 41. Vibrate W. Therefore, dirt adhering to the inner wall of the beverage cooling pipe 21 can be washed by the vibration of the washing water W.

  Moreover, the ultrasonic vibration of the ultrasonic oscillator 40 can simultaneously clean the dirt adhering to the outer surface of the beverage cooling pipe 21. Therefore, the heat exchange performance of the beverage cooling pipe 21 can be maintained satisfactorily.

  Further, since the operation switch SW is only operated during the operation process of flowing the cleaning water W into the conventional beverage cooling pipe in the cleaning operation, it is convenient for the user because no special equipment and operation are required.

  Further, in a state where only the cooling water Wc in which there is no ice in the cooling water tank 10 without operating the refrigeration apparatus 60, the vibration cooling water by the ultrasonic oscillator 40 causes the wall surface of the cooling water tank 10 and the outer surface of the evaporator 61 to be present. The portion covered with ice can be washed.

(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 4 shows a main part of the second embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment, a sensor 90 is provided instead of the operation switch SW in the first embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the sensor 90 includes a sensor unit 91 and a normally open type analog switch 92. The sensor unit 91 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the sensor unit 91 is coaxially connected to the outlet side intermediate portion of the beverage cooling pipe 21. Therefore, the sensor unit 91 detects the conductivity of the cleaning water W flowing in the beverage cooling pipe 21. The analog switch 92 is connected in series to the timer main body 51 and is connected in parallel to the contact point 52. The analog switch 92 is turned on based on the conductivity detection of the cleaning water W in the sensor unit 91. Other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment.

  In the second embodiment configured as described above, as in the first embodiment, when the cleaning water W is pumped to the intermediate portion on the outflow side of the beverage cooling pipe 21, the sensor 90 causes the sensor unit 91 to perform the cleaning water. W is detected and the analog switch 92 is turned on. Along with this, the timer body 51 starts measuring the predetermined time and closes the contacts 52 and 53. Then, the ultrasonic oscillator 41 is driven by the drive circuit 42 in accordance with the closing operation of the contact 53 and vibrates ultrasonically.

  By the ultrasonic vibration of the ultrasonic oscillator 40, the beverage cooling pipe 21 is vibrated via the cooling water Wc in the cooling water tank 10, and the dirt adhering to the inner wall of the beverage cooling pipe 21 is washed.

  As described above, in the second embodiment, the ultrasonic oscillator 40 automatically starts ultrasonic vibration when the sensor 90 detects that the cleaning water W is filled in the beverage cooling pipe 21. Therefore, it is not necessary to visually confirm that the cleaning water W is filled in the beverage cooling pipe 21. Other functions and effects are the same as those of the first embodiment.

It is a partial fracture side view showing a 1st embodiment of a beverage extraction device concerning the present invention. FIG. 3 is a sequence circuit diagram for driving the ultrasonic oscillator according to the first embodiment. It is a partially broken side view for washing the inside of the beverage cooling pipe in the first embodiment. It is a sequence circuit diagram which shows the principal part of 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

W: Washing water, Wc ... Cooling water, 10 ... Cooling water tank, 21 ... Beverage cooling pipe, 40 ... Ultrasonic oscillator, 61 ... Evaporator.

Claims (1)

A beverage pouring device for washing the inside of a beverage cooling pipe disposed in a cooling water tank for containing cooling water, the beverage pouring device connected to the upstream side of the beverage cooling pipe and connected to the outside A beverage supply pipe for supplying a beverage from a beverage supply source located in the beverage cooling pipe, connected to a downstream side of the beverage cooling pipe and attached to the outside of the cooling water tank to cool the beverage in the beverage cooling pipe A pouring means for pouring, and an evaporator that surrounds the beverage cooling pipe from the outside in the cooling water tank and freezes a part of the cooling water to store ice, and from the ice storage in the cooling water tank Vibration means disposed on a part outside the remote position, and operation means for operating the vibration means to vibrate, wherein the beverage supply pipe is selectively connected to a beverage supply source and a washing water supply source Configured to be possible When washing the inside of the beverage cooling pipe, the beverage supply pipe is switched and connected to a washing water supply source, and the washing water is continuously supplied from the washing water supply source into the beverage cooling pipe and discharged through the dispensing means. During this time, the method for cleaning a beverage dispensing apparatus is characterized in that the operating means is operated to vibrate the vibrating means.

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