JP7475342B2 - Cleaning device and method for a beverage supply system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a cleaning device for a beverage supply system and a method for cleaning a beverage supply system.

Conventionally, there is known a beverage supply system that supplies a beverage transferred from a beverage storage container by gas to the outside from a beverage dispenser (for example, JP 2017-218226 A and JP 2017-43385 A). A user of such a beverage supply system can easily obtain a desired amount of beverage by pouring the beverage from the beverage dispenser into a container (such as a glass).

However, after the beverage supply system has finished supplying the beverage, some of the beverage is left in the beverage flow path, which can cause the beverage to deteriorate, and can lead to the proliferation of microorganisms, etc. For this reason, the beverage supply system needs to be cleaned periodically in order to prevent the deterioration of the taste of the beverage.

In contrast, in the beverage supply systems described in JP 2017-218226 A and JP 2017-43385 A, cleaning power is increased by cleaning the beverage supply system with water mixed with carbon dioxide gas. However, there is room for further improvement in cleaning the beverage supply system.

In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to efficiently clean a beverage flow path with high cleaning power in a beverage supply system.

The gist of the present disclosure is as follows.

(1) A cleaning device for a beverage supply system that supplies a beverage transferred from a beverage storage container by gas to the outside from a beverage dispenser, the cleaning device for a beverage supply system comprising: a gas supply path that supplies gas to a beverage transfer path connecting the beverage storage container and the beverage dispenser; a water supply path that supplies water to the beverage transfer path; at least one of a gas on-off valve that opens and closes the gas supply path and a water on-off valve that opens and closes the water supply path; and a control device that controls at least one of the gas on-off valve and the water on-off valve, wherein the control device performs water ball control that alternately repeats controlling at least one of the gas on-off valve and the water on-off valve so that a first amount of water is supplied from the water supply path to the beverage transfer path, and controlling at least one of the gas on-off valve and the water on-off valve so that gas is supplied from the gas supply path to the beverage transfer path, and the first amount is 24 ml to 50 ml.

(2) A cleaning device for a beverage supply system described in (1) above, further comprising a flow rate sensor provided in the water supply line, wherein the control device calculates an estimate of the amount of water supplied from the water supply line to the beverage transfer line in the water bullet control based on the output of the flow rate sensor, and controls at least one of the gas on-off valve and the water on-off valve so that the estimate reaches the first amount.

(3) A method for cleaning a beverage supply system in which a beverage transferred by gas from a beverage storage container through a beverage transfer path is supplied to the outside from a beverage dispenser, the method including performing water ball control that alternately repeats controlling at least one of a water on-off valve that opens and closes the water supply path and a gas on-off valve that opens and closes a gas supply path that supplies gas to the beverage transfer path so that a first amount of water is supplied to the beverage transfer path from a water supply path that supplies water to the beverage transfer path, and controlling at least one of the gas on-off valve and the water on-off valve so that gas is supplied from the gas supply path to the beverage transfer path, wherein the first amount is 24 ml to 50 ml.

In the above aspects (1) to (3), the first amount may be 24 ml to 100 ml. Also, the first amount may be 24 ml to 90 ml. Also, the first amount may be 24 ml to 80 ml. Also, the first amount may be 24 ml to 70 ml. Also, the first amount may be 24 ml to 60 ml. Also, the first amount may be 24 ml to 40 ml. Also, the first amount may be 24 ml to 30 ml. Also, the first amount may be 24 ml.

According to the present invention, in a beverage supply system, the beverage flow path can be efficiently cleaned with a strong cleaning power.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a beverage supply system to which a cleaning device for a beverage supply system according to a first embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a cleaning device of the beverage supply system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the control device of FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the relationship between the first amount in water ball control and the degree of soiling after washing. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a control routine for the cleaning process in the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a cleaning device of a beverage supply system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a control routine for the cleaning process in the second embodiment.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, like components are designated by like reference numerals.

First Embodiment
First, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

<Beverage supply system>
1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a beverage supply system to which a cleaning device for a beverage supply system according to a first embodiment of the present invention is applied. The beverage supply system 1 includes a gas supply source 10, a beverage storage container 20, and a beverage dispenser 30. The beverage supply system 1 supplies a beverage transferred from the beverage storage container 20 by gas supplied from the gas supply source 10 to the outside from the beverage dispenser 30. A user of the beverage supply system 1 (hereinafter simply referred to as "user") can easily obtain a desired amount of beverage by pouring the beverage from the beverage dispenser 30 into the container.

The beverage supply system 1 further includes a gas supply path 60 connecting the gas supply source 10 and the beverage storage container 20, and a beverage transfer path 70 connecting the beverage storage container 20 and the beverage dispenser 30. The gas supply path 60 is configured, for example, as a gas supply hose, and is made of various materials that can withstand gas pressure (e.g., polyethylene (PE), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), ethylene tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (ETFE), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), etc.). The beverage transfer path 70 is configured, for example, as a beverage transfer hose, and is made of various materials that can withstand beverage and gas pressure (e.g., polyethylene (PE), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), ethylene tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (ETFE), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), etc.).

Each component of the beverage supply system 1 will now be described in detail.

The gas supply source 10 supplies gas such as carbon dioxide gas, nitrogen gas, compressed air, etc. The gas supply source 10 includes a gas pressure reducing valve 11, and the pressure of the gas supplied from the gas supply source 10 is adjusted by the gas pressure reducing valve 11. The gas supply source 10 is configured as, for example, a gas cylinder. The gas supply source 10 is connected to a gas supply path 60, and the gas supplied from the gas supply source 10 is supplied to the beverage storage container 20 through the gas supply path 60.

The beverage storage container 20 stores a beverage. For example, the beverage storage container 20 stores a sparkling beverage. Sparkling beverages include beer, beer-flavored beverages, chuhai, whiskey-containing beverages (whiskey, highball, etc.), carbonated juice, etc. Beer-flavored beverages include sparkling alcoholic beverages with a beer flavor made from ingredients other than malt or made by mixing sparkling alcohol with a barley-derived alcoholic beverage (so-called third beer), non-alcoholic beer, etc. The beverage storage container 20 is configured, for example, as a beverage barrel that stores a sparkling beverage.

The beverage containing vessel 20 includes a known spear valve (not shown) that functions as a ferrule for the beverage containing vessel 20. The spear valve extends from the top of the beverage containing vessel 20 to near the bottom of the beverage containing vessel 20.

Moreover, the beverage dispensing system 1 further comprises a dispense head 50. The dispense head 50 is attached to the beverage containing container 20, specifically to the spear valve of the beverage containing container 20.

The dispense head 50 includes a fluid inlet 51 and a fluid outlet 52. The gas supply passage 60 is connected to the fluid inlet 51 and fluidly communicates with the interior of the beverage storage container 20 via the dispense head 50 and the spear valve. Thus, the gas supply passage 60 is connected to the beverage storage container 20 via the dispense head 50. Also, the beverage transfer passage 70 is connected to the fluid outlet 52 and fluidly communicates with the interior of the beverage storage container 20 via the dispense head 50 and the spear valve. Thus, the beverage transfer passage 70 is connected to the beverage storage container 20 via the dispense head 50. When gas is supplied into the beverage storage container 20, the liquid level of the beverage is pushed down by the gas, and the beverage rises through the spear valve and is pushed out of the beverage storage container 20 into the beverage transfer passage 70.

The beverage dispenser 30 supplies the beverage transferred from the beverage storage container 20 by the gas supplied from the gas supply source 10 to the outside (outside of the beverage dispenser 30). Fig. 1 shows the beverage dispenser 30 with its cover removed. The beverage dispenser 30 includes a coiled beverage introduction pipe 31, a faucet 32, a cooling water tank 33, and a cooling device 34. The faucet 32 is also called a tap.

One end of the beverage introduction pipe 31 is connected to the beverage transfer path 70, and the other end of the beverage introduction pipe 31 is connected to the tap 32. The beverage transferred from the beverage storage container 20 reaches the tap 32 through the beverage introduction pipe 31. At this time, when the user operates the handle 321 of the tap 32 (for example, the handle 321 is pulled toward himself), the beverage is poured from the tap 32 into a container (a mug, a glass, etc.). The container is placed below the tap 32 in advance by the user.

A user supplies water to the cooling water tank 33 in advance, and the cooling water tank 33 is filled with water. The cooling device 34 includes a refrigerator (not shown), a coiled refrigerant flow pipe 35, and an agitator 36. The cooling device 34 generates ice around the refrigerant flow pipe 35 by the refrigerant supplied from the refrigerator to the refrigerant flow pipe 35, and cools the water in the cooling water tank 33 by the ice. The agitator 36 agitates the water in the cooling water tank 33 so that the temperature of the water in the cooling water tank 33 becomes uniform. The beverage transferred to the beverage dispenser 30 is cooled by the cooling water in the cooling water tank 33 when passing through the beverage introduction pipe 31. Therefore, the beverage supply system 1 can supply a desired chilled beverage from the beverage dispenser 30 to the outside, even if the beverage in the beverage storage container 20 is at room temperature.

<Cleaning device for beverage supply system>
After the beverage supply system 1 has finished supplying the beverage, the beverage is left in the beverage flow path. The leftover beverage can cause the beverage to deteriorate, and microbial growth can occur. For this reason, the beverage supply system 1 needs to be cleaned periodically in order to prevent the taste of the beverage from deteriorating.

In this embodiment, a cleaning device for the beverage supply system 1 (hereinafter simply referred to as the "cleaning device") cleans the beverage supply system 1. Specifically, the cleaning device cleans the beverage flow path of the beverage supply system 1, i.e., the beverage transfer path 70 and the beverage dispenser 30 (the beverage introduction pipe 31 and the faucet 32).

Fig. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a cleaning device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 shows the inside of the control box 40 shown in Fig. 1. Some of the components of the beverage supply system 1 also function as components of the cleaning device.

The cleaning device includes a gas supply path 60 that supplies gas to the beverage transfer path 70, a water supply path 90 that supplies water to the beverage transfer path 70, a control box 40, and a dispense head 50. A part of the gas supply path 60 and a part of the water supply path 90 are disposed within the control box 40 and are hidden from the outside by the control box 40.

The water supply passage 90 is connected to a water supply source 100 that supplies water. A water pressure reducing valve 110 is provided in the water supply passage 90, and the pressure of the water supplied from the water supply source 100 is adjusted by the water pressure reducing valve 110. The water supply source 100 is configured as, for example, a water faucet. The water supplied to the beverage transfer passage 70 functions as a cleaning liquid.

The gas supply line 60 and the water supply line 90 are integrated into one shared flow path within the control box 40 and connected to the dispense head 50 via the shared flow path. The gas supply line 60 is connected to the control box 40 via a first joint 41. The first joint 41 functions as a gas inlet of the control box 40. The water supply line 90 is connected to the control box 40 via a second joint 42. The second joint 42 functions as a water inlet of the control box 40. The shared flow path of the gas supply line 60 and the water supply line 90 is connected to the control box 40 via a third joint 43. The third joint 43 functions as a fluid outlet of the control box 40.

The dispense head 50 is configured to switch a connection state between a fluid inlet 51 connected to a shared flow path of the gas supply path 60 and the water supply path 90 and a fluid outlet 52 connected to the beverage transfer path 70. The dispense head 50 includes an operating lever 53 (see FIG. 1 ), and switches a connection state between the fluid inlet 51 and the fluid outlet 52 when the operating lever 53 is operated by a user. For example, the operating lever 53 is movable in the vertical direction and can be switched among three positions (upper position, middle position, and lower position).

When the operating lever 53 is in the lower position, the dispense head 50 connects the fluid inlet 51 to the inside of the beverage storage container 20 and connects the inside of the beverage storage container 20 to the fluid outlet 52. That is, when the operating lever 53 is in the lower position, the dispense head 50 connects the shared flow path of the gas supply path 60 and the water supply path 90 to the beverage transfer path 70 via the inside of the beverage storage container 20.

When the operating lever 53 is in the intermediate position, the dispense head 50 directly connects the fluid inlet 51 and the fluid outlet 52 and blocks the fluid inlet 51 and the fluid outlet 52 from the inside of the beverage storage container 20. That is, when the operating lever 53 is in the intermediate position, the dispense head 50 directly connects the shared flow path of the gas supply path 60 and the water supply path 90 to the beverage transfer path 70.

When the operating lever 53 is in the upper position, the dispense head 50 blocks the fluid inlet 51, the interior of the beverage storage container 20, and the fluid outlet 52 from each other. That is, when the operating lever 53 is in the upper position, the dispense head 50 does not connect the shared flow path of the gas supply path 60 and the water supply path 90 to the interior of the beverage storage container 20 and the beverage transfer path 70.

The cleaning apparatus further includes a control device 80. The control device 80 is disposed within the control box 40 and is hidden by the control box 40 from the outside.

Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the control device 80 in Fig. 2. The control device 80 includes a memory 81, a peripheral circuit 82, and a processor 83. The memory 81 and the peripheral circuit 82 are connected to the processor 83 via signal lines. The control device 80 is configured as, for example, a microcomputer or a sequencer.

The memory 81 includes, for example, a volatile semiconductor memory (for example, a RAM) and a non-volatile semiconductor memory (for example, a ROM). The memory 81 stores programs executed by the processor 83, various data used when the processor 83 executes various processes, and the like.

The peripheral circuit 82 includes additional elements (such as a timer) necessary for the processor 83 to execute various processes. The processor 83 has one or more central processing units (CPUs) and executes various processes.

2 , the cleaning apparatus further includes a gas on-off valve 61, a gas check valve 62, a water on-off valve 91, and a water check valve 92. The gas on-off valve 61 is disposed in the gas supply line 60 and opens and closes the gas supply line 60. The gas on-off valve 61 is, for example, an electromagnetic valve disposed in the gas supply line 60. Note that the gas on-off valve 61 may be a pinch valve disposed around the gas supply line 60. The gas on-off valve 61 is electrically connected to a control device 80, and the control device 80 controls the gas on-off valve 61.

The gas check valve 62 is disposed in the gas supply passage 60 and prevents backflow of gas (flow toward the gas supply source 10). In this embodiment, the gas check valve 62 is disposed in the gas supply passage 60 downstream of the gas on-off valve 61.

The water on-off valve 91 is disposed in the water supply passage 90 and opens and closes the water supply passage 90. The water on-off valve 91 is, for example, a solenoid valve disposed in the water supply passage 90. The water on-off valve 91 may be a pinch valve disposed around the water supply passage 90. The water on-off valve 91 is electrically connected to the control device 80, and the control device 80 controls the water on-off valve 91.

The water check valve 92 is disposed in the water supply passage 90 and prevents backflow of water (flow toward the water supply source 100). In this embodiment, the water check valve 92 is disposed in the water supply passage 90 downstream of the water on-off valve 91.

In this embodiment, the gas on-off valve 61 is configured to open the gas supply passage 60 when not energized and close the gas supply passage 60 when energized. On the other hand, the water on-off valve 91 is configured to close the water supply passage 90 when not energized and open the water supply passage 90 when energized.

When dispensing a beverage from the beverage dispenser 30, the user sets the operating lever 53 of the dispense head 50 to the lower position. When the operating lever 53 is in the lower position, the shared flow path of the gas supply path 60 and the water supply path 90 is connected to the beverage transfer path 70 via the inside of the beverage storage container 20. At this time, since no power is supplied to the gas on-off valve 61 and the water on-off valve 91, the gas on-off valve 61 opens the gas supply path 60 and the water on-off valve 91 closes the water supply path 90. Therefore, gas is supplied from the gas supply path 60 to the beverage storage container 20, and the beverage is transferred by the gas to the beverage dispenser 30 via the beverage transfer path 70.

Furthermore, when replacing the beverage storage container 20, the user sets the replacement lever of the dispense head 50 to the upper position. When the operation lever 53 is in the upper position, the shared flow path of the gas supply path 60 and the water supply path 90 is not connected to the inside of the beverage storage container 20 and the beverage transfer path 70. This makes it possible to prevent gas leakage when replacing the beverage storage container 20.

Furthermore, when cleaning the beverage supply system 1, the user sets the operating lever 53 of the dispense head 50 to an intermediate position and opens the cock 32 of the beverage dispenser 30. When the operating lever 53 is in the intermediate position, the shared flow path of the gas supply path 60 and the water supply path 90 is directly connected to the beverage transfer path 70. This makes it possible to prevent water from flowing into the beverage storage container 20 when cleaning the beverage transfer path 70 and the beverage dispenser 30 with water supplied from the water supply source 100. The water used to clean the beverage transfer path 70 and the beverage dispenser 30 is collected in a collection container 200 (such as a bucket) that has been installed in advance by the user.

In the past, in the cleaning of the beverage supply system 1, it was thought that the cleaning power would be increased by supplying a large amount of water at once. However, the inventor of the present application, as a result of intensive research, discovered that the cleaning power can be increased by increasing the linear velocity of the water to increase the energy of the water. In order to increase the linear velocity of the water, it is necessary to reduce the amount of water supplied at one time. However, when the amount of water is small, the water cannot flow in the beverage transfer path 70 due to the resistance in the beverage transfer path 70.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the control device 80 controls at least one of the water on-off valve 91 and the gas on-off valve 61 so that water and gas are alternately supplied to the beverage transfer path 70. Specifically, the control device 80 executes water ball control that alternately repeats controlling at least one of the gas on-off valve 61 and the water on-off valve 91 so that a first amount of water is supplied from the water supply path 90 to the beverage transfer path 70, and controlling at least one of the gas on-off valve 61 and the water on-off valve 91 so that gas is supplied from the gas supply path 60 to the beverage transfer path 70.

In the water bullet control, water and gas are intermittently supplied to the beverage transfer path 70, and so-called water bullet cleaning is performed. At this time, the gas functions to push out the water, so that a small amount of water can be flowed into the beverage transfer path 70. Therefore, the linear velocity of the water can be increased, and the beverage flow path of the beverage supply system 1 can be efficiently cleaned with a high cleaning power.

Table 1 shows the degree of dirt after cleaning when the first amount is changed in water ball control. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the relationship between the first amount in water ball control and the degree of dirt after cleaning. In this experiment, the first amount was changed by changing the time for opening the water on-off valve 91 and closing the gas on-off valve 61 (open time of the water on-off valve 91), i.e., the water supply time per time in water ball control. The longer the water supply time, the larger the first amount. The first amount corresponds to the amount of water supplied per time in water ball control.

In Example 1, the opening time of the water on-off valve 91 was set to 2.0 seconds, and the first amount was 24 ml. In Example 1, the time for closing the water on-off valve 91 and opening the gas on-off valve 61 (opening time of the gas on-off valve 61), i.e., the gas supply time per water bullet control, was set to 2.0 seconds.

In Example 2, the open time of the water on-off valve 91 was set to 3.0 seconds, and the first amount was 46 ml. Also, in Example 2, the open time of the gas on-off valve 61 was set to 3.0 seconds.

In Example 3, the open time of the water on-off valve 91 was set to 5.0 seconds, and the first amount was 84 ml. Also, in Example 3, the open time of the gas on-off valve 61 was set to 5.0 seconds.

The higher the cleaning power by the water repelling control, the more dirt in the beverage flow path is removed, and the lower the degree of dirt after cleaning. As can be seen from Table 1 and Figure 4, the smaller the first amount is, the faster the linear velocity of the water can be, and thus the higher the cleaning power can be.

However, when the first amount is less than 24 ml, it is difficult for the user to determine whether water is being discharged from the faucet 32 of the beverage dispenser 30. In other words, when the first amount is less than 24 ml, it is difficult for the user to determine whether cleaning of the beverage supply system 1 is completed. As a result, the user may close the faucet 32 at the wrong time.

If the user closes the faucet 32 before the cleaning of the beverage supply system 1 is completed, the cleaning of the beverage supply system 1 will be insufficient and water will remain in the beverage flow path. On the other hand, if the faucet 32 is left open even after the cleaning of the beverage supply system 1 is completed, only gas will continue to be supplied, resulting in gas being wasted. For this reason, setting the first amount to less than 24 ml reduces the usability of the cleaning device.

Also, if the first amount is too large, the linear velocity of water in the water bullet control becomes close to the flow velocity of water when water is continuously supplied, and the cleaning power decreases. For this reason, the first amount is set to, for example, 24 ml to 100 ml. Alternatively, the first amount is set to 24 ml to 90 ml. Alternatively, the first amount is set to 24 ml to 80 ml. Alternatively, the first amount is set to 24 ml to 70 ml. Alternatively, the first amount is set to 24 ml to 60 ml. Alternatively, the first amount is set to 24 ml to 50 ml. Alternatively, the first amount is set to 24 ml to 40 ml. Alternatively, the first amount is set to 24 ml to 30 ml. Most preferably, the first amount is set to 24 ml.

<Cleaning treatment>
The above-mentioned control will be described below with reference to the flowchart of Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing a control routine for the cleaning process in the first embodiment. This control routine is repeatedly executed by the control device 80 (specifically, the processor 83).

First, in step S101, the control device 80 determines whether or not the cleaning mode has been selected by the user. The user selects the cleaning mode via an input device. The input device is electrically connected to the control device 80 and is configured as, for example, a button 44 (see FIG. 1) provided on the outer surface of the control box 40. The control device 80 determines whether or not the cleaning mode has been selected based on an output signal from the input device. If it is determined in step S101 that the cleaning mode has not been selected, this control routine ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S101 that the cleaning mode has been selected, the control routine proceeds to step S102. In step S102, the control device 80 opens the water on-off valve 91 and closes the gas on-off valve 61 so that a first amount of water is supplied from the water supply path 90 to the beverage transfer path 70. The first amount is predetermined and set to a value within the above-mentioned range.

Specifically, the first time is determined in advance by experiment or the like so that a first amount of water is supplied from the water supply path 90 to the beverage transfer path 70, and the control device 80 opens the water on-off valve 91 and closes the gas on-off valve 61 for the first time. In this embodiment, the control device 80 supplies power to the water on-off valve 91 and the gas on-off valve 61 for the first time. Note that the first time corresponding to the first amount varies depending on the pressure of the water supplied, the cross-sectional area of the water supply path 90, etc. For this reason, the first time is set in advance for each cleaning device depending on the configuration and settings of the cleaning device.

Next, in step S103, the control device 80 closes the water on-off valve 91 and opens the gas on-off valve 61. Specifically, the control device 80 closes the water on-off valve 91 and opens the gas on-off valve 61 for only the second time. In this embodiment, the control device 80 does not supply power to the water on-off valve 91 and the gas on-off valve 61 for only the second time. The second time is determined in advance and is set to, for example, 1 to 10 seconds. Basically, the larger the first amount is, the larger the amount of gas required to flow water is. For this reason, the second time may be set so that the difference between the second time and the first time is less than 1 second.

Next, in step S104, the control device 80 updates the number of executions N. Specifically, the control device 80 calculates a new number of executions N by adding 1 to the current number of executions N. The initial value of the number of executions N when this control routine is started is zero.

Next, in step S105, the control device 80 determines whether the number of executions N is equal to or greater than a threshold number of executions Nth. The threshold number of executions Nth is determined in advance. If it is determined in step S105 that the number of executions N is less than the threshold number of executions Nth, the control routine returns to step S102. That is, the water bullet control continues.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S105 that the number of executions N is equal to or greater than the threshold number of executions Nth, this control routine ends. In other words, the water bullet control ends.

Note that step S102 may be executed between step S103 and step S104. That is, in the water bullet control, the supply of gas may be performed before the supply of water.

Second Embodiment
The cleaning device according to the second embodiment is basically the same as the cleaning device according to the first embodiment, so the second embodiment of the present invention will be described below focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

6 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a cleaning device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, in which the inside of a control box 40 is shown in the same manner as in FIG.

In the second embodiment, the cleaning device further includes a flow rate sensor 45. The flow rate sensor 45 is disposed within the control box 40 and is hidden from the outside by the control box 40. Specifically, the flow rate sensor 45 is disposed in the water supply channel 90 and detects the flow rate of water flowing through the water supply channel 90. In this embodiment, the flow rate sensor 45 is disposed in the water supply channel 90 downstream of the water on-off valve 91 and the water check valve 92. The flow rate sensor 45 is electrically connected to the control device 80, and the output of the flow rate sensor 45 is input to the control device 80.

In the first embodiment, the first time is determined in advance by experiment or the like so that a first amount of water is supplied from the water supply passage 90 to the beverage transfer passage 70, and the control device 80 opens the water on-off valve 91 and closes the gas on-off valve 61 for the first time. However, if the pressure of the water to be supplied changes from the initial setting, the first amount corresponding to the first time changes. For this reason, there is a risk that the desired amount of water cannot be supplied to the beverage transfer passage 70 in the water bullet control.

Therefore, in the second embodiment, the control device 80 calculates an estimate of the amount of water supplied from the water supply path 90 to the beverage transfer path 70 in the water ball control based on the output of the flow rate sensor 45, and controls at least one of the gas on-off valve 61 and the water on-off valve 91 so that the estimate reaches a first amount. That is, the control device 80 closes the water on-off valve 91 and opens the gas on-off valve 61 when the estimate of the amount of water supplied from the water supply path 90 to the beverage transfer path 70 in the water ball control reaches a first amount. This makes it possible to suppress fluctuations in the amount of water supplied to the beverage transfer path 70 in the water ball control, and thus to suppress a decrease in cleaning power in the water ball control.

<Cleaning treatment>
7 is a flowchart showing a control routine for the cleaning process in the second embodiment. This control routine is repeatedly executed by the control device 80 (specifically, the processor 83).

First, in step S201, the control device 80 determines whether or not the cleaning mode has been selected by the user, similarly to step S101 in Fig. 5. If it is determined that the cleaning mode has not been selected, this control routine ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S201 that the cleaning mode has been selected, the control routine proceeds to step S202. In step S202, the control device 80 opens the water on-off valve 91 and closes the gas on-off valve 61. In this embodiment, the control device 80 supplies power to the water on-off valve 91 and the gas on-off valve 61.

Next, in step S203, the control device 80 obtains the output of the flow rate sensor 45.

Next, in step S204, the control device 80 calculates an estimate EA of the amount of water supplied from the water supply path 90 to the beverage transfer path 70 in the water bullet control based on the output of the flow sensor 45. Specifically, the control device 80 calculates the estimate EA of the amount of water by integrating the flow rate of water detected by the flow sensor 45.

Next, in step S205, the control device 80 determines whether the estimated value EA of the amount of water is equal to or greater than a first amount A1. The first amount is determined in advance and is set to a value within the range described above.

If it is determined in step S205 that the estimated value EA of the amount of water is less than the first amount A1, the control routine returns to step S203, i.e., the supply of water continues.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S205 that the estimated value EA of the amount of water is equal to or greater than the first amount A1, the control routine proceeds to step S206.

In step S206, the control device 80 closes the water on-off valve 91 and opens the gas on-off valve 61. Specifically, the control device 80 closes the water on-off valve 91 for only a second time period and opens the gas on-off valve 61. In this embodiment, the control device 80 does not supply power to the water on-off valve 91 and the gas on-off valve 61 for only the second time period. The second time period is determined in advance and is set to, for example, 1 to 7 seconds.

Next, in step S207, the control device 80 updates the number of executions N. Specifically, the control device 80 calculates a new number of executions N by adding 1 to the current number of executions N. The initial value of the number of executions N when this control routine is started is zero.

Next, in step S208, the control device 80 determines whether the number of executions N is equal to or greater than a threshold number of executions Nth. The threshold number of executions Nth is determined in advance. If it is determined in step S208 that the number of executions N is less than the threshold number of executions Nth, the control routine returns to step S202. That is, the water bullet control continues.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S208 that the number of executions N is equal to or greater than the threshold number of executions Nth, this control routine ends. In other words, the water bullet control ends.

Note that steps S202 to S205 may be executed between steps S206 and S207. That is, in the water bullet control, the supply of gas may be performed before the supply of water.

<Other embodiments>
Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the claims.

For example, when the pressure of water supplied from the water supply passage 90 to the beverage transfer passage 70 is higher than the pressure of gas supplied from the gas supply passage 60 to the beverage transfer passage 70, water is supplied to the beverage transfer passage 70 when both the gas on-off valve 61 and the water on-off valve 91 are open. For this reason, in this case, in the water ball control, the gas on-off valve 61 may always be open, and only the opening and closing of the water on-off valve 91 may be controlled by the control device 80. Specifically, in the water ball control, the control device 80 alternately repeats opening the water on-off valve 91 so that a first amount of water is supplied from the water supply passage 90 to the beverage transfer passage 70, and closing the water on-off valve 91 so that gas is supplied from the gas supply passage 60 to the beverage transfer passage 70. In this case, the gas on-off valve 61 may be omitted.

In addition, when the pressure of the gas supplied from the gas supply line 60 to the beverage transfer line 70 is higher than the pressure of the water supplied from the water supply line 90 to the beverage transfer line 70, gas is supplied to the beverage transfer line 70 when both the gas on-off valve 61 and the water on-off valve 91 are open. Therefore, in this case, in the water ball control, the water on-off valve 91 may always be opened, and only the opening and closing of the gas on-off valve 61 may be controlled by the control device 80. Specifically, in the water ball control, the control device 80 alternately closes the gas on-off valve 61 so that a first amount of water is supplied from the water supply line 90 to the beverage transfer line 70, and opens the gas on-off valve 61 so that gas is supplied from the gas supply line 60 to the beverage transfer line 70. In this case, the water on-off valve 91 may be omitted.

Alternatively, the water supply line 90 may be directly connected to the beverage transport line 70 (e.g., the beverage transport line 70 near the dispense head 50). Alternatively, the water supply line 90 may be integrated with the gas supply line 60 or directly connected to the beverage transport line 70 only during cleaning of the beverage supply system 1.

Also, the gas supply path 60 may be connected to the dispense head 50 when dispensing a beverage, and may be directly connected to the beverage transfer path 70 when cleaning the beverage supply system 1. Also, a gas supply path other than the gas supply path 60 that supplies gas to the beverage storage container 20 to transfer the beverage may be directly connected to the beverage transfer path 70 when cleaning the beverage supply system 1.

In addition, at least one of the gas check valve 62, the water check valve 92, and the water pressure reducing valve 110 may be omitted. In addition, the beverage dispenser 30 does not have to be configured to cool the beverage transferred from the beverage storage container 20. In this case, the beverage dispenser 30 may be configured only with the faucet 32.

Moreover, the gas on-off valve 61 may be configured to close the gas supply passage 60 when de-energized and to open the gas supply passage 60 when energized. Similarly, the water on-off valve 91 may be configured to open the water supply passage 90 when de-energized and to close the water supply passage 90 when energized.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 beverage supply system 20 beverage container 30 beverage dispenser 60 gas supply line 61 gas on-off valve 70 beverage transfer line 80 control device 90 water supply line 91 water on-off valve

Claims (2)

A cleaning device for a beverage supply system that supplies a beverage transferred from a beverage storage container by gas to an outside from a beverage dispenser, comprising:
a gas supply passage for supplying gas to a beverage transfer passage connecting the beverage container and the beverage dispenser;
a water supply channel for supplying water to the beverage transfer channel;
a gas on-off valve that opens and closes the gas supply passage and a water on-off valve that opens and closes the water supply passage ;
A control device for controlling the gas on-off valve and the water on-off valve;
a flow rate sensor provided in the water supply path,
The control device executes water ball control that alternately repeats controlling at least one of the gas on-off valve and the water on-off valve so that a first amount of water is supplied from the water supply path to the beverage transfer path, and controlling at least one of the gas on-off valve and the water on-off valve so that gas is supplied from the gas supply path to the beverage transfer path,
the first amount is between 24 ml and 50 ml;
The control device calculates an estimated value of the amount of water supplied from the water supply passage to the beverage transfer passage in the water ball control based on the output of the flow rate sensor, and controls at least one of the gas on-off valve and the water on-off valve so that the estimated value reaches the first amount ;
opening the water on-off valve for a first time and closing the gas on-off valve to supply the first amount of water;
closing the water on-off valve and opening the gas on-off valve for a second time period in order to supply gas from the gas supply passage to the beverage transfer passage;
The first time period is set to 2 to 3 seconds;
A cleaning device for a beverage supply system, wherein the second time is set to be the same as the first time or to have a difference of less than 1 second from the first time. A method for cleaning a beverage supply system in which a beverage transferred by gas from a beverage storage container through a beverage transfer path is supplied from a beverage dispenser to the outside, comprising the steps of:
performing water ball control that alternately repeats controlling at least one of a water on-off valve that opens and closes the water supply path and a gas on-off valve that opens and closes a gas supply path that supplies gas to the beverage transfer path so that a first amount of water is supplied to the beverage transfer path from a water supply path that supplies water to the beverage transfer path, and controlling at least one of the gas on-off valve and the water on-off valve so that gas is supplied from the gas supply path to the beverage transfer path;
Calculating an estimated value of the amount of water supplied from the water supply line to the beverage transfer line in the water ball control based on the output of a flow rate sensor provided in the water supply line, and controlling at least one of the gas on-off valve and the water on-off valve so that the estimated value reaches the first amount;
opening the water on-off valve for a first time and closing the gas on-off valve to supply the first amount of water;
closing the water on-off valve and opening the gas on-off valve for a second time period in order to supply gas from the gas supply passage to the beverage transfer passage;
The first time period is set to 2 to 3 seconds;
The second time is set to be equal to the first time or to be different from the first time by less than 1 second;
The method of claim 1, wherein the first amount is between 24 ml and 50 ml.

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