WO2000059821A1

WO2000059821A1 - Dispensing machine

Info

Publication number: WO2000059821A1
Application number: PCT/GB2000/001208
Authority: WO
Inventors: John Nicholas Reid
Original assignee: Invend Technologies Limited
Priority date: 1999-04-06
Filing date: 2000-03-29
Publication date: 2000-10-12
Also published as: GB9907617D0; GB2348637A; AU3975400A

Abstract

A machine for dispensing a foodstuff having a component (14) in physical contact with the foodstuff during dispensing operations is provided with means (16 to 30) for sterilising the component (14) during periods between dispensing operations, the sterilisation means serving to expose the component device (14) to a sterilisation fluid containing ozone that is generated within the machine.

Description

Dispensing Machine

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a machine for dispensing a foodstuff.

Background of the invention

It has hitherto been difficult to dispense certain foodstuffs, such as milk and ice cream, through a nozzle in an unmanned dispensing machine because of the risk of contamination of the nozzle. Hence, for example, in drinks machines, milk is added to tea and coffee in powder form rather than in liquid form to avoid the risk of such contamination .

Object of the invention

The present invention seeks to provide a dispensing machine that enables foodstuffs such as milk and ice cream to be dispensed safely without the risk of contamination.

Summary of the invention

According to the present invention, there is provided a machine for dispensing a foodstuff having a component in physical contact with the foodstuff during dispensing operations, characterised by means for sterilising the component during periods between dispensing operations, the sterilisation means serving to expose the component device to a sterilisation fluid containing ozone that is generated within the machine.

Ozone may be generated within the machine by means of a spark discharge or a source of ultraviolet light. The ozone may be dissolved in a liquid such as water but it is simpler and preferred to administer the ozone in gaseous form. The use of either form of fluid ensures that all exposed parts of the nozzle come into contact with the ozone.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will now be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :

Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a foodstuff dispensing nozzle and a sterilisation chamber, with the nozzle and chamber open to allow the foodstuff to be dispensed, and

Figure 2 is a similar schematic representation showing the nozzle and the sterilisation chamber in their closed position .

Detailed description of the preferred embodiments

The drawings show a collapsible bag 10 containing a foodstuff such as milk and fitted near its mouth with a pinch valve 12. When the pinch valve 12 is open, as shown in Figure 1, milk flows out of the bag 10 and the latter collapses. If a more viscous foodstuff is to be dispensed, then the bag may be squeezed from outside to force the foodstuff out. Collapsible bags filled with various foodstuffs and pinch valves are known per se but they could not hitherto be used in an unmanned dispensing machine because of the risk of contamination of the dispensing nozzle 14.

To maintain the nozzle 14 of the bag 10 sterile, the latter is surrounded by a sterilisation chamber 16 that has an airtight seal 18 surrounding the mouth of the bag 10. Two hinged doors 20 are provided at the bottom of the chamber 16 that are shown in their closed position in Figure 2 and in their open position in Figure 1.

The chamber 16 is connected to an electrical discharge ozone generator 22 through a supply duct 24 and has an exhaust duct 26 that leads to ambient atmosphere by way of a carbon filter 28 and a fan 30 that is operated constantly.

During a dispensing operation, the doors 20 and the pinch valve 12 are both open, as shown in Figure 1 allowing milk to the dispensed. During this time, the ozone generator 22 is switched off and the fan 30 draws air from within the dispensing machine through the sterilisation chamber 16 to purge the chamber 16 of any ozone. The purged ozone is converted back to oxygen by the carbon filter 28 before being discharged to the ambient atmosphere.

After the dispensing operation is completed, the doors 20 are shut, as shown in Figure 2, and the pinch valve 12 is closed to shut off the flow of the milk. The ozone generator 22 is now switched on to supply ozone to the sterilisation chamber in a sufficient concentration (more than 2 parts per million) to maintain the nozzle 14 sterile. As ozone naturally reverts to oxygen, the fan is left on during this time to maintain a constant fresh supply of ozone in the chamber 16.

Instead of the sterilisation chamber being filled with a gas, it may alternatively be filled with a liquid containing dissolved ozone. If a liquid is used, then it may be contained in a reservoir and a pump may be provided to drain the chamber 16 and recycle the sterilisation liquid to the reservoir before a dispensing operation is commenced.

Ozone sterilisation can be also used in machines where the foodstuff cannot be dispensed by forcing it under pressure through a nozzle. In the case of ice cream, for example, increased pressure would cause the ice cream to melt and crystallise on re-freezing. In such a machine, instead of using a pressurised nozzle, one could use a scoop to transfer a serving of ice cream from a tub to a dispensing location and the scoop could be sterilised between dispensing operations in the same way as the nozzle in the above described embodiment. In this way, the provision of a sterilisation system using ozone as a sterilising medium makes it viable and safe to produce an unmanned ice cream vending machine, as it is no longer necessary to rely on regular human intervention to ensure that the workings of the machine are sterile at all times .

It is possible to use ozone sterilisation with any component that makes physical contact with a foodstuff during a dispensing operation. For example, it has also been proposed to heat food contained in individual containers by inserting a heating element, such as a microwave probe, into the containers, the heating element being immersed in the food to be heated. Such a heating element needs to be sterilised between dispensing operation and after it has been rinsed and/or wiped clean by means of a squeegee, it can be sterilised using ozone as previously described.

Claims

1. A machine for dispensing a foodstuff having a component (14) in physical contact with the foodstuff during dispensing operations, characterised by means (16 to 30) for sterilising the component (14) during periods between dispensing operations, the sterilisation means serving to expose the component device (14) to a sterilisation fluid containing ozone that is generated within the machine.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ozone is generated within the machine by means of a spark discharge .

3. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ozone is generated within the machine by means of an ultraviolet light source.

4. A machine as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the sterilisation fluid is a gas.

5. A machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein the gas is the air within the machine and the machine is vented to the ambient atmosphere by way of a filter (28) for absorbing or recombining the ozone.

6. A machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein the filter (28) comprises active charcoal.

7. A machine as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the component is a nozzle (14) for dispensing a flowable foodstuff and wherein the sterilisation means includes a chamber (16) surrounding the nozzle (14), which chamber can be closed about the nozzle when the nozzle is not in use and filled with the sterilisation fluid (Figure

2) and can be opened when the nozzle is in use (Figure 1) to allow the foodstuff to be dispensed without coming into contact with the walls of the chamber (16) .

8. A machine as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the foodstuff is ice cream and wherein said dispensing device is a scoop operative to transfer a serving of the ice cream from a tub to a dispensing location.

9. A machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the foodstuff is contained in a container and the component is a heating element immersed into the foodstuff to heat the latter prior to the container being dispensed.

10. A machine as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the machine is an unmanned vending machine comprising means for accepting payment for the foodstuff to initiate a dispensing operation.