WO2016059443A1

WO2016059443A1 - Drink dispenser for protein drinks

Info

Publication number: WO2016059443A1
Application number: PCT/HU2014/000103
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael IRSAY
Original assignee: Irsay Michael
Priority date: 2014-10-17
Filing date: 2014-11-06
Publication date: 2016-04-21
Also published as: HU4532U

Abstract

The invention relates to a machine for vending protein drinks, which can produce freshly made drinks with various flavors based on water or milk. The machine comprises a power supply unit, a control unit, a powder hopper, valves for connection to a water supply network, a compressor, a heat exchanger, a thermostat, a display unit/control unit, wherein the water supply power circuit comprises a mechanical filter, a filter with activated charcoal, a UV disinfection device, a water softener, a water pressure sensor/switch, a buffer reservoir, mixing chambers, wherein each mixing chamber is connected to a detergent conduit coupled with the central detergent reservoir, wherein the bottom of each powder hopper is connected to a metering motor driving the feed powder auger, the powder discharge leads to the upper part of the mixer, the internal mixer cavity is configured centrally symmetric and tapers downward, the side mixers are connected to one injector pipe, the bottom of each mixer has a vertical bend, connecting the mixer with one mixing glass in the middle, wherein mixer blades are rotating in the mixers coupled to the axis of the mixing motors, each of mixing glass is externally coupled to a dispensing tube, the dispensing tubes lead into a beverage glass, the blade has vanes connected with each other only on the blade axis, a receiving tray is positioned under the end of a dispensing tube.

Description

Drink dispenser for protein drinks

The subject of the sample is a drink dispenser for protein drinks suitable to prepare freshly-made milk or water-based cold protein drinks of various flavours.

The protein-containing drinks are very popular among the bodybuilders because they provide the protein required for the development of muscles in a concentrated way and in an easily absorbable form. The followers of healthy life or even those on diet can also be the consumers of the low-energy protein-containing drinks. The protein drinks can be mixed up at home from prefabricated powders and water or milk respectively by intensively mixing other natural additives but it seems to be needed e.g. in gyms in the drink dispensers from where it is easy to obtain the nutritive drink of good quality and of various composition. This task is fulfilled by the equipment described in the US2995158(A) - Coin-operated milk shake vending machine American patent that prepares the milk shake in several phases. The milk ice-cream, the flavouring powder is being added separately in the glass into which a rotating blade is submerging. The equipment hardly meets the modern hygienic requirements since there is no solution for the cleaning or disinfection of the mixing blade that is emerging from the mixed drink and waiting even for a longish period. The patent of the Nestle S.A. entitled„Mixing the grained medium and liquid" (registered under 217515) is also known which is presenting a process of mixing a pumping substance composed of solid particles of less than 1 mm and liquid that can be dispensed from food and drink machines. During the procedure the grained substance and the liquid are being mixed in a mixing chamber delimited by a pinned rotating disc and the facing pinned stationary disc, where the speed is between 2000 and 20,000 rpm, and due to the suction effect caused by the rotation of the disc there is ambient air being sucked into the mixing chamber in a quantity that depends on the rotation speed.

Our objective is to create a machine that is supplying protein shakes of various flavours, providing a permanent good quality, by sustaining the hygienic conditions. The mixing of the drinks made of protein powders is not an easy task since actually the kazein soluble in water operates as glue, thus we realised it is worth applying the least possible surface contact and fast processes. Therefore we are applying a short powder slide, specific mixing areas, high-pressure water injction and a specific mixing blade.

Thus the recommended equipment is a drink machine for protein-containing drinks that has a power unit, a control unit, at least one powder tank, connection to the public utility water, compressor, heat-exchanger, thermostat and a display/control unit. The water system of the machine consists of a connection to the public utility system, a mechanical filter, an active carbon filter, a UV disinfection unit, at least one pressure switch, a pressure regulator, a pressure-equalising container, a choking-return-valve, heat-exchanger and at least one dispensing valve. The dispensing valve is being connected to the mixing area through the main branch of the mixing area, every mixing area is connected to a detergent conduit, and the mixing areas are ending in 21 injector pipes. The detergent conduits are connected to a central detergent tank through valves. The vertical dimension of the powder tanks is multiple of its horizontal dimensions, the lower part of the powder tanks are narrowing downward. The lower part of every powder tank is connected to a powder-feeding engine that is driving a powder-feeding shaft. The powder-feeding shafts are connected to cogwheel of deviating axes. There is at least one flexible mixing element fixed to the cogwheel. The feeding opening of the powder-tanks is connected to a maximum 2-cm long powder slide, connecting it with a mixer. The inner area of the mixer is circularly symmetrical and it is narrowing downward. There are injector tubes being connected to the mixers from the side. At the bottom of each mixer there is a vertical elbow that is connecting the mixers with the mixer cups, being connected to their centre. There is a blade rotating in the mixer cups that is fixed to the axis of the mixing engine. At the outer part of the mixer cups there is a filling pipe that is leading to the drink cup. The blade has 2-4 wings, the wings are interconnected at the blade axis only. Under the mouth of the filling pipe there is a collecting tray and the cup sensor.

In the advantageous version of the equipment there is a GSM modem being connected to the control unit.

Another advantageous version of the equipment is provided with an RFID unit, too.

In another version of the equipment the control unit is connected to a coin checker.

In another version of the equipment the diameter of the filling pipes leading to the drink cup is narrowing when approaching the drink cup. The equipment has two basic contraction versions.

Milk- and water-based proteins with 8 programs

Water-based proteins with 5 programs. There can be machines with other program quantities, too (max 32 programs)

For the presentation of the sample we are using the following figures:

1. figure: the front of the machine, from a distance,

2. figure: machines from the back, from a distance, without the rear cover,

3. figure: the blade from above with the recommended dimensions,

4. figure: side-view of the blade,

5. figure: separate part of the front of the machine,

6. figure: the mixing motor and the blade, from distance,

7. figure: a mixer unit from distance, alone,

8. figure: electric scheme, 9. figure: collection tray

10. figure: inner parts of the powder container in 3D.

Figure 1 shows the shape mostly. The machine is pouring the drinks to the (15) collection tray. The (49) cup sensor is signalling the presence of the drink cup toward the (9) control unit. For the (49) cup sensor we are recommending the Omron E2K-C25ME1 2M capacity sensor. Behind the drink cup there is an arched rear plate. The (15) collection tray has a volume of 2.5 litre. The (13) main switch of the equipment and the (12) public utility plug are situated on the (16) cover. The (17) pushbuttons and the (18) display are above the cup, easily reachable.

Figure 2 shows that the water coming into the machine goes through the (12) public utility plug and the (29) active carbon filter and water softener then through the 10 UM-QS (51) mechanical filter and the (50) UV disinfector (e.g. 4 Watt Panice CAR7000B type), with which we assure that the used water is not contaminated and the scaling is also avoided. From here the water gets to the (7) pressure switch that is switching at 1.2 bar and it is signalling to the (9) control unit whether there is water in the machine. The task of the (7) pressure switch consists of perceiving and signalling that the pressure ceased to exist in the water system due to a certain reason and in this way we can assure that the customer always gets the same amount of drink. After the (7) pressure switch the water goes through the (6) pressure regulator that keeps the pressure at 7.5 bar. The next station of the incoming water is the other utensil of the pressure keeping, meaning the (4) pressure equalising container that is a 1.8 litre heat-insulated stainless pressure-sustaining vessel. The heat insulation is required because the water coming into the system is usually much colder than the ambient temperature and without this addition the water vapour from within the ambient air would condensate on its surface and from there it would drip into the machine. On the top of the (4) pressure-equalising container there is an automatic de-airing device, and there is a (38) choking- return valve mounted on its outlet. Since with a certain pressure (7.5 bar) with a given cross section (the (38) choking-return valve) the quantity of the passing water is constant, and the passed volume can be controlled through the opening time of the valves, in this way we can assure the constant proportion of the protein powder and water - as a basic requirement. The water from the (38) choking-return valve gets to the (2) heat exchanger which assures the constant temperature of the water. The (2) heat exchanger is part of a cooling circuit which has an evident structure for the experts. The cooling circuit consists of a (3) compressor, a (30) thermostat, a (1) compressor cooler and the (2) heat exchanger. The (2) heat exchanger is a good heat-transmitting aluminium block where there are two pipe-spirals running therein, there is the cooling medium in one of them, and the water in the other one that is stainless. The cooling medium is not in contact directly with the water, so no contamination can penetrate from outside. The temperature of the cooling medium is regulated with the (30) thermostat. The water flowing through the (2) heat exchanger gets to the valve-row consisting of the (10) feeding valves. With the (10) feeding valves it can be selected into which mixer unit the water should get for mixing a drink or for leaning the equipment. There is the heat-insulated (5) water-pipe connection between the (4) pressure equalising container and the upcoming elements, the pressure of the carried water can be checked visually with the (28) manometer, too. The (9) control unit is supervising every function of the equipment, among them the (8) powder feeding motors and the (1 1) motors, too.

Figures 3 and 4 show the recommended shape and dimensions of the (27) blades rotating in the (24) mixer cups within the mixer units. The material of the blade is POM. The (27) blades have the tilted form, that is usual in the drink machines, differing form the blades. This shape - cooperating with the inner area of the (24) mixer cup - and because of the high rpm is increasing the pressure in the (24) mixer cup. Without such pressure increase the protein-containing powders may cause clotting and jamming. Figure 5 - by removing the front plate of the equipment - shows the layout and elements of the mixer units. In the recommended version five kinds of powders can be used as the base components of the drinks, and even in case of equal proportions 32 kinds of drinks can be obtained, but it is worth keeping only 5-8 water or milk-based protein shakes in the repertoire. The dispensable quantity is 200-700 ml. Regarding the powders there are 4 different protein drink-powders, the fifth can be 100% milk-based powder with which we can prepare milk-based protein drinks. The powders are stored in the (19) powder containers, each (19) powder container has a different powder component. The material of the (19) powder container is POM, the vertical dimension is multiple of the horizontal extension respectively the lower part is narrowing. The former shape assures that the powders can be stored ergonomically but still providing a sure feeding. The powders are delivered by the (8) powder feeding motors to the (20) powder slides. The time spent here and the concerned surface are minimal since the length of the (20) powder slide is only 2 cm. From the (20) powder slide the powder gets into the (22) mixer through the bore in the middle of the (22), to the upper part of the circularly symmetrical (22) mixer with a downward narrowing inner area. There are (21) injector pipes getting connected into the (22) mixer tangentially. The fed powder and the whirling high-pressure water start mixing in the (22) mixer. The mixing goes on as it gets to the (24) mixer cup at the bottom of the (22) mixer and through the (23) elbow. The mixer cup is made of plastic, connected to the 826) fixing flange of the (11) mixing motor, in a sealed way. The specially designed (27) blade with a small surface rotates in the (24) mixer cup. The blade is driven with 13000 rpm by the (11) mixing motor which is required to the fully clot-free dissolving of the protein. One of the powder components pre-mixed with water arrives from the (22) mixer to the centre of the (24) mixer cup, the fully mixed component (only one powder is featuring here yet) gets to the drink cup through the (25) filling pipe with a diameter of 12 mm where according to the programming the components mixed with water in the mixer units get mixed with each other. In case of certain powders a better mixing and drink condition can be obtained if the (25) filling pipes have decreasing diameters, (e.g. from 72 to 7 mm, with a taper narrowing). There is a (25) filling pipe above the drink cup coming from each mixer unit, the full mixing of the drink takes place accordingly using the various powders and water corresponding to the desired proportion. The mixer units are closed, thus the spillage of the powder and the inner contamination of the equipment can be avoided during operation. For connecting the (25) filling pipes and the (24) mixer cup and for the previously defined proper setting it is reasonable to use a (POM) elbow between them. Figure 6 shows the (11) mixing motor without the connected (24) mixer cup (and the other parts of the mixer unit). The (26) fixing flange is supporting the (11) mixing motor, and simultaneously it assures the bearing/sealing for the motor axes passing through.

Figure 7 shows the layout of the previously described mixer units from the back. The sterile water gets from the valve row consisting of the (10) feeding valves to the (47) mixing areas belonging to each (22) mixer through the (46) mixing area main branches. The (48) detergent conduit is being connected to the (47) mixing area where the diameter is bigger that can be opened with a valve controlled by a (9) control unit in case of cleaning. The (46) mixing area main branch reaches into the (47) mixing area that ends in the (21) injector pipe leading to the (22) mixer. The water is either raw material for the mixing or it is used for washing. The selection between the two options depends on the open or closed position of the valve on the (48) detergent conduit. In case of making the mixture the water is simply flowing through the (47) mixing area and no detergent is being added, but if the detergent valve is open, then the difference of pressure forming in the (47) mixing area grabs some detergent from the joint detergent container. The cleaning does also involve the rinsing thus a few seconds before closing the (10) feeding valve one shall close the valve of the detergent. The joint detergent container and the detergent valves are covered in the figure. It is recommended to apply a detergent container of at least 1 litre as well as alcohol or phosphate-based substance.

Figure 8 shows the electric scheme. The energy supply of the equipment is assured by the (32) power unit, the control is done by the (36) CPU in cooperation with the (14) I/O board, with RS485 communication between them. The (3) compressor is cooling according to the signal of the (30) thermostat or it can also wait. The (31) display/control unit may consist of the (17) pushbuttons and the (18) display (e.g. TFT), or even of a touch-screen. The (33) coin checker (e.g. RR6 or RM5 built-in module) and the optional (34) GSM modem and the (35) RFID are also supervised by the (36) CPU. The (14) I/O board is controlling the subunits of the drink making/mixing meaning the (10) feeding valves, the (1 1) mixing motors and the (8) powder feeding motors and the detergent valves. The (36) CPU is using the sensing signal of the connecting (52) water tank for its operation, as well as the cup-sensor signal of the (49), the signals of the (31) display/control unit respectively the signals of the above optional units. The (1 1) mixing motors each have a complementary (39) soft start panel. These have the task to finetune the switching on and off the motors. The process aims that during the switch-on the starting current of the (11) mixing motor is very high (it can be even tenfold the operational current) thus the (39) soft start panel initially connects a resistance in serial position with the (1 1) mixing motor, then (after approximately 2 seconds) the (11) mixing motor gets the voltage directly. During the switch-off (after we have switched off the control signal) the (11) mixing motor is not stopping immediately, there is an approximately 2 seconds long delay. Through the soft-start function we are sparing the (11) mixing motor and the (32) power unit in the machine, in this way the reliability can be increased and the service expenses get reduced. The further operation of the (11) mixer motors is required because of the quality of the drinks and for keeping the mixer parts clean. After the machine delivered the required water quantity, the program has finished, but there is still water in the (21) injector pipe. This quantity flows out in approximately 1 -2 seconds, and in the meantime by rotating the (27) blade the mixer parts and the (25) filling tube will be cleaner.

In figure 9 we showed the (15) collection tray related to a (40) grid made of stainless steel. The drink cupes can be placed on the (40) grid during operation, and the (15) collection tray is collecting the water used for cleaning respectively the spilled drinks, too. The shape of the (40) grid enables that the liquid is not spilling during the automatic cleaning either. Here is the version of the equipment where at the bottom of the (15) collecting tray there is a (41) purging stump, and by connecting a pipe to it the liquid getting into the tray can also be collected in a separate container of cleaning water (15-20 litres), supplied with level sensor. When the container gets filled then the (31) display/control unit is informing the user about this.

The figure 10 shows the inner parts of the (19) powder container through captions. The vertical dimension of the (19) powder containers is multiple of the horizontal dimensions, and the lower part of the (19) powder containers is narrowing downward. There is an (8) powder feeding motor being connected to the lower part of each (19) powder container and the motors are driving the (42) powder feeding shaft. The (42) powder feeding shaft is being connected to a deviating (and reasonably having a perpendicular axis) (44) cogwheel and since the axis of the (44) cogwheel is led compared to the wall of the (19) powder container, thus the rotation of the (42) powder feeder is making the (44) cogwheel rotate. On the (44) cogwheel there are at least (actually 4) flexible (43) mixing elements being fixed. The (43) mixing elements can be screw-springs, spring plates or similar metallic or plastic parts that can be fixed radially on the cogwheel compared to the axis of the (44) cogwheel, but it is reasonable to have it on both sides of it, and it is recommended to tilt it outward at max 60 degrees compared to the plane of the (44) cogwheel. The (43) mixing elements disable the powder to be topping in the (19) powder container. The (20) powder slide (not shown here) is connected to the (4) feeding opening of the (19) powder container.

We can measure the quantity of the material in the containers with a software-based countdown device In this way it may not happen that the user prepares a drink where the quantity of the protein is not corresponding. We are displaying the emptying of the container even on the display, and the LED lights disappear on the buttons on the programs belonging to the container.

The automatic cleaning is a software-based option according to which the parts of the mixer units get cleaned according to a preset schedule (2-8 hours) automatically or only when starting, or due to a separate command. In case of automatic mode if the user is not using the machine's cleaning (washing) button for the preset time then the machine first gives a 10-second long warning sound signal, then when this time has expired then it automatically starts the procedure. If the (15) collection tray or the cleaning water container fills with water then the automatic washing is being suspended, and this is signalled by the (31) display/control unit because the washing water would flow onto the floor or the table. It is postponing the step if the collection tray is no in position. At this time there is an error signal telling that the automatic cleaning meets obstacles. If the user would like to fill up the material containers in the machine and he opens the door of the machine then in order to prevent the spreading of the powder when the containers are taken out / placed in the (9) control unit does also start the automatic washing. The automatic cleaning works only in case of the closed door. Based on the signal of the (49) cup sensor the (9) control unit (when the filled cup has been taken away)) then the equipment is washing the currently used mixer units with sterile water and the added detergent then sterile water is rinsing for 3 seconds. During the cleaning of the machine each mixer is being washed, the proper date and frequency can be set on the (31) display /control unit. The automatic cleaning function can be switched off. In such case the washing starts only when the door is being opened/closed.

For preparing the product it is sufficient for the user to select the desired drink and press the related button respectively place a cup under the (25) filling pipes. The equipment has main and daily counters. The main counter contains the drinks sold during the operation of the machine, settling each and every drink separately and there is a sum in the end. This counter can't ne nullified. The daily counter contains the consumption quantity and the sum of drinks but the user can nullify this through which the daily turnover, the settlement can be eased.

The recommended equipment is suitable for preparing cold protein drinks of excellent quality by using the separate mixer units, the specific mixing blades and the layout of the mixer. This could not be solved obtaining a good quality with the mixing machines known so far or it was difficult. The sophisticated self-cleaning automatic system meets in full the modern hygienic requirements.

List of reference marks

25-filling tube

1- compressor cooler 26-fixing flange

2- heat exchanger 27-blade

3- compressor 28-manometer

4- pressure equalising tank 29-active carbon filter

5- water pipe 30-thermostat

6- pressure regulator 31 -display/control unit

7- pressure switch 32-power unit

8- powder feeding motor 3 3 -coin checker

9- control unit 34-GSM modem

10-feeding valve 35-RFID

11 -mixing engine 36-CPU

12-connection to the public 38-choking-return valve soft utility water start panel

13-main switch 39-grid

14-1/0 board 40-purgin stump

15-collection tray 41 -powder feeding shaft

16-cover 42-mixing element

17-push-button 43- cogwheel

18-display 44-feeding orifice

19-powder tank 45-mixing area, main branch

20-powder slide 46-mixing area

21 -injector pipe 47-detergent conduit

22-mixer 48-cup sensor

23 -elbow 49-UV disinfector

24-mixer cup -mechanical filter

- cleaning water tank sensor

Claims

1. Drink machine for protein drinks that has a power unit (32), a control unit (9), at least one powder container (19), plug to the public utility water (12), compressor (3), heat exchanger (2), thermostat (30), display/control unit (31), characterised in such a way that in its system water circuit there is at least one mechanical filter (51), at least one active carbon filter (29), a UV disinfector (50), a water softener, a pressure switch (7), a pressure regulator (6), a pressure- equalising tank (4), a choking-return valve (38), a heat exchanger (2) and at least one feeding valve (10) being connected to a mixer (22) through one feeding valve (10), the mixing area (47) and the injection pipe (21) coming from it, the feeding valve (10) is connected with the main branch of the mixing area (46), each mixing area (47) is connected to a detergent conduit (48), the detergent conduits (48) are connected to a central detergent tank through valves, the vertical dimension of the powder containers (19) is multiple of the horizontal dimensions, the lower part of the powder containers (19) is narrowing downward, there is a powder feeding engine (8) connected to the lower part of every powder container (19), the powder feeding engine (8) is driving a powder feeding shaft (42), there is a deviating cogwheel (44) connected to the powder feeding shafts (42), there is at least one flexible mixing element (43) fixed on the cogwheel (44), there is a maximum 2-cm long powder slide (20) connected to the powder container, the powder slide (20) is connected to a mixer (22) from above, the inner area of the mixer (22) is circularly symmetrical and it is narrowing downward, there are injection pipes (21) connected to the mixers (22) from the side, there is a vertical elbow (23) at the bottom of each mixer (22), that is connecting the mixers (22) with a mixing cup (24), connected to their centre, there is a blade (27) rotating in the mixer cups (24), the blade is fixed onto the axis of the mixing engine (11), there is a filling pipe (25) connected to the external part of the mixer cups (24), the filling pipes (25) lead to the drink cup, the blade has 2-4 wings, the wings are connected to each other at the axis of the blade (27), under the mouth of the filling pipe (25) there is a collection tray (15) and cup sensor (49).

2. The drink machine featuring in article 1 for protein drinks characterised in such a way that there is a GSM modem (34), too, connected to the control unit (9).

3. The drink machine featuring in article 1 or 2 for protein drinks characterised in such a way that there is an RFID (35) unit, too, connected to the control unit (9).

4. The drink machine featuring in article 1-3 for protein drinks characterised in such a way that there is a coin checker (33), too connected to the control unit (9).

5. The drink machine featuring in article 1-4 for protein drinks characterised in such a way that the diameter of the filling pipes (25) is decreasing when

approaching the drink cup.