Ultraviolet disinfecting device for food and beverage dispensers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9655985-B2
Application number	US-201514882167-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 13, 2015
Priority date	May 20, 2010
Publication date	May 23, 2017
Grant date	May 23, 2017

Abstract

Disinfecting devices and related methods are provided that apply germicidal ultraviolet light to disinfect dispensing components of food and beverage dispensers. A disinfecting holster for a bar gun includes a support surface configured to interface with a bar gun to support the bar gun when stowed in the holster, a housing coupled with the support surface and surrounding a dispensing nozzle of the bar gun when the bar gun is stowed in the holster, and an ultraviolet light source configured to emit germicidal ultraviolet light onto the nozzle. The housing substantially contains the ultraviolet light within the housing during the application of the ultraviolet light to the dispensing nozzle. The ultraviolet light can be periodically applied to maintain the nozzle in a disinfected state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A self-disinfecting beverage dispenser, comprising:
a beverage dispensing nozzle;
a disinfecting chamber movable, relative to the beverage dispensing nozzle, to surround the beverage dispensing nozzle; and
an ultraviolet light source configured to emit germicidal ultraviolet light to disinfect the beverage dispensing nozzle, wherein the germicidal ultraviolet light is substantially contained within the disinfecting chamber.

2. The self-disinfecting beverage dispenser of claim 1 , further comprising an actuation mechanism coupled with the disinfecting chamber to move the disinfecting chamber from a first position in which the beverage dispensing nozzle is not surrounded by the disinfecting chamber to a second position in which the beverage dispensing nozzle is surrounded by the disinfecting chamber.

3. The self-disinfecting beverage dispenser of claim 2 , further comprising a controller to control the actuation mechanism and to periodically activate the ultraviolet light source to maintain the beverage dispensing nozzle in a disinfected state.

4. The self-disinfecting beverage dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the ultraviolet light source is manually activated to maintain the beverage dispensing nozzle in a disinfected state.

5. The self-disinfecting beverage dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the disinfecting chamber comprises a reflective internal surface configured to reflect the germicidal ultraviolet light onto the beverage dispensing nozzle.

6. The self-disinfecting beverage dispenser of claim 5 , wherein the reflective internal surface is shaped to distribute the germicidal ultraviolet light within the disinfecting chamber.

7. The self-disinfecting beverage dispenser of claim 5 , wherein the reflective internal surface is provided at bottom of the disinfecting chamber such that the germicidal ultraviolet light is emitted into an orifice of the beverage dispensing nozzle.

8. The self-disinfecting beverage dispenser of claim 1 , further comprising a fan to distribute ozone generated by the germicidal ultraviolet light within the disinfecting chamber.

9. The self-disinfecting beverage dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the ultraviolet light source is mounted within the disinfecting chamber.

10. The self-disinfecting beverage dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the ultraviolet light source is mounted in a location exterior to the disinfecting chamber, and the germicidal ultraviolet light is introduced into the disinfecting chamber or a fiber optic cable.

11. The self-disinfecting beverage dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the disinfecting chamber is movable between two positions: a first position, in which the disinfecting chamber fully surrounds the beverage dispensing nozzle, and a second position, in which the beverage dispensing nozzle is not surrounded by any part of the disinfecting chamber.

Assignees

• Automatic Bar Controls Inc

Inventors

• Hecht Thomas R
• Martindale Richard A

Classifications

• A23L3/28

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A61L9/00

  Disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air (body deodorants A61Q15/00; purifying air by respirators A62B, A62D9/00; separating dispersed particles from gases or vapours B01D45/00 - B01D51/00, B03C3/00; chemical or biological purification of waste gases B01D53/34; production of ozone C01B13/10; air-conditioning systems incorporating sterilisation F24F3/16, F24F8/20) · CPC title

• A61L2/10 Primary

  Ultraviolet [UV] radiation · CPC title

• A61L2/00

  Disinfection or sterilisation of materials or objects, in general; Accessories therefor · CPC title

• A61L2202/15

  Biocide distribution means, e.g. nozzles, pumps, manifolds, fans, baffles, sprayers · CPC title