Method for cleaning a bargun dispenser

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9701528-B2
Application number	US-201214401579-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 18, 2012
Priority date	May 18, 2012
Publication date	Jul 11, 2017
Grant date	Jul 11, 2017

Abstract

A method for cleaning a bargun dispenser, the method including providing a cleaning assembly containing a reservoir, a pump and fluid connection tubes; connecting the cleaning assembly to the bargun dispenser by connecting the concentrate inlet line to the reservoir in place of the source of concentrate with one of the fluid connection tubes and connecting the water inlet line to the reservoir in place of the water supply with one of the fluid connection tubes; filling the reservoir with a cleaning solution; activating the pump of the reservoir; and activating the bargun handle buttons for opening the pump outlet lines until the reservoir is empty.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for cleaning a bargun dispenser comprising at least one source of concentrate delivering a concentrate to a concentrate inlet line, a source of water delivering water to a water inlet line, at least one proportioning pump pumping the concentrate from the concentrate inlet line and the water from the water inlet line in a determined ratio and separately delivering the concentrate to a concentrate pump outlet line and the water to a water pump outlet line, and a bargun handle comprising buttons for opening the concentrate pump outlet line and the water pump outlet line and comprising a nozzle for mixing and dispensing the concentrate and the water, the method comprising:
providing a cleaning assembly comprising a reservoir, a pump, and fluid connection tubes;
connecting the cleaning assembly to the bargun dispenser by connecting the concentrate inlet line to the reservoir in place of the at least one source of concentrate with a first tube of the fluid connection tubes and connecting the water inlet line to the reservoir in place of the source of water with a second tube of the fluid connection tubes, and the first tube and the second tube provided different flowpaths extending from the reservoir;
filling the reservoir with a cleaning solution;
activating the pump; and
activating the buttons of the bargun handle for opening the concentrate pump outlet line and the water pump outlet line until the reservoir is empty.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein during the step of connecting the cleaning assembly to the bargun dispenser, the source of water is connected to the reservoir in place of the bargun dispenser with a fluid connection tube comprising an on/off valve; and the reservoir is filled with the water by opening the on/off valve.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein each of the concentrate inlet line and the water inlet line comprises a three-way valve to which the fluid connection tubes of the cleaning assembly can be connected.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the three-way valve is manually and/or electronically controllable.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning assembly comprises a sensor for detecting a pressure downstream to the pump and stopping the pump when the pressure is greater than a predetermined value.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid connection tubes are joined together in form of a bundle.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the bargun dispenser comprises several sources of concentrates and several proportioning pumps associated to each concentrate.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the fluid connection tubes is configured for connecting at least two concentrate inlet lines to the reservoir in place of corresponding sources of concentrates.

9. The method according to Claim 1 , further comprising connecting an additional tube of the fluid connection tubes to an additional concentrate inlet line, and the additional tube provides a different flowpath from the reservoir relative to the first tube and the second tube.

Assignees

• Gonzalez Juan
• Robbins Steve
• Kiger Randy
• Baron Rick
• Garbee Steve
• Hackey Alan
• Cox Joshua
• Nestec Sa

Inventors

• Gonzalez Juan
• Robbins Steve
• Kiger Randy
• Baron Rick
• Garbee Steve
• Hackey Alan
• Cox Joshua

Classifications

• B67D2001/075

  Sanitising or sterilising the apparatus · CPC title

• B67D1/0084

  Hand-held gun type valves · CPC title

• B67D1/07 Primary

  Cleaning beverage-dispensing apparatus {(B67D1/0834, B67D1/0837 take precedence)} · CPC title

• B67D1/0037

  based on volumetric dosing · CPC title

• B67D1/0086

  Hand-held gun type valves · CPC title