Food and beverage dispenser with cleaning system

摘要

A food and beverage dispenser for dispensing food and beverage products may have a clean in place (CIP) system that functions with minimal to no operator interface and disassembly. The dispenser may include one or more product barrels and an ingredient supply refrigerator. A nozzle cap containing a cleaning/sanitizing agent may be placed on a dispensing valve of the dispenser, and a CIP connector may be connected to a BIB connector after disconnecting the BIB connector from a BIB package. The CIP connector completes a CIP circuit that places the product barrel in fluid circulation with a water source and optionally another sanitizer source to help clean the dispenser in place. A heater may be included in the CIP circuit to heat the circulating fluid. A microcontroller or other computer processor may control the CIP process.

主权项

1. A nozzle cap comprising:
an open end comprising a connector adapted for removably connecting said nozzle cap to a dispensing valve of a food or beverage dispenser; a closed end comprising a reservoir comprising a cleaning/sanitizing agent; a film configured to seal said cleaning/sanitizing agent within said reservoir and to dissolve upon contact with water or other fluid; and a cutout adapted to accommodate a drain conduit of the dispensing valve; wherein said nozzle cap has no inlet or outlet other than said open end.