Abstract:
An apparatus and a method for sanitizing beverage dispensing systems of the type using a pump that draws beverage from a single port collapsible container which is otherwise airtight. The system provides a manifold having a main manifold chamber with one input and at least one output and having a secondary manifold chamber with an input and an output, and sanitizing fluid containers. The drink dispensing hoses are attached to the outputs of the main manifold chamber, and either a sanitizing fluid or water is attached to the input of the main manifold chamber. The water may be provided through the secondary manifold chamber. Afterward, sanitizing fluid and water are drawn through the manifold and the dispensing hoses and heads, sanitizing the system. Sanitizing fluid is provided in collapsible containers similar to the beverage containers and having a venting device.

Description:
This invention relates in general to the field of sanitizing beverage dispensing systems, and in particular, to providing a compact system for sanitizing the type of beverage dispensing system that uses a pump that draws the beverage from a single port, collapsible container which is otherwise air tight. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Systems for dispensing beverages such as beer, soda, milkshakes and wine, commonly incorporate a beverage or flavor source container, connected through hoses or lines to a dispensing head. For simplicity, the beverage or flavor will be referred to as &#34;beverage,&#34; although it will be understood that often, other ingredients, such as carbonated water, are mixed with the beverage before it is served. Ordinarily, the beverage is driven from the source container by pressurized air or carbon dioxide injected into the container. Often, the connecting hoses between the beverage source and the dispensing head are rather long, as when the beverage source containers are kept far away from the dispensing head. Due to the sticky nature of most beverages, and simply for sanitary reasons, it is necessary to clean and sanitize the elements of the beverage dispensing system frequently, including the hoses that connect the beverage source to the dispensing head, and the plumbing in the dispensing head itself. 
     It should be noted that in the art of food and beverage sanitation, the terms &#34;cleansing&#34; and &#34;sanitizing&#34; have distinct meanings. &#34;Cleansing&#34; means to remove particulate matter. &#34;Sanitizing&#34; means to kill microorganisms. In general, cleansing fluids are different from sanitizing fluids. In the case of beverage dispensing systems, however, it is common to provide a combined sanitizing/cleansing fluid. For simplicity, the term &#34;sanitizing&#34; fluid may be used to mean sanitizing/cleansing, in connection with beverage systems. 
     Several methods for sanitizing beverage delivery systems exist. The most primitive method is to connect the end of the hose that is normally connected to the beverage source to a carbon dioxide source and to merely pump the carbon dioxide through, blowing out as much foreign matter as possible. This method does not, however, sanitize the system with any sanitizer. 
     Another method is to connect each individual hose to a series of tanks of fluid and to force pressurized air, water (may be a cleanser), sanitizing fluid, water and again pressurized air through the system to sanitize the hoses and the dispensing head. With a many beverage system, such as a soft drink fountain in a fast food establishment, or in a bar, this process is time consuming and cumbersome. In practice, proprietors often do not sanitize the system as often as necessary. Thus, the syrup or beverage flavor amounts must be adjusted to accomodate for the decrease in flow resultant from contamination and blockage. Commonly, the system departs from the proper flavor balance. Even worse, the system may become unhealthful due to the presence of microorganisms. 
     Rather than the aforementioned process in which one drink hose at a time is connected to each of the various fluids necessary for sanitizing, it is known to connect all of the beverage lines at once to a manifold that permits fluid communication among the drink lines and a common input port. To clean the system, each drink line is attached to an output port of the manifold. Initially, carbon dioxide will be connected to the input port. Thus, carbon dioxide will pass through the input port and into the main chamber of the manifold and then out through each of the drink lines to the fountain head. By opening each dispensing valve at the fountain head, the carbon dioxide drives out the remaining beverage in the line, thereby avoiding waste of the drink. After all of the beverage has been consumed or emptied, the various fluids are connected sequentially to the input port. Each of the fluids, such as water and sanitizing fluid, are contained in pressurizable containers and are driven through the manifold and hose system by carbon dioxide or some other pressurized gas. Usually, a water source is connected first to the manifold input. Sequentially, after the water source, a sanitizing fluid source may be connected, then again the water source, to remove any traces of the sanitizing fluid, and finally a carbon dioxide, or pressurized air source to dry out the hoses. After sanitizing in this manner, the individual drink hoses are reconnected to the drink containers and dispensing of drink may continue. 
     A method for utilizing a manifold system of this type has been described in Canadian Pat. No. 983,661. U.S. Pat. No. 3,945,536, also describes in general the need for frequent sanitizing of drink dispensing systems and a method for accomplishing this sanitizing involving a specialized nested container housing both water and sanitizing fluid. 
     It should be noted that in all of the methods described above, the water and the sanitizing fluid are driven into the manifold, and out through the syrup lines to the dispensing head, by some type of pressure source. Thus, the water source must either be pressurized of its own, or the water must be in a container capable of being pressurized by carbon dioxide or another gas. Similarly, the sanitizing fluid and the beverages must also be kept in pressurizable containers. Pressurizable containers, such as beer kegs, are heavy and typically must be returned to a distributor for return deposit. 
     When the beverage is supplied in pressurized cans, as described above, a certain amount of waste necessarily occurs. This is because it is not possible to pump out all of the drink flavor in the cans with the pressure source. Thus, several ounces of drink flavor per can are wasted. When applied to the high volume of many restaurants and fast food establishments, several ounces wasted per can translates to thousands of dollars very quickly. 
     In order to overcome the waste and inconvenience of pressurized cans, the drink or flavor is also supplied in a different type of container. With this second type of beverage supply system, the beverage is supplied in collapsible plastic or mylar bags, having only one port. A cardboard box surrounds the bag, to support the bag. The port of the bag is connected to one end of a hose, the other end of which is connected to the fountain head. In order to draw the liquid from the bag to the fountain head, a pump is provided in-line in the hose. The pump draws the beverage from the bag and then pumps it on to the dispensing head. The bag collapses so that virtually no air is entrained in the bag. The pump is a relatively low capacity pump. It is capable of drawing fluid from two separate beverage bags. However, the fluid bags must contain the same type of drink, since the drink passes through the pump. Therefore, in general, each flavored drink requires a separate line and pump. 
     Because the bag has only one port, the fluid must be drawn from the bag by the pump, rather then being forced from the bag by a pressurized source. Because the bag has only one port and this port must empty the entire bag, the drink bag must be provided with special fittings and valves. The fitting attached to the bag includes a tube that extends to the bottom of the bag. This tube enables emptying all of the drink flavor from the bag. This system will be referred to as the &#34;bag and box&#34; type system. 
     It is also desirable to use up the remaining beverage in the lines, which may be substantial depending upon the length of the lines, without drawing any other type of fluid through the lines. To do this, in the case of the bag and box type of dispensing system, it is necessary to open the end of the line behind the beverage to atmospheric pressure, to permit the pump to draw the beverage from the line and to the dispensing head. 
     As has been explained above, the method of sanitizing according to the prior art utilizing the manifold requires that the normal beverage delivery system hoses connected to the beverage source be attachable to the manifold. Thus, to sanitize a bag and box type system, a manifold must be fitted with special fittings and valves capable of mating with those provided on the hoses of the bag and box type system. Further, according to the above described prior art, the various fluids (drink, water, sanitizing fluid, carbon dioxide) are driven through the manifold by pressurized gas. Due to the interposition of the pump in the line, however, it would be inefficient to drive the fluid through the bag-system lines using pressurized gas since the pump is available and capable of doing work. The fluid may be drawn from a reservoir into the manifold, out through the special fitting, through the line, through the pump and up to the fountain head. 
     A system has been devised to be used with collapsible mylar or plastic beverage container bags and is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,476 to Pocock et al, entitled &#34;System for Sanitizing Beverage Dispensing Systems.&#34; The system of the present invention, however, is more efficient and works much more quickly to sanitize the system. 
     Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system that will facilitate the cleaning of beverage dispensing systems designed to be used with systems including collapsible mylar or plastic beverage containing bags. 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide a compact manifold device that will accomplish all of the necessary tasks of sanitizing a system, including the initial consumption of remaining beverage, sanitizing with sanitizing fluid, flushing with water, and drying with compressed gas. 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide a system that permits using disposable containers containing premeasured volumes of sanitizing fluid and thereby eliminating waste. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a venting system for sanitizing beverage dispensing systems using a bag and box type beverage container comprising a manifold and vented sanitizing fluid containers. 
     According to the present invention, a manifold is provided having special fittings designed to accept the fittings required for the collapsible bag type drink containers. The manifold is configured to permit attachment of a plurality of drink lines, all of which may communicate through a main manifold chamber with a common input port. It is also a feature of the present invention to provide the sanitizing fluid in suitably sized disposable containers similar to the collapsible bag and box drink containers. The sanitizing fluid containers are vented to permit the sanitizing fluid to flow easily throughout the system to be sanitized. The sanitizing fluid containers may be premeasured, depending upon the total length of hoses to be sanitized and the number of dispensing heads. Premeasurement eliminates waste of sanitizing fluid and minimizes the time required to sanitize the system. Further, bag and box sanitizing fluid containers are disposable, thereby enhancing the convenience of the system. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1a shows a drink delivery system in schematic, including the fountain head, a series of bag and box type drink containers, pumps and associated hoses. 
     FIG. 1b shows a sanitizing manifold attached to a fluid container and a water source. 
     FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a manifold of the present invention designed to be used with the bag and box type drink dispensing system. 
     FIG. 3 shows a view in partial cross-section along the section line III--III of FIG. 2. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The present invention may be best understood with reference to the following discussion and the above-identified drawings. FIGS. 1a and 1b show the bag and box type drink delivery system schematically, along with a schematic representation of a manifold according to the present invention. The drink fountain 1 includes a plurality of dispensing heads 3. Each dispensing head is attached to a pump hose 5 that communicates with a bag hose 7 through a pump 9. The bag hoses 7 are connected to collapsible mylar or plastic bags 11 through bag hose couplings 13. Cardboard boxes 15 surround and support collapsible bags 11. The pumps 9 are driven by a compressed air source shown schematically at 17. A manifold 19 is shown schematically alongside the boxes. In practice, the manifold would be attached to a wall or other vertical surface. The manifold is shown schematically connected to a container of fluid 21, which fluid might be sanitizing fluid or water. The fluid is contained in a collapsible bag 16 housed in a cardboard box 18, substantially identical in construction to bags 11 and boxes 15. Venting means 14 are provided in the lid of the container of fluid 21 to admit atmospheric pressure. The purpose of the venting means will be evident from the discussion of the operation of the system below. The venting means may be as simple as an orifice 141 which, when uncovered, will permit air to enter. This orifice may be opened or shut by operation of a stop cock 142. A hose 33 is connected to bag 16 through manifold input fitting 20. A water source 22 is shown schematically, connecting to manifold 19 through hose 77. 
     FIG. 2 shows one embodiment of the manifold of the present invention with the outer housing shown only in phantom. This embodiment of the manifold consists of four substantially cylindrical intersecting chambers 23, 25, 27 and 29 all of which communicate with each other. In the embodiment shown, four manifold fittings 31 also communicate with the common chamber and the outside atmosphere. A hose 33 connects through a fitting 35 to the main chamber of the manifold. This hose may be connected to a sanitizing fluid source, or to a water source, as shown schematically in FIG. 1b, or to a pressurized gas source. 
     The cooperation between the manifold and its associated manifold fittings 31, and the bag and box beverage delivery system may best be seen with reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 shows a section of the manifold shown in FIG. 2, along the lines III--III as shown in FIG. 2. Additionally shown in FIG. 3, is a pair of bag hose couplings 13, one shown in cross-section and one shown in perspective. The bag hose couplings are connected to the ends of bag hoses 7. The bag hoses are connected, through the pumps, to pump hoses 5 and dispensing heads 3. Bag hose 7 is attached to hose end fitting 43 by the cooperation of external threads on the fitting 43 and a nut 45 which is free to spin at the end of hose 7. Hose end fitting 43 has a hose end and a mating end. 
     Hose end fitting 43 comprises substantially a hollow cylinder. A plunger 47 having a disk shaped end section 49, and a vaned body portion 51 having a plurality of radially projecting vanes 53, is translatable axially within said hose end fitting 43. A spring 55, captured between a stepped portion of the vaned insert 51 and the hose end face of hose end fitting 43, urges the vaned insert 51 toward the mating end of hose end fitting 43, thereby pressing disk portion 49 into orifice 57 in the mating end of hose end fitting 43. A nut 59 is free to spin around fitting 43, but does not translate along the axis of fitting 43. 
     The above-described hose end fitting connects to any one of the manifold fittings 31. The manifold fitting 31 is provided with external threads 61 at one end designed to engage the internal threads of nut 59. Manifold fitting 31 is threaded at its other end into a receptacle 63 in the manifold. The manifold fitting has a web portion 65 that is pierced by holes 67 for fluid passage. At the center of web 65 is a projection 69. When hose end fitting 43 is placed onto manifold fitting 31 and nut 59 is turned, engaging threads 61, the projection 69 is drawn toward the orifice 57 and the disk shape portion 49 of the vaned insert 53. As the nut tightens the connection, the vaned insert is forced away from the orifice 57, permitting passage of fluid therethrough. The fluid passes through the holes 67 and through orifice 57 and then along the length of the vaned insert into the bag hose 7. 
     Returning to FIG. 2, input hose 33 is attached to the main communicating manifold chamber 25 and is terminated by an input fitting 20 identical in its mating structure to the hose end fitting 43, described and illustrated in FIG. 3, although this fitting is not shown. 
     The manifold is also provided with a secondary chamber 71, which does not communicate with the chambers 23, 25, 27 and 29 described above. This chamber is provided with an input hose fitting assembly 73 and an output fitting 75, which is identical in its mating structure to the manifold fitting 31 described above. The purpose of the secondary chamber will be evident from the discussion of the operation of the system below. 
     The system functions as follows. The pumps 9 draw the beverage from the bags 11. As the system is completely closed at this point, the beverage bags collapse and no air is entrained. As the bag collapses, its configuration facilitates the flow of the remaining beverage to a point to be drawn by the pump until the last bit of beverage is drawn from the bags 11. The bag hose couplings 13 are disconnected from the bags 11 and connected to manifold fittings 31 on the manifold. Input hose 33 is not connected to any external fluid source at this time. The pumps are able to continue to draw the beverage from the bag hoses 7 and to pump the beverage through the pump hoses 5, if the fountain heads 3 are open. Thus, virtually every last drop of beverage can be used. 
     As can be seen from FIG. 3, when the fittings 13 are engaged with manifold fittings 31, projection 69 has depressed the vaned shaped insert 51 so that fluid may pass therethrough. Next, the input fitting 20 at the end of hose 33 is connected to secondary chamber output fittings 75 and chamber 71. Hose 77 is permanently connected between the secondary chamber and a source of water. Again, the dispensing heads 3 are opened and the pumps 9 are energized. The pumps draw water through hose 77, chamber 71, fitting 75, hose 33 and then into the main chamber of the manifold. Thus, water fills the entire multi-chamber system, and then passes through each of the bag hoses 7 to clean the bag hoses 7 and pump hoses 5. 
     After the entire system has been flushed with water, a sanitizing fluid is sent through. The input fitting 20 at the end of hose 33 is detached from secondary chamber output fittings 75 and chamber 71. The hose 33 is then attached through fitting 20 to a sanitizing container 16 and sanitizing fluid is drawn through the system as the water was drawn through. The sanitizing fluid may be dispensed from a bag 16 and box 18 system identical to the beverage container system. This arrangement is convenient because the sanitizing fluid can be premixed to an appropriate amount for the desired size of the system. Further, a container containing the sanitizing fluid may be a disposable cardboard box, rather than a heavy pressurizable container. 
     The sanitizing fluid must be dispensed from a container which has venting means to admit atmospheric pressure. For example, a stop cock 142 may open and shut an orifice 141 in the lid of the container 16 as shown in FIG. lb. The venting means are opened as the sanitizing fluid is drawn from the container. Air displaces the fluid in the container as the fluid is drawn out and prevents the bag from collapsing due to the vacuum pressure created by the pumps. It is necessary to open the end of the line behind the sanitizing fluid to atmospheric pressure to permit the pump to continue to draw the fluid from the container and the line and to the dispensing head and to prevent the container from collapsing. 
     The manifold block 19 may be made of plastic or metal. It has been found that plastic provides the best results, being lightweight and easily machinable. A polycarbonate plastic is also sterilizable at high temperature. It is a material approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for food and beverage handling. 
     The foregoing description should be taken as illustrative, and should not be considered to be limiting in any sense. Modifications and adaptations within the spirit of the invention will be evident to one skilled in the art.