Abstract:
A cleaning system for cleaning a cavity of food or beverage preparation device. The cavity is connected with a pipe system. The pipe system supplies a fluid through the pipe system to the cavity. When the fluid flow stops, any remainder of the fluid in the pipe system is removed by passing a gas (for example, air) through the pipe system or by a valve disposed at a high location of the pipe system.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to PCT International Application No. PCT/IB2012/002717 filed on Dec. 14, 2012 and Provisional Application No. 61/619,167 filed on Apr. 2, 2012. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0002]    This disclosure relates to a cleaning system and method for food or beverage preparation equipment. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0003]    Already known are cleaning systems for a food or beverage preparation cavity in which food or a beverage is prepared. Thus, in cooking ovens such as, convection and combi ovens, a cleaning detergent is sprayed into an oven cavity via a pump and pipe system. As shown in  FIG. 1 , a known cooking oven  20  comprises an enclosure  22  that defines an oven cavity  24 . A cleaning system  26  includes a detergent reservoir  28  and a rinse reservoir  30  connected in a pipe system  32  via a detergent pump  34  and a neutralizer pump  36 . Pipe system  32  is connected to a nozzle  38  and a rotor  40  in an upper part of oven cavity  24 . With neutralizer pump  36  off, detergent pump  34  is turned on to supply detergent to oven cavity  24  via nozzle  38  and rotor  40 . After a spray-in-phase, the detergent reacts with the soil and is then flushed with water via a separate pipe  42  and a water valve  44  via nozzles  46  and  48 . In one of the last steps, with detergent pump  34  off, neutralizer pump  36  is turned on to supply neutralizer fluid so as to flush pipe system  32  with food safe rinse fluid (or also called neutralizer fluid) in order to get all detergent out of pipe system  32 . This step is important, because if the detergent is not flushed, this fluid might drop out of pipe system  32  in the following cooking steps. All of the fluids and water exit the oven cavity  24  by a bottom drain hole  50  to a drain reservoir  52  and drain pipe  54 . 
         [0004]    A disadvantage of the cleaning system of the known cooking oven is that the pipe system, even after the rinse step, may still be filled because the pipe system is closed and does not allow the fluid to escape immediately. After a later cooking step this remaining fluid will thermally expand, thereby resulting in dripping. 
       SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0005]    A cooking oven of the present disclosure comprises an enclosure that defines an oven cavity and a pipe system that supplies a first fluid and a second fluid to the oven cavity. A first reservoir and a second reservoir hold the first fluid and the second fluid, respectively. A first pump and a second pump are disposed in the pipe system to pump the first fluid and the second fluid to the oven cavity from the first and second reservoirs, respectively. A multiple position valve is disposed in the pipe system and has a first position to selectively connect the first and second pumps to the first and second reservoirs to pump the first fluid and the second fluid through the pipe system to the oven cavity. The multiple position valve has a second position in which a gas is pumped through the pipe system to remove any residual first fluid or second fluid from the pipe system. 
         [0006]    In one embodiment of a cleaning system of the present disclosure, the cleaning system cleans a cavity in which food or beverage is prepared. The cleaning system comprises a pipe system that introduces a fluid into the cavity during a time interval and a device that is connected to the pipe system and that removes from the pipe system any remainder of the fluid remaining after the time interval. 
         [0007]    In another embodiment of the cleaning system of the present disclosure, the device removes the remainder by introduction of a gas flow in the pipe system or by a valve positioned at a high location of the pipe system. 
         [0008]    In another embodiment of the cleaning system of the present disclosure, the pipe system comprises a slanted section slanted downwardly toward or away from the cavity. 
         [0009]    In another embodiment of the cleaning system of the present disclosure, the fluid comprises a first fluid and a second fluid. The first fluid and the second fluid are introduced into the pipe system during first and second time intervals, respectively. The device introduces the gas flow in the pipe system after the first time interval and/or after the second time interval. 
         [0010]    In another embodiment of the cleaning system of the present disclosure, a first pump and a second pump are disposed in the pipe system to introduce the first and second fluids to the cavity, and a third pump is disposed to introduce the gas flow in the pipe system. 
         [0011]    In another embodiment of the cleaning system of the present disclosure, one or more of the second and third pumps is reversible to effect the removal. 
         [0012]    In another embodiment of the cleaning system of the present disclosure, the gas flow is supplied by a compressed gas system. 
         [0013]    In another embodiment of the cleaning system of the present disclosure, the valve is selected from the group consisting of: mechanical, electrical and check. 
         [0014]    In another embodiment of the cleaning system of the present disclosure, the cavity is an oven cavity of an oven for cooking food. 
         [0015]    In another embodiment of the cleaning system of the present disclosure, the fluid is selected from the group consisting of: detergent, neutralizer, protection, flavor, liquid smoking, and delime. 
         [0016]    In an embodiment of a method of the present disclosure, an oven cavity of a cooking oven is cleaned by: 
         [0017]    introducing a first fluid into the oven cavity via a pipe system; 
         [0018]    introducing into the pipe system a second fluid to rinse the cleaning fluid from the pipe system; and 
         [0019]    removing a remainder of the first and/or second fluids from the pipe system. 
         [0020]    In another embodiment of the method of the present disclosure, the remainder is removed by introduction of a gas flow in into the pipe system or by a valve positioned at a high location of the pipe system. 
         [0021]    In another embodiment of the method of the present disclosure, the pipe system comprises a slanted section slanted downwardly toward or away from the cavity. 
         [0022]    In another embodiment of the method of the present disclosure, the gas flow is introduced into the pipe system following the step of introducing the first fluid and/or after the step of introducing the second fluid. 
         [0023]    In another embodiment of the method of the present disclosure, a first pump and a second pump are disposed in the pipe system to introduce the first and second fluids to the oven cavity, and a third pump is disposed to introduce the gas flow into the pipe system. 
         [0024]    In another embodiment of the method of the present disclosure, one or more of the second and third pumps is reversible to effect the removal. 
         [0025]    In another embodiment of the method of the present disclosure, the gas flow is supplied by a compressed gas system. 
         [0026]    In another embodiment of the method of the present disclosure, the valve is selected from the group consisting of: mechanical, electrical and check. 
         [0027]    In another embodiment of the method of the present disclosure, the first and second fluids are selected from the group consisting of: detergent, neutralizer, protection, flavor, liquid smoking, and delime. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0028]    Other and further objects, advantages and features of the present disclosure will be understood by reference to the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters denote like elements of structure and: 
           [0029]      FIG. 1  is a diagram of a known cooking oven with a cleaning and rinsing system; 
           [0030]      FIG. 2  is a diagram of a cooking oven with a cleaning and rinsing system according to the present disclosure; 
           [0031]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of a controller that controls the cooking oven of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0032]      FIG. 4  is a diagram of another embodiment of the cooking oven according to the present disclosure; 
           [0033]      FIG. 5  is a diagram of a further embodiment of the cooking oven according to the present disclosure; 
           [0034]      FIG. 6  is a diagram of a further embodiment of the cooking oven according to the present disclosure; 
           [0035]      FIG. 7  is a diagram of a further embodiment of the cooking oven according to the present disclosure; 
           [0036]      FIG. 8  is a diagram of a further embodiment of the cooking oven according to the present disclosure; 
           [0037]      FIG. 9  is a diagram of a further embodiment of the cooking oven according to the present disclosure; and 
           [0038]      FIG. 10  is a diagram of a further embodiment of the cooking oven according to the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0039]    It is contemplated that the cleaning system and method of the present disclosure is useful to clean a cavity in which food or a beverage is prepared. However, by way of example, the cleaning system and method will be described herein in the context of a cooking oven. 
         [0040]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , a cooking oven  60  according to the present disclosure includes many of the components of the known cooking oven  20  that are identified by the same names and/or reference numerals. Cooking oven  60  comprises a 3/2-way valve  62  that is connected to rinse reservoir  30 , an air source  64  and pipe system  32 . A pressure sensor  68  is connected to pipe system  32 . The 3/2-way valve  62  is operated as follows. First, 3/2-way valve  62  is set to a “liquid”-position. In this position, pumps  34  and/or  36  can feed detergent during a first time interval in a first step and rinse fluid during a second time interval in a second step. In a third step, 3/2-way valve  62  is switched to an “air”-position. In this position pumps  34  and/or  36  are each operated to pump a gas flow (for example, air) to provide through all of pipe system  32  and all remaining fluid is removed, purged or pushed out of pipe system  32  via nozzle  38  and rotor  40  toward and into oven cavity  24 . A slanted section  66  of pipe system  32  from nozzle  38  and rotor  40  is slanted downwardly away from oven cavity  24  so that any remaining neutralizer fluid flows toward pumps  34  and  36 . 
         [0041]    Also, in an alternate embodiment, 3/2-way valve  62  can be operated in-between the cleaning and rinsing steps to remove, purge or push out the detergent before rinse pump  36  is activated so the whole volume which is already in pipe system  32  can be used in the active phase. So the overall chemical consumption can be reduced, thereby resulting in positive environmental impact and reduction of life cycle cost. 
         [0042]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , cooking oven  60  further comprises a controller  70  that includes a processor  72  that is interconnected with a graphical user interface  74  and an Input/Output (I/O) interface and relay board  76 . I/O interface and relay board  76  has electrical connections with detergent pump  34 , rinse pump  36 , pressure switch  68 , water valve  44 , 3/2-way valve  62 , a temperature sensor  78 , a heating element  80  and other components (not shown) of cooking oven  60 . Processor  72  executes a program stored in a memory (not shown) to control detergent pump  34  and rinse pump  36 , water valve  44 , and 3/2-way valve  62  in the manner described above. 
         [0043]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , an alternate embodiment of the disclosure comprises a cooking oven  90  having components that correspond to components of cooking oven  60 . Cooking oven  90  comprises enclosure  22 , oven cavity  24 , cleaning system  26  and controller  70  (shown in  FIG. 3 ). Cleaning system  26  comprises pipe system  32 , which comprises a slanted pipe section  92  that is sloped downwardly toward oven cavity  24  where it is connected to nozzle  38  and to a nozzle  94 . In some embodiments, rotor  40  ( FIG. 2 ) can be used in place of nozzle  94 . 
         [0044]    Controller  70  operates cleaning system  26  as follows. In a first step, detergent pump  34  is activated to pump detergent from detergent reservoir  28  through pipe system  32  and nozzles  38  and  94  to oven cavity  24 . In a second step, detergent pump is turned off. The 3/2-way valve  62  is operated to connect air source  64  to remove or purge detergent from pipe system  32  to oven cavity  24 . After detergent pump  34  is turned off, any residual detergent left in pipe section  92  flows by gravity through nozzles  38  and  94  into oven cavity  24 . 
         [0045]    In a third step, 3/2-way valve  62  is operated to connect to rinse pump  36 . Rinse pump  36  is then activated to pump rinse fluid from rinse reservoir  30  through pipe system  32  and nozzles  38  and  94  to oven cavity  24 . In a fourth step, the 3/2-way valve  62  is operated to disconnect from rinse reservoir and connect to air source  64  to provide a gas flow toward oven cavity  24  and to remove or purge rinse fluid from pipe system  32  to oven cavity  24 . After rinse pump  34  is turned off, any residual rinse fluid left in pipe section  92  flows by gravity through nozzles  38  and  94  into oven cavity  24 . 
         [0046]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , an alternate embodiment of the disclosure comprises a cooking oven  100  having components that correspond to components of cooking oven  60 . Cooking oven  100  comprises enclosure  22 , oven cavity  24 , cleaning system  26  and controller  70  (shown in  FIG. 3 ). Cleaning system  26  differs from cooking oven  60  by eliminating the 3/2-way valve. Instead, rinse reservoir  30  is connected directly to rinse pump  36  and a separate pump  102  connects air source  64  directly to pipe system  32 . In operation, controller  70  operates detergent pump  34  and rinse pump  36  to supply detergent and rinse fluid via pipe system  32  to oven cavity  24  as described above. At the end of a detergent step and at the end of a rinse step, controller  70  operates pump  102  to provide the gas flow air through pipe system  32  toward oven cavity  24  to remove or purge any residual detergent or rinse fluid from pipe system  32  into oven cavity  24 . 
         [0047]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , an alternate embodiment of the disclosure comprises a cooking oven  110  having components that correspond to components of cooking oven  60 . Cooking oven  110  comprises enclosure  22 , oven cavity  24 , cleaning system  26  and controller  70  (shown in  FIG. 3 ). Cleaning system  26  differs from cooking oven  60  by eliminating the 3/2-way valve. Instead, rinse reservoir  30  is connected directly to rinse pump  36  and a separate suction pump  112  connects  64  directly to pipe system  32 . 
         [0048]    In operation, controller  70  operates detergent pump  34  and rinse pump  36  to supply detergent and rinse fluid via pipe system  32  to oven cavity  24  as described above. At the end of a detergent step and at the end of a rinse step, controller  70  operates pump  112  to provide a gas flow away from oven cavity  24  and to remove by suction or pulling any residual detergent or rinse fluid from pipe system  32  to rinse reservoir  30  or to a drain  114 . Optionally, the removed detergent or rinse fluid could be conveyed by a conduit (not shown) to drain  52 . 
         [0049]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , an alternate embodiment of the disclosure comprises a cooking oven  120  having components that correspond to components of cooking oven  60 . Cooking oven  120  comprises enclosure  22 , oven cavity  24 , cleaning system  26  and controller  70  (shown in  FIG. 3 ). Cleaning system  26  differs from cooking oven  60  by eliminating the 3/2-way valve and by replacing one way detergent pump  34  and one way rinse pump  36  with a reversible detergent pump  122  and a reversible rinse pump  124 , respectively. In operation, controller  70  operates reversible detergent pump  122  and reversible rinse pump  124  to supply detergent and rinse fluid via pipe system  32  to oven cavity  24  as described above. At the end of a detergent step and at the end of a rinse step, controller  70  operates reversible detergent pump  122  and reversible rinse pump  124  to remove or purge by suction any residual detergent or rinse fluid from pipe system  32  to detergent reservoir  28  and to rinse reservoir  30 , respectively. 
         [0050]    Referring to  FIG. 8 , an alternate embodiment of the disclosure comprises a cooking oven  130  having components that correspond to components of cooking oven  60 . Cooking oven  110  comprises enclosure  22 , oven cavity  24 , cleaning system  26  and controller  70  (shown in  FIG. 3 ). Cleaning system  26  differs from cooking oven  60  by eliminating the 3/2-way valve. Instead, rinse reservoir  30  is connected directly to rinse pump  36 . A valve  132  connects pipe system  32  to a compressed air device  134 . In operation, controller  70  operates detergent pump  34  and rinse pump  36  to supply detergent and rinse fluid via pipe system  32  to oven cavity  24  as described above. At the end of a detergent step and at the end of a rinse step, controller  70  operates valve  132  to connect pipe system  32  to provide a gas flow in pipe system  32  away from oven cavity  24  to compressed air device  134 . Compressed air device  134  is operable to remove or purge by suction any residual detergent or rinse fluid from pipe system  32  to a drain (not shown). Compressed air device, for example, may be an air compressor located in a building in which oven  130  is situated. 
         [0051]    Referring to  FIG. 9 , an alternate embodiment of the disclosure comprises a cooking oven  140  having components that correspond to components of cooking oven  60 . Cooking oven  140  comprises enclosure  22 , oven cavity  24 , cleaning system  26  and controller  70  (shown in  FIG. 3 ). Cleaning system  26  differs from cooking oven  60  by eliminating the 3/2-way valve. Instead, rinse reservoir  30  is connected directly to rinse pump  36 . A valve  142  is connected to pipe system  32 . In operation, controller  70  operates valve  142  to a closed position and detergent pump  34  and rinse pump  36  to supply detergent and rinse fluid via pipe system  32  to oven cavity  24  as described above. At the end of a detergent step and at the end of a rinse step, controller  70  operates valve  142  to an open position, which opens the upper section of pipe section  92 . This allows liquid to drain from pipe section  92  via gravity. If valve  142  is closed, liquid cannot drain from pipe section  92 . When valve  142  is opened, there is zero pressure at the high point of pipe section  92  that assists in purging pipe section  92  of any residual detergent or rinse fluid from pipe section  92  to oven cavity  24   
         [0052]    Referring to  FIG. 10 , an alternate embodiment of the disclosure comprises a cooking oven  150  having components that correspond to components of cooking oven  60  and cooking oven  140 . Cooking oven  150  comprises enclosure  22 , oven cavity  24 , cleaning system  26  and controller  70  (shown in  FIG. 3 ). Cleaning system  26  differs from cooking oven  140  by replacing valve  142  with a check valve  152 . In operation, controller  70  operates detergent pump  34  and rinse pump  36  to supply detergent and rinse fluid via pipe system  32  to oven cavity  24  as described above. During the detergent and rinse steps, check valve  152  is closed due to pressure of liquid flow in pipe section  92 . At the end of a detergent step and at the end of a rinse step, check valve  152  opens by gravity or spring force. This opens pipe section  92  so that any residual detergent or rinse fluid is removed, purged or drained via gravity from pipe section  92  to oven cavity  24 . 
         [0053]    The present disclosure having been thus described with particular reference to the preferred forms thereof, it will be obvious that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined in the appended claims.