Patent ID: 8079230

Claim:
A food dispensing machine, comprising: a product chamber; a dispensing valve connected to the product chamber and having an outlet through which a product contained in the product chamber exits the valve; the product chamber having a cleaning solution inlet connectable to a cleaning solution supply source for receiving cleaning solution into the product chamber; and the product chamber having an ingredient inlet; an adapter having a first end and a second end, the first end being removably connectable to the valve outlet; an ingredient line having a first end connected to the ingredient inlet and a second end alternatively connectable to one of an ingredient supply and the second end of the adapter, such that the food dispensing machine includes a first configuration where the cleaning solution inlet is connected to the cleaning solution supply, the second end of the ingredient line is connected to the second end of the adapter, the first end of the adapter is connected to the outlet of the valve such that a re-circulating loop is formed from the valve outlet through the ingredient line and through the product chamber to circulate the cleaning solution therethrough; and a second configuration where the ingredient line second end is disconnected from the second end of the adapter, the first end of the adapter is disconnected from the valve outlet, and the second end of the ingredient line is connected to the ingredient supply such that ingredients are received into the product chamber and the product is selectably dispensed from the valve outlet; the adapter including a check valve configured to allow cleaning fluid flow from the valve outlet through the adapter only if the second end of the ingredient line is connected to the second end of the adapter.