Jimmy I. Frank , Thomas L. Guy, Raymond A. Glatt, Richard E. Frankenberg, Kristan L. Dawson, Carl R. Martin and Craig Cloud of received U.S. Patent 8,079,230 for “Food Dispensing Machine.”

Texas Business Patent Of The Day: Seven Texans devised a better way for machines to give you cool refreshments.

Jimmy I. Frank of Houston, Thomas L. Guy,  Raymond A. Glatt and Richard E. Frankenberg, all of San Antonio,  Kristan L. Dawson of Brookside, Carl R. Martin of Burton and Craig Cloud of New Braunfels received U.S. Patent 8,079,230 for “Food Dispensing Machine.”

 The seven filed for the patent on August 28, 2006.

The patent assignee is FBD Partnership LP of San Antonio.

The invention is in the field of machines that dispense food products such as frozen beverage and dessert machines. 

Dispensing machines that provide a food product such as a beverage or dessert from a product chamber via a dispensing valve are well known, according to the patent documents. For example, frozen beverage machines produce a frozen beverage by freezing a mixture of ingredients such as syrup, water and carbon dioxide in a mixing, or freezing, chamber.

The freezing chamber is typically surrounded by a coil that contains refrigerant to cause freezing of the mixture inside to a desired level of consistency. The mixture is removed from the inner surface and mixed by a rotating shaft driving a scraping/mixing member attached to the shaft. The frozen mixture consistency is controlled by any of a number of methods that turns on the refrigeration to freeze and turns off the refrigeration when the mixture reaches the desired consistency. The product is then dispensed through a dispensing valve. 

The typical scraper/mixer used in known frozen beverage machines is rotated by a motor. Such rotating scraper/mixers are at times subject to "freeze-up." This is a condition where the semi-frozen products attach themselves to the scraper-mixer and can continue to build until a solid cylinder is formed.

This prevents mixing of the product in the freezing chamber. Since a frozen cylinder is formed, this can also reduce the dispensing capacity of the drink dispenser. Another problem created by the "freeze-up" is failure of the motor that drives the rotary mixer scraper. With rotating scraper/mixers, it is also observed that the "water-ice" freezes out first, thus attaching itself to the mixer/scraper. The remaining solution, since it is not as diluted with water, has an increased composition of solids and is thus not an acceptable product to be served to the customers. 

In addition, food dispensing machines, such as frozen beverage dispensing machines, typically must be cleaned and sanitized by manual disassembly and cleaning on a frequent basis. In order to sanitize a machine, the machine must first be clean of any debris that might harbor bacteria and might prevent a sanitizing agent from destroying the bacteria. Current manual cleaning methods used on what is known as an "open hopper" machine, and some sealed machines require the disassembly of all components that contact the dispensed product so as to thoroughly clean and sanitize the freezing chamber and delivery circuits of the open hopper machine. Open hopper machines typically use a premixed solution or can use a concentrated solution that must be either refrigerated or packaged in a manner that kills all bacteria prior to opening. Once open, some of these premixed solutions or concentrated solutions are subject to bacterial growths in a rapid time frame if not immediately refrigerated. Further, the unrefrigerated areas of the machine may be susceptible to bacteria growth when these types of solutions are used. 

The manual method of cleaning and sanitizing relies upon the consistency of the persons cleaning and the rigorous compliance to the manual cleaning and sanitizing procedures. This is typically a problem and occurs with inconsistent results. Once cleaned, this can cause retention of bacteria. In addition, this cleaning must occur on a frequent basis as often as daily. Some machines include partially automated cleaning methods, though the automated cleaning capabilities may include significant limitations. For example, known machines having automatic cleaning capabilities might not address cleaning of the entire delivery circuit, dispensing valve and freezing chamber to a degree necessary to prevent bacteria formation and growth. 

The seven Texans address these problems with their patent. Aspects of the present disclosure include a food dispensing machine having a product chamber with a dispensing valve connected to the product chamber and having an outlet through which a product contained in the product chamber is dispensed. The product chamber has a cleaning solution inlet connectable to a cleaning solution supply source for receiving cleaning solution into the product chamber. The product chamber further includes an ingredient inlet alternatively connectable to either an ingredient supply source or the dispensing valve outlet. When the ingredient inlet is connected to the dispensing valve outlet, a re-circulating flow path is created, allowing for complete cleaning and sanitizing of the product flow path. In exemplary implementations, the machine produces and dispenses a frozen product. Thus, the product chamber may comprise a freezing chamber having a refrigeration system operatively associated therewith for refrigerating the freezing chamber. 

To facilitate the connection of the ingredient inlet to the valve, an adapter has a first end that is connectable to the valve outlet and a second end that is connectable to the ingredient inlet. The adapter may activate a switch device when the adapter is connected to the valve outlet. This prevents initiating cleaning of the machine unless the adapter is connected to the valve. The exemplary adapter further includes a device allowing flow through the adapter in response to being connected to the ingredient inlet. 

A mixing device is typically situated inside the product chamber. The mixing device is driven by a motor having a controller operatively connected to the motor. If necessary, the controller increases the motor speed when the machine is being cleaned. In some implementations, the controller also reverses the rotation direction of the mixing device in a predetermined manner. In still further embodiments, the mixing device may be operated in an axial reciprocating motion. The controller also controls operation of the refrigeration system. In certain embodiments, the refrigeration system is controlled in response to motor power, calculated by the controller using indications of the motor voltage and current. 

The dispensing valve, which may be automatically operated by the controller in some embodiments or manually operated in other embodiments, includes a valve body with a valve stem attached to the valve body such that the valve stem is in a fixed position relative to the valve body. A nozzle assembly receives the valve stem and defines the valve outlet, and the nozzle assembly is movable with respect to the valve stem to selectively open and close the valve. A cover plate may be affixed to the valve body so as to define an air gap between the cover plate and the valve body to prevent condensation from forming on the valve.