System for Preparing and/or Heating a Food Product

Abstract

The present invention is related to a system for preparing and heating a food product within a cavity (8), said system comprising a self-cleaning device with a spraying device (10) for spraying a cleaning fluid into the cavity (8), in which a detergent holder (24) is placed. The detergent holder (24) is arranged on a framework or an accessing door (18) of the cavity (8), a multi-component cartridge (32) being received in the detergent holder (24), the detergent holder (24) being held in an inclined position at an angle (60) towards a center of the cavity (8), the multi-component cartridge (32) being sprayed on by spray jets (58) emerging from the spraying device (10) in a continuous or discontinuous manner.

Claims

1. System for preparing and heating a food product within a cavity, said system comprising a self-cleaning device with a spraying device for spraying a cleaning fluid into the cavity, and a detergent holder, wherein the detergent holder is arranged on a framework or an accessing door of the cavity, a multi-component cartridge being received in the detergent holder, the detergent holder being held in an inclined position at an angle towards a center of the cavity, the multi-component cartridge being sprayed on by spray jets emerging from the spraying device in a continuous or discontinuous manner.

2. System according to claim 1, wherein said detergent holder is removably mounted on said framework or accessing door of said cavity, said detergent holder being made of bent wire.

3. System according to claim 1, wherein said detergent holder made of a bent wire defines a circular space having an opening for receiving said multi-component cartridge.

4. System according to claims 1, wherein said detergent holder comprises a zigzag line shaped portion hinged in notches of said framework or accessing door of said cavity.

5. System according to claims 1, wherein said angle defining the inclined position of said multi-component cartridge towards the center of said cavity preferably is between 7° to 13°.

6. System according to claims 1, wherein said multi-component cartridge comprises a first chamber holding a first volume of a first cleaning composition and at least a second chamber holding a second volume of a second cleaning composition.

7. System according to claims 1, wherein each of said at least first and second chambers is secured by an initial seal, respectively.

8. System according to claims 1, wherein said upper seal sealing said first chamber is made substantially of polyethylene glycols (PEG) and/or alkyl polyglycosides (APG) and/or mixtures of glycose inducing a softening of said upper seal at between 47° C. and 50° C., and a melting of said upper seal at between 48° C. and 52° C. and/or a time of complete dissolution of said upper seal of less than 20 minutes.

9. System according to claims 1, wherein said lower seal sealing said second chamber is made of a hardened material being non-soluble at a temperature below 50° C.

10. System according to claim 9, wherein said lower seal comprises a mixture of linear unbranched fatty acids, fatty acid amines, fatty acid esters, long-chain primary and polyhydric alcohols or carboxylic acids.

11. System according to claim 9, wherein said lower seal for enhancement of thermal and mechanical stability comprises 1% to 3% cellulose fibers.

12. System according to claim 9, wherein said lower seal is made such that when sprayed on by a cleaning fluid directly or indirectly, having a temperature of about 60° C. +/−2° C., a melting process of said second seal is initiated.

13. System according to claims 1, wherein upon contact of said second cleaning composition with said spraying jets after melting of said lower seal an exothermic reaction is initiated resulting in an emptying of said second chamber.

14. System according to claims 1, wherein said multi-component cartridge comprises at least a first cleaning composition and a second cleaning composition, respectively, which are incompatible with respect to one another.

15. System according to claims 1, wherein said multi-component cartridge comprises tapered portions next to said first and second chamber, respectively, to allow for a gravimetric emptying thereof after said seals have been removed.

16. Method for cleaning a cavity of a system for preparing and/or heating a food product, wherein a) a multi-component cartridge is arranged in an inclined position in a detergent holder within a cavity, b) said multi-component cartridge comprising at least two chambers, each being sealed by separate seals, respectively, the materials of which melt at different temperatures, c) the upper seal of the first chamber melts when being sprayed on by spraying jets and at a temperature T1 between 45° C. and 49° C., thus releasing a first cleaning composition into the cavity, d) while said lower seal of said second chamber remains sealed, e) after step c) the cavity is rinsed, f)after heating the rinsing fluid contained in the cavity the rinsing fluid is heated to a temperature T2 of about 60° C., exceeding temperature T1, and said seconding cleaning composition is released into the cavity delayed in time with respect to said first cleaning composition according to method step c).

17. Method according to claim 16, wherein according to f) an exothermic reaction of said second cleaning composition after removal of said lower seal is initiated.

18. Method according to claim 16, wherein said second chamber of said multi-component cartridge is rinsed continuously by said spray jets.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] The present invention is further described by the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0039] FIG. 1 shows a system for preparing and heating a food product within a cavity and a spray device thereof,

[0040] FIG. 2 shows a detergent holder,

[0041] FIG. 3 shows the detergent holder being arranged on a framework or accessing door of a cavity,

[0042] FIG. 4 shows a multi-component cartridge arranged in the detergent holder according to FIG. 3 arranged in an inclined position on the framework,

[0043] FIG. 5 shows a side view of the detergent holder arranged on a framework or an accessing door of the cavity in an inclined position, the multi-component cartridge being directed towards the center of the cavity to be cleaned and

[0044] FIG. 6 shows the detergent holder holding a multi-component cartridge being sprayed on by the spray jets.

EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0045] According to FIG. 1, the cavity 8 of a system for preparing a food product is schematically illustrated. In one of the limiting walls of the cavity 8 a spraying device 10 is arranged. The spraying device 10 comprises for example a spraying bar 14 rotating in a rotational direction 12 around an axis. The spraying bar 14 comprises at least one spraying nozzle 16, from which spray jets 58 emerge as schematically illustrated in FIG. 4.

[0046] FIG. 2 shows a cartridge-receiving unit 20, i. e. a detergent holder 24. The cartridge-receiving unit 20 comprises a portion having a zigzag line 22, the detergent holder 24 being made of a metallic material, particularly a bent wire. Said bent wire of the detergent holder 24 comprises a circular space 28, which is accessible by means of an opening 26. Upon arrangement of the detergent holder 24 on a framework or an accessing door 18 limiting the cavity 8, a multi-component cartridge 32 may be inserted in a lateral direction into the opening 26 of the circular space 28 as shown in FIG. 3.

[0047] In FIG. 3 it is shown that the detergent holder 24 made of a bent wire is mounted in notches 30 arranged of the framework or accessing door 18 of the cavity 8 of the system for heating or preparing a food product according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3 the detergent holder 24 is hinged in the notches 30 by its upper end part. Thus, the detergent holder 24 can very easily be removed or mounted on the framework or accessing door 18. Once the zigzag line portion 22 of the detergent holder 24 is removably mounted, the later operating position of a multi-component cartridge 32 according to FIG. 4 is predetermined. The inclination angle 60, i. e. the operating angle of the mounted multi-component cartridge 32 is defined by way of the bent wire of the detergent holder 24. In case the cleaning device of the cavity 8 is not used, the detergent holder 24, i. e. the cartridge-receiving unit 20 can be easily removed from the cavity 8 so that normal food preparing processes can be performed. Once a cleaning operation with different cleaning cycles is necessary, the cartridge-receiving unit 20 can be easily mounted as shown in FIG. 3.

[0048] The perspective view according to FIG. 4 shows the multi-component cartridge 32 engaged in the cartridge-receiving unit 20, i. e. the detergent holder 24.

[0049] In FIG. 4 the multi-component cartridge 32 comprises a first chamber 38 at its lower end, said first chamber 38 defining a first volume 40 for a first cleaning composition 46. Further, the multi-component cartridge 32 comprises a second chamber 42 having a second volume 44 holding a second cleaning composition 48. The first cleaning composition 46 and the second cleaning composition 48 are incompatible with respect to one another. According to the present invention, a first chamber 38 is sealed by an upper seal 34, whereas the second chamber 42 is sealed by a lower seal 36. Thus, both cleaning compositions 46 and 48 are initially separated from one another.

[0050] Still further, both chambers 38, 42 each comprise a tapered portion, i. e. the first tapered portion 50 of the first chamber 38 and the second tapered portion 52 of the second chamber 42. At the bottom of the tapered portions 50, 52, respectively, the chambers 38, 42 are sealed by the seals 34, 36, respectively.

[0051] The first and second tapered portions 50, 52 each have a second diameter 56, which is smaller than a first diameter 54 of the chambers 38, 42, respectively.

[0052] As schematically disclosed in FIG. 4, the upper seal 34 of the multi-component cartridge 32 is sprayed on by spray jets 58.

[0053] An angle 60 defining the inclined position of the multi-component cartridge arranged in the detergent holder 24 is best shown in the side view according to FIG. 5.

[0054] According to the present invention the bent wire of the detergent holder 24 is made of thin metal material which allows for a favorable heat transfer of the cleaning fluid to the multi-component cartridge 32. This accelerates the reaching of a melting temperature T1, T2 of the seals 34, 36 sealing the first chamber 38 and the second chamber 42, respectively.

[0055] The lower seal 36 sealing the second chamber 42 of the multi-component cartridge 32 is made in such a way that the lower seal 36 during the first cleaning cycle with a temperature T1 of the cleaning fluid between 47° C. and 49° C. maintains its sealing position so that the second cleaning composition 48 of the second chamber 42 is protected against the entry of fluid during the first cleaning cycle so as to prevent a too early entry of the second cleaning composition 48 into the cavity 8.

[0056] As soon as the first cleaning cycle has ended, used cleaning fluid is drained from the cavity 8 and the cavity 8 is rinsed. After rinsing, the cavity 8 is closed again and filled for a second time with a defined volume of water. Subsequently, the fluid contained in the cavity 8 is heated from temperature T1 used in the first cleaning cycle up to a temperature T2, which is necessary for the second cleaning cycle amounting to about 60° C. +/−2° C. After the temperature T2 has been reached, the lower seal 36 begins to melt so that the second cleaning composition 48 of the second chamber 42 enters the cavity 8 and the fluid volume contained therein. Once the lower seal 36 has opened an exothermic reaction of the second cleaning composition 48 is initialized so that a complete emptying of the second chamber 42 can be realized. During the emptying of the second chamber 42 the interior of the second chamber 42 is continuously sprayed with water in order to remove substantially all of the residues of the second cleaning composition 48 of the multi-component cartridge 32. Due to the shape of the detergent holder 24 for receiving the multi-component cartridge 32 a positioning of the multi-component cartridge 32 is realized at an angle of 7° to 13° pointing toward the center of the cavity 8 to be cleaned. Thus it is accomplished that the cleaning compositions 46, 48, e. g. the first and second volumes 40, 44, respectively, contained in the chambers 38, 42, are released time-delayed so that both cleaning compositions 46, 48 are separated from each other and do not enter the cavity 8 at the same time. A further feature of the present invention is that the cleaning compositions 46, 48 stored in the chambers 38, 42 of the multi-component cartridge 32 are two incompatible mixtures with different cleaning properties during the cleaning cycle.

[0057] The first cleaning composition 46 stored within the first volume 40 of the first chamber 38 is used for pre-cleaning of about 60% to 99% of the dirt and has the primary object to remove fatty and oily pollutions by means of a biochemical process so that the cleaning fluid used during the first cleaning cycle, maintains a low viscosity, thus being sprayable. Thereby, despite a high amount of dirt, the fluid volume, preferably water, is relatively low, which in turn saves energy.

[0058] In the multi-component cartridge 32 both chambers 38 and 42 are provided with a first tapered portion 50 and a second tapered portion 52, respectively. This is advantageous, because the cleaning compositions 46, 48 stored within the chambers 38, 42, respectively, are released gravimetrically. Residues of the cleaning compositions 46, 48 are removed from the chambers 38, 42 by continuous rinsing of the interior by the spray jets 58. Thus, at the end of the cleaning cycles performed at temperatures T1 and T2, respectively, the multi-component cartridge 32 is fully emptied so that no special waste treating becomes necessary.

[0059] Furthermore, it deserves mentioning that the materials of which the upper seal 34 and the lower seal 36 are made, differ from one another. Whereas the upper seal 34 is made of a temperature-sensitive and water-soluble material and substantially made of polyethylene glycols (PEG) and/or alkyl polyglycols (APG) and/or glycose mixtures which soften at a temperature between 47° C. and 48° C., melt between 48° C. and 52° C. and dissolve within less than 20 minutes, the lower seal 36 on the other hand has a different material composition. The lower seal 36 sealing the second chamber 42 during the first cleaning cycle makes sure that at a temperature T1 of less than 50° C. the second chamber 42 remains closed during the first cleaning cycle, thus preventing an early release of the second cleaning composition 48 out of the second chamber 42. The lower seal 36 is substantially made of a mixture of linear unbranched fatty acids, fatty acid amines, fatty acid esters, long-chain primary and polyhydric alcohols or carboxylic acids. For reasons of thermal and mechanical stabilizing of the lower seal 36 during the first cleaning cycle the composition of the material of the lower seal 36 comprises 1% to 3% of cellulose fiber material.

[0060] Still further, the lower seal 36 has melting properties such that it begins to melt during the second cycle as soon as it is directly or indirectly sprayed on with a cleaning fluid having a temperature of 60° C. +/−2° C. Upon contact of the lower seal 36 with the second cleaning composition 48 and the spray jets 58 an exothermic reaction is initialized which results in a temperature increase to from 80° C. to 90° C. so that the melting of the lower seal 36 is accelerated. Thus, the release of the second cleaning composition 48 is enhanced and has a duration of about less than 10 minutes. Small residues of the second cleaning composition 48 within the second chamber 42 will be rinsed out by means of continuously spraying on by operation of the spray jets 58 into the interior of the multi-component cartridge 32 until the second chamber 42 is completely empty.

[0061] As a further advantageous embodiment the multi-component cartridge 32 can be made as a foiled tab, the foil being water-soluble.

[0062] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the cavity 8 of the cleaning device. The cleaning device comprises a spraying device 10, which comprises a spraying bar 14 moving in rotational direction 12. At the bottom of the spraying bar 14 at least one spraying nozzle 16 is arranged emitting a number of spray jets 58. It can be derived from FIG. 6 that the spray jets 58 emerging from the spraying nozzle 16 are directed to the bottom of the multi-component cartridge 32, which is integrated into the cartridge-receiving unit 20, i. e. the detergent holder 24. The multi-component cartridge 32 comprises the first chamber 38 containing the first volume 40 of the first cleaning composition 46 and the second chamber 42 containing the second volume 44 comprising the second cleaning composition 48. The spray jets 58 first contact the upper seal 34 sealing the first chamber 38. Once the upper seal 34 has melted, the first cleaning composition 46 is being released into the cavity 8.

[0063] Upon further action of the spray jets 58 being heated up to a second temperature T2 exceeding the first temperature T1 used in the first cleaning cycle, the upper seal 34 is being melted so that the second cleaning composition 48 contained in the second volume 44 contained in the second chamber 42 is being released into the cavity 8 to perform the second cleaning cycle. The multi-component cartridge 32 as shown in FIG. 6 arranged in the detergent holder 24 further comprises the first and second tapered portions 50, 52 already described in connection with FIG. 4.

[0064] The invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein and the aspects highlighted. Rather, within the scope indicated by the claims, a multitude of variations is possible with respect to the skilled in the art.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

8 Cavity

[0065] 10 Spraying device
12 Rotational direction

14 Spraying bar

[0066] 16 Spraying nozzle
18 Framework/accessing door
20 Cartridge-receiving unit
22 Zigzag line portion
24 Detergent holder

26 Opening

[0067] 28 Circular space

30 Recess/notch

[0068] 32 Multiple-component cartridge
34 Upper seal
36 Lower seal
38 First chamber
40 First volume
42 Second chamber
44 Second volume
46 First cleaning composition
48 Second cleaning composition
50 First tapered portion
52 Second tapered portion
54 First diameter portion
56 Second diameter portion
58 Spray jets
60 Inclination angle