FOOD PROCESSING AND/OR PACKAGING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CLEANING SUCH DEVICE

Abstract

A food processing and/or packaging device comprises at least one food chamber. Via a conduit system, the at least one food chamber is connected to a vacuum pump for generating vacuum in the at least one food chamber. For sterilizing the conduit system and/or the food chamber, a sterilization device is provided. The sterilization device comprises e.g. spray nozzles for introducing cleaning liquid into the conduit system. The cleaning liquid is separated by a liquid separator arranged upstream of the vacuum pump in flow direction.

Claims

1. A food processing and/or packaging device, comprising at least one food chamber in which food is processed and/or packed, a conduit system connected to the at least one food chamber, a vacuum pump connected to the conduit system, for generating vacuum in the at least one food chamber while the food is processed and/or packed, and at least one sterilization device for sterilizing the conduit system being possibly contaminated by components of the processed and/or packed food.

2. The food processing and/or packaging device according to claim 1, wherein the sterilization device comprises a closure device for closing the conduit system and/or the food chamber, and a vacuum pump for generating vacuum in the conduit system and/or the food chamber.

3. The food processing and/or packaging device according to claim 1, wherein the sterilization device comprises a UV radiation source for irradiation of the conduit system and/or the food chamber.

4. The food processing and/or packaging device according to claim 1, wherein the sterilization device comprises a high-voltage source for sterilizing the conduit system and/or the food chamber.

5. The food processing and/or packaging device according to claim 1, wherein the sterilization device comprises a heating device for heating the conduit system and/or the food chamber.

6. The food processing and/or packaging device according to claim 3, wherein the UV radiation source and/or the high-voltage source and/or the heating device at least partially surround a tube conduit of the conduit system, with the UV radiation source and/or the high-voltage source and/or the heating device surrounding a tube conduit of the conduit system preferably in a ring-shaped configuration.

7. The food processing and/or packaging device according to claim 3, wherein the UV radiation source and/or the high-voltage source and/or the heating device are displaceable in longitudinal direction of the tube conduit.

8. The food processing and/or packaging device according to claim 1, wherein the sterilization device comprises a gas supply device for supply of gases, particularly antibacterial gases.

9. The food processing and/or packaging device according to claim 1, further comprising by at least one spraying nozzle connected to a liquid supply system, said spraying nozzle being connected to the conduit system for supply of cleaning liquid, and by a liquid separator arranged upstream of the vacuum pump in flow direction, for separating the cleaning liquid introduced into the conduit system via the at least one spraying nozzle.

10. The food processing and/or packaging device according to claim 9, wherein a valve is connected upstream of the vacuum pump for varying the conveying volume of the vacuum pump.

11. A method for cleaning a food processing and/or packaging device according to claim 1, comprising the steps of: switching off or throttling the vacuum pump, interrupting and respectively terminating the food processing and/or food packaging process in the food chamber, and activation of the sterilization device for a sterilization period.

12. The method for cleaning a food processing and/or packaging device according to claim 11, wherein said activation is performed by closing a valve device and generating a vacuum in the conduit system and/or in the food chamber.

13. The method for cleaning a food processing and/or packaging device according to claim 11, wherein said activation is performed by switching on a the UV radiation source and/or the high-voltage source and/or the heating device.

14. The method for cleaning a food processing and/or packaging device according to claim 13, wherein the UV radiation source and/or the high-voltage source and/or the heating device are moved particularly in longitudinal and circumferential direction of the tube conduit of the conduit system.

15. The method for cleaning a food processing and/or packaging device according to claim 11, wherein said activation of the sterilization device is performed by the following steps: supplying cleaning liquid into the conduit system, switching off the vacuum pump or continuing the operation of the vacuum pump with reduced conveying volume, interrupting the supply of cleaning liquid into the conduit system, and operating the vacuum pump with increased conveying volume.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] In the various Figures of the drawing, the following is shown:

[0029] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a first embodiment of a configuration of a food processing and/or packaging device;

[0030] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a second embodiment of a configuration of a food processing and/or packaging device; and

[0031] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a third embodiment of a configuration of a food processing and/or packaging device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0032] In the illustrated exemplary embodiment of the food processing and/or packaging device, three food chambers 10 are shown. In the interior of the food chambers 10, a vacuum can be generated, by use of a pump 12, for the processing and/or packaging of food. For this purpose, the respective outlets 14 of the food chambers 10 are connected to the vacuum pump 12 via tube conduits 16,18,20. The tube conduits 16 of the conduit system have respectively one particle and liquid filter 22 arranged in them, wherein these filters 22 serve primarily for the filtering of particles so as to avoid intrusion of particles into the vacuum pump 12.

[0033] In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, for each tube conduit 16 of the conduit system, a spraying nozzle 24 is provided in the area of outlet 14. Via the spraying nozzles 24, a cleaning liquid can be supplied to the conduit system 16,18,20 for sterilizing the conduit system. For this purpose, the spraying nozzles 24 are connected via a common conduit 26 to a liquid pump 28. Liquid pump 28 is connected to a reservoir 30 containing a supply of cleaning liquid.

[0034] Further, a liquid separator 32 is provided in the tube conduit 18 of the conduit system, said liquid separator 32 being arranged upstream of the vacuum pump 12 as seen in flow direction. Said liquid separator serves for separating the cleaning liquid. For this purpose, liquid separator 32 is connected to a pump 34 operative to pump the spent cleaning liquid into a collection container 36.

[0035] For performing the cleaning method of the disclosure, particularly automatically, there is further provided a control device 38. This control device is connected to pump 28 via a control line 40, to vacuum pump 12 via a control line 42, to liquid pump 34 a control line 44, and to a valve 48 via a control line 46. Said valve 48, which might be a modified butterfly valve, is arranged in tube conduit 20 upstream of the vacuum pump 12 as seen in flow direction.

[0036] According to a preferred manner of practicing the cleaning method of the disclosure, it is provided that, first, the packaging or the like process performed on the food in the food chambers will be interrupted or terminated. Subsequently, the vacuum pump 12 will be throttled by controlling the valve 48, slowing the rotational speed, or the vacuum pump 12 will be switched off entirely. This is followed by cleaning the filters 22, e.g. by dismounting, exchanging or cleaning them. For dismounting or cleaning the filters 22, it is preferred that the vacuum pump 12 will be switched off entirely. Optionally, however, the cleaning method of the disclosure can be carried out also without a previous cleaning of the filters 22 because, depending on the circumstances, these do not need to be cleaned prior to each cleaning cycle. In case that the vacuum pump 12 had been switched off for cleaning of the filters 22, the vacuum pump 12 will now be switched on in the closed state of the throttle valve 48, wherein the valve 48 is switched off in such a manner that there will always remain a forced opening or residual opening, resulting in a continued conveyance of a small conveying quantity by the vacuum pump 12.

[0037] In the next step, the liquid pump 28 will be switched on, particularly by control device 38, so that cleaning liquid will be sprayed into the conduit system 16,18,20 via the nozzles 24. Due to the still continuing—although small—conveying quantity conveyed by vacuum pump 12, a uniform and particularly complete distribution of the spray mist of the cleaning liquid will take place in the entire conduit system 16,18,20. After the cleaning period of the conduit system 16,18,20 has been achieved (e.g., 8 hours), the pump 28 will be switched off again. Then, the valve 48 will be fully opened, with a resultant increase of the conveying quantity of vacuum pump 12. Thereby, the spray mist of cleaning liquid will be removed again from the entire conduit system 16,18,20. In the process, the cleaning liquid itself will be filtered out by the filter 32. The filtered-out cleaning liquid will be pumped into collection container 36 with the aid of pump 34. In this regard, the pump 34, as far as it also has certain dry-running properties, will be switched on already at the start of the cleaning step, or only toward the end of the cleaning step, e.g. simultaneously with the opening of valve 48. Further, the pump 34 can be connected to a corresponding humidity sensor in the filter so that the pump 34 will change into the switch-on state in a self-acting manner.

[0038] Instead of supplying a cleaning liquid via nozzles 24, it is also possible to supply a cleaning gas to the tube conduits 16. The latter supply can be performed via corresponding supply nozzles or inlets which, depending on the given circumstances, are preferably arranged in the area of the nozzles 24. In a sterilization device of this configuration, the liquid separator 32 can be optionally omitted or be replaced by a simple filter. Accordingly, in this case, the pump 34 and the collection container 36 are not required anymore. Further, for supply of gas, it is possible to provide —instead of a supply pump 28 connected to a gas supply container 30—a pressurized gas container so that, by opening corresponding valves, gas will be directly supplied to the conduits 16. In this case, it would not be a pump 28 but a corresponding valve of a gas container that would be controlled by control device 38.

[0039] In the further preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 2, similar and identical components are designated by the same reference numerals as above.

[0040] The embodiment shown in FIG. 2 relates to the sterilizing of conduits 16 of the conduit system with the aid of UV radiation sources and/or high-voltage sources and/or heating devices. These are schematically represented by component 50. Component 50 particularly is a ring-shaped component surrounding the respective tube conduit 16. Herein, component 50 can be a UV radiation source and/or a high-voltage source and/or a heating device or a combination of individual ones of these devices. These are preferably arranged to be displaced in longitudinal direction of the tube conduits. Control of the devices 50 is performed with the aid of a control unit 38 which is electrically connected to the devices 50 via control lines 52.

[0041] In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, a filtering device 54 is arranged in flow direction upstream of the vacuum pump 12 for avoiding an intrusion of particles into vacuum pump 12.

[0042] In a still further preferred embodiment (FIG. 3), similar and identical components are again designated by the same reference numerals. In this embodiment, the sterilization of the conduit system 16,18,20 is carried out by vacuum. For this purpose, valve devices 56 are provided in the area of the outlets of food chamber 10. For sterilization, the valves will be closed so that, with the aid of pump 12, a vacuum can be generated in the tube conduit system 16,18,20. In this embodiment, filter 54 can be optionally omitted.