Method and system for cleaning a machine for making liquid and/or semi-liquid food products for the ice cream, pastry or catering trade
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current cleaning methods for machines producing liquid and semi-liquid food products in the ice cream, pastry, and catering trades are time-consuming, inefficient, and often ineffective in ensuring thorough sanitation, particularly in reducing the risk of food contamination.
Innovation Solution
A system and method utilizing interchangeable capsules containing bactericidal substances, with a programmed cleaning cycle and identification elements for automatic mode switching, ensures safe, easy, and rapid sanitization of the machines by using sodium hypochlorite-based disinfectants and quaternary salts, integrated with a control unit for managing the cleaning process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual cleaning methods are used, then cleaning can be performed, but the process is time-consuming and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning system performs self-service by automatically injecting cleaning solution through the capsule dispensing mechanism, circulating it through the processing chamber, and draining it without manual intervention. The control unit automates the entire cleaning cycle, allowing the machine to clean itself efficiently.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical cleaning process is replaced by an automated fluid-based cleaning system. Instead of physical scrubbing and manual disassembly, the system uses pumped cleaning solutions circulated through the chamber to achieve thorough cleaning automatically.
2Reliability
If frequent cleaning is performed to reduce contamination risk, then food safety is improved, but the machine loses operational time
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic cleaning cycles at predetermined intervals during operation. The control unit manages these periodic cleaning actions to maintain food safety standards while minimizing disruption to continuous production, allowing the machine to alternate between processing and cleaning modes efficiently.
3Reliability
If thorough cleaning is performed manually, then sanitation is improved, but the process becomes complex and labor-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The capsule dispensing mechanism serves multiple functions: it dispenses food products during normal operation and serves as the injection pathway for cleaning solutions during cleaning cycles. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate cleaning access points and reduces overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning solution acts as an intermediary medium that delivers sanitization throughout the processing chamber. Instead of requiring direct physical access to all surfaces for manual cleaning, the circulated cleaning solution penetrates and cleans internal surfaces indirectly, simplifying the cleaning process while maintaining thorough sanitation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system allows for quick and effective sanitization of machines, reducing contamination risks and streamlining the cleaning process, enabling machines to operate efficiently and safely in producing small quantities of food products to meet customer demands.
Implementation Method 1
The system (16) also comprises means (18) for identifying the type of capsule (8, 17) fed to the machine (1) and means for automatically switching between normal operating mode of the machine (1) and cleaning operating mode of the machine (1) as a function of the type of capsule (8, 17) identified
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
Described are a method and a system for cleaning a machine (1) for making liquid and/or semi-liquid food products for the ice cream, pastry or catering trade, wherein the machine (1) is fed with a capsule (17) containing a preparation for cleaning the machine (1), after which a cycle for cleaning the machine (1) is started.