Patent Application
20220251485
The instant disclosure relates generally to a cleaning tablet for cleaning machines dispensing hot milk.
Drink dispensing machines that include equipment for steaming, frothing and dispensing hot milk, such as automatic and semi-automatic coffee machines with milk systems, need regular cleaning to remove milk residues as well as buildup scale and milkstone deposits in order to maintain optimal performance. However, efficient cleaning of milk stain, scale and milkstones (mineral salts: a heterogeneous mixture of organic and inorganic materials that adheres to heated surfaces) is hard to obtain in one cleaning system.
It is a known to use alkaline or acidic cleaning formulations to clean milk systems each with its own benefits. In applications of automatic and semi-automatic coffee machines using thin tubing, the selected cleaner most effectively remove residual milk without causing curdling (when acidified milk proteins denature and form clumps or coagulate) which reduces the solubility and flushability of the milk through such tubing. When this happens, the tubes may clog and cause backpressure that can adversely affect the machine.
Alkaline cleaning formulations have been found to be effective at removing milk stains in such applications without causing curdling. However, they are ineffective at removing milkstones as an acid is required to react with (neutralize) and dissolve the mineral salts.
A dual function cleaning tablet comprising: a first portion comprising an alkaline cleaning formulation comprising: one or more first builder components comprising one or more members of the group consisting of: one or more carbonates, one or more phosphates and one or more phosphonates; one or more complexing agents selected from the group consisting of: tetrasodium iminodisuccinate, sodium citrate and methylglycinediacetic acid trisodium salt (MGDA-Na3); one or more surfactants; one or more binder/lubricant components comprising one or more members of the group consisting of: polyethylene glycols with molecular weights between 300 to 20000, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and pregelatinized starch; and one or more stabilizing compounds comprising one or more members of the group consisting of one or more stabilizing acids and monosodium phosphate; and a second portion comprising an acidic cleaning formulation comprising an acid component comprising one or more cleaning acids each having a pH of about 1 to 3 in a 1 M aqueous solution; one or more second builder components comprising one or more carbonates; one or more binder/lubricant components comprising one or more members of the group consisting of: polyethylene glycols with molecular weights between 300 to 20000, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and pregelatinized starch; and a pH dependent sustained release matrix comprising one or more nonionic polymers selected from the group consisting of: dewaxed shellac and polyvinylpyrrolidone.
The features described in this disclosure are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. These features and attendant advantages will become apparent from consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. One or more embodiments are now described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals represent like elements and in which:
For purposes of the present invention, it should be noted that to provide a more concise description, some of the quantitative expressions given herein are not qualified with the term “about.” It is understood that whether the term “about” is used explicitly or not, every quantity given herein is meant to refer to the actual given value, and it is also meant to refer to the approximation to such given value that would reasonably be inferred based on the ordinary skill in the art, including approximations due to the experimental and/or measurement conditions for such given value.
In the following description and claims all percentages are parts by weight unless indicated otherwise.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, alkaline cleaning formulation portion 110 is designed to immediately dissolve when dual function tablet 102 is immersed in water to release the alkaline cleaning formulation that mixes with the water to produce an alkaline cleaning solution. A portion of the alkaline cleaning solution is then pulled by suction into a drink dispensing machine to clean milk residues in the tubing of the drink dispensing machine After a period of time, such as within 3 minutes, acidic cleaning formulation portion 112 starts to dissolve to release the acid cleaning formulation which mixes with the remaining alkaline cleaning solution that has not been pulled into the drink dispensing machine to produce an acidic cleaning solution. In one embodiment of the present invention acidic cleaning formulation portion completely dissolves to release substantially all of the acidic cleaning formulation about 3 minutes after acidic cleaning formulation portion 112 begins to dissolve. The acidic cleaning solution is then pulled into the drink dispensing machine to clean milk scale and milk stones in the tubing of the drink dispensing machine. A more detailed description of how dual function tablet 102 may be used to clean a drink dispensing machine is provided below in the description of
The time required for the alkaline cleaning formulation portion to dissolve and the time required for the acid cleaning formulation portion to dissolve depend on the particular conditions in which a dual formulation tablet of the present invention is used and on the particular makeups of the alkaline cleaning formulation portion and the acid cleaning formulation layer of a dual formulation tablet of the present invention. In one embodiment of the present invention, in water of at about 70° C., the acid cleaning formulation fully dissolves between 6 to 10 minutes following immersion in the water or about 3 to 7 minutes following dissolution of the alkaline cleaning formulation portion.
Also, shown in
Over time, acidic cleaning formulation portion 112 dissolves to release the acidic cleaning formulation and mixes with alkaline cleaning solution 262 to thereby form an acid cleaning solution (not shown in
In one embodiment of the present invention, the alkaline cleaning formulation dissolves in the first 2 minutes, converting the water in the open container into the alkaline cleaning solution as the pH of the solution becomes alkaline, reaching a pH≤10.50. After about 2 minutes and 30 seconds, the acidic cleaning formulation begins dissolving and neutralizes the alkaline cleaning solution. At the same time, the drink dispensing machine typically would begin dispensing the available alkaline solution for cleaning. Soluble sodium salts will form during this transitional period and the pH gradually continues to drop, for example to a pH of 9.5, 9.0 or 8.7, depending on conditions in drink dispensing machine. Eventually the ratio of acid to alkaline and/or remaining soluble salts is offset, i.e., is higher on the acid side as the system converts to the acidic cleaning solution.
Although in
Alkaline cleaning formulation portion 310 is designed to immediately dissolve when dual function tablet 302 is immersed in water to release the alkaline cleaning formulation that mixes with the water to produce an alkaline cleaning solution. A portion of the alkaline cleaning solution is then pulled by suction into a drink dispensing machine to clean milk residues in the tubing of the drink dispensing machine After a period of time, such as about 3 minutes, after acidic cleaning formulation portion has been exposed to the alkaline cleaning solution by the total or partial dissolving of alkaline cleaning formulation portion 310, acidic cleaning formulation portion 312 dissolves to release the acid cleaning formulation which mixes with the remaining alkaline cleaning solution that has not been pulled into the drink dispensing machine to produce an acidic cleaning solution. In one embodiment of the present invention acidic cleaning formulation portion completely dissolves to release substantially all of the acidic cleaning formulation about 3 minutes after acidic cleaning formulation portion 112 begins to dissolve. The acidic cleaning solution is then pulled into the drink dispensing machine to clean milk scale and milk stones in the tubing of the drink dispensing machine. Dual function tablet 302 may be used to clean a drink dispensing machine, such as the drink dispensing machine shown in
In one embodiment, the present invention provides a dual function cleaning tablet that utilizes the combined benefits both alkaline and acidic cleaning formulations in one system by employing a relatively immediate release of an alkaline cleaning formulation and a controlled (sustained release) of an acidic cleaning formulation. Such system, as described above with respect to
Although the dual function tablets and layers in the embodiments of the present invention shows in
Although in the dual function tablet shown in
Although in the dual function tablet shown in
Although in the dual function tablet shown in
In one embodiment, the present invention provides the ability to remove both milk stain, milkstone and other scale formation.
In one embodiment, the present invention employs one convenient cleaning step that prevents the formation of scales and milkstones and prevents in-tube milk curdling.
In one embodiment, the present invention provides the ability to use one dual function tablet in a convenient one step cleaning procedure to effectively remove dried-on, burnt-on milk stains remove and prevent milkstone and other scale buildup in drink dispensing machines that include equipment for steaming, frothing and dispensing hot milk, such as automatic and semi-automatic coffee machines with milk systems. In various embodiments of the present invention, the alkaline cleaning formulation comprises one or more builder components, one or more complexing agents, one or more surfactants and one or more stabilizing compounds.
For purposes of the present invention, the term “builder components” for an alkaline formulation of the present invention refers to one or more carbonates and/or phosphates. Suitable carbonates for use as builder components in various embodiments of the present invention include carbonates such as: sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium percarbonate, etc.
Suitable phosphates for use as builder components in various embodiments of the present invention include phosphates such as: sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP), trisodium phosphate (TSP), tetrapotassium pyrophosphate (TKPP), etc. Builder components serve the purpose of removing or sequestering Calcium ions (Ca2+) and Magnesium ions (Mg2+) from the water in a drink dispensing apparatus and to provide an alkaline environment. Builder components may also enhance the performance of surfactants in an alkaline cleaning formulation of the present invention.
The one or more builder components of the alkaline cleaning formulation of the dual function tablet of various embodiments of the present invention may comprise one or more carbonates that comprise about 10% to about 15% of the alkaline cleaning formulation. Suitable carbonates that may be used alone or mixed with other carbonates as builder components include but are not limited to sodium carbonate which may comprise 5% to 50% of the dual function tablet, sodium bicarbonate which may comprise 5 to 20% of the dual function tablet, sodium percarbonate which may comprise 5 to 30% of the dual function tablet.
The one or more complexing agents of the alkaline cleaning formulation of the dual function tablet of various embodiments of the present invention may comprise about 20% to about 30% of the alkaline cleaning formulation. Suitable complexing agents, which may be used alone or mixed with other complexing agents, include but are not limited to tetrasodium iminodisuccinate which may comprise 5 to 10% of the dual function tablet, sodium citrate which may comprise 10% to 20% of the dual function tablet, and trisodium salt of methylglycinediacetic acid (MGDA-Na3) which may comprise 5 to 10% of the dual function tablet. The one or more phosphates and/or the one or more phosphonates that are builder components alkaline cleaning formulations of the dual function tablet of various embodiments of the present invention may also function as complexing agents.
The one or more surfactants of the alkaline cleaning formulation of the dual function tablet of various embodiments of the present invention may include individual nonionic, cationic, amphoteric and anionic surfactants or synergistic combinations of surfactants. Suitable surfactants used in individually or in combination with each other include but not limited to alcohol ethoxylates, which may comprise 1 to 5% of the alkaline cleaning formulation and linear alkylbenzene sulfonate which may comprise 1 to 5% of the alkaline cleaning formulation.
The one or more binder/lubricant components of the of the alkaline cleaning formulation of the dual function tablet of various embodiments of the present invention may comprise 2 to 10% of the alkaline cleaning formulation. Suitable binder/lubricant components include but are not limited to polyethylene glycols with molecular weights between 300 to 20000, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and pregelatinized starch.
The one or more stabilizing compounds of the alkaline cleaning formulation of the dual function tablet of various embodiments of the present invention may collectively comprise 3 to 20% of the dual function tablet. Suitable stabilizing compounds include but are not limited to such compounds as stabilizing acids such as tartaric acid, polymers and monosodium phosphate. Suitable polymers for use as stabilizing compounds in the alkaline cleaning formulation of the dual function tablet of various embodiments of the present invention include but are not limited to polyvinylpyrolidone. One purpose of the stabilizing compounds of the alkaline cleaning formation is to prevent components of the acidic cleaning formulation from reacting with the components of the alkaline cleaning formulation before the dual function tablet is exposed to water.
The acidic cleaning formulation of various embodiments of the dual function table of the present invention comprises one or more cleaning acids, each of which is a weak to moderately strong organic or inorganic acid having a pH of about 1 to 3 in a 1 M aqueous solution of the acid. The one or more cleaning acids may comprise about 60 to about 70% of the acidic cleaning formulation. Suitable weak to moderately strong acids that may be used as cleaning acids for the acidic cleaning formulation of a dual function tablet of various embodiments of the present invention include but are not limited to sulfamic acid, tartaric acid, citric acid and maleic acid.
The one or more builder components of the acidic formulation of the dual function tablet of various embodiments of the present invention may comprise about 5 to 15% of the acidic cleaning formulation. In one embodiment of the present invention, the builder components of the present invention may comprise one or more carbonates. For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the one or more builder components of the acidic cleaning formulation may comprise sodium bicarbonate which may comprise about 5 to 10% of the acidic cleaning formulation.
The one or more binder/lubricant components of the of the acidic cleaning formulation of the dual function tablet of various embodiments of the present invention may comprise 2 to 10% of the acidic cleaning formulation. Suitable binder/lubricant components include but are not limited to polyethylene glycols with molecular weights between 300 to 20000, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and pregelatinized starch.
The pH dependent sustained release matrix of the acidic cleaning formulation of the dual function tablet of various embodiments of the present invention may comprise 50 to 60% of the acidic cleaning formulation of the dual function tablet of various embodiments of the present invention. The pH dependent sustained release matrix may comprise one or more nonionic polymers including but not limited to the nonionic polymers dewaxed shellac and polyvinylpyrrolidone.
Aspects of the present invention will now be described by way of example.
Table 1 below provides the composition of an exemplary alkaline cleaning formulation according to one embodiment of the present invention.
PEG 8000 is polyethylene glycol having an average molecular weight of 8000.
Table 2 below provides the composition of an exemplary alkaline cleaning formulation according to one embodiment of the present invention.
Table 3 below provides the composition of an exemplary acid cleaning formulation according to one embodiment of the present invention.
PVP K30 is a commercially available form of polyvinylpyrrolidone.
Table 4 below provides the composition of an exemplary acid cleaning formulation according to one embodiment of the present invention.
While particular preferred embodiments have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will appreciate that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the instant teachings. It is therefore contemplated that any and all modifications, variations or equivalents of the above-described teachings fall within the scope of the basic underlying principles disclosed above and claimed herein.
