ULTRAVIOLET DISINFECTING DEVICE FOR FOOD AND BEVERAGE DISPENSERS

• Main Authors: HECHT, THOMAS R, MARTINDALE, RICHARD A
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 26.03.2014
• Subjects: BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS, ORSURGICAL ARTICLES; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION, OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISEPROVIDED FOR; FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BYSUBCLASSES A23B - A23J; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; LIQUID HANDLING; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS, OR SURGICALARTICLES; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS INGENERAL; OPENING, CLOSING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OFNUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; THEIR TREATMENT, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES; TRANSPORTING

Disinfecting devices and related methods are provided that apply germicidal ultraviolet light to disinfect dispensing components of food and beverage dispensers. A disinfecting holster for a bar gun includes a support surface configured to interface with a bar gun to support the bar gun when stowed in the holster, a housing coupled with the support surface and surrounding a dispensing nozzle of the bar gun when the bar gun is stowed in the holster, and an ultraviolet light source configured to emit germicidal ultraviolet light onto the nozzle. The housing substantially contains the ultraviolet light within the housing during the application of the ultraviolet light to the dispensing nozzle. The ultraviolet light can be periodically applied to maintain the nozzle in a disinfected state.