US 11,701,692 B2
Injector needle cleaning apparatus and method
Julio C. Palmaz, Napa, CA (US)
Assigned to Bluebonnet Foods, L.P., San Antonio, TX (US)
Filed by Bluebonnet Foods L.P., San Antonio, TX (US)
Filed on Nov. 9, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/522,650.
Application 16/524,632 is a division of application No. 16/161,934, filed on Oct. 16, 2018, granted, now 10,456,815, issued on Oct. 29, 2019.
Application 17/522,650 is a continuation of application No. 16/725,180, filed on Dec. 23, 2019, granted, now 11,167,327, issued on Nov. 9, 2021.
Application 16/725,180 is a continuation of application No. 16/524,632, filed on Jul. 29, 2019, granted, now 10,512,951, issued on Dec. 24, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0062956 A1, Mar. 3, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B08B 9/032 (2006.01); B08B 9/023 (2006.01); B08B 9/00 (2006.01)
CPC B08B 9/0321 (2013.01) [B08B 9/00 (2013.01); B08B 9/023 (2013.01); B08B 9/032 (2013.01); B08B 9/0323 (2013.01); B08B 2203/027 (2013.01); B08B 2209/032 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of cleaning at least one food injection needle, comprising the steps of:
securing at least one food injection needle in a high-pressure chamber;
sealing the high-pressure chamber such that a portion of the at least one food injection needle comprising at least one needle fluid inlet port is sealed in a portion of the high-pressure chamber and fluidly connected to a chamber fluid inlet port, and a portion of the food injection needle having at least one fluid outlet port is sealed to convey fluid outside of the high-pressure chamber; and
introducing pressurized fluid into the chamber fluid inlet port, through the needle fluid inlet, through a needle bore, and through the at least one needle fluid outlet port to a waste outlet of the high-pressure chamber.