DE102013223609A1 - Method and device for operating a beverage preparation device - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating a beverage preparation device, in particular a coffee machine for household purposes, comprising the following steps: a) determining a residual value (ARtx, ERax) for a quantity of residue per device actuation, b) adding the residual values (ERax-2, ERax-1 ERax) of several consecutive device actuations to a sum value (ERGs), c) comparing the sum value (ERG) with a predefined limit value (ERsoll), d) outputting a signal (S) when the limit value (ERsoll) is exceeded. The invention also relates to a correspondingly equipped preparation device.

Description

The invention relates to a method for operating a beverage preparation device, in particular a coffee machine for household purposes. Specifically, it serves to determine a filling level of a disposal container. The invention also relates to a beverage preparation device with a control panel for a device operation and removable with operator side waste containers, as they regularly include in particular coffee machines for household purposes.

The DE 10 2010 023 668 A1 relates to a device for preparing beverages, in particular coffee machines, with a removable drip tray for receiving residual water, a residue container removably inserted into the drip tray and means for detecting the level of the drip tray and for detecting the removal of the drip tray and the pulp container. The device is connected to an electronic control device of the device, wherein the device consists of a housing fixed to the device arranged detection means which is turned on in the circuit of the control device and communicates with this, and a transmitter part, which is movable to the pulp container by means of one on the pulp container arranged floating body is held and communicates with the detection means. The purpose of the device is that it can only be used if the residue container, including the drip tray, is inserted in the device. It should therefore be ensured that both the drip tray and the pulp container is inserted into the device. In addition, the device should not be ready for use, provided that the drip tray reaches a level that is to force the user to empty the drip tray prior to further operation of the device.

The known device requires as detection means, for example, an electrical or electronic sensor and a transmitter, which communicates with the detection means. The sensor may be, for example, a reed sensor and the transmitter part a permanent magnet, which is held in a floating float. The arrangement of the movable floating body and the communicating reed sensor not only causes manufacturing costs, but is also susceptible to damage.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a beverage preparation device, which provides a level indicator without moving parts.

• a) Ermitteln eines Restwerts für eine Reststoffmenge je Getränkebetätigung,
• b) Addieren der Restwerte mehrerer aufeinander folgender Betätigungen zu einem Summenwert,
• c) Vergleichen des Summenwerts mit einem vordefinierten Grenzwert, und
• d) Ausgabe eines Signals bei Überschreiten des Grenzwerts.

This object is achieved in the aforementioned method by the following steps:

• a) determining a residual value for a quantity of residue per beverage operation,
• b) adding the residual values of a plurality of successive actuations to a summation value,
• c) comparing the sum value with a predefined limit value, and
• d) Output of a signal when the limit value is exceeded.

In most beverage preparation facilities, amounts of residue are produced during the preparation; in the case of fully automatic coffee machines, these are regularly water and pomace. In addition, beverage preparation packages, such as capsules or so-called discs, can be produced in other preparation devices. However, as long as only one packaging is obtained per beverage reference, the level development of a corresponding collection container prepares no difficulties. Depending on the preparation process, water and pomace can be produced in different, individual quantities. They also arise when a beverage reference, for example for security reasons, must be canceled. Residual water can also be incurred during a switch-on, switch-off or intermediate flushing. According to the invention, an individual residual value is determined for each individual appliance actuation, ie if it is a beverage reference, possibly with a break-off, or a rinsing process. The term "determining" includes not only a measurement of a concrete residue quantity and the generation of a value for it, the so-called residual value, but also another determination of a residual value, such as its estimation or the retrieval of a stored residual value. The residual values of successive device actuations are successively added together, so that a sum value arises which increases from device actuation to device actuation. Each resulting new sum value is compared with a predefined limit or threshold value, which corresponds to a filled waste container. If the limit is not reached, no signal is output, but the process only at the next device operation with step a) go through again. As soon as a sum value reaches or exceeds the limit value, a signal is issued which prompts the operator to empty the residue container. If this has happened, the sum value is reset or set to zero and the method begins again with step a).

The invention therefore turns away from determining the actual level of waste containers, which is technically relatively simple in liquid containers, but in contrast, with a contrast increased expense in pomace containers. Rather, the invention is based on the principle of largely replacing a detection device with a detection method in which the amounts of residual material used in each individual Appliance activity incurred, determined and summed up by device operation to device operation until the known volume of the associated waste container is exhausted. In this way, can be dispensed with a mechanical or electronic capacitive or inductive detection system for a level, which brings significant cost and operating advantages.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the residual value in step a) can be formed from an empirically determined value at the factory. It can result from measurement series in which a characteristic or an average value for the residual water quantity of each action of the preparation device which can be triggered by a device actuation is determined. According to the invention, each device actuation, for example, each beverage reference and each rinsing process, an individual residual value may be assigned, which corresponds to a residual amount of water, pomace, etc. Such a value can also be assigned to an abort of a beverage reference, possibly depending on when the abort occurs. The empirically determined empirical value represents an action-characteristic residual value for, for example, the residual water or the pomace. It can be stored in a storage unit of the preparation device and recalled with each device actuation. This variant offers the advantage that the method can already be carried out simultaneously with or during a device actuation. For example, immediately after pressing a button to select a desired drink and even before its reference can be determined in this way, whether the container will be overfilled by the beverage reference or not. Thus, even before the beverage reference an indication of the necessary emptying of a waste container can be submitted. Possibly. It is also possible to offer an alternative drink that can be purchased immediately and without first emptying a waste container. In addition, this embodiment of the invention is without a flow meter, so it can also be used in simple preparation devices.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, a specific residual value can be determined, for example a current residual value can be measured. For this purpose, for example, a flow meter can detect the actual amount of residual water released. In any case, the current detection of the residual value works more precisely and can thus avoid a premature request for emptying the waste container before making extensive use of its volume. Instead of a level sensor, whose components are also regularly attached to the waste container and thus vulnerable to damage, this embodiment of the invention requires a flow meter, which is mounted protected in the interior of the preparation device.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the residual value in step a) can be formed both from the factory-determined empirical value and from a currently measured residual value. They can be taken into account in an equal weighted manner, that is to say they are added up and their total is halved, or they are weighted differently in the determination. In the case of the residual water may alternatively be used for the flow rate of the preparation device or for the beverage characteristic factor depending on the measured actual flow of fresh water. The residual value can be calculated from the currently measured value for the fresh water quantity and a factor in order to avoid an immediate detection of residual water. The factor can be defined as an average amount of residual water produced with an average delivery rate of fresh water per time unit and stored in the preparation device. For each action of the preparation device or for each device operation, an individual factor can be stored. With the detection of the amount of fresh water pumped can therefore be concluded by offsetting the factor on the subsequent accumulation of residual water. This results in a higher reliability of the residual value determination, because both empirical values and concrete measured values for residual value determination are processed, with the result that potential deviations in one of the two determination methods have a less pronounced effect. If necessary, it only requires a flow meter, which can be provided in the preparation device anyway.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, a safety factor or safety value can be taken into account at the latest before the output of a signal in step d). Because even consecutive similar device actuations may be subject to certain fluctuations. Manufacturing fluctuations, however, occur from device to device. The fluctuations of a device and the manufacturing variations can be largely covered by the addition of a safety factor. Also, this can improve the reliability of a correct request for emptying waste containers. The safety factor can already be added to the residual value in step a) or to the sum value in step b) or only to the limit value in step c), either by multiplication or by addition. There are advantages for the different points in time: a) safety factor - individually per drink - more precisely; b) compensation of device-specific tolerances; c) includes all tolerances.

While residual water quantities can still be detected relatively easily, this is less successful, for example, with pomace. Provided the same amount of pomace with each device operation, it may be sufficient to increase the value of a pomace counter with each purging reference with pomace ejection by the value 1 and output a signal for a given limit value. According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, in a beverage preparation device with a pomace counter, a signal for carrying out a service activity can be output as soon as the pomace counter or the comparison in step c) results in exceeding a limit value. This can be ensured that a service activity is performed, namely the emptying preferably both waste container, as soon as one of them is full.

In principle, the method-depending on the method of determining the residual values-can be carried out at almost any desired point in time during the operation of the beverage preparation device. For this purpose, after an activation of a device operation by a user input between the times before, during and after a beverage preparation can be distinguished. According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, however, the method is performed in immediate temporal relation with an activation of a device operation. An activation of a device actuation takes place regularly via the input of an actuation request via a control panel or an operating device on the beverage preparation device. Once it is done, the process can be carried out, ie before a beverage preparation. This can ensure that a waste container does not exceed its capacity limits during a beverage operation. If this can be seen, the user can be prompted directly to empty the waste container or it may optionally be offered an alternative beverage preparation that does not exhaust the capacity of the waste container with it. Thus, the volume of the waste container can be utilized to the maximum, so the intervals for emptying the waste containers are maximally extended. However, carrying out the method before the actual beverage preparation means that it is based either on currently determined or measured residual values of the requested drink, but on those of the last operating process, or on empirical values for the current operating process.

An implementation of the method during the beverage preparation can be carried out both with empirical values and with measured residual values. It is similar to the case of performing the method after a device operation, because interruption of a preparation process for signaling and request to empty the waste container, rather avoid. The request for emptying the waste container after a device operation, although a traceable for the user in itself variant is. However, it often escapes his attention, because that is usually no longer directed to the preparation device after receiving the desired drink.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the method may be designed so that an operation started by a device operation in a signaling is not interrupted or even ends, but is still continued or completed despite the output of the signal. The output of a signal in step d) does not have to be made to the user, but then merely represents the signal of the control device, which will subsequently ask the user to empty the waste container, in particular after completion of the preparation process. Such a procedure enhances the convenience and ease of use of the beverage preparation device. Against an overflow of a waste container during the preparation process concerned, the safety factor may be sized accordingly.

After a limit value for the sum value has been reached or exceeded, ie a waste container is full, the user is prompted to empty in or after step d). On the device side, it is monitored whether a requested emptying has actually been carried out. For this purpose, for example, a microswitch detect the absence of waste containers. According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the absence of the waste container can be recorded in time and in an absence of the waste container of more than a predefined value, the process can be started again. The predefined value corresponds to a period of time of about 1 to 15 seconds and can be, for example, 5, 8 or 10 seconds. If the waste container should be removed from the beverage preparation device for this period of time, it can be assumed that it has been emptied. In this way it can be avoided that an emptying of a waste container is avoided only by a short removal and an immediate re-insertion. As a result, if necessary, a microswitch can be saved and the reliability of the beverage preparation device can nevertheless be maintained.

The object mentioned above is also achieved by a beverage preparation device, in particular by a coffee machine for household purposes, a control panel for an equipment operation and a user-side removable waste container comprises by a determination means for amounts of residue quantities each of a device operation, a memory means for the determined values, an addition means for adding the values, a comparison means for comparing the added values with factory stored limits and a signaling means for output a signal when a limit is exceeded, is provided. A beverage preparation device equipped according to the invention can carry out the method explained above and, moreover, comprise, for example, a microswitch which detects the presence of the residue container.

The beverage preparation device according to the invention may also comprise means for user-side adjustment of a signal timing of the signaling device, as described in the application with the applicant's registration no. 201302620, the title "hot drink preparation device with adjustable signal level indicator" and the same filing date, the content of which Content of the present application is made.

The principle of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to a drawing by way of example. The only 1 The drawing shows schematically a procedure of an embodiment of the inventive method. The method preferably takes place in a computer unit or runs on a computerized basis. It is initiated by an xth user input for a desired beverage that has already been preceded by x-1 user input for beverage requests and service activities, such as an intermediate rinse. In response to the xth user input, in a first method step A, an empirical value AR _d for an action-characteristic residual water quantity of this beverage is retrieved. This is a factor for the average amount of residual water produced at an average flow rate per unit time, which is determined at the factory and stored in a memory of the coffee machine. The empirical value AR _d is determined and stored separately and individually for each device actuation, ie for each drink to be purchased and for any other action, for example for an intermediate rinse.

In a subsequent step B, a sensor measured value FL _{dx of} a flow sensor or a flowmeter is detected. The sensor reading FL _dx is an absolute value for the flow of fresh water needed for the desired beverage. It is in a known ratio to the amount of beverage dispensed on the one hand and the amount of residual water on the other hand, which arises during the beverage preparation.

In a step C, the value AR _{d is} multiplied by the sensor measured value FL _dx and from this a value AR _{tx is} determined. It represents an actual amount of residual water that is characteristic of the actual delivery rate of the appliance during the preparation of the desired beverage. The previously described method falls under the step a) of claim 1.

Subsequently, in a step D, a single residual _water amount ER _ax for the desired beverage is determined. For this purpose, a safety factor X _{s is} added to the value AR _{tx in} order to compensate for variations in the amount of water during different actions of the device and manufacturing fluctuations. The thus determined residual value ER _ax represents an individual residual value for the preparation process of the desired beverage.

It is stored in order subsequently to be added in a step E with already preceding or possibly still following individual residual values. The individual residual _values ER _ax-2 , ER _ax-1 , ER _ax ..., which represent device actuations x - 2, x - 1 and x, which take place immediately after one another, result in a continuous total addition of a determined total residual _{water quantity} ER _tot . With each additional device actuation x + 1, x + 2, the value for the determined total residual _{water quantity} ER _tot increases, if necessary. Step E is therefore subject to step b) of claim 1

Immediately after step E, in step F, a comparison of the currently determined total residual value ER _tot with a factory set reference value ER _{soll takes place} . It therefore represents an example for step c) of claim 1. Since the determination of each residual value AR _t or ER _{a is based} inter alia on the measurement of the flow of fresh water, the comparison is carried out at the earliest during or simultaneously with the beverage preparation.

If the comparison shows that the determined total _residual value ER _{tot has} not accepted or exceeded the setpoint value ER, then the method is continued with step A at the next device actuation x + 1. If the total residual value ER _ges determined, however, the set value ER _{is to be} achieved or exceeded, the signaling in step G, after which the user is prompted to empty the waste material container. The step G thus falls under the method step d) of claim 1.

If emptying has taken place, the total _residual value ER _tot is set to zero, ie the memory value is deleted and the method is restarted at step A with a next device actuation. The value is not reset at power off.

So it can be dispensed with sensors for the level, which regularly require a mechanics or electronics and thus are expensive, pollution and prone to damage. Thus, the method according to the invention does not cover the actual level of a residue container, in the above case those of a drip tray, and thus the sum of all residual water quantities of an operating period, but the residual water quantities of each individual operating process of the preparation device and adds them.

Since the foregoing methods, described in detail, are one embodiment, it may be readily modified by one skilled in the art to a great extent without departing from the scope of the invention. In particular, the concrete embodiments of the detection of the value of the residual amount of water in another form than follow in the described here. Likewise, the safety factor can be taken into account at another time of the procedure, if this is necessary for technical reasons. In addition, the use of the indefinite article "on" or "one" does not exclude that the characteristics in question may also be present several times or several times.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

• AR _d :

  experience value

  AR _tx :

  actual residual value

  ER _ax-2 ; ER _ax-1 ; ER _ax :

  individual individual residual values

  He _tot :

  total value

  He _should :

  limit

  FL _dx :

  Measured value for the flow

  S:

  signal

  X _s:

  safety factor

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 102010023668 A1 [0002]

Claims (10)

Method for operating a beverage preparation device, in particular a coffee machine for household _purposes , _comprising the following steps: a) determining a residual value (AR _tx , ER _ax ) for a quantity of residue per device operation, b) adding the residual values (ER _ax-2 , ER _ax-1 ER _ax ) of several consecutive device actuations to a sum value (ER _ges ), c) comparison of the sum value (ER _ges ) with a predefined limit value (ER _soll ), d) output of a signal (S) when the limit value is exceeded (ER _soll ) , A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the residual value (AR _tx , ER _ax ) is formed in step a) from a factory-determined experience value (AR _d ). A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the residual value (AR _tx , ER _ax ) is formed in step a) from a currently measured value (FL _dx ). Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the residual value (AR _tx ; ER _ax ) in step a) is formed both from an empirically determined empirical value (AR _d ) according to Claim 2 and from a currently measured value (FL _dx ) according to Claim 3 becomes. Method according to one of the above claims, characterized in that a safety factor (X _s ) is added to the residual value (AR _tx ) in step a) or to the sum value (ER _ges ) in step b) or to the limit value (ER _soll ) in step c) is expected. Method according to one of the above claims for operating a beverage preparation device with a pomace counter, characterized in that a signal (S) is output as soon as either the pomace counter or the limit value (ER _soll ) in step c) signal an overshoot. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the method is carried out with each activation of a device operation. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an operation initiated by a device operation is completed despite the output of a signal (S) in step d). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a switch or sensor detects the absence of a waste container and the process starts again in the absence of more than a predefined value. Drink preparation device, in particular automatic coffee machine for household purposes, with a control panel for a device operation, with removable container residues, characterized by a detection device for values of residue quantities each a device operation, a memory device for the detected and factory determined values, an addition device for adding the values, a Comparator for comparing the added values with factory stored limits, signaling means for outputting a signal when a threshold is exceeded.

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