JP2810552B2 - Coffee kettle - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a drip coffee machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, this kind of structure is shown in FIGS.
The following are known. That is, in the coffee kettle shown in FIG.
The heater 34 and the heating pipe 35 are guided to the integrated heating body 36 via the check valve 33 and the hot water is pushed up through the water rising pipe 37 by steam pressure generated by being heated. To the discharge pipe 39.

Until the temperature of the hot water reaches a temperature suitable for pouring into the coffee powder 46, the water channel switching valve 40 provided at the intersection with the water rising pipe 37 and the discharge pipe 39 is switched to the water tank 31 side, and When the temperature is lower than the temperature, the water is returned to the water tank 31 from the discharge port 41 of the discharge pipe 39, and is sent to the heating body 36 again to be heated again. When the hot water temperature reaches a predetermined temperature, the thermally responsive member 42 (for example, a shape memory alloy) extends,
Push up a rod 43 linked to the heat responsive member 42,
The water channel switching valve 40 was switched to the coffee basket 44 side, and hot water was poured into the coffee powder 46 from the discharge port 45 of the discharge pipe 39, and coffee was extracted into the coffee receiver 47.

[0004] In a coffee brewer having the structure shown in FIG. 4 (the same or corresponding parts as those in the conventional example of FIG. 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals), water in a water tank 31 is composed of a heater 34 and a heating pipe 35. The structure of being heated by the heating element 36 and being pushed up by the rising pipe 51 is the same as that of FIG. 3, but the hot water pushed by the rising pipe 51 is re-heated by the reheating heater 52 buried in the rising pipe 51. The heated hot water flows from the outlet 53 of the rising pipe 51 to the coffee basket 4.
4 was poured into the coffee powder 46 and the coffee was extracted into the coffee receiver 47.

The purpose of the coffee boilers of FIGS. 3 and 4 is to remove the calcium component in the water and increase the temperature of the hot water first poured into the coffee powder.

[0006]

However, FIG.
In the case of FIG. 4, the discharge state of the hot water is intermittent discharge according to the operation of repeatedly generating the vapor pressure in the heating element 36,
Therefore, coffee extraction time is, for example, 4 to 5 for many uses.
A cup (650 cc) with a wattage of 600 W took about 10 minutes. During that time, it took about 7 minutes for the coffee powder to soak in hot water from steaming to completion of coffee extraction. The long extraction time also has a problem that bitterness and the like in the coffee particles are also extracted, and a delicious coffee cannot be obtained.

Further, the hot water is discharged from the outlets 45 and 53 with irregular arrhythmia, so that the hot water and water vapor are scattered to unnecessary places and are not efficiently poured into the coffee basket.

It is also known in any of FIGS. 3 and 4 that a steaming step is provided for the purpose of steaming coffee grounds.

That is, time control is performed by a time switch (not shown). Hot water is initially poured for about 40 seconds and poured into coffee powder 46, and then the heater 3 is turned on for about 30 seconds.
4 and 52 are turned off and the hot water is stopped and the steaming of the coffee powder is performed during that time. However, since the amount of hot water is small and poured little by little to perform sufficient steaming,
The temperature of the hot water poured into 6 drops, and the coffee component is extracted while the swelling of the coffee powder 46 is insufficient, so that the effective component of coffee cannot be efficiently extracted, and a delicious coffee can be obtained. Did not.

[0010] In particular, in the case of FIG.
When 1 is set, water passes through the heating element 36 and the water tank 3
The water is pushed up into the rising pipe 51 to the same water level as the water level 1. When water is heated by supplying electricity in this state, the rising pipe 51
The water inside is heated only by the re-heater 52, mixed with the hot water heated by the heating body 36 without being sufficiently heated,
There was a problem that steaming was insufficient because hot water having a low temperature was poured into the coffee powder 46.

Further, in the apparatus shown in FIG. 3, the hot water is circulated and reheated by the heating element 36, but the circulation time of the hot water in the process until the water tank 31 is set and coffee is obtained is sufficient. Therefore, in this method, the descaling rate in water was as low as 50 to 60%, and a delicious coffee was not obtained.

On the other hand, in the case of FIG. 4, the hot water heated by the heating element 36 is reheated by the reheating heater 52 in which the rising water is buried in the pipe 51, and the hot water is poured into the coffee powder 46. In this method, the removal rate of the calcium component in water is as high as about 80% in the initial stage. It decreases, and the removal rate of the calcium component becomes 50-55% after several uses.
Did not get good coffee.

Further, from the structural point of view, FIG.
It is difficult to adjust the interlocking of the heat responsive member 42 and the water channel switching valve 40. In FIG. 4, since the reheating heater 52 is buried in the water rising pipe 51, the connection between the water rising pipe 51 and the reheating heater 52 is required. Welding for waterproofing of the parts required complicated processing, which increased the cost. According to the present invention, in a drip-type coffee boiler, the discharge of hot water poured into coffee powder is temporarily stored in a basin tank to make a smooth flow, and the steaming step and coffee extraction step of the coffee powder are made closer to the hand drip extraction method. The purpose of the present invention is to obtain delicious coffee, and further to increase the removal rate of calcium components in water by circulating hot water and repeating heating.

[0014]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a water tank and a water tank stored in the water tank.
Heating the heating pipe from which water flows out and the water in the heating pipe
Heating means, and the flowing water channel heated by the heating means
A hot water tank for storing hot water inside
Rising the hot water in the heated pipe to the hot water tank
Pipe and the hot water stored in the hot water tank
A water channel leading to the basket,
The hot water stored in the tank is transferred to the cooler via the water channel.
Control valve for pouring into the heat basket and stored in the water pool
The control valve is closed until hot water has accumulated, and
The control valve is opened intermittently after the hot water has accumulated in the storage tank.
And a control means for releasing the coffee boiler,
The control means causes the stored hot water to accumulate in the hot water tank
Later, as the number of times of opening the control valve that opens intermittently increases,
Control the opening and closing time of the control valve to be short.
It is characterized by the following.

[0015]

According to the above construction , as the number of times of pouring the stored hot water increases,
The time until the bubbles run out after pouring the hot water
Heat powder is stored in the water tank without foam
The stored hot water is transferred to a coffee bag containing the coffee powder.
Can be poured into a sket. As a result,
Coffee powder shrinks, preventing the extraction of active ingredients from coffee powder
It can be reliably prevented from being stopped.

Furthermore , the control valve is opened intermittently.
Make sure the foam overflows from the coffee basket
Can be prevented.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a water tank provided with a water stop valve 2 at the bottom, which is detachably attached to a main body 3. The main body 3 has a base 4 and an eave portion 5. Between the base 4 and the eave portion 5, a coffee receiver 9 in which a paper-type filter medium 6 is set and a coffee basket 8 for filtering coffee powder 7 is placed is stored. Reference numeral 10 denotes a lid placed on the coffee basket 8, which has a plurality of holes 10 '.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a heating element integrally provided with a heater 12 and a heating pipe 13. One end of the heating pipe 13 is connected to the water tank 1 through a check valve 14, and the outflow side is a rising pipe 15 It is connected to.

Reference numeral 16 denotes a hot water tank provided in the eave portion 5 between the rising pipe 15 and the coffee basket 8. The tank 16 is provided with a reheat heater 17 for boiling the hot water and a hot water outlet 19, and the hot water outlet 19 is provided with a control valve 20 for controlling the tapping of hot water in the hot water tank 16.

A hot water outlet 22 is provided by cutting out a part of the upper end 21 of the hot water tank 16, and hot water overflowing from the hot water outlet 22 is returned to the water tank 1 through a water channel 23. . Reference numeral 24 denotes a pouring pipe for pouring hot water from the hot water tank 16 into the coffee powder 7 in the coffee basket 8, and is connected to the control valve 20.

Reference numeral 25 denotes a lid provided on the eave portion 5 and covering the water pool tank 16.
A steam discharge port 26 is provided for discharging steam of hot water accumulated in the outside to the outside.

Reference numeral 27 denotes a temperature sensing element provided at one end of the heating pipe 13. The heating pipe 13 is used when the temperature of the hot water in the hot water tank 16 becomes close to 100 degrees, which is suitable for pouring the coffee powder 7. The water temperature in the inside is defined as the reaction temperature of the temperature sensing element 27.

When a switch (not shown) is turned on, the heater 12 of the heating element 11 and the re-heater 17 of the water pool tank 16 are not energized at the same time. A time graph is provided so that the heater 17 is energized. Although this means depends on the wattage of the heater 12, usually about 30 seconds after the water is heated by the heating element 11, the hot water is discharged from the water rising pipe 15, so that the reheat heater 17 is supplied after about 40 seconds. It is controlled to energize.

Further, the opening control of the control valve 20 is linked with the operation of the temperature sensing element 27.

By using a microcomputer circuit (not shown) in the electric circuit of the coffee brewer according to the present invention, the temperature sensing element 27 can be controlled by closing the control valve 20 by turning on a switch (not shown). A series of controls for obtaining coffee through the opening and closing control of the control valve 20 (hand drip extraction step) through the opening operation of the control valve 20 by the operation (irregularity step) is set as microcomputer control.

FIG. 2 is a time chart showing the relationship between the amount of hot water discharged from the hot water tank 16 and the time when the control valve 20 is controlled by the microcomputer. The vertical axis represents the amount L of hot water per unit time, and the horizontal axis represents the time T of the hot water. And Time _{T 1, T 2, T 3} ···· are tapping _{time, t 1, t 2, t} 3 ···· is a tapping stop time. Each of the tapping amounts at T ₁ , T ₂ , T _3, ... Is obtained by multiplying the vertical axis and the horizontal axis, that is, the hatched portion in FIG.

More specifically, T ₁ is a time for pouring out the amount of hot water necessary for steaming the coffee powder 7, and T _{2 and} below is a time for pouring out the amount of hot water necessary for extracting coffee. Also, t ₁ is the time of the steaming step, and from t _{2 to} t _n−1 represents the tapping stop time. That is, T ₂ + t ₂ + T
_{3 + t 3 ···· + t n} -1 + T n is the coffee extraction time.

Next, a description will be given of coffee extraction by the coffee boiler having the above-described configuration, for example, a case where five cups of coffee are obtained.

[0030] Put the filter medium 6 in the coffee basket 8,
Five cups of coffee powder 7 are put in the filter medium 6 and set in the coffee receiving container 9. Water tank 1 with 5 cups of water
Is set in the main body 3, the water passes through the water stop valve 2, the check valve 14, the heating pipe 13, and is raised to the same water level as the water tank 1 by the water rising pipe 15.

A switch (for example, 5) provided on the main body 3
When the cup switch) is turned on, the heater 12 is energized, the control valve 20 is closed, and water heating starts. The water in the heating pipe 13 boils, is pushed up by the water rising pipe 15 by the vapor pressure, and drops into the tub 16.

When the hot water is stored in the hot water tank 16, the reheating heater 17 is energized (applied approximately 40 seconds after the switch is turned on), and the hot water is reheated. Thereafter, hot water is continuously dropped from the rising pipe 15 to store hot water. Heating is continued, and when the amount of hot water in the basin tank 16 reaches a certain level or more, the hot water overflows from the flowing water port 22 and passes through the water channel 24, again While being returned to the tank 1, unnecessary components such as calcium are discharged from the steam discharge port 26 together with the steam. The circulation and reheating of water are repeated, and the water temperature in the water tank 1 gradually rises.

Initially, the temperature of the hot water flowing out of the water rising pipe 15 is about 80 degrees, but as the temperature of the water in the water tank 1 rises, the temperature of the hot water in the basin tank 16 also rises and eventually reaches 100 degrees.
It becomes a boiling state near the temperature and becomes hot water suitable for pouring into the coffee powder 7.

Since the temperature of the water in the heating pipe 13 at the time of the hot water temperature is used as the reaction temperature of the temperature sensing element 27, the temperature sensing element 27 is operated, and the control valve 20 is opened by the microcomputer, so that the temperature is nearly 100 degrees. Hot water is poured into the coffee powder 7.

Since the control valve 20 is controlled by the microcomputer, the amount of hot water (LX
T ₁ ) is closed after the hot water is discharged from the hot water tank 16, the hot water is temporarily stopped, and the process of steaming the coffee powder 7 is started. During this time (t ₁ ), hot water is sequentially stored in the hot water tank 16, reheated, and the calcium component is further removed by evaporation.

After the draining step, the control valve 20 is opened again, the hot water is discharged from the hot water tank 16 and the collected hot water is poured into the coffee powder 7 which has been sufficiently steamed, and the extraction of coffee starts. After a certain amount of hot water (LXT ₂ ) has been discharged, the control valve 20 is closed again, the hot water is stored in the hot water tank 16 and heated, and the calcium component is further removed by evaporation. In addition,
The removal rate of the calcium component according to the present invention is as high as 70 to 90%.

By the hot water poured into the coffee powder 7, air bubbles containing gas components from the coffee particles are sufficiently generated, and the control valve 20 is opened again while the air bubbles are descending along with the extraction of the coffee, and the air bubbles are collected. The process of pouring hot water is performed for about 7 cycles, and coffee is obtained in the coffee receiver 9.

Note that the time until the bubbles disappear after the hot water is poured into the coffee powder 7 becomes shorter as the number of times increases, so that the stop time becomes t ₂ > t ₃ ... T ₆ > t _7. Is controlled by a microcomputer.

After the switch is turned on, it takes about 7 minutes until 5 cups of coffee are obtained, but the time that the coffee powder 7 is soaked in hot water from steaming to completion of coffee extraction is about 4 minutes.

[0040]

As described above, the coffee of the present invention
According to the water heater, the control means stores the hot water in the hot water tank.
The number of times the control valve that opens intermittently after opening
Therefore, the configuration is such that the opening and stopping time of the control valve is controlled to be short.
So, the hot water was poured as the number of pouring water increased
The time required for the subsequent defoaming becomes shorter.
Without storing the hot water stored in the hot water tank
Pouring into coffee basket with coffee grounds
Can be. This causes the coffee powder to shrink due to the defoaming.
Ensures that the extraction of the active ingredients in coffee grounds is prevented
Can be prevented. Therefore, Mijikatoki with sufficient unevenness's coffee powder, the hand drip extraction method, with delicious coffee can be obtained because it is coffee extraction closer together, delicious coffee
You can get between.

Moreover, the control valve is opened intermittently.
Make sure the foam overflows from the coffee basket
Can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a main part showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a time chart illustrating a relationship between tapping and stopping of hot water poured into coffee powder in the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a main part showing a conventional example .

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a main part showing another conventional example .

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Water tank 8 Coffee basket 9 Coffee receiver 11 Heating body 12 Heater 13 Heating pipe 15 Water rising pipe 16 Hot water tank 17 Reheating heater 20 Control valve 21 Water outlet 27 Temperature sensing element

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-62-192125 (JP, A) JP-A-62-221312 (JP, A) JP-A-54-14789 (JP, U) JP-A-62-168835 (JP) , U) Actually Opened 62-668836 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) A47J 31/00-31/60

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A water tank, and water stored in the water tank.
Heats the water in the heating pipe
Heating means, and the inside of the flowing water channel heated by the heating means.
A hot water tank for storing hot water and heated by the heating means.
Raised water pipes for guiding the hot water in the heating pipe to the hot water tank.
And the hot water stored in the hot water tank
A water channel leading to a sket;
The hot water stored in the tank via the water channel
-Control valve for pouring into the basket and hot water stored in the hot water tank
The control valve is closed until water is collected, and
The control valve is opened intermittently after hot water has accumulated in the tank
And a control means for causing the hot water to be stored in the hot water tank.
Later, as the number of times of opening the control valve that opens intermittently increases,
Characterized in that the opening and closing time of the control valve is controlled to be short .