JP3448092B2 - Cake discharge device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a lees discharge device for a beverage extraction device for automatically extracting and producing a large amount of beverages such as tea and coffee.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional example of a beverage extraction device for tea, coffee, etc. will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 9. FIG. 5 is a side sectional view showing the entire structure. Is supplied to. The weighing hopper 32 is attached to the support base 33 via the load cell 34,
The beverage raw material in the weighing hopper 32 is put into the lower extraction tank 40 by opening a valve 36 operated by a rotary actuator 35 attached to the same hopper 32. The structure of the extraction tank 40 is, as shown in the perspective view of FIG. 6, a tank compartment 40a in which an annular space surrounded by an outer cylinder 41 and an inner cylinder 42 is equally divided by a radial partition wall 43, and a circle supporting the tank compartment 40a. It is composed of a plate 44 and a ring 45. The partition wall 43 has a hole 43a for preventing the liquid level from rising excessively. In addition, each tank compartment 4
A bottom cover 46 is connected to the bottom of 0a by a pin 47 so as to freely rotate, and a filter net 48 is attached to the upper surface of the bottom cover 46. The extraction tank 40 is horizontally attached to the vertical central shaft 50 by the circular plate 44 and the circular ring 45, and the central shaft 50 is driven by the reduction motor 51 with a brake via the gears 52 and 53. It has become.

A metal piece 54 is attached to the outer wall of the tank compartment 40a at the same circumferential pitch and at the same height at a position facing the proximity sensor 56. Then, the proximity sensor 56 attached to the fixing member 55 detects the position of each tank compartment 40a by detecting the metal piece 54, and sends the signal to the control device 80 (FIG. 9) to cause the brake deceleration motor. 51 is intermittently operated so that each tank compartment 40a stops at a fixed position. Reference numeral 57 denotes an upper fixing member, to which a hot water nozzle 58, a wash water nozzle 59, and a propeller type mixer 60 which can move up and down are attached.
Further, the annular plates 61 and 62 fixed to the fixing member 57 are inserted into the grooves 41a and 42a provided on the upper portion of the tank outer cylinder 41 and the upper portion of the tank inner cylinder 42 to form a labyrinth and to splash hot water. Is prevented from popping out. Further, below the tank compartment 40a, an annular receiving tank 85 having an inclination in the circumferential direction as shown in FIG.
5 and an extract liquid tank 86 for containing the collected extract liquid is placed, and this extract liquid is then sent to the next processing step by gravity or a pump. On the other hand, a part of the receiving tank 85 is provided with a cutout, and the refuse discharge hopper 87 is placed in this cutout. A washing water nozzle 88 is attached to the lees discharge hopper 87, and the beverage extraction lees discharged from the bottom hole of the lees hopper 87 are sent out by a discharge conveyor 90.

Next, the opening / closing mechanism of the bottom lid 46 will be described with reference to the enlarged sectional view of FIG. When the actuator 65 attached to the fixed member 55 is actuated, the latch 66 held by the spring 67 is pulled and disengaged from the projection 46a of the bottom lid 46, and the bottom lid 46 rotates by its own weight and the weight of the beverage meal. Then, it opens and moves to the position of the chain double-dashed line in FIG. When closing the bottom lid 46, the actuator 68 attached to the fixed member 55 is actuated, and the U-shaped metal fitting 69 at the tip of the actuator 68 is attached to the bottom lid 46.
The bottom lid 46 is pushed up by pushing 0 to close the bottom of the tank compartment 46a, and at the same time, it is stopped by the latch 66. 71
Is a packing attached to the tank compartment 40a.

Next, the automatic adjusting mechanism of the liquid level in the tank will be described with reference to the enlarged sectional view of FIG.
A flow control valve 75 that opens when pushed up from below is provided at a. Further, each tank compartment 40a is provided with a float 82 floating on the liquid surface, and a lever 83c of the float 82 is provided.
Is fixed integrally with the float lever 83, and the lever 83c enters the tank compartment 40a through the slit 41b of the outer cylinder 41 of the tank, and the bracket 41e provided on the outer cylinder 41 together with the float lever 83. Is rotatably supported by a pin 83b. Further, an air cylinder 77 is attached to an end portion of a lever 76 that is attached so as to be rotatable on a pin 55a fixed to the fixed member 55.
The end portion of the rod 78 that expands and contracts is pin-joined, and the rod 81 fixed to the air cylinder 77 of the rod 78 is provided with a conical seat 81a and a roller 91 at the tip. The rod 81 is loosely supported by a hole 84a of an abutment 84 fixed to the fixed member 55, and when the rod 78 is contracted, the conical seat 81a is a concave seat of the hole 84a of the abutment. Enter to determine the position of rod 81. In this position, the roller 91 at the upper end of the rod 78 is connected to the end portion 8 of the float lever 83.
The end portion 76a of the lever 76, which is not in contact with 3a and is connected to the lower end of the rod 78, does not contact with the flow rate adjusting valve 75. When the rod 78 is stretched by the compressed air, the end portion 76a of the lever 76 contacts the flow rate adjusting valve 75, and the rod difference 81a floats up from the recessed seat of the hole 84a of the abutment, and the rod 81 moves. The roller 91 at the upper end contacts the float lever 83.

When the liquid level in the tank compartment 40a rises, the float 82 rises and the rod 78 is pushed downward, and the end portion 76a of the lever 76 pushes up the flow rate adjusting valve 75 to open it. Outflow. On the contrary, when the liquid level is lowered, the float 82 is also lowered, the rod 78 is raised, the end portion 76a of the lever 76 is lowered, and the flow rate adjusting valve 75 is closed. Reference numeral 92 is a tension spring for canceling the weight of the rod 78 and the lever 76 and allowing the movement of the float 82 to be easily transmitted to the valve 75. The actuator 93 attached to the fixed-side member 55 operates in the process of opening the flow rate adjusting valve 75 and flowing out the extract liquid regardless of the position of the float 82. The above is a mechanical mechanism for transmitting the movement of the liquid level detection float 82 directly to the flow rate adjusting valve 75 via the rod 78 and the lever 76 to adjust the flow rate of the extraction liquid and adjust the liquid level height to a constant level. However, as another mechanism, the float 82
May be detected by a position sensor, and the flow control valve 75 may be opened and closed by operating the actuator via an electric signal.

Next, the operation of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 5 to 8 will be described with reference to FIG. 9, which shows each tank compartment 40a.
Is a development of the process of stopping and processing during one rotation of. As described above, the position at which each tank compartment 40a is stopped is detected by the sensor 56, and the signal is sent to the control device 80, and the deceleration motor 51 with brake is operated by an instruction from the control device 80. Compartment 4
0a is stopped at each process position. Then the tank compartment 40
After a is passed for a certain time, it is moved by one pitch, and this is repeated. The operation of the tank compartment 40a at each process position will be described below in the order of the numbers shown in FIG.

(1) Feeding of raw materials: A beverage raw material feeding device 31
Is sent to the weighing hopper 32, and the load cell 34 attached to the supporting portion of the weighing hopper 32 weighs the supplied raw material and sends a signal to the control device 80. When the signal from the load cell 34 indicates an appropriate amount of raw material supply, the feeding device 31 is stopped by an instruction from the control device 80, the valve 36 at the lower outlet of the weighing hopper 32 is opened by the operation of the rotary actuator 35, and the raw material tank is separated. It flows into the chamber 40a. (2) Steaming: After pouring hot water to such an extent that all the charged raw materials are wet, it is kept as it is.

(3) to (6) Extraction: Each tank compartment 40a
Hot water at a flow rate equal to The liquid level is maintained within a predetermined range by an automatic liquid level adjusting mechanism (the one shown in FIG. 8 which is composed of the float 82, the float lever 83, the rod 78, the lever 76, and the flow rate adjusting valve 75), A beverage extract having a flow rate substantially the same as the flow rate of the poured hot water is discharged to the receiving tank 85 through the flow rate adjusting valve 75.
The extract liquid collected in the receiving tank 85 is stored in the extract liquid tank 86 and sent to the next step. (7) Extraction and discharge: The supply of hot water is stopped and only the beverage extract is discharged. The actuator 93 operates to push down the rod 78 and rotate the lever 76 to rotate the flow rate adjusting valve 7
5 is opened and the extract is poured into the receiving tank 85.

(8) Drainage and cleaning of lees: Compressed air is sent from the control tank 80 to operate the actuator 65, the latch 66 is removed, and the bottom lid 46 is opened. The beverage meal falls on the hopper 87 and is carried outside by the conveyor 90. Further, the wash water supply valve is opened according to an instruction from the control device 80, and the wash water nozzle 59 and the lees discharge hopper 8 attached to the upper fixing member 57.
Blow out the wash water from the wash water nozzle 88 attached to 7.
The beverage meal is washed off from the tank compartment 40a and the filter screen 48. After a certain period of time, the washing water is stopped, the actuator 68 is operated, and the bottom lid 46 is closed.

[0011]

Since the conventional beverage brewing apparatus is of a type in which the brewing tank rotates, the weight of the brewing tank increases as the capacity of the apparatus increases.
There is a problem that the rotating device of the extraction tank becomes large. Further, since there is a sliding portion on the upper part of the beverage, which is a product, a gap is created, and there is a risk that abrasion powder may enter or foreign matter may be mixed. Furthermore, since the extracted meal is placed on the discharge conveyor and discharged with a high water content, the weight of the cake increases, and there is a problem that steam generated from the cake increases and it can stay in the room. When it is fixed, a large number of lees discharge devices are required, resulting in high equipment costs. The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems by providing a lees discharge device in which an extraction tank is fixedly installed.

[0012]

Therefore, according to the present invention, a plurality of extraction tanks are arranged on the same circumference and are fixedly mounted on a pedestal, and the extracted lees are discharged by opening the bottom lid of the extraction tank. In the beverage extraction device according to, can be rotated around the central axis of the tank group of the extraction tank and stopped at a predetermined position, and a moving screw conveyor that transfers meal from the extraction tank to the central axis position, It is composed of a fixed conveyer for transferring the lees from the same central axis to the outside of the device, further squeezing the lees by squeezing the outlet of the moving screw conveyer, and contained in the lees through a large number of small holes provided in the outer cylinder of the screw. The moving screw conveyor and the outer cylinder of the moving screw conveyor are tapered so as to have a smaller diameter toward the central axis of the tank group. The barrel of the screw conveyor and moving the screw conveyor, made of beveled so high central axis side of the tank group, it is an means for these issues resolved.

[0013]

In each extraction tank, the raw material supply mechanism, the solvent liquid supply mechanism, and the extraction liquid extraction mechanism allow the steps from the introduction of the raw material to the discharge of the extraction liquid to proceed in substantially the same manner as in the conventional example. Then, the moving screw conveyor is rotated to the position of the extraction tank from which the extraction liquid has been discharged, and the hopper is brought under the extraction tank. Next, the bottom lid is opened by the bottom lid opening / closing mechanism, and the lees are dropped into the hopper by their own weight and washing water. When the moving screw conveyor rotates, the lees are squeezed to remove the liquid content and are sent to the central position of the extraction tank group, and then discharged to the outside of the apparatus by the fixed screw conveyor.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the embodiments of the drawings. FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show a first embodiment of a lees discharge device of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing the structure of a beverage extraction device, Figure 2
FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the arrangement of extraction tanks. In FIG. 1, 1 is a pedestal (fixed member) of the extraction device, 2 is a top plate of the pedestal 1, and 3 are a plurality of extraction tanks, which are arranged on the same circumference and fixed to the pedestal 1. 4 is a bottom lid rotatably supported by a pin 6 fixed to the extraction tank 3 by a bracket 5, 7 is an actuator for opening / closing the bottom lid 4, and 8 is a bracket provided at one end of the actuator 7 on the extraction tank 3. Stop pin, 9 is the other end of actuator 7
It is a pin that stops at the lever part. Each of the extraction tanks 3 is provided with a raw material supply mechanism, a solvent supply mechanism, and an extraction liquid extraction mechanism, but they are not shown. The raw material supply mechanism may be commonly used in each extraction tank 3.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a lees discharge device, which comprises a fixed screw conveyor 11 fixed to the floor and a moving screw conveyor 12 which rotates horizontally around the central axis of the extraction tank 3 group. 13 is a suspension frame fixed to the gantry 1, 14 is a suspension frame 1
3, a transmission fixed to 3, a motor 15 for driving the transmission 14, 16 a vertical shaft directly connected to the output shaft of the transmission 14,
Reference numeral 17 is a hanger connected to the vertical shaft 16 and rotatably supported by the suspension frame 13, 18 is a screw conveyor main body, 18a,
18b, 19 and 20 are the inlet and outlet of the screw conveyor body 18, the outer cylinder and the screw, and 21 is the hanger 1.
7, a motor for driving the screw 20 fixed to 7; a hopper 22 fixed to the inlet 18a of the screw conveyor body 18; a drain pan 23 fixed to the lower portion of the outer cylinder 19; a roller 24; The rail fixed to the floor has a flat upper surface, and these form the moving screw conveyor 12. This moving screw conveyor 12 is a roller 2
4, the weight is supported, and the motor 15 rotates via the transmission 14 and the vertical shaft 16 so that the motor 15 can stop at a fixed position. Further, in the screw conveyor main body 18, the opening area of the outlet 18b is narrowed, the beverage meal sent by the screw 20 is squeezed, and the liquid content contained in the meal is transferred to the outer cylinder 10.
After being collected in the drain pan 23 from a large number of small holes provided in the lower part of the container, it is discharged to the outside.

Next, the operation of the embodiment configured as described above will be described. A raw material supply mechanism (not shown) supplies a beverage raw material to the extraction tank 3, and thereafter, the beverage is steamed, extracted and discharged in substantially the same manner as in the conventional example. Is done. Then the motor 15
The moving screw conveyor main body 18 is rotationally moved to the position of the extraction and discharge tank 3 that has discharged the extraction liquid, and the hopper 2
2 is below the extraction tank 3. Next actuator 7
Is activated, the bottom lid 4 is opened, and the lees are washed with the hopper 2 by the washing water.
Falls into 2. Next, the screw 20 is driven by the motor 21.
When is rotated, the lees are squeezed and drained, and the inlet 18
sent from the a to the outlet 18b, the fixed screw conveyor 11
And discharged to the outside of the device. In this embodiment, the conveyor for discharging the lees outside the apparatus is a screw conveyor, but it goes without saying that it may be a belt type conveyor.

Next, the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 3. The difference between the second embodiment and the first embodiment is as follows.
Screw 20a of moving screw conveyor 12a and outer cylinder 1
9a has a taper shape that has a smaller diameter toward the central axis side of the extraction tank 3 group, thereby improving the ability to squeeze the lees and increasing the ability to collect dewatering. The drain pan 23a receives the drain pan 23a to facilitate cleaning of the drain pan 23a. Since the other points are the same as those in the first embodiment, their description will be omitted.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 4. The difference between the third embodiment and the second embodiment is that
By increasing the screw 20b of the transfer screw conveyor 12b and the central axis of the extraction tank 3 group of the outer cylinder 19b so as to be higher in position, the dehydration ability is improved and the ability to collect the drainage is further increased. Further, by making the drain pan 23b outside, cleaning of the drain pan is facilitated.

[0019]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, it is possible to fix an extraction tank having a large volume, but since a large-scale rotary drive device for the extraction tank is not required, the cost of the apparatus is reduced. can do. Moreover, since the extracted meal is squeezed and discharged while being deliquored, the weight of the meal is reduced, handling becomes easier, and the cost of disposing of the meal can be reduced. Further, it is possible to reduce the amount of steam dissipated in the room.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a lees discharge device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the arrangement of extraction tanks in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of a lees discharge device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of a lees discharge device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a side sectional view of a conventional beverage extraction device.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the extraction tank in FIG.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the bottom lid opening / closing device of the tank compartment in FIG.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the automatic liquid level adjustment mechanism for the tank compartment in FIG.

9 is an explanatory view showing the steps of the beverage extraction device in FIG. 5 in a developed manner.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 stand 2 Top plate 3 extraction tanks 4 Bottom lid 5 bracket 7 Actuator 10 Drainage device 11 Fixed screw conveyor 12, 12a, 12b Mobile screw conveyor 13 hanging frame 14 transmission 15 motor 16 vertical axis 17 Hanger 18 Screw conveyor body 18a entrance 18b exit 19, 19a, 19b Outer cylinder 20, 20a, 20b screw 21 motor 22 hoppers 23 Drain pan 24 roller 25 rails

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Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A beverage extraction device in which a plurality of extraction tanks are arranged on the same circumference and fixed to a gantry, and the lees after extraction are discharged by opening the bottom lid of the extraction tank. It can rotate around the central axis of the tank group and stop at a predetermined position, and also a moving screw conveyor that transfers the lees from the bottom of the extraction tank to the central axis position and the lees from the central axis to the outside of the device. The lees discharge device, which comprises a fixed conveyer. 2. The outlet of the moving screw conveyor is squeezed to squeeze the lees, and the liquid contained in the lees is discharged from a large number of small holes provided in the outer cylinder of the screw. The lees discharge device described in 1. 3. The lees discharger according to claim 1, wherein the fixed conveyor is a fixed screw conveyor. 4. The lees discharger according to claim 1, wherein the fixed conveyor is a fixed belt type conveyor. 5. The lees discharger according to claim 1, wherein the moving screw conveyor and the outer cylinder of the moving screw conveyor are tapered so as to have a smaller diameter toward the central axis side of the tank group. 6. The lees discharger according to claim 1, wherein the moving screw conveyor and the outer cylinder of the moving screw conveyor are inclined so that the central axis side of the tank group becomes higher.