JP3985662B2 - Beverage extractor - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a beverage extraction device, and more specifically, after a powder raw material such as ground beans and hot water are put into an extraction container, a beverage such as a coffee drink is extracted by applying pressure to the extraction container. The present invention relates to an improvement of the beverage extraction apparatus.
[0002]
[Prior art]
For example, beverage extraction devices are provided inside vending machines and beverage dispensers that sell coffee beverages made from ground beans as a powder raw material. As this type of beverage extraction apparatus, an apparatus including an extraction container, a filter, a filter block, and a valve mechanism is generally used. The extraction container is referred to as a so-called cylinder, and has a cylindrical shape with both upper and lower end surfaces opened. This extraction container is provided with an air passage for supplying air therein. A filter is arrange | positioned in the aspect which obstruct | occludes the lower end opening of an extraction container, for example, the thing made from paper is applied. The filter block is a bottomed cylindrical container that is attached to the lower end of the extraction container via a filter, and has an extraction passage in the inner bottom thereof. The valve mechanism opens and closes the upper end opening of the extraction container.
[0003]
In this beverage extraction device, first, after a filter block is attached to the lower end portion of the extraction container via a filter, the powder raw material and hot water are supplied from the upper end opening of the extraction container with the valve mechanism opened. Thereafter, the upper end opening of the extraction container is closed by the valve mechanism, and air is supplied into the extraction container from this state. As a result, the coffee beverage is extracted into the filter block through the filter by the pressure of the air supplied to the extraction container, and the extracted coffee beverage is poured into the beverage cup through the extraction passage.
[0004]
When the extraction of the coffee beverage is completed, after the supply of air is stopped, the filter block is separated from the extraction container, the filter is replaced, and a standby state is set to prepare for the next beverage extraction ( For example, see Patent Document 1).
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-1-158592
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, this type of beverage extraction device was originally developed and embodied so as to provide a high-quality beverage that can be served at a coffee shop even in a vending machine or a beverage dispenser. However, the actual situation is that beverages actually poured into beverage cups contain many undesirable components such as astringency and bitterness.
[0007]
In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a beverage extraction apparatus that can extract a high quality beverage while suppressing astringency and bitterness.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present inventors pay attention to the pressure applied to the extraction container, and the higher this pressure is, the more the amount of components such as astringency and bitterness extracted from the powder raw material during beverage extraction increases. I found it. That is, in the conventional beverage extraction device, while the beverage is being extracted, as shown in FIG. 14C, air is continuously supplied to the extraction container. ), The internal pressure becomes much higher than 0.3 MPa, and accordingly, the amount of astringency and bitterness components extracted from the powder raw material becomes large, which becomes a factor of lowering the quality of the beverage. It was. Therefore, the beverage extraction device according to claim 1 of the present invention is a beverage extraction device configured to extract a beverage from the extraction container by applying pressure to the extraction container charged with the powder raw material and hot water. An air supply means for applying pressure to the extraction container by supplying air to the extraction container; and an extraction control means for controlling the air supply means. The extraction control means includes an internal pressure of the extraction container. After the air pressure increases, the air supply means is intermittently driven to repeat the pressure increase / decrease pattern that gradually decreases the increased pressure. It is characterized by that.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Exemplary embodiments of a beverage extraction device according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0011]
1 and 2 show a beverage extraction apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, which is arranged inside a cup-type beverage vending machine A as shown in FIG. 3 for extracting a coffee beverage. 1 illustrates a coffee beverage extraction apparatus.
[0012]
A cup-type beverage vending machine A, to which the coffee beverage extraction device is applied, has a product sales port D having a sales tray C inside at a position which is substantially in the center of the front surface of the device main body B. The cup-type beverage vending machine A includes a product display unit E for displaying a product for sale on the front upper portion of the device body B, and a product selection button F for selecting individual products. ing. Below the product display section E, there are a coin insertion slot G for inserting coins, a coin return lever H for returning inserted coins, and a return opening J for returning returned coins and change coins. Is provided. As shown in FIG. 13, the coins inserted from the coin insertion slot G are recognized by the coin processing unit K such as a coin mech and the amount of money is recognized, and the recognition result is given to the vending machine control unit L. Become. The vending machine control unit L activates the above-described product selection button F when a coin of an amount necessary for product sales is inserted, and when the validated product selection button F is pressed, the product selection signal is described later. To the extraction control means 100. Moreover, the vending machine control part L also performs the process which returns change to the return port J, when there is more input money than sales goods.
[0013]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the coffee beverage extraction device of the cup-type beverage vending machine A includes a raw material shooter 10, a shower nozzle 20, and a hot water supply container 130 on the front side of a base member 1 that is erected in the vertical direction. And an extraction container 30 comprising a raw material receiving unit 230.
[0014]
The raw material shooter 10 has a cone shape for guiding coffee raw materials (powder raw materials) such as ground beans crushed by the mill 11, and is formed on the upper portion of the base member 1 in such a manner that the inner diameter gradually decreases downward. It is attached. The material shooter 10 is provided with a shooter tack 12. The shooter 12 vibrates the material shooter 10 using the shooter motor 13 as a drive source.
[0015]
The shower nozzle 20 has a large number of pouring ports (not shown) with a small diameter at the tip, and when hot water is supplied, the hot water is poured out from each pouring port in a shower shape. The pre-heater 21 and the shower valve 22 To the hot water tank 23.
[0016]
The hot water supply container portion 130 of the extraction container 30 is formed in a cylindrical shape having one end formed in a dome shape and a small diameter ventilation passage 131 at the center thereof, and has a hot water supply port 132 provided at the other end. It is attached to the side region of the raw material shooter 10 in the upper part of the base member 1 in a state of being directed vertically downward.
[0017]
The hot water supply container portion 130 is provided with a hermetic valve 133 inside the ventilation passage 131, a hot water supply passage 134 is provided in the middle of the ventilation passage 131, and air is supplied to a portion on the side of the ventilation passage 131. A passage 135 is provided. The sealing valve 133 opens and closes the opening of the ventilation passage 131 from the inside by moving in the vertical direction by driving of the valve motor 136. The hot water supply passage 134 is connected to the hot water tank 23 described above via the hot water supply valve 137, and supplies hot water of a predetermined temperature stored in the hot water tank 23 to the inside of the hot water supply container unit 130 when the hot water supply valve 137 is opened. To do. The air passage 135 is connected to an air pump (air supply means) 138. When the air pump 138 is driven, air is supplied into the hot water supply container section 130.
[0018]
In addition, the hot water supply container section 130 is provided with a raw material ingress prevention filter 139 at the hot water supply port 132. The raw material intrusion prevention filter 139 allows permeation of liquid and gas while blocking permeation of ground beans that are coffee raw materials. In addition, packing (not shown) for ensuring watertightness with the raw material receptacle part 230 mentioned later is attached to the outer peripheral edge part of the hot water supply port 132.
[0019]
The raw material receiving unit 230 of the extraction container 30 has a cylindrical shape formed in a uniform cross section, and has an input port 231 at one end and an extraction port 232 at the other end. The inlet 231 is formed in a size that can be attached to the hot water supply port 132 when matched with the hot water supply port 132 of the hot water supply container part 130. The raw material receiving unit 230 is disposed so as to be slidable in the horizontal direction by the sliding means 40 with the inlet 231 facing vertically upward, and can be appropriately moved in the vertical direction when an external force is applied. It is supported.
[0020]
The slide means 40 includes a slide block 41 disposed on the front side of the base member 1 so as to be horizontally movable along the left-right direction, and a pair of arm portions 42 projecting forward from the upper portion of the slide block 41. The raw material receiver 230 is supported between the arms 42 so as to be movable up and down. The slide means 40 is provided with a slide motor 43 and a pair of slide sensors 44 a and 44 b between the slide block 41 and the base member 1. The slide motor 43 moves the slide block 41 relative to the base member 1 to displace the raw material receiver 230 between the two positions of the hot water supply extraction position and the raw material charging position via the arm portion 42. Is. The hot water extraction position is a position where the raw material receiver 230 is aligned with the axis center below the hot water container 130, and the raw material charging position is the inlet 231 of the raw material receiver 230. This is the position placed in the lower area. The pair of slide sensors 44a and 44b are for detecting the position of the raw material receiver 230 with respect to the base member 1, and when the raw material receiver 230 is positioned at the hot water supply extraction position and the raw material charging position described above. It arrange | positions so that a detection signal may be output.
[0021]
The filter block 50 and the filter recovery means 60 are held on the slide block 41 of the slide means 40 described above.
[0022]
The filter block 50 has a bottomed cylindrical shape having a receiving port 51 at its upper end, and has an extraction passage 52 at its inner bottom, and is attached to the slide block 41 via an elevating means 53. The receiving port 51 is formed in a size that can be attached to the extraction port 232 when matched with the extraction port 232 of the raw material receiving unit 230. The extraction passage 52 is a liquid passage that reaches a pouring nozzle (not shown) and has a pinch mechanism 54. The pinch mechanism 54 is interposed in the middle of the extraction passage 52, and temporarily shuts off the extraction passage 52 when driven.
[0023]
The elevating means 53 is configured by interposing a cross link mechanism 56 driven by a link motor 55 between the base member 1 and the filter block 50. The cross link mechanism 56 converts the horizontal reciprocating movement by the link motor 55 into a vertical reciprocating movement, thereby displacing the filter block 50 between three positions of the standby position, the raw material receiving position, and the extraction position. belongs to. Although not clearly shown in the figure, a detection signal is output between the base member 1 and the filter block 50 when the filter block 50 is positioned at the above-described three positions with respect to the base member 1. Two link sensors 57 are provided. These two link sensors 57 detect the three positions of the filter block 50 described above from three different states of ON-ON, ON-OFF, and OFF-ON.
[0024]
The filter collecting means 60 sequentially feeds a paper strip-like extraction filter 61 wound around a roll between the filter block 50 and the raw material receiving unit 230 in the extraction container 30. In the present embodiment, a roll shaft 62 that supports the roll of the extraction filter 61 below the elevating means 53 in the slide block 41, and the extraction filter 61 fed out from the roll of the extraction filter 61 are combined with the filter block 50 and the raw material. The filter collection means 60 is configured by including a pair of guide rollers 63a and 63b guided between the receiving portion 230 and a feeding roller pair 64a and 64b for sequentially feeding out the extraction filter 61 from the roll. The filter 61 for extraction supplied by the filter recovery means 60 has a width larger than the inner diameter of the extraction port 232 in the raw material receiving unit 230 and the inner diameter of the receiving port 51 in the filter block 50. The extraction port 232 and the receiving port 51 can be covered.
[0025]
On the other hand, the coffee beverage extraction device is provided with a scraper 70, an extraction basket recovery container 80, a filter recovery container 81, and an extraction control means 100.
[0026]
The scraper 70 has a columnar shape with a triangular cross section, and one side edge of the scraper 70 moves between the downstream guide roller 63b and the feed roller pair 64a, 64b in the filter recovery means 60 described above. The slide block 41 is held so as to face the area. More specifically, the scraper 70 is arranged on the slide block 41 in such a manner that one side edge is in sliding contact with the surface of the extraction filter 61 when the filter recovery means 60 is driven. The scraper 70 is not necessarily limited to a column having a triangular cross section, and for example, a wire may be simply disposed.
[0027]
The extraction basket collecting container 80 is a wide-mouthed container that opens upward, and is disposed in the vertically lower area of the scraper 70 described above. The filter collection container 81 is a wide-mouthed container that opens upward, like the extraction basket collection container 80, and is disposed in a region where the extraction filter 61 is extended by the feeding roller pairs 64a and 64b.
[0028]
When the product selection signal and the detection signal are given from the above-described vending machine control unit L, the slide sensors 44a and 44b, and the link sensor 57, the extraction control unit 100 extracts coffee beverages according to programs and data stored in the memory 101 in advance. This is for controlling each part of the apparatus.
[0029]
4-12 is a schematic diagram for demonstrating operation | movement of the coffee drink extraction apparatus mentioned above. Hereinafter, the operation of the coffee beverage extraction apparatus will be described with reference to these drawings as appropriate.
[0030]
First, when the product selection button F is not pressed, the extraction control means 100 of the coffee beverage extraction device is in a sales standby state as shown in FIG. In this sales standby state, both the raw material receiver 230 and the filter block 50 occupy the raw material charging position, and the filter block 50 occupies the lowest standby position. Further, the valve motor 136 is stopped in a state where the sealed valve 133 opens the ventilation passage 131. The shower valve 22 and the hot water supply valve 137 are both closed.
[0031]
When a purchaser or the like inserts coins from the above-described sales standby state and an arbitrary product selection button F is pressed and notified through the vending machine control unit L, the extraction control means 100 of the coffee beverage extraction device is shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the elevating means 53 is driven to raise the filter block 50 to the raw material receiving position. As a result, the receiving port 51 of the filter block 50 is attached to the extracting port 232 of the raw material receiving unit 230 with the extraction filter 61 interposed therebetween.
[0032]
Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 6, the extraction control unit 100 drives the mill 11 to pulverize the coffee beans, and the ground beans, which are the coffee raw materials, are fed from the raw material shooter 10 to the raw material receiving unit 230 at the raw material charging position. Throw inside. During this time, the extraction control means 100 applies vibration to the shoe tacker 12 by driving the tacker motor 13. As a result, a situation where the coffee raw material adheres to or stays on the inner wall of the raw material shooter 10 does not occur.
[0033]
When a predetermined amount of ground beans is put into the raw material receiving unit 230, the extraction control means 100 temporarily shuts off the extraction passage 52 through the pinch mechanism 54, and then opens the shower valve 22, The hot water heated by the preheater 21 is subjected to a process of showering the ground beans introduced into the raw material receiving unit 230 from the shower nozzle 20. As a result, the ground beans put into the raw material receiving unit 230 are sufficiently steamed by the hot water showered from the shower nozzle 20.
[0034]
Thereafter, the extraction control means 100 moves the raw material receiver 230 to the hot water supply extraction position through the slide means 40 as shown in FIG. 7, and further raises the filter block 50 from this state to the extraction position through the elevating means 53. As a result, the raw material receiving unit 230 rises together with the filter block 50, and as shown in FIG. It is attached to.
[0035]
Thereafter, the extraction control means 100 opens the hot water supply valve 137 and performs a process of supplying hot water in the hot water tank 23 to the hot water supply container section 130 through the hot water supply passage 134. The hot water supplied to the hot water supply container section 130 enters the raw material receiver section 230 through the inlet 231 through the hot water inlet 132 and the raw material ingress prevention filter 139, and the ground beans that are input to the raw material receiver section 230 It becomes a mixed state. In this case, even if the amount of hot water supplied exceeds the raw material ingress prevention filter 139, the raw material ingress prevention filter 139 prevents the ground beans from moving to the hot water supply container section 130.
[0036]
When a preset amount of hot water is supplied, the extraction control means 100 closes the hot water supply valve 137 and then drives the hermetic valve 133 through the valve motor 136, as shown in FIG. The flow of the fluid through the ventilation passage 131 of the part 130 is blocked. In addition, the extraction passage 52 previously blocked by the pinch mechanism 54 is returned to the communication state again. Further, from this state, the air pump 138 is driven to perform a process of supplying air into the hot water supply container 130 through the air passage 135. As a result, the internal pressure of the hot water supply container section 130 and the raw material receiver section 230, that is, the internal pressure of the extraction container 30 increases, and the coffee beverage generated in the raw material receiver section 230 passes through the extraction filter 61. Thus, the filter block 50 is extracted.
[0037]
Here, in the extraction control means 100, as shown in FIG. 14A, the air pump 138 is intermittently driven. Specifically, the air pump 138 is continuously driven until the internal pressure of the extraction container 30 reaches about 0.1 MPa, and then the internal pressure gradually decreases with the extraction of the coffee beverage, and is paused until it becomes almost zero. Take time. The internal pressure of the extraction container 30 described above is preferably accurately measured by providing a pressure sensor, but based on the data obtained from the experimental results, the time until the pressure reaches about 0.1 MPa is known, Control may be made so that the air pump 138 is driven for this known time. If such intermittent driving of the air pump 138 is repeatedly performed, the coffee beverage can be extracted without unnecessarily increasing the time until the end of the extraction. Moreover, the maximum value of the pressure applied to the extraction container 30 is about 0.1 MPa, which is a sufficiently small value compared to the conventional one shown in FIG. Undesirable components are also significantly reduced, and it becomes possible to extract a high-quality coffee drink that is served at a coffee shop. It should be noted that the specific numerical values described above are merely exemplary descriptions, and it is needless to say that the air pump 138 may be driven to have other values.
[0038]
The coffee beverage extracted to the filter block 50 as described above is fed to an unillustrated pouring nozzle through the extracting passage 52, and is further placed on the sales tray C of the merchandise sales port D from the pouring nozzle. Will be poured out and provided to the purchaser.
[0039]
The extraction control means 100 of the coffee beverage extraction apparatus that has finished extracting the coffee beverage opens the ventilation passage 131 of the hot water supply container section 130 by driving the sealing valve 133 through the valve motor 136 as shown in FIG. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 11, the raw material receiver unit 230 is separated from the hot water supply container unit 130 by lowering the filter block 50 to the standby position through the elevating means 53.
[0040]
When the filter block 50 is lowered to the standby position, the extraction control means 100 performs a process of feeding the extraction filter 61 from the roll by a certain length by driving the feeding roller pair 64a and 64b. As a result, the new filter portion of the extraction filter 61 is disposed at a portion corresponding to the receiving port 51 of the filter block 50 and the extraction port 232 of the raw material receiving unit 230, and is used for extracting coffee beverages. The filter portions are sequentially carried out downstream and finally collected in the filter collection container 81.
[0041]
Here, in the filter part already used for extraction of the coffee drink in the filter 61 for extraction, since the coffee beverage extraction basket has adhered to the surface, when the filter 61 for extraction is discarded, the filter 61 for extraction It is necessary to remove the extracted soot adhering to the surface. However, according to the coffee beverage extraction device, the scraper 70 is disposed so as to face the moving area of the extraction filter 61 between the downstream guide roller 63b and the feeding roller pair 64a and 64b. Each time the extraction roller 61 is driven by a certain length from the roll by driving the feeding roller pair 64a and 64b, the scraper 70 comes into sliding contact with the surface of the extraction filter 61, and the attached extraction soot is scraped off. It comes to be. In addition, the scraped extracted soot is dropped and collected in the extract soot collecting container 80, so that it can be collected separately from the extraction filter 61 without any work.
[0042]
As described above, according to the coffee beverage extraction device, the coffee beverage can be extracted while the pressure applied to the extraction container 30 is kept small by driving the air pump 138 intermittently. It becomes possible to reduce the amount of undesired components such as bitterness and bitterness extracted, and to provide a high-quality coffee drink.
[0043]
In addition, in embodiment mentioned above, although the apparatus for extracting the coffee drink which uses ground beans as a powder raw material is illustrated, this invention is naturally applicable also to what extracts a drink from other powder raw materials. Is possible.
[0044]
Moreover, in embodiment mentioned above, in the drink extraction apparatus which extracts a drink by supplying air to the extraction container 30, by driving the air supply means for supplying the said air intermittently, an extraction container Although the pressure is intermittently applied to 30, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in a beverage extraction device that extracts a beverage by operating a piston in the extraction container 30, the same applies to the intermittent application of pressure to the extraction container 30 by appropriately moving the piston up and down. It is possible to achieve an effect.
[0045]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the beverage extraction apparatus according to the present invention, since the pressure is intermittently applied to the extraction container, the beverage is extracted with the pressure applied to the extraction container kept small. As a result, it becomes possible to reduce the amount of undesired components such as astringency and bitterness extracted, and to provide a high quality beverage.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front view conceptually showing a beverage extraction device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view of the beverage extraction apparatus shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a front view of a vending machine to which the beverage extraction device shown in FIG. 1 is applied.
4 is a schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the beverage extraction device shown in FIG. 1. FIG.
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the beverage extraction apparatus shown in FIG. 1;
6 is a schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the beverage extraction device shown in FIG. 1. FIG.
7 is a schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the beverage extraction device shown in FIG. 1. FIG.
FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the beverage extraction device shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the beverage extraction device shown in FIG. 1;
10 is a schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the beverage extraction device shown in FIG. 1; FIG.
FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the beverage extraction device shown in FIG. 1;
12 is a schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the beverage extraction device shown in FIG. 1. FIG.
13 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration of the beverage extraction device shown in FIG. 1. FIG.
14A and 14B are timing charts showing the relationship between the operation of an air pump applied to the beverage extraction apparatus shown in FIG. 1 and the internal pressure of the extraction container, and FIGS. 14C and 14D are conventional diagrams. It is a timing chart which shows the relationship between the operation | movement of the air pump applied to this drink extraction apparatus, and the internal pressure of an extraction container.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Base member
10 Raw material shooter
11 mil
12 Sutatataki
13 Tataki Motor
20 Shower nozzle
21 Preheater
22 Shower valve
23 Hot water tank
30 Extraction container
40 slide means
41 slide block
42 Arm
43 Slide motor
44a, 44b Slide sensor
50 filter blocks
51 Entrance
52 Extraction passage
53 Lifting means
54 Pinch mechanism
55 Link motor
56 Cross link mechanism
57 Link sensor
60 Filter recovery means
61 Filter for extraction
62 Roll axis
63a, 63b Guide roller
63b Guide roller
64a, 64b Feeding roller pair
70 scraper
80 Extracted dredging collection container
81 Filter collection container
100 Extraction control means
101 memory
130 Hot water container
131 Ventilation passage
132 Hot water outlet
133 Sealed valve
134 Hot water passage
135 Air passage
136 Valve motor
137 Hot water supply valve
138 Air Pump
139 Filter for preventing raw material entry
230 Raw material receiver
231 slot
232 Extraction port
A Cup-type beverage vending machine
B Equipment body
C Sales tray
D Product sales outlet
E Product display
F Product selection button
G coin slot
H Coin return lever
J Return port
K coin processing department
L Vending Machine Control Department

Claims (1)

In the beverage extraction apparatus adapted to extract the beverage from the extraction container by applying pressure to the extraction container charged with the powder raw material and hot water,
An air supply means for applying pressure to the extraction container by supplying air to the extraction container; and an extraction control means for controlling the air supply means .
The extraction control means intermittently drives the air supply means so as to repeat a pressure increase / decrease pattern for gradually decreasing the increased pressure after the internal pressure of the extraction container is increased. .

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