JP6705076B2 - Coffee machine - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a coffee machine capable of extracting full-fledged drip coffee, and in particular, maintenance such as cleaning and replacement of each part can be easily performed, and hygiene management of the machine can be easily performed at a high level by anyone. It relates to a new coffee machine.

Many coffee machines (automatic machines) that can easily brew authentic drip coffee and espresso coffee are on the market.
This kind of coffee machine naturally grinds coffee grounds from coffee beans each time it is brewed, and after this coffee grounds is put into the brewing cylinder, an appropriate amount of hot water is supplied to the coffee liquid (drip coffee). And espresso coffee).
Further, in this type of coffee machine, the upper and lower openings of a cylindrical cylinder body are each closed by an upper piston and a lower piston. Further, this type of coffee machine often employs a configuration in which a cylinder body is fixedly installed and an upper piston and a lower piston are moved up and down with respect to the cylinder body (for example, refer to Patent Document 1). This is because, for example, when the coffee grounds are charged into the cylinder body, the upper piston does not hinder the charging. Further, the above-mentioned configuration is adopted, when the coffee grounds after extraction are discharged from the filter surface (cylinder body), the piston provided with the filter is moved up and down to expose the piston from the cylinder body, and the scraper is dispensed. This is to ensure smooth operation.

However, in the method in which the cylinder body is fixed and the vertical piston is moved up and down, both drive parts are integrated with the extraction unit, which makes maintenance difficult.
Further, since coffee grounds (extraction grounds) adhere to the inside of the cylinder body after the extraction, the coffee grounds act as a resistance load on the piston that moves up and down in the cylinder body after the extraction. Of course, the coffee grounds that adhere to the inside of the cylinder body are not uniform as a matter of course (because variations occur), and due to this variation, a force that tilts (decenters) the piston that moves up and down acts. Then, such a force is absorbed by the elasticity of the O-ring provided on the outer peripheral portion of the piston, but there is a problem that the O-ring may be damaged in an extremely short period of time due to the variation.

JP, 2005-152188, A

The present invention has been made recognizing such a background, and while full-scale drip coffee can be extracted, maintenance such as washing of each part of the coffee machine and replacement of members can be easily performed, and the machine The technical issue is to develop a new coffee machine that can easily perform hygiene management at a high level.

First, the coffee machine according to claim 1,
The upper and lower openings of the cylinder body are closed by an upper piston and a lower piston, and coffee powder ground to an appropriate grain size is put into an extraction cylinder, and hot water is supplied into this extraction cylinder. In a coffee machine that is designed to extract drip coffee,
The upper piston and the lower piston are fixed in a stationary state, and only the cylinder body is moved up and down with respect to these pistons .
Further, the lower piston is characterized by being swingably supported in two directions perpendicular to the vertical direction .

A coffee machine according to claim 2 is characterized in that in addition to the requirements of claim 1,
The lower piston is provided with a filter that blocks the passage of coffee grounds,
Further, the cylinder body is provided with a scraper formed so as to substantially surround the upper opening of the cylinder body,
This scraper is configured to move up and down together with the cylinder body, and after extraction, is configured to horizontally reciprocate on the filter provided on the lower piston to remove the coffee grounds remaining on the filter from the filter. It is characterized by doing so.

A coffee machine according to claim 3 is characterized in that in addition to the requirements of claim 2,
The scraper, the payout action portion for removing coffee dregs from the filter is formed to have a thickness in the height direction,
Further, it is characterized in that an extruding portion which can come into contact with a chute that slides and guides the coffee powder from the grinder into the cylinder body is formed on the outside of the scraper or the cylinder body.

A coffee machine according to claim 4 is characterized in that, in addition to the requirements according to claim 2 or 3,
The filter is formed by stacking a mesh filter and a perforated filter in the passing direction of the coffee liquid, and is configured to be supported by a support member having a through hole.
Further, during extraction, air is supplied into the cylinder body through the filter to agitate the coffee powder and hot water being extracted.

A coffee machine according to claim 5 has the requirements according to any one of claims 1 to 4 ,
A lead screw is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the cylinder body, and a ring gear screwed to the lead screw is provided on the outer peripheral side of the cylinder body.
Further, a drive gear that meshes with the ring gear is provided on the outer peripheral side of the ring gear, and the drive gear drives the ring gear to rotate at a fixed position of the cylinder body to move the cylinder body up and down. It is a thing.

A coffee machine according to claim 6 has the requirements according to any one of claims 1 to 5 ,
The brewing cylinder is configured to be removable from the coffee machine,
To remove the brewing cylinder from the coffee machine, lift the brewing cylinder and remove it, or pull out the brewing cylinder along the guide provided on the bottom of the machine body and remove it.
In addition, when the brewing cylinder is attached to the coffee machine, the brewing cylinder is lowered and mounted from above, or the brewing cylinder is pushed in along the guide.

That is, according to the first aspect of the invention, the upper piston and the lower piston are fixedly installed in a stationary state while the cylinder body is moved up and down. Therefore, for example, a hot water supply path, an air path, an extraction connected to the upper piston and the lower piston. The route does not move each time it is extracted, so it is less likely to be damaged and the durability of the coffee machine is improved. Therefore, the number of times of parts replacement and maintenance can be reduced, and the running cost can be reduced.
Further, according to the present invention, since the lower piston is swingably supported in two directions (front-rear and left-right directions) orthogonal to the vertical direction, it adheres to the inner wall surface of the cylinder when the cylinder body descends after extraction. Even if a force that causes the lower piston to be eccentric due to the accumulated coffee grounds (coffee grounds with variations), the lower piston swings in two directions, so that the force balance can be maintained reasonably. It is possible to prevent damage to the O-ring provided on the outer peripheral portion of the piston.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the scraper for removing the coffee grounds after extraction from the filter surface is formed so as to substantially surround the upper opening of the cylinder body, even if the scraper rises together with the extraction cylinder, The upper piston can close the upper opening of the brewing cylinder, and the operation of pouring the coffee powder into the cylinder body can be performed smoothly.

Further, according to the invention of claim 3, since the scraper is formed such that the discharging action portion of the coffee dregs has a thickness in the height direction, the coffee powder ground by the grinder is transferred to the inside of the cylinder body through the chute. The scraper also works as a cover to prevent the scattering of coffee grounds when it is thrown into.
In addition, when hot water is supplied to the cylinder body, the cylinder body and scraper are lifted up to the fixed upper piston in advance.At this time, the push-out part formed on the scraper or the outer periphery of the cylinder body moves out the chute. Can be rotated. This makes it difficult for steam generated during hot water supply to be applied to the chute (making it difficult for the chute to come into contact with the chute) and prevent coffee powder from sticking to the chute.

Further, according to the invention of claim 4, since the filter is constituted by laminating a mesh filter and a perforated filter and supporting the same with a supporting member, there is no paper odor and delicious drip coffee (high brix value is high. Coffee liquor) can be extracted.
In addition, since air is supplied into the cylinder body through the filter and agitated during extraction, the air that has passed through the perforation filter or mesh filter becomes fine bubbles (nano bubbles) in the liquid, which allows the extract to be uniformly extracted. As a result, more delicious coffee liquid can be extracted.

According to the invention of claim 5 , it is possible to specifically provide a simple mechanism for moving the cylinder body up and down.
Further, with the above structure, the drive transmission from the mechanism for moving the cylinder body up and down to the extraction cylinder can be easily separated and reliably reconnected. Therefore, for example, when the brewing cylinder is configured to be removable from the coffee machine, the convenience is greatly improved.

Further, according to the invention of claim 6 , since the brewing cylinder is configured to be attachable to and detachable from the coffee machine, it becomes easy to carry out maintenance such as cleaning of each part of the coffee machine and replacement of parts, so that the sanitary condition is maintained at an extremely high level. It can be maintained. To remove the brewing cylinder from the coffee machine, lift the brewing cylinder or remove it by pulling out (pulling out) to the front side.To attach the brewing cylinder to the coffee machine, lower the brewing cylinder from above to below, Alternatively, since it is attached by pushing it in the rear side, the attachment/detachment work can be extremely easily performed without using a tool or the like.

It is a perspective view showing an example of a coffee machine of the present invention. It is a perspective view which shows the internal structure of a coffee machine same as the above without a partition wall. It is a perspective view which shows the internal structure of a coffee machine same as the above with a partition wall. It is a perspective view which shows the extraction cylinder periphery of a coffee machine same as the above. It is a perspective view which shows the lower piston periphery of a coffee machine same as the above. It is the perspective view which shows the cylinder case of a coffee machine same as the above, and the top view (b) which shows the scraper which opened the front side (payout side). It is a systematic diagram of a coffee machine same as the above. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a filter applied to the coffee machine, and an exploded perspective view individually showing a mesh filter, a perforation filter, a sub-support and a base support which constitute the filter. It is the projection view which looked at the filter from the base support side. It is explanatory drawing which shows the operation condition which extracts a real drip coffee step by step with the coffee machine of this invention.

Embodiments for carrying out the present invention include, as one of the embodiments described in the following embodiments, various techniques that can be improved within the technical idea thereof.

The coffee machine A of the present invention is, for example, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 7, a brewer unit 1 for substantially extracting coffee liquid from coffee grounds W as an extraction raw material, and a hot water for extraction. The hot water generating unit 2 and the pouring unit 3 for pouring the extracted coffee liquid into the cup C are provided, and these are integrally incorporated in the machine body 4.
Here, in this embodiment, the bend stage 41 serving as the pouring chamber is arranged on the front side of the coffee machine A (machine body 4) (defined as the front side), and both sides thereof are defined as the left and right directions. The front side where the bend stage 41 is located when viewed from the machine body 4 (inside) may be referred to as the front side (front side), and the opposite side may be referred to as the rear side (back side).

In this embodiment, the floor surface of the bend stage 41 on which the cup C is placed at the time of extraction is formed in a lattice shape or a cage shape as shown in FIG. The drain box 42 is detachably accommodated therein. Further, immediately behind the drain box 42, a dregs box 43 for temporarily storing the coffee dregs W1 discharged from the filter surface after extraction is provided detachably. Incidentally, when taking out the drain box 42 and the waste box 43 from the inside of the machine body 4, the opening/closing door 44 (see FIG. 1) provided on the front surface of the coffee machine A is opened almost completely and then taken out. It is a thing.

In addition, the "coffee liquid" described in the present specification refers to a state in which coffee extract component (drip coffee) is extracted from coffee powder W as a raw material using hot water as a solvent to extract the coffee extract. That is, the coffee machine A of the present invention is an apparatus adapted to extract drip coffee in earnest.
Further, the coffee machine A (brewer unit 1) includes a coffee powder supply mechanism 5 and a scrap discharging mechanism 6. Further, in the present invention, the upper piston and the lower piston, which can close the upper and lower openings of the extraction cylinder serving as the extraction space, are installed in a stationary state, and the extraction cylinder is provided to be movable up and down. Therefore, the coffee machine A includes a cylinder elevating mechanism 7 for elevating the brewing cylinder.
Hereinafter, each constituent member of the coffee machine A will be described. Before describing the brewer unit 1, the hot water generating unit 2 will be described.

The hot water producing unit 2 is a portion for producing hot water for extraction as described above, but the hot water produced here is also used for steaming the coffee powder W prior to substantial extraction.
As shown in FIG. 7 as an example, the hot water generating unit 2 includes a water supply tank 21 and a hot water boiler 22, of which the water supply tank 21 is a part for storing water before hot water is generated. The hot water boiler 22 is a part that produces hot water from water.
Further, the hot water boiler 22 is provided with a heater 221 for heating the water supplied from the water supply tank 21, and a temperature sensor 222 for measuring the temperature of hot water (hot water).
Further, a water supply pump M1 and a check valve CV are provided in a water supply path L1 for sending water from the water supply tank 21 to the hot water boiler 22.

Next, the brewer unit 1 will be described.
The brewer portion 1 is a portion that substantially extracts the coffee liquid from the coffee grounds W as described above, and has the brewing unit 10 as a main constituent member, which comprises a brewing cylinder 11 and a cylinder case 12. .. In addition, in the present embodiment, the extraction unit 10 is configured to be detachable from the coffee machine A (machine body 4), and the details thereof will be described later.

Next, the coffee powder supply mechanism 5 will be described.
The coffee powder supply mechanism 5 is a mechanism for supplying the coffee powder W as an extraction raw material to the extraction cylinder 11, and for each extraction, for example, one cup is ground from the beans to generate the coffee powder W.
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2 as an example, the coffee powder supply mechanism 5 includes a hopper 51 that stores coffee beans and a grinder 52 that grinds coffee beans to an appropriate grain size, and also extracts ground coffee powder W. The cylinder 11 is provided with a funnel-shaped guide 53 and a chute 54 for sliding down. The chute 54 is configured such that both sides of an upper end portion thereof are rotatably attached to a frame or the like that constitutes the machine body 4, and a leading end of the chute 54 faces the extraction cylinder 11. Further, the chute 54 is prevented from rotating when the coffee powder W is charged by the bias of a spring or the like.

Further, the hopper 51 and the grinder 52 are provided as a pair as a pair, and in this embodiment, two pairs are installed, for example, for storing different coffee beans. Here, the different coffee beans include the types of beans themselves and the same type of beans with different roasting degrees. Incidentally, the degree of roasting of coffee beans is generally classified into eight stages, and it is said that four types are suitable for drip coffee, from the one with a shallow roast. Of course, when extracting drip coffee for ice coffee, it is possible to use relatively strongly roasted coffee beans (which is actually done). For this reason, the coffee beans used in the present invention are not necessarily limited to lightly roasted coffee beans, and a pair of hopper 51 and grinder 52 are provided separately for hot/ice coffee beans. It is also possible. Of course, the hopper 51 and the grinder 52 may be provided in one set, or three or more sets may be provided, but even when three or more sets are provided, the funnel-shaped guide 53 and the chute 54 are commonly used. Preferably.
In addition, reference numerals M6 and M7 in FIG. 7 are motors for driving the respective grinders 52.

Next, the extraction unit 10 will be described. The extraction unit 10 includes the extraction cylinder 11 and the cylinder case 12 as described above.
As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5 as an example, the extraction cylinder 11 is configured such that the upper and lower sides of a cylindrical cylinder body 13 can be sealed by an upper piston 14 and a lower piston 15, respectively.
In addition, in a general coffee machine, the cylinder body is fixedly installed in a stationary state (immovable state), and the upper and lower pistons (either one or both) are moved up and down with respect to the cylinder body, whereby coffee powder is Although W is charged and the extraction space is sealed, in the present invention, as described above, the upper piston 14 and the lower piston 15 are fixedly installed in a stationary state (immovable state), and the cylinder body 13 is moved up and down. The coffee powder W is introduced and the extraction space (cylinder body 13) is sealed, which is a major feature. Therefore, although the names of the upper piston 14 and the lower piston 15 in the present invention, which are called "pistons", may not be rigorous, they are names conventionally used, and both of these members are referred to as the cylinder body 13. Since it can be said that a relative vertical movement operation is performed, the above name is used in this specification.

Next, the cylinder lifting mechanism 7 will be described.
The cylinder lifting mechanism 7 is a mechanism for moving the cylinder body 13 up and down with respect to the upper piston 14 and the lower piston 15 installed in a stationary state. The cylinder body 13 is a cylinder mounted in the machine body 4 in a stationary state. It is configured to move up and down in the case 12.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4 as an example, the cylinder elevating mechanism 7 includes a lead screw 71 formed on the outer peripheral portion of the cylinder body 13, and a ring gear 72 screwed to the lead screw 71. The ring gear 72 has an internal thread formed on the inner peripheral side thereof to be screwed into the lead screw 71. Further, the ring gear 72 has a gear formed on the outer peripheral side, and the drive gear 73 is provided so as to mesh with the gear (the outer peripheral side of the ring gear 72). In addition, a symbol M5 in the drawing is a drive motor for rotationally driving the drive gear 73.

Incidentally, the ring gear 72 and the drive gear 73 are not always maintained in the meshed state, but are maintained in the meshed state only when the extraction unit 10 is set in the coffee machine A (machine body 4). In other words, in the separated state where the brewing unit 10 is removed from the coffee machine A, the ring gear 72 is also separated from the coffee machine A together with the brewing cylinder 11, so that the meshing state between the two is released.
The ring gear 72 is configured to rotate at a fixed position (without moving in the vertical direction) on the outer peripheral portion of the cylinder body 13, and specifically, is rotatably supported by the cylinder case 12. As a result, when the drive gear 73 is rotated by the drive motor M5, the ring gear 72 rotates at a fixed position, and the cylinder body 13 moves up and down in response to this rotation.

The vertical movement of the cylinder body 13 is restricted by the vertical rails 75 formed between the extraction cylinder 11 and the cylinder case 12, whereby the cylinder body 13 is smoothly and stably moved up and down. be able to.
As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 6A as an example, the vertical rails 75 have vertical grooves 76 formed in the vertical direction on the outer peripheral side of the cylinder body 13 and the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder case 12. It is constituted by a convex vertical rib 77 formed so as to fit into the vertical groove 76.
The vertical grooves 76 are formed at two positions on the left and right of the cylinder body 13 so as to cut out the lead screw 71. On the other hand, the vertical ribs 77 on the inner peripheral side of the cylinder case 12 are formed inside the column portions on both the left and right sides of the cylinder case 12.
In this way, the cylinder body 13 moves up and down with the vertical groove 76 formed on the outer peripheral side thereof being always fitted into the vertical rib 77 of the cylinder case 12, which enables reliable vertical movement. Becomes

Next, the scrap discharging mechanism 6 will be described.
The scrap discharging mechanism 6 is for removing the coffee grounds W1 remaining on the filter surface after extraction from the filter surface. As an example, as shown in FIG. 4, a scraper 61 that operates to scrape off the filter surface is a main member. And The coffee grounds W1 removed from the filter surface are dropped and thrown into the front ground coffee box 43 as described above.
Further, in this embodiment, the scraper 61 is provided so as to surround the upper opening of the cylinder body 13 (so to speak, ring-like), and more specifically, the scraper 61 is formed into a tubular shape having a thickness in the height direction. It is formed.
Further, the scraper 61 is configured to move up and down together with the cylinder body 13, and when the coffee grounds W1 is not dispensed, the inside of the tubular shape is maintained to face the top of the cylinder body 13.

Discharging of the coffee grounds W1 is performed when the upper end of the cylinder body 13 reaches the filter surface of the lower piston 15 (bottom dead center). Therefore, the scraper 61 on the back side that has reached the bottom dead center position has a scraper. A scrap discharging mechanism 6 (actual driving unit) that pushes 61 out toward the scrap box 43 side (reciprocates horizontally) is provided.
The waste box 43 is detachably provided on the back side (back side) of the bend stage 41 as described above. For example, when the coffee waste W1 accumulated in the waste box 43 is to be discarded, First, the opening/closing door 44 of the machine body 4 is opened, the drain box 42 provided below the bend stage 41 is taken out from the machine body 4, and then the waste box 43 is taken out.

As the scrap discharging mechanism 6 (actual driving unit), as an example, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a cam link mechanism 6 (denoted by the same reference numeral as the scrap discharging mechanism 6) can be adopted.
The cam link mechanism 6 rotates a cam by means of the scrap discharging motor M3, and converts this rotation into a forward/backward movement (horizontal reciprocating movement) of the scraper 61 via the link mechanism.
Then, the cam link mechanism 6 scrapes off the coffee grounds W1 remaining on the filter surface of the lower piston 15 by the cylindrical inner peripheral surface of the scraper 61 (the payout action portion 610 described later) and accommodated in the waste box 43. To be done.

As shown in FIG. 5, the cam link mechanism 6 has a disc-shaped connecting portion 62 that engages with the scraper 61 formed at the action front end that pushes the scraper 61 forward (the disc shaft is As shown in FIG. 4, a catch receiving portion 63 that receives the connecting portion 62 from below is formed on the back side of the scraper 61. As a result, when the scraper 61 cooperates with the cylinder body 13 and descends to the bottom dead center, the disc-shaped connecting portion 62 naturally fits within the catch receiving portion 63 of the scraper 61, and both connecting (engaging) Stop). Of course, during the horizontal movement of the scraper 61 by operating the cam link mechanism 6 (while the scraper 61 is dispensing the coffee grounds W1), this connection state is maintained, and the cylinder body 13 is raised after dispensing. Then, the connection state between the cam link mechanism 6 and the scraper 61 is naturally released.
As described above, the cam link mechanism 6 is configured so that the connection with the scraper 61 is continued only when the scraper 61 is moved back and forth (only when the scraper 61 horizontally moves at the bottom dead center position). This connection is released during the ascending/descending movement together with the cylinder body 13.

Further, a sensor (reed switch) LS for detecting that the scraper 61 has descended to the bottom dead center is provided near the connecting portion 62 of the cam link mechanism 6, while the vicinity of the catch receiving portion 63 of the scraper 61 is provided. A contact piece 64 is provided that contacts the sensor LS when the scraper 61 descends to the bottom dead center.
As a result, the fact that the scraper 61 has descended to the bottom dead center is automatically detected by the sensor LS, and based on this signal, the scrap dispenser motor M3 of the cam link mechanism 6 is automatically driven to drive the coffee scrap W1. It is possible to smoothly shift to the discharging operation of.
The sensor LS also functions as a sensor (reed switch) that detects that the cylinder body 13 has descended to the bottom dead center, and the detection signal of this sensor LS automatically rotates (drives) the drive motor M5. That is, the lowering operation of the cylinder body 13 is stopped. Incidentally, the origin position of the cam link mechanism 6 (the scraper 61 has discharged the coffee grounds W1 and returned to the original position) is detected by another sensor not shown.
Reference numeral 65 shown in FIG. 3 and the like is a slide-shaped guide for guiding the coffee grounds W1 scraped off from the filter surface of the lower piston 15 to the waste box 43, and in the present embodiment, both guides 65 are provided. A standing wall is formed on the side, and the scraper 61 is configured to move back and forth while the lower part of the scraper 61 is fitted therein. Incidentally, the guide 65 is integrally formed on the top of the cylinder body 13 and moves up and down together with the cylinder body 13.

As described above, the scraper 61 moves up and down together with the cylinder body 13 from the bottom dead center to the top dead center (the position where the upper opening of the cylinder body 13 is closed by the upper piston 14), while the scraper 61 finishes the extraction and reaches the bottom dead center. After moving down, the structure for moving (reciprocating) in the front-rear direction as well, and a structure for restricting such operation will be described below.
First, as shown in FIG. 4 as an example, protrusions 66 that project outward are formed on both the left and right sides (cylindrical thickness portion) of the scraper 61. The protrusions 66 are formed in two places on each of the left and right sides, for a total of four places.
Further, as shown in FIG. 6A as an example, the cylinder case 12 is formed with a vertical groove 67 and a horizontal groove 68 which are slidable while the projection 66 is housed in the internal fitting state. It is formed so as to reach (connect) the lateral groove 68 at the lower end (a state where the scraper 61 has reached the bottom dead center).
As a result, the scraper 61 that has descended to the bottom dead center after the extraction can smoothly move horizontally in the forward direction. That is, when the scraper 61 moves up and down, the protrusion 66 slides in the vertical direction while being fitted in the vertical groove 67, and when the scraper 61 moves horizontally, that is, moves forward from the bottom dead center, the vertical groove 67. The projection 66, which has been fitted in, is now fitted in the lateral groove 68 and slides in the front-rear direction.

The scraper 61 is formed in a cylindrical shape having a thickness in the height direction as described above, and when the coffee grounds W ground by the grinder 52 is charged into the cylinder body 13 via the chute 54. The thickness portion (cylindrical inner portion) also serves as a cover that prevents the falling coffee powder W from scattering (see FIG. 10B).
Further, for example, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the protruding portion 69 is formed in an inclined shape on the thickness outer peripheral front side (cass box 43 side) of the scraper 61, and when the scraper 61 rises, this pressing FIG. 10C shows an example in which the dispensing portion 69 is brought into contact with the loading tip portion of the chute 54 into which the coffee grounds W has been dispensed (here, it is formed as a circular member in a side view at the lower portion of the chute 54). As described above, before the hot water is supplied to the cylinder body 13, when the scraper 61 rises, the push-out portion 69 of the scraper 61 can rotate the chute 54 so as to move it away from the cylinder body 13 (so to speak, kicking). As a result, when hot water is supplied to the cylinder body 13, the chute 54 is less likely to be covered with steam (difficult to make contact), and the coffee grounds W can be prevented from sticking. Therefore, the reliable introduction of the coffee powder W can be maintained for a long period of time, and the maintenance for eliminating the sticking of the coffee powder W can be drastically reduced.

In addition, in the present embodiment, the scraper 61 is formed in a closed ring shape that circumferentially surrounds the upper opening of the cylinder body 13 as described above, but the scraper 61 is not necessarily limited to such a shape. That is, as shown in FIG. 6B, the scraper 61 can be formed in an open annular shape or a U-shape with the payout side (cass box 43 side) being opened, as seen in a plan view. It suffices that the payout action portion 610 to be removed from the filter surface (for example, the rear surface excluding the side of the waste box 43 and the left and right both sides in total) is continuously formed. The payout action portion 610 is preferably formed to have a thickness in the height direction that is, for example, the coffee grounds W1 or more.
By the way, the description “to almost surround the upper opening (of the cylinder body) of this thing” in the claims means that the scraper 61 is not necessarily formed in the closed annular shape as described above, and the discharge side is opened in the U-shape. Alternatively, it includes the case where it is formed into an open ring.
Further, when the scraper 61 is opened on the payout side, particularly when the scraper 61 is formed in a U shape, the protruding portion 69 can be formed on the outer peripheral side of the cylinder body 13, and for example, In this embodiment, the guide 65 can function as the protruding portion 69.

Further, as described above, the extraction unit 10 (extraction cylinder 11) is configured to be detachable from the coffee machine A (machine body 4) by a human hand, and therefore the extraction unit 10 includes the cam link mechanism. The drive transmission from the (dust removal mechanism) 6 and the cylinder lifting mechanism 7 is configured so that they can be easily disconnected and reconnected, and such a structure will be described below.

First, the space in which the extraction unit 10 is installed will be described. As described above, the extraction unit 10 includes vertically movable members such as the cylinder body 13, the upper piston 14, the lower piston 15, and the scraper 61, and the cylinder case 12 and the ring gear 72 that are fixedly installed in the machine body 4. It is roughly divided into non-moving members.
In addition, the space in which the extraction unit 10 is installed in the machine body 4 is partitioned by a partition wall 45 on the upper side and the back side as shown in FIG. 3 as an example. On the back side of this space (installation space of the extraction unit 10), the drive gear 73 of the cylinder elevating mechanism 7 for elevating the cylinder body 13 and the cam crank mechanism 6 (actual drive for discharging the coffee grounds W1 by the scraper 61). Part) etc. Of course, the partition wall 45 between the installation space of the extraction unit 10 and the cylinder elevating/lowering mechanism 7 has a window for engaging the drive gear 73 and the ring gear 72.
Further, a grinder 52 is housed above the installation space of the extraction unit 10 with another partition wall 45 interposed therebetween, and a window for allowing the funnel-shaped guide 53 to pass through is also opened in this partition wall 45. It
A water supply tank 21 is housed next to the installation space of the extraction unit 10 (on the left side in FIG. 2).

Hereinafter, the detachable structure of the extraction unit 10 will be described.
First, in the installation space of the extraction unit 10, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the four pins 46 are installed so as to project upward from the bottom of the machine body 4. Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a hook 47 is installed on the upper portion of the partition wall 45 on the back side of the extraction unit 10.
On the other hand, in the lower portion of the cylinder case 12 of the extraction unit 10, as shown in FIG. 6A as an example, four pin holes 48 (notch shape) for accommodating the pin 46 in an outer fitting shape are formed. It Further, on the rear side of the upper portion of the cylinder case 12, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a hooking portion 49 that fits into the hook 47 is formed.
As described above, the extraction unit 10 has a structure in which four pins are detachably attached to the machine body 4 on the lower side, and is attached to the hook 47 provided on the partition wall 45 on the machine body 4 side on the back side. -It has a detachable hooking structure, so that the extraction unit 10 is detachable from the machine body 4.

That is, when the extraction unit 10 is installed in the machine body 4, the pin hole 48 of the cylinder case 12 is fitted into the pin 46 protruding from the machine body 4 on the lower side, and the cylinder hole is arranged on the rear side. The extraction unit 10 is mounted (mounted) in the machine body 4 by hooking the hooking portion 49 of the case 12 on the hook 47 of the partition wall 45.
Further, in order to remove the extraction unit 10 from the inside of the machine body 4 in such a mounted state, the extraction unit 10 (cylinder case 12) is lifted, and is hooked by the hook 47 on the back side and by the pin 46 on the lower side. Remove while disconnecting. Of course, when the extraction unit 10 is removed, the opening/closing door 44 on the front side of the coffee machine A is almost fully opened in advance, the drain box 42 and the waste box 43 are removed from the inside of the machine body 4, and then the upper piston 14 and The various units (tubes) connected to the lower piston 15 are separated, and then the extraction unit 10 is removed.
Incidentally, the upper piston 14 is connected to a hot water supply and air bleeding path (a hot water supply path L2 and a pressure adjusting path L3 described later), and the lower piston 15 has an extraction and stirring air path (an extraction path L4 described later). And the air supply path L5) are connected to each other, and by using these as connector connections, the disconnecting operation (connection releasing operation) and the connecting operation can be easily and hygienically performed.

Next, the structure of disconnecting or reconnecting the drive transmission from the cylinder elevating mechanism 7 in the extraction unit 10 will be described.
The cylinder elevating mechanism 7 is configured to transmit rotation between the drive gear 73 and the ring gear 72 that mesh with each other as described above. That is, in the present embodiment, since the rotation is transmitted between the drive gear 73 fixedly installed on the back side of the ring gear 72 and the ring gear 72 provided on the outer periphery of the cylinder body 13, the extraction unit 10 By removing from the machine body 4, both gears are separated, and the meshed state of both gears is naturally released (drive can be easily separated). Of course, when the extraction unit 10 is mounted in the machine body 4, both gears are naturally meshed with each other, and both gears are easily connected (a state in which rotation is transmitted is immediately obtained).

Next, the structure of disconnecting or reconnecting the drive transmission from the cam link mechanism (scraps discharging mechanism) 6 in the extraction unit 10 will be described.
To remove the extraction unit 10 from the machine body 4, the extraction unit 10 is lifted and removed from the machine body 4 as described above. Therefore, on the back side of the scraper 61, the catch receiving portion 63 also moves upward together with the cylinder body 13, and the connection state with the connecting portion 62 of the cam link mechanism 6 is easily released. Of course, when the extraction unit 10 is mounted in the machine body 4, since the operation of lowering the extraction unit 10 from above is performed as described above, the catch receiving portion 63 of the scraper 61 naturally moves to the cam link mechanism. By fitting in the connecting portion 62 of No. 6, both are automatically and surely connected.

It should be noted that the attachment and detachment of the extraction unit 10 is not limited to such a vertical movement, but may be performed by a front-back movement (pulling out/pushing in). Of course, for that purpose, the extraction unit 10 is not attached by the pins 46 and the pin holes 48, the hooks 47 and the hooks 49, but a guide (rail) in the front-back direction is laid on the bottom of the machine body 4 in advance. Incidentally (not shown), when the extraction unit 10 is removed from the coffee machine A, the extraction unit 10 is pulled out (pulled out) from the machine body 4 along the guide. When the brewing unit 10 is attached to the coffee machine A, the brewing unit 10 is pushed into the machine body 4 along the guide.
Of course, when the extraction unit 10 is attached and detached by the forward and backward movements in this way, the extraction unit 10 (cylinder case 12) is inserted into the machine body 4 along the guide and is attached to the machine body. 4 is preferably locked with a rotatable key or bar.
Further, when the extraction unit 10 is attached and detached by a forward and backward operation, the connection/disconnection of each path of the upper piston 14 and the lower piston 15 is also combined with the attachment/detachment operation of the extraction unit 10. Can be done by That is, the connector connection of each path is performed by mounting (pushing) the extraction unit 10, and the connector connection can be naturally released by pulling out the extraction unit 10.

Next, the upper piston 14 will be described.
The upper piston 14 is a member that closes the upper opening of the cylinder body 13 that rises as described above, and keeps the inside of the cylinder body 13 that is the extraction space at the time of extraction in a sealed state. Here, reference numeral 141 shown in FIG. 4 and the like is an O-ring externally fitted to the upper piston 14 for that reason (to seal the extraction space), whereby leakage of hot water or the like supplied to the extraction space is prevented, Further, the space is maintained as an appropriate closed space (pressure resistant space).

As shown in FIG. 7, a hot water supply path L2 for supplying hot water (high-temperature hot water) is formed between the hot water boiler 22 and the upper piston 14, and hot water supply path L2 is provided in this path. A valve V1 is provided. Here, when the hot water supply valve V1 supplies hot water from the hot water boiler 22 to the inside of the cylinder body 13, that is, the extraction space between the upper piston 14 and the lower piston 15, the hot water supply valve V1 is opened (ON) to cause the hot water supply path L2. , The hot water supply state (the hot water supply possible state) is established, and the valve is closed (OFF) to shut off the path and stop the hot water supply.
Further, a flow meter (flow meter) 23 for measuring the amount of hot water sent (flow rate) is provided in the hot water supply path L2.

Further, the upper piston 14 is connected to a pressure adjusting path L3 for setting the inside of the cylinder body 13 (extraction space) to a pressurized state or to an atmosphere open state, and an air release valve is provided in this path. V2 and an air pump M2 are provided. Here, the air pump M2 and the air release valve V2 are for operating (turning on) the air pump M2 and closing (turning off) the air release valve V2 when the extraction space is in a pressurized state. When the state is set, the air pump M2 is stopped (OFF) and the air release valve V2 is opened (ON).
Further, a check valve CV is provided between the air pump M2 and the air release valve V2, and this check valve CV prevents air from flowing to the air pump M2 side when the extraction space is opened to the atmosphere. Is responsible for.

A shower plate 142 is provided on the upper piston 14 so as to face the extraction space (the coffee grounds W contained in the cylinder body 13). The shower plate 142 has a main purpose of spraying hot water on the coffee grounds W contained in the extraction space, and does not require a filtering action. Therefore, the inside of the upper piston 14 is naturally formed so that the hot water supplied from the hot water supply path L2 is passed through the shower plate 142 (sprinkling hole) on the lower surface. Incidentally, since the shower plate 142 only needs to pass (sprinkle) hot water, it is also possible to apply (use) a filter 152 (a filter 152 provided in the lower piston 15) described later.

Next, the lower piston 15 will be described.
Similarly to the above-described upper piston 14, the lower piston 15 is itself provided in a stationary state (non-moving state) and closes the lower opening in the cylinder body 13 at the time of extraction. Reference numeral 151 in the figure denotes an O-ring that is fitted onto the lower piston 15 for that purpose, which prevents leakage of hot water, coffee liquid, etc. supplied into the cylinder body 13 (extraction space), and extraction. The inside of the space is maintained as an appropriate closed space (pressure resistant space).

Further, an extraction path L4 is formed between the lower piston 15 and the pouring section 3 (nozzle 31), and the coffee liquid extracted in the cylinder body 13 (extraction space) by the path is supplied to the pouring section 3. It is transferred and poured from here into cup C. It should be noted that the extraction valve is not provided in the path (that is, the extraction path L4 is formed in a simple tube shape), which eliminates the cleaning of the extraction valve at the time of maintenance and the cleaning. We try to prevent problems such as human error at the time of use and differences in cleaning between workers (making it easy for anyone to maintain the same hygiene conditions).

Further, the lower piston 15 has no drain passage. Here, the drain path is a stage in which the coffee liquid extracted in the cylinder body 13 is gradually reduced due to the transfer to the pouring unit 3, and a lot of miscellaneous components are contained in the liquid. This is a route for switching the extraction liquid L4 to the drain pipe and the like (using this as the residual liquid).
In the present embodiment, since there is no such drain path, the residual liquid generated in each extraction is contained in the coffee grounds W1 and is stored in the coffee grounds box 43 together with the coffee grounds W1.
By the way, due to such a structure, the coffee machine A can be installed in a place where there is no drainage facility such as a drain pipe, and can be installed anywhere in the center of the office as long as the power can be supplied. There is no need to install drainage pipes.

Further, an air supply path L5 for supplying air into the cylinder body 13 during extraction is connected to the lower piston 15, and an air pump M4 and a check valve CV are provided in this path. The air is supplied from the air pump M4 to the extraction space in order to stir the coffee powder W and the hot water, and the stirring will be described later.

Further, in the present invention , the lower piston 15 is supported so as to be swingable in the left-right direction and the front-rear direction, and this structure will be described below.
The lower piston 15 is supported by the cylinder case 12 via two link bars and is swingably supported in the left-right direction and the front-rear direction, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5, for example.
Specifically, in the lower part of the cylinder case 12, a link bar extending along the left-right direction is horizontally installed (this is referred to as a left-right direction link bar 17), and a link bar extending vertically with respect to the left-right direction link bar 17 (this Is referred to as a vertical link bar 18) and is rotatably connected in the front-rear direction. The lower piston 15 is supported by the upper end of the vertical link bar 18 so as to be swingable in the horizontal direction.

Next, the effect of swingably supporting the lower piston 15 in the left-right direction and the front-rear direction will be described.
In the present invention, as described above, the cylinder body 13 is moved up and down with respect to the upper piston 14 and the lower piston 15 that are fixedly installed in a stationary state (non-moving state). Therefore, after the extraction, the cylinder body 13 is scraped. When descending to the payout position (bottom dead center), the outer peripheral contact surface of the lower piston 15 relatively scrapes off the coffee grounds W1 remaining on the inner wall surface of the cylinder. Here, the coffee grounds W1 attached and remaining on the inner wall surface of the cylinder are naturally not uniform and vary. Therefore, the variation acts on the lower piston 15 so as to make it eccentric. If the lower piston 15 is not swingably supported (simply horizontally supported), the O-ring 151 on the outer peripheral portion of the lower piston 15 partially moves while the cylinder body 13 is descending. It is likely to be crushed (applying excessive force partially), which may cause damage. However, in this embodiment, since the lower piston 15 is swingably supported in the left-right direction and the front-back direction (X direction and Y direction), the force balance can be maintained reasonably, and the lower piston 15 is provided on the outer periphery of the lower piston 15. It is possible to prevent the O-ring 151 from being damaged.
When the lower piston 15 is swingably supported, the lower piston 15 is not necessarily swingable in two directions, ie, the front-rear direction and the left-right direction, but may be connected by, for example, a universal joint so as to be swingable in all directions. It is possible.

Further, a filter 152 is provided on the lower piston 15 so as to face the extraction space (the coffee ground W contained in the cylinder body 13). That is, the filter 152 is a portion provided on the upper surface of the lower piston 15 and in contact with the coffee powder W introduced into the cylinder body 13.
However, the filter 152 has a filtering function of allowing the coffee liquid extracted from the coffee grounds W to pass while blocking the passage of the coffee grounds W. Although the filter 152 extracts authentic drip coffee in the present invention, the filter 152 itself can also be applied when extracting authentic espresso coffee.

As shown in FIG. 8 as an example, the filter 152 is formed by stacking a mesh filter MF and a perforation filter EF from the side in contact with the coffee grounds W (from the passing direction of the coffee liquid), which is supported by a supporting member. Consists of In this embodiment, the support member is formed by laminating two support members, which are referred to as a sub support SS and a base support BS in the passing direction of the coffee liquid. The filter 152 formed by stacking the mesh filter MF, the perforation filter EF, the sub support SS, and the base support BS may be referred to as a "special four-layer filter 152" in this specification. Of course, each member is formed with a passage hole h through which the coffee liquid passes, and the coffee grounds W1 remain on the mesh filter MF that is in direct contact with the coffee grounds W.
In addition, since the mesh filter MF, the perforation filter EF, the sub-support SS, and the base support BS are all made of SUS (stainless steel), paper extracted from the coffee liquid is compared to paper filters (so-called paper filters). It is excellent in that it does not smell and the filter 152 itself can be repeatedly used. Further, the applicant of the present invention has confirmed that the filter 152 having the above structure has a high Brix value by a sugar content meter, and is also excellent in this respect. Specifically, while the Brix value of a general paper filter is about 1.2 to 1.8, the filter (special four-layer filter) 152 of the present embodiment is about 2.3 to 2.8, and coffee. It has been confirmed that the umami component of can be extracted extremely densely.

Hereinafter, each member that constitutes the filter 152 will be described.
First, the mesh filter MF is formed of, for example, a 400-mesh stainless steel wire net (plain weave wire net). The 400-mesh stainless wire mesh has a wire diameter of 0.03 mm and an opening size of 33 μm, but the mesh filter MF can be a 350-mesh stainless wire mesh (wire diameter of 0.03 mm and opening size of 54 μm). However, a 300 mesh stainless steel wire mesh (wire diameter 0.04 mm, opening size 44 μm) is also possible.
Since the finest powder of the coffee powder W is about 20 μm in the finest size, even if 400 mesh having the smallest opening size (opening size 33 μm) of the mesh filter MF is applied, it is possible to compare only by the size. The fine powder of the coffee powder W passes through the passage holes h of the mesh filter MF. However, since the fine powder of the coffee powder W is not a perfect sphere (round circle), even if the mesh filter MF having a mesh larger than the fine powder is used, the fine powder can be prevented from passing through. Of course, the coffee powder W and hot water are agitated here at the time of extraction, and this also contributes to the prevention of the passage of fine powder due to the large mesh filter MF. The stirring will be described later.

Further, a step is formed on the outer peripheral edge of the mesh filter MF as shown in FIG. 8 as an example, and the mesh filter MF is formed so as to have a hat shape as a whole. Here, in the mesh filter MF, the inner circular flat surface portion is a substantial filtering surface (filter surface), so that this is referred to as a filter main body portion MF1 and the outer peripheral flat surface portion separated by the step is referred to as a collar portion MF2. In addition, a perforated filter EF and a sub-support SS, which will be described later, are housed in the filter main body MF1 inside the flange MF2 by utilizing a step. Therefore, the depth (height of the step) of the accommodation space in the filter body MF1 is set to almost the total plate thickness of the perforation filter EF and the sub-support SS (for example, the plate thickness of the perforation filter EF is 0.2 mm. , If the plate thickness of the sub-support SS is 0.8 mm, the depth of the accommodation space in the filter body MF1 is set to about 1 mm).
The step between the filter body MF1 and the flange MF2 is formed by bending, and at the same time as this bending, a plurality of circular holes MF3 are opened in the flange MF2. This circular hole MF3 is for strengthening the integration (integration by the resin PL) of the mesh filter MF, the perforation filter EF, the sub support SS, and the base support BS that are performed thereafter.

Next, the perforation filter EF will be described.
The perforated filter EF is formed of, for example, a SUS disc having a plate thickness of 0.2 mm, and a large number of thin passage holes h are formed on the entire surface (laminated surface) of the filter (for example, the diameter dimension is about 130 μm to 180 μm).
The sizes (diameters) of the passage holes h of the perforation filter EF may be the same, but for example, a large passage hole h is formed at the center of the filter and a small passage hole h is formed at the peripheral portion. It is also possible to change the size of the passage hole h depending on each part of the filter.
It is also possible to make the density of the passage holes h different near the center and around the periphery of the perforated filter EF. For example, when the coffee liquid to be extracted is to be collected while being collected near the center of the perforated filter EF. It is possible to form the through holes h densely in the vicinity of the center of the perforation filter EF and to make the through holes h coarser toward the peripheral edge from there.
The through holes h of the perforation filter EF can be perforated by etching.

Next, the support members for the base support BS and the sub support SS will be described.
The base support BS and the sub-support SS support the mesh filter MF and the perforation filter EF. More specifically, the base support BS and the sub-support SS support the mesh filter MF and the perforation filter EF so as not to be deformed or damaged by the pressure or the like that acts at the time of extraction. It is a thing.
The base support BS of this embodiment is formed of, for example, a SUS plate material having a plate thickness of 1.0 mm, and the sub-support SS is formed of, for example, a SUS plate material having a plate thickness of 0.8 mm. In each of these, a large circular passage hole h (for example, a diameter of about 7 mm) is opened in the center, and a large number of small regular hexagonal passage holes h (for example, a distance between opposite sides of about 3 mm) are formed around it (so-called honeycomb). Condition).

Here, the reason why the substantially regular hexagonal through hole h is opened in the portions other than the center of both the support members (the honeycomb shape is formed in a plan view) is as a support member that supports the mesh filter MF and the perforated filter EF. This is to simultaneously achieve an increase in strength and an increase in aperture ratio. That is, when the passage holes h are formed into a substantially regular hexagon, the boundary portion between the passage holes h has a constant width dimension, which exhibits excellent performance as strength for supporting the mesh filter MF and the perforation filter EF, and the coffee liquid A high aperture ratio that allows smooth passage can be secured, and a limited filter area can be effectively used.
As a matter of course, the shape of the passage hole h may be circular, as represented by general punching metal, but in this case, the boundary portion between circular holes has a constant width dimension. Of course, each part is different. Therefore, if it is attempted to secure the necessary minimum strength in the narrowest part of the boundary part, there is a concern that the overall aperture ratio will decrease and the limited filter area cannot be effectively used.
Further, the circular through holes h larger than the surrounding honeycomb through holes h are opened in the vicinity of the centers of the base support BS and the sub support SS to improve the escape of the coffee liquid in the central portion of the filter (other This is because it is easier to pull out than the part) and the coffee liquid is efficiently extracted.

As described above, in this embodiment, the supporting member is divided into the base support BS and the sub-support SS, and this is because the plate thickness limit when etching the SUS plate material is about 1 mm. . That is, here, when the regular hexagonal through-hole h is opened in the base support BS and the sub-support SS, it is opened by etching, and since the processing limit is a plate thickness of about 1 mm, two support members are used. It is divided into Further, from the above, when the base support BS and the sub-support SS are stacked, the circular passage hole h and the regular hexagonal passage hole h are made to coincide with each other (see FIG. 9), and there are, for example, a plurality. Positioning pins are fitted into some of the through holes h to integrate the base support BS and the sub support SS in a state where the respective hole positions are matched.

The outer diameter of the base support BS is formed to be slightly larger than that of the sub-support SS, as shown in FIG. 8 as an example. This is because only the sub-support SS has the filter body portion MF1 of the mesh filter MF. This is because it is accommodated in the accommodation space (step). That is, in the laminated state (integrated state), the base support BS is provided so that its outer peripheral edge overlaps with the collar portion MF2 of the mesh filter MF, and the base support BS and the perforated filter EF housed in the accommodation space of the filter main body portion MF1 are sub-typed. The support SS is held so as to be firmly sandwiched (pressed).
In the base support BS, a plurality of circumferentially elongated holes BS1 are formed in an equal distribution on the outer peripheral edge of the collar portion MF2 that is overlapped with each other. This is also the mesh filter MF, the perforation filter EF, the sub support SS, and the base. This is because the support BS is firmly integrated. That is, the long hole BS1 is formed so as to communicate with the circular hole MF3 of the mesh filter MF, as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 8 as an example, whereby the resin (food grade resin) PL is changed to the mesh filter MF and the mesh filter MF. In addition to sandwiching the outer peripheral edge of the base support BS (collar portion MF2), the resin PL penetrates both holes in the vertical direction in the communicating portion of the circular hole MF3 and the long hole BS1 to more firmly integrate them. It is intended.

Next, the pouring unit 3 will be described.
As described above, the pouring part 3 is a part where the coffee liquid extracted in the cylinder body 13 is finally poured into the cup C, and the nozzle 31 is a main member.
Note that, in FIG. 1 and the like, the bend stage 41 in which the pouring unit 3 is configured is shown in an open state to the atmosphere, but the bend stage 41 is provided with an opening/closing door, etc., as a partitioned room. It is possible to form.

The coffee machine A of the present invention has the basic structure as described above, and hereinafter, a mode of applying the coffee machine A to extract full-scale drip coffee will be described.
(1) Initial State of Extraction Cylinder First, the initial state of the extraction cylinder 11 will be described.
The extraction cylinder 11 stands by at an initial position where the upper opening of the cylinder body 13 is not closed by the upper piston 14, as shown in FIG. 10A as an example. This initial position is, for example, a state in which the upper part of the cylinder body 13 is positioned approximately in the middle of the upper piston 14 and the lower piston 15, whereby the upper opening of the cylinder body 13 is opened and the coffee powder W It is possible to input.

(2) Injection of coffee powder Next, coffee powder W is introduced into the cylinder body 13 in such a state. First, an appropriate amount of coffee beans is supplied from the hopper 51 to the grinder 52. The coffee grounds W ground in (4) are put into the cylinder body 13 via the funnel-shaped guide 53 and the chute 54 (see, for example, FIG. 3 ). At the time of charging, as shown in FIG. 10(b) as an example, the charging tip of the chute 54 faces the upper opening of the cylinder body 13, and the coffee grounds W slide inside the cylinder body 13 while sliding off the chute 54. It is what is thrown into.
Further, as described above, the cylindrical scraper 61 is provided above the cylinder body 13, and the coffee grounds W that have passed through the chute 54 are thrown into the cylinder body 13 from above the scraper 61. The scraper 61 also has a function of preventing the coffee powder W from being scattered when it is charged.

(3) Cylinder body rise (top dead center)
After that, as shown in FIG. 10C as an example, the cylinder body 13 is raised so that the upper opening of the cylinder body 13 is closed by the upper piston 14. Here, the closing of the cylinder body 13 by the upper piston 14 does not necessarily have to tightly seal the inside of the cylinder body 13 serving as the extraction space, and may be a closure in which air escapes from the upper opening of the cylinder body 13. However, when the cylinder body 13 is closed in such a state, it is preferable to raise the cylinder body 13 again and seal the inside of the cylinder body 13 (close to the extent that there is no air escape) before the pouring step described later.
The scraper 61 also rises as the cylinder body 13 rises. At this time, if the push-out portion 69 is set so as to abut the throwing tip end portion (circular portion in side view) of the chute 54, The chute 54 can be retreated (rotated and moved) from the cylinder body 13 by the protruding portion 69 of 61. As a result, when hot water is supplied to the inside of the cylinder body 13 afterward, the chute 54 is less likely to be sprayed with steam (difficult to contact), and the coffee powder W can be prevented from sticking to the chute 54. Therefore, the reliable introduction of the coffee powder W can be maintained for a long period of time, and the maintenance for eliminating the sticking of the coffee powder W can be eliminated.

(4) First pouring water (for steaming)
After that, when the hot water supply valve V1 in FIG. 7 is turned on, as shown in FIG. 10D as an example, hot water is sprayed from the shower plate 142 of the upper piston 14 to steam the coffee powder W in the cylinder body 13. .. At the time of hot water supply, hot air can be smoothly supplied into the cylinder body 13 by opening (turning on) the air release valve V2 in FIG. 7 to release air.
The temperature of the hot water supplied into the cylinder body 13 is, for example, 90±2° C., and the pouring amount is about 30 to 100 cc, and the pouring amount is measured by the flow meter (flow meter) 23. After that, the pouring is automatically stopped (that is, the hot water supply valve V1 is turned off).
After the pouring is stopped, the coffee powder W is steamed for about 5 to 10 seconds.
Furthermore, during pouring, since the chute 54 retreats from the cylinder body 13 (extraction space) as described above, it becomes difficult for steam to enter the chute 54 and the coffee powder W can be prevented from sticking to the chute 54. Is.

(5) Second pouring (for extraction)
After steaming the coffee grounds W in this manner, the hot water supply valve V1 in FIG. 7 is opened again (ON), and as shown in FIG. Hot water for extracting coffee liquid is supplied into the cylinder body 13. Of course, also here, when hot water is supplied, the hot air can be smoothly supplied to the cylinder body 13 by opening (turning on) the air release valve V2 and bleeding air.
Further, the pouring in this step is continuously performed until it reaches 160 to 180 cc, and the pouring is automatically terminated when the specified amount of pouring is measured by the flow meter 23 (the hot water supply valve V1. Off, air release valve V2 off).

(6) Agitation Further, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10(e) from the middle of pouring, the air pump M4 in FIG. 7 turns on the air from the lower piston 15 (filter 152) into the cylinder body 13. And the coffee powder W and hot water are sufficiently stirred. Incidentally, the feeding of air from the air pump M4 is automatically stopped when the time is up.
The air sent into the cylinder body 13 by the stirring passes through the special four-layer filter 152 and is supplied into the liquid in which the coffee extract is extracted from the coffee grounds W. At this time, the air becomes fine bubbles (nano bubbles) by passing through the fine passage holes h opened in the perforation filter EF and the mesh filter MF. As a result, the extraction of the extract is carried out uniformly, and as a result, it is delicious as never before. Extracts coffee liquor with unprecedented high Brix value).

(7) Effect of stirring (separation into layers)
The coffee powder W (the coffee powder W existing in the liquid) in the cylinder body 13 due to such air agitation has a large grain (heavy grain) as shown in FIG. 10(f) as an example. And the smaller one (lighter one) is located on the upper side, and a layer is formed as a whole, which acts as a filtering mechanism and can extract coffee liquid without mixing fine powder.

(8) Extraction of coffee liquid (air extrusion)
Thereafter, in order to send the coffee liquid extracted in the cylinder body 13 to the nozzle 31, pressurized air is supplied from the upper piston 14 into the cylinder body 13 as shown in FIG. The air pump M2 is turned on and the air release valve V2 is turned off), and it is preferable to accelerate the feeding of the coffee liquid to the nozzle 31 (shortening the extraction time). The coffee liquid extracted in the cylinder body 13 is sent from the lower piston 15 (filter 152) through the extraction path L4 to the nozzle 31, and is poured into the cup C from here.
In the final stage of the extraction, many miscellaneous components are mixed in the coffee liquid, but in the present embodiment, such residual liquid having many miscellaneous components is left in the coffee dregs W1 and is left in the coffee box W1 together with the coffee dregs W1. And is not sent to the extraction path L4 (which does not flow out from the nozzle 31).
Moreover, the coffee grounds W1 after extraction remain on the filter 152 of the lower piston 15, as shown in FIG.

(9) Cylinder body lowering (bottom dead center)
After that, as shown in FIG. 10(h), the cylinder body 13 is lowered to the scrap discharging position (bottom dead center). At this time, the outer peripheral contact surface of the lower piston 15 scrapes off the coffee grounds W1 attached to the inner wall surface of the cylinder. Therefore, the lower piston 15 is subjected to a resistance force that tends to make it eccentric due to variations in the adherence of scraps, but in the present embodiment, the lower piston 15 is moved forward and backward and left and right by the horizontal link bar 17 and the vertical link bar 18. Since it is swingably supported in two directions, the lower piston 15 can reasonably maintain the balance of forces, and the O-ring 151 fitted to the outer peripheral portion of the piston can be prevented from being damaged.

(10) Discharging of scraps The sensor LS detects that the cylinder body 13 and the scraper 61 have descended to the bottom dead center (see FIG. 4).
Then, when the scrap discharging motor M3 of the cam link mechanism 6 is operated by such bottom dead center detection, the scraper 61 (discharging action portion 610) moves to the front side as shown in FIG. 10(i). After reciprocating horizontally, the coffee grounds W1 on the lower piston 15 (filter 152) are dropped and thrown into the waste box 43.
In the present embodiment, as described above, the residual liquid having a large amount of miscellaneous components generated in the final stage of extraction is put into the dregs box 43 together with the coffee dregs W1 while being contained in the coffee dregs W1.
Incidentally, the drain box 43 is for receiving the coffee liquid when the coffee liquid is not poured into the cup C by mistake. Further, when cleaning the extraction path L4, a container for receiving the cleaning liquid (cleaned cleaning liquid) is usually placed below the nozzle 31, but the cleaning liquid is stored in the drain box 43 just in case it is not placed by mistake. I am able to accommodate it.
Further, the scraper 61 after the coffee grounds W1 is discharged is naturally returned to the upper portion of the cylinder body 13 by the cam link mechanism 6 as shown in FIG. 10(j).

(11) Cylinder body rise (return to the initial position)
After paying out the coffee grounds W1 in this way, the cylinder body 13 and the scraper 61 rise to the initial position (return) and wait for the next extraction (standby state) as shown in FIG. 10(a). Will be).

As described above, in this embodiment, full-scale drip coffee in which fine powder is prevented from being mixed can be automatically extracted. By the way, a paper filter may be used as long as it prevents the mixture of fine powder, but in that case, the odor and taste of the paper that is the material of the filter, such as lignin, is generated in the coffee liquid. , Some people shy away from paper filters. Of course, the metal filter itself has existed in the past, but in the conventional metal filter, since the passage hole is opened by punching, the mesh size is relatively large, and the mixing of fine powder is unavoidable.
Further, the paper filter cannot be repeatedly used like a metal filter, and it is a problem that the filter needs to be replaced and discarded each time it is extracted. Of course, if it is a metal filter, as described above, it is possible to sufficiently drip the coffee bean oil that is an umami component (compared to the conventional drip extraction using a paper or cloth filter). ..
As described above, in the present embodiment, it is possible to prevent the mixing of fine powder and to extract authentic drip coffee while using the metal filter.

A coffee machine 1 brewer part 2 hot water generating part 3 pouring part 4 machine body 5 coffee powder supply mechanism 6 scrap scraping mechanism (cam link mechanism)
7 Cylinder lifting mechanism

1 Brewer 10 Extraction Unit 11 Extraction Cylinder 12 Cylinder Case 13 Cylinder Body 14 Upper Piston 141 O-ring 142 Shower Plate 15 Lower Piston 151 O-ring 152 Filter 17 Horizontal Link Bar 18 Vertical Link Bar

152 filter MF mesh filter EF perforation filter SS sub support BS base support PL resin (food resin)
h through hole

MF Mesh filter MF1 Filter body MF2 Collar MF3 Circular hole

BS base support BS1 long hole

2 Hot Water Generation Unit 21 Water Supply Tank 22 Hot Water Boiler 221 Heater 222 Temperature Sensor 23 Flow Meter (Flow Meter)

3 Pour out part 31 Nozzle

4 Machine body 41 Bend stage (pouring room)
42 Drain Box 43 Cass Box 44 Open/Close Door 45 Partition Wall 46 Pin 47 Hook 48 Pin Hole 49 Hook

5 Coffee powder supply mechanism 51 Hopper 52 Grinder 53 Guide 54 Chute

6 Scrap discharging mechanism (cam link mechanism)
61 Scraper 610 Discharging action part 62 Connection part 63 Catch receiving part 64 Abutment piece 65 Guide 66 Projection 67 Vertical groove 68 Horizontal groove 69 Protruding part

7 Cylinder Lifting Mechanism 71 Lead Screw 72 Ring Gear 73 Drive Gear 75 Vertical Rail 76 Vertical Groove 77 Vertical Rib

W Coffee powder W1 Coffee dregs C cup

L1 water supply path L2 hot water supply path L3 pressure adjustment path L4 extraction path L5 air supply path

LS sensor (reed switch)

CV Check valve V1 Hot water supply valve V2 Air release valve

M1 water supply pump M2 air pump M3 scrap discharge motor M4 air pump M5 drive motor (for lifting cylinder)
M6 motor (for grinder)
M7 motor (for grinder)

Claims (6)

The upper and lower openings of the cylinder body are closed by an upper piston and a lower piston, and coffee powder ground to an appropriate grain size is put into an extraction cylinder, and hot water is supplied into this extraction cylinder. In a coffee machine that is designed to extract drip coffee,
The upper piston and the lower piston are fixed in a stationary state, and only the cylinder body is moved up and down with respect to these pistons .
Further , the coffee machine is characterized in that the lower piston is swingably supported in two directions which are orthogonal to the vertical direction .
The lower piston is provided with a filter that blocks the passage of coffee grounds,
Further, the cylinder body is provided with a scraper formed so as to substantially surround the upper opening of the cylinder body,
This scraper is configured to move up and down together with the cylinder body, and after extraction, is configured to horizontally reciprocate on the filter provided on the lower piston to remove the coffee grounds remaining on the filter from the filter. The coffee machine according to claim 1, wherein the coffee machine is provided.
The scraper, the payout action portion for removing coffee dregs from the filter is formed to have a thickness in the height direction,
3. The coffee machine according to claim 2, further comprising a push-out portion formed outside the scraper or the cylinder body so as to come into contact with a chute that slides and guides the coffee powder from the grinder into the cylinder body.
The filter is formed by stacking a mesh filter and a perforated filter in the passing direction of the coffee liquid, and is configured to be supported by a support member having a through hole.
The coffee machine according to claim 2 or 3, wherein air is supplied into the cylinder body through the filter at the time of extraction to agitate the coffee powder and hot water being extracted.
A lead screw is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the cylinder body, and a ring gear screwed to the lead screw is provided on the outer peripheral side of the cylinder body.
A drive gear that meshes with the ring gear is provided on the outer peripheral side of the ring gear, and the drive gear drives the ring gear to rotate at a fixed position on the cylinder body to move the cylinder body up and down. The coffee machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4 .
The brewing cylinder is configured to be removable from the coffee machine,
To remove the brewing cylinder from the coffee machine, lift the brewing cylinder and remove it, or pull out the brewing cylinder along the guide provided on the bottom of the machine body and remove it.
Also in mounting the brewing cylinder into the coffee machine, attaching the brewing cylinder from above down to the lower, or any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the mounting so as to push the brewing cylinder along the guide 1 A coffee machine according to item.

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