CN112074215A

CN112074215A - Beverage supply device

Info

Publication number: CN112074215A
Application number: CN201980029783.7A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 二野宫祐希; 德永勇贵; 长岛隆一; 持田幸秀; 永吉贤也
Original assignee: Fuji Electric Co Ltd
Current assignee: Fuji Electric Co Ltd
Priority date: 2018-05-07
Filing date: 2019-04-10
Publication date: 2020-12-11
Also published as: KR102445614B1; WO2019216095A1; JP2019195379A; KR20200136475A

Abstract

A beverage supply device for supplying a beverage generated in a beverage generation unit (11) to a container (C) disposed in the beverage supply unit (22), the beverage supply device comprising: an opening/closing door (23) for opening/closing an inlet (22d) of the beverage supply unit (22); information acquisition means (25, 30) for acquiring information on the container (C); and a container determination processing unit (30a) that determines the type of the container (C) on the basis of the information acquired by the information acquisition means, wherein the opening/closing door (23) is formed by processing to reduce light transmission.

Description

Beverage supply device

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a beverage supply device, and more particularly, to a beverage supply device such as a coffee maker installed in a store such as a convenience store.

Background

Conventionally, beverage supply devices such as coffee makers are installed in stores such as convenience stores. The beverage supply device supplies a cup serving as a container with a beverage after performing processes such as coffee bean grinding and extraction processing of dropping liquid to generate the beverage.

In such a beverage supply device, the following beverage supply device is proposed: an imaging unit such as a camera for imaging the cup is provided, and the type of the container is determined based on image information acquired by imaging the cup by the imaging unit and information on the container stored in the memory (see, for example, patent document 1).

Documents of the prior art

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2017-159941

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

Further, since the beverage supply device is installed in a store, when image information is acquired by imaging a cup by the imaging unit, there is a possibility that the image information is insufficient due to the influence of the illumination of the store or the like on the acquisition of the image information as disturbance light, and the type of the container is erroneously determined, thereby causing erroneous determination.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a beverage supply device capable of improving the accuracy of determining the type of a container.

Means for solving the problems

In order to achieve the above object, a beverage supply device according to the present invention is a beverage supply device for supplying a beverage generated in a beverage generation unit to a container disposed in a beverage supply unit, the beverage supply device including: an opening/closing door for opening/closing an inlet of the beverage supply unit; an information acquisition unit that acquires information of the container; and a container determination unit configured to determine a type of the container based on the information acquired by the information acquisition unit, wherein the opening/closing door is formed by processing to reduce light transmission.

In the beverage supply device, the information acquisition unit may acquire image information of the container, and the beverage supply device may further include a light source member that irradiates the inside of the beverage supply unit in which the inlet is closed by the opening/closing door.

In the beverage supply device, the present invention may further include a door opening/closing detector for detecting opening/closing of the inlet by the opening/closing door, wherein the light source member irradiates light on condition that the door opening/closing detector detects that the inlet is closed, and the container determination unit determines the type of the container.

In the beverage supply device, the container detection unit may detect that the container is disposed in the beverage supply unit, the light source member may emit light on the condition that the container detection unit detects that the container is disposed, and the container determination unit may determine the type of the container.

In the beverage supplying device, the information acquiring unit may be disposed at a position other than an irradiation direction of the light emitted from the light source member.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION

According to the present invention, there is provided: an opening/closing door for opening/closing an inlet of the beverage supply unit; an information acquisition unit that acquires information of the container; and a container determination unit that determines the type of the container based on the information acquired by the information acquisition unit, wherein the opening/closing door is formed by processing to reduce light transmission, and therefore the following effects are obtained: when acquiring image information of a container, influence of an external light source is suppressed to prevent erroneous determination, and accuracy of determination of the type of the container can be improved.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of a beverage supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing a control system of the beverage supply apparatus as an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part when the opening and closing door is in a closed state.

Fig. 4 (a) and (b) are perspective views showing a positional relationship between the imaging unit and the container, and fig. 4 (c) and (d) are perspective views showing the cover mechanisms of fig. 4 (a) and (b), respectively.

Fig. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a positional relationship between the image pickup unit and the light source unit.

Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the beverage supply control process performed by the control unit shown in fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the determination processing of the type of container in fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an explanatory view showing a main part of a modification of the beverage supply device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

Preferred embodiments of the beverage supply device according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 and 2 respectively show a beverage supply device as an embodiment of the present invention, fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance structure, and fig. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing a control system. The beverage supply device exemplified here is a coffee machine installed in a store such as a convenience store, for example, and supplies a beverage such as coffee to a container C such as a cup by performing processing such as coffee bean grinding and extraction of dripping liquid. This beverage supply device is provided with a device body 1.

The apparatus main body 1 includes a main body cabinet 10 and a front surface door 20. The main body cabinet 10 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape with an open front surface. A beverage producing portion 11 for producing a beverage (e.g., coffee) is provided inside the main body cabinet 10.

The front surface door 20 is a door body having a size sufficient to close the opening of the front surface of the main body cabinet 10. The front door 20 is provided at one front edge of the main body cabinet 10 so as to be swingable around a central axis of a shaft portion, not shown, extending in the vertical direction, and is configured to be able to open and close the opening of the front surface of the main body cabinet 10.

The front surface of the front door 20 constitutes a customer service plane, and the front door 20 is provided with a display unit 21, a beverage supply unit 22, and an opening/closing door 23. The display unit 21 is configured by, for example, a liquid crystal touch panel, displays various information, and has an input unit 21a capable of performing input operations such as touch operations.

The beverage supply unit 22 is provided below the display unit 21, and includes a nozzle 22a and a mounting table 22 b. The nozzle 22a is used to discharge the beverage produced in the beverage producing unit 11 downward. The mounting table 22b is provided in a region below the nozzle 22 a. The mounting table 22b is used to mount the container C, and is provided with an arc-shaped stopper 22C. The stopper 22c can satisfactorily receive the beverage discharged from the nozzle 22a, and constitutes a predetermined information-acquirable region S in which image information can be satisfactorily read by the imaging unit 25 described later.

The opening/closing door 23 is formed by processing a material such as resin to reduce light transmission, and has a size sufficient to cover the inlet 22d of the beverage supply unit 22. Here, as the processing for reducing light transmission, coloring or embossing of a material made of a resin or the like is exemplified. Alternatively, the opening/closing door 23 may be processed by a so-called magic mirror which is visible from the outside to the inside but not visible from the inside to the outside due to reflection.

The left end of such an opening/closing door 23 is pivotally supported to the front surface door 20, so that the opening/closing door 23 can swing in the front-rear direction. That is, the opening/closing door 23 can swing in the front-rear direction so as to approach and separate from the beverage supply unit 22, and can close the inlet 22d of the beverage supply unit 22 when swinging rearward so as to approach the beverage supply unit 22, and can open the inlet 22d of the beverage supply unit 22 when swinging forward so as to separate from the beverage supply unit 22.

The opening/closing door 23 has a guide piece 23 b. The guide piece 23b is provided at a lower end portion of an inner surface of the door main body 23a curved so as to protrude outward so as to protrude along a shape of the door main body 23 a. That is, the front end portion of the guide piece 23b is curved. When the opening door 23 swings backward (in the closing direction) in a state where the container C is placed on the placement table 22b, the guide piece 23b abuts on the bottom portion of the container C to guide the container C to the information acquirable area S. When the opening/closing door 23 closes the inlet 22d of the beverage supply unit 22, the guide piece 23b sandwiches the bottom of the container C between the guide piece 23b and the stopper 22C, as shown in fig. 3.

As shown in fig. 2, the beverage supply device includes a container detector 24, an image pickup unit 25, a door opening/closing detector 26, a door opening/closing locking mechanism 27, a cover mechanism 28, a light source unit 29, and a controller 30.

The container detector 24 is composed of, for example, an optical sensor, and detects whether or not the container C is placed on the beverage supply unit 22, that is, whether or not the container C is placed on the placement base 22 b. The container detector 24 supplies the detection result of the presence or absence of the container C to the controller 30.

The imaging unit 25 is provided in the beverage supply unit 22, and is mounted with, for example, a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) image sensor or the like. The imaging unit 25 generates image information of the container C by imaging the container C placed on the mounting table 22b through an imaging opening 22e formed in a wall portion of the beverage supply unit 22. The imaging unit 25 supplies the generated image information to the control unit 30.

As shown in fig. 4 (a) and (b), the imaging opening 22e is provided below the level of the upper surface opening C1 of the container C placed on the mounting table 22 b. Therefore, the imaging unit 25 is also provided at a position lower than the height level of the upper surface opening C1 of the container C placed on the mounting table 22 b.

The door opening/closing detector 26 is provided in the vicinity of the inlet 22d of the beverage supply unit 22, and is constituted by, for example, an optical sensor. The door opening/closing detector 26 detects opening/closing of the entrance 22d by the opening/closing door 23, and more specifically, detects whether the entrance 22d is closed, that is, whether the opening/closing door 23 is closed. The door opening/closing detector 26 supplies the detection result of whether the opening/closing door 23 is closed to the controller 30.

The door opening/closing locking mechanism 27 is provided in the vicinity of the inlet 22d of the beverage supplying section 22. The door opening/closing lock mechanism 27 is capable of switching between a locked state in which the opening/closing door 23 that closes the entrance 22d is kept closed and forward swing of the opening/closing door 23 is restricted, and a released state in which forward swing of the opening/closing door 23 is allowed. The switching of the door opening/closing lock mechanism 27 is performed in response to a command provided from the control unit 30.

The hood mechanism 28 has a hood main body portion 28a and an actuator 28 b. As shown in fig. 4 (c) and (d), the cover main body portion 28a is a box-like body formed in an コ shape when viewed from the side, and is disposed so that the imaging portion 25 is sandwiched between the upper wall portion 281 and the lower wall portion 282. The cover main body portion 28a is provided to be rotatable about a rotation axis L in fig. 4. The cap body 28a is biased by a cap spring (not shown) and covers the imaging surface 25a of the imaging unit 25 in a normal state as shown in fig. 4 (a) and (c). The actuator 28b is configured by, for example, a solenoid, and when driven, rotates the cover main body portion 28a against the biasing force of the cover spring to expose the imaging surface 25a of the imaging unit 25 as shown in fig. 4 (b) and (d).

The light source unit 29 is provided in the beverage supply unit 22 and incorporates an LED 29a as a light source member. The light source unit 29 is turned on by the LED 29a to irradiate the inside of the beverage supplying portion 22 through the light source opening 22f formed in the wall portion of the beverage supplying portion 22.

Here, the positional relationship between the light source unit 29 and the imaging unit 25 will be described. As shown in fig. 5, the imaging unit 25 is disposed at a position other than the irradiation direction m of the LED 29a constituting the light source unit 29.

The control unit 30 is electrically connected to the beverage producing unit 11, the display unit 21, the container detecting unit 24, the imaging unit 25, the door opening/closing detecting unit 26, the door opening/closing locking mechanism 27, the cover mechanism 28, and the light source unit 29, and the control unit 30 controls the operations of these units in a unified manner in accordance with programs and data stored in the storage unit 31 which are also electrically connected to these units. The control unit 30 includes a container determination processing unit (container determination means) 30a, and the container determination processing unit 30a determines the type of the container C in the later-described container type determination process.

The control Unit 30 may be realized by causing a Processing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) to execute a program, that is, by software, or may be realized by hardware such as an IC (Integrated Circuit), or may be realized by using both software and hardware.

The storage unit 31 stores a correspondence table 31a, and the correspondence table 31a stores the relationship between the image information generated by the imaging unit 25 and the type of the container C.

Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing the processing content of the beverage supply control process performed by the control unit 30 shown in fig. 2. The operation of the beverage supply device will be described while describing the processing content of the beverage supply control processing.

In this beverage supply control process, the control unit 30 determines whether or not the container detection unit 24 detects the presence of a container C in the beverage supply unit 22 (step S110). That is, the container detector 24 detects whether or not the container C is placed on the placement table 22 b. When the presence of the container C is detected (yes in step S110), the controller 30 determines whether the open/close door 23 is closed or not based on the detection result of the door open/close detector 26 (step S120). On the other hand, if the presence of the container C is not detected (no in step S110), the control unit 30 repeats the determination process in step S110.

If the opening/closing door 23 is not closed in step S120 (no in step S120), the control unit 30 repeats the determination process of step S120. On the other hand, when the open/close door 23 is closed (yes in step S120), the control unit 30 locks the open/close door 23 in the closed state by using the door open/close lock mechanism 27 (step S150), and performs a process of determining the type of container (step S140).

Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the determination processing of the type of container in fig. 6. In the process of determining the type of container, the control unit 30 turns on the LED 29a constituting the light source unit 29 and drives the actuator 28b of the cover mechanism 28 (step S141, step S142). Thereby, the inside of the beverage supply unit 22 is irradiated with the LED 29a, and the cover main body portion 28a rotates against the biasing force of the cover spring to expose the imaging surface 25a of the imaging unit 25. That is, the imaging unit 25 can perform imaging through the imaging opening 22 e. The control unit 30 acquires the image information read and generated by the imaging unit 25 (step S143).

Then, the control unit 30 reads the correspondence table 31a from the storage unit 31 by the container determination processing unit 30a (step S144), and determines the type of the container C from the image information and the correspondence table 31a (step S145). More specifically, it is determined whether or not the shape of the container C in the digitized information obtained by digitizing the image information matches the digitized information in the correspondence table 31a, and the type of the container C that matches is determined.

The control unit 30 that determines the type of the container C in this manner stops driving the actuator 28b and turns off the LED 29a (step S146, step S147). As a result, only the biasing force of the cap spring acts, and the cap body 28a rotates to cover the imaging surface 25a of the imaging unit 25, thereby ending the irradiation of the beverage supply unit 22. After that, the control unit 30 returns the process to end the present determination process of the type of container.

The control unit 30 having performed the process of determining the type of the container in this manner displays the beverage corresponding to the container C of the type determined in step S140, that is, the beverage to be supplied, on the display unit 21, and performs a guidance display for guiding the touch to the input unit 21a on which the confirmation character is displayed (step S150).

After that, the control unit 30 determines whether or not the input unit 21a is touched (step S160). When the input unit 21a is not touched (no in step S160), the control unit 30 repeats the determination process in step S160. On the other hand, when the input unit 21a is touched (yes in step S160), the control unit 30 causes the beverage producing unit 11 to produce and supply the beverage to be supplied (step S170). Thereafter, the control unit 30 determines whether or not the beverage supply by the beverage producing unit 11 is completed (step S180). If the beverage supply is not completed (no in step S180), control unit 30 returns to step S170 to continue the process of generating and supplying the beverage. On the other hand, when the beverage supply is completed (yes in step S180), the control unit 30 releases the lock of the door open/close locking mechanism 27 on the closed state of the open/close door 23 (step S190), and then returns the process to the end of the present beverage supply control process.

As described above, in the beverage supplying apparatus, the imaging unit 25 and the control unit 30 constitute an information acquiring unit that acquires image information of the container C.

In addition, according to the beverage supply apparatus, since the imaging unit 25 is provided at a position lower than the height level of the upper surface opening C1 of the container C placed on the placement base 22b, the imaging unit 25 can perform imaging satisfactorily without being affected by hot air or the like generated by the beverage discharged from the nozzle 22a to the container C.

According to the beverage supply device, the cover mechanism 28 covers the imaging surface 25a of the imaging unit 25 in the normal state, and exposes the imaging surface 25a when the imaging unit 25 is to perform imaging, so that contamination of the imaging surface 25a with a beverage or the like can be suppressed, and thus the imaging unit 25 can perform imaging satisfactorily.

According to the beverage supply device, since the opening/closing door 23 for opening/closing the inlet 22d of the beverage supply port is formed by processing for reducing light transmission, when the image pickup unit 25 picks up the image information of the container C, it is possible to suppress influence of an external light source such as illumination of a shop, prevent erroneous determination from occurring, and improve the accuracy of determination of the type of the container C.

According to the beverage supply device, in a state where the opening/closing door 23 is closed and the inlet 22d of the beverage supply unit 22 is closed, the LED 29a is turned on to irradiate the inside of the beverage supply unit 22, so that the image pickup unit 25 can favorably acquire image information and prevent erroneous determination from occurring, thereby enabling improvement in the accuracy of determination of the type of the container C.

According to the beverage supply device, the imaging unit 25 is provided at a position other than the irradiation direction m of the LED 29a constituting the light source unit 29, and therefore, when the container C is not formed of a transparent material, a shadow portion due to the container C can be imaged, and on the other hand, when the container C is formed of a transparent material, a shadow portion due to the container C cannot be imaged. That is, the type of the container C can be determined based on the presence or absence of the shadow in the range to be imaged, and the accuracy of the determination can be improved.

According to the above beverage supply device, when the opening/closing door 23 swings backward, the guide piece 23b of the opening/closing door 23 abuts on the bottom of the container C to guide the container C to the information acquirable region S, and when the opening/closing door 23 closes the entrance 22d of the beverage supply unit 22, the bottom of the container C is sandwiched between the guide piece 23b and the stopper 22C to dispose the container C in the information acquirable region S.

According to the beverage supply device, the opening/closing door 23 is locked while the beverage generating part 11 is supplying the beverage, so that the user can be prevented from being burned or the like.

While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications can be made.

In the above-described embodiment, the image information of the container C is acquired to determine the type of the container C, but the type of the container C may be determined by acquiring size information such as the height and the maximum width of the container, material information, temperature information, color information, and the like by various sensors, as necessary.

In the above-described embodiment, the imaging unit 25 images the container C through the imaging opening 22e, but in the present invention, the eaves 40 may be provided on the upper portion of the imaging opening 22e as shown in fig. 8. This can prevent the imaging surface 25a of the imaging unit 25 from being contaminated by splashing of the beverage when the beverage is supplied to the container C. Alternatively, a wiper (wiper) or the like may be provided for periodically wiping the imaging surface 25a of the imaging unit 25.

In the above-described embodiment, the imaging unit 25 images the container C, but in the present invention, the imaging unit may image the container reflected on the mirror surface to acquire image information of the container.

In the above-described embodiment, when the opening/closing door 23 closes the entrance 22d of the beverage supply unit 22, the guide piece 23b sandwiches the bottom of the container C between the guide piece 23b and the stopper 22C to place the container C in the information acquirable region S, but in the present invention, the guide piece does not need to sandwich the container between the guide piece and the stopper, and may be brought into contact with the bottom of the container to guide the container to the information acquirable region only when the opening/closing door swings in the closing direction.

In the above-described embodiment, the control unit 30 performs the determination process of the type of the container when the door open/close detection unit 26 detects that the open/close door 23 is closed, and thereby turns on the LED 29a, and determines the type of the container C by the container determination processing unit 30a, but in the present invention, the LED 29a may be turned on and irradiated, and the type of the container C may be determined by the container determination processing unit 30a, on the condition that the container detection unit 24 detects that the container C is disposed in the beverage supply unit 22.

Description of the reference numerals

1: a device main body; 10: a main body cabinet; 11: a beverage generating part; 20: a front surface door; 21: a display unit; 21 a: an input section; 22: a beverage supply section; 22 a: a nozzle; 22 b: a mounting table; 22 c: a stopper; 22 d: an inlet; 23: opening and closing the door; 24: a container detection unit; 25: an image pickup unit; 26: a door opening/closing detection unit; 27: a door opening and closing locking mechanism; 28: a cover mechanism; 28 a: a cover main body portion; 28 b: an actuator; 29: a light source unit; 29 a: an LED; 30: a control unit; 30 a: a container determination processing unit; 31: a storage unit; 31 a: a correspondence table; c: a container; s: an information area may be acquired.

Claims

1. A beverage supply device for supplying a beverage generated in a beverage generation unit to a container disposed in the beverage supply unit, the beverage supply device comprising:

an opening/closing door for opening/closing an inlet of the beverage supply unit;

an information acquisition unit that acquires information of the container; and

a container determination unit that determines the type of the container based on the information acquired by the information acquisition unit,

wherein the opening/closing door is formed by processing to reduce light transmission.

2. The beverage supplying apparatus according to claim 1,

the information acquisition unit acquires image information of the container,

the beverage supply device further includes a light source member for irradiating the inside of the beverage supply unit after the inlet is closed by the opening/closing door.

3. The beverage supplying apparatus according to claim 2,

further comprises a door opening/closing detection unit for detecting the opening/closing of the door to the entrance,

on condition that the door opening/closing detection section detects that the entrance is closed, the light source member performs irradiation, and the container determination unit determines the kind of the container.

4. The beverage supplying apparatus according to claim 2,

further comprises a container detection unit for detecting that the container is disposed in the beverage supply unit,

the light source means irradiates light on condition that the container detection section detects that the container is arranged, and the container determination means determines the type of the container.

5. The beverage supply apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 4,

the information acquisition unit is disposed at a position other than an irradiation direction of irradiation by the light source member.