DE102015208212B3 - Vending machine with screening device - Google Patents

Abstract

Vending machine (1) with a removable drip tray (2), a screening device (4) arranged in the drip tray upstream of a discharge device (3) and a decompression and / or drainage container (5). It is essential to the invention that at least one partial region (61, 62, 63, 64) of an active surface of the sieve device (4) can be arranged in an outlet region (81, 82) of the expansion and / or drainage container (5). As a result, in particular, a long blockage-free operation without additional cleaning components guaranteed and thus improves the cleaning effort with ease of handling by a cost-effective solution to be produced.

Description

The present invention relates to a beverage vending machine with a removable drip tray, a sieve device arranged in the drip tray upstream of a discharge device, and a decompression and / or drainage container according to the independent claim 1.

It is known to provide generic beverage vending machines, in particular coffee machines, with collecting containers for residues, such as removable drip trays for receiving accumulating residual water. This collection container can be removed for emptying and cleaning and / or have a connection to a sewer system. In order to protect the sewage system, in particular the hard to reach parts of the building installation, from contamination in vending machines with wastewater connection, the residues and particles in the waste water of the drinks vending machine are retained in sieves or filter devices in the vending machine. With increasing deposits on these sieves or filter devices reduces the free effective surface of the sieves or filters. If the remaining effluent amount of the wastewater per unit time is less than the supplied amount per unit time, sewage accumulates in the container upstream of the clogged filter. If the waste water can no longer drain quickly enough, the container threatens to overflow and has to be emptied and / or cleaned manually. The clogged sieves or filter devices must be cleaned or replaced manually.

So is out of the EP 2 332 450 A1 a built-in beverage dispenser and a removable drip tray known, wherein residual water is disposed of via a check valve formed in the drip tray in a sewer pipe and the valve closes the drip tray when removing from the built-in appliance sealing. In this case, a simple sieve is arranged in the drip tray upstream of the check valve to retain residual pomace and / or coffee powder and thus to prevent clogging of the sewer pipe. Such an arrangement is also from the US 5 245 915 A known. In addition, that is from the EP 2 332 450 A1 Known built-in device on a rail system from the installation space led out.

From the DE 91 09 901 U1 a device for collecting coffee grounds from a waste stream of a coffee machine with a removable filter cartridge and a fixed filter housing is known. In order to avoid contamination of the coffee machine by starting the brewing process with the filter cartridge removed, the filter housing remains connected to the sewer pipe. Furthermore, the device has a drip protection on the underside of the removed filter cartridge. The filter element in this case has a carrying handle and z. B. be cleaned in the dishwasher.

Next are from the DE 100 22 538 A1 a device and a method for separating beverage set in beverage manufacturing machines known. The mixture of water and beverage set is passed through a purge line to a first filter, and from there into a second filtering container. In order to prevent clogging of the first filter by attaching and drying of beverage set, an additional cleaning device is provided with a separate line for a cleaning liquid and a spray nozzle arranged thereon, whose sprays sweep the entire filter, and a backwash line or a mechanical wiper. The first filter, which is kept completely free by the jets of the spray nozzle, and the second container, which is equipped with filtering walls, are arranged one behind the other in the flow direction of the rinsing mixture.

The common beverage dispensers known from the prior art use devices designed as sieve or filter arrangements for collecting particles in their wastewater stream. Systems with a simple sieve or filter are known, which can be easily removed for manual cleaning, but are quickly blocked in use by accumulating particles.

To delay this blocking time, in the prior art, vending machines with very complex systems of several consecutively arranged screens or filters and elaborate cleaning facilities with additional lines for cleaning agent arranged thereon with spray nozzles, backwash lines or scrapers for the screens or filters known.

A disadvantage of the beverage machines known from the prior art is that the simple and inexpensive sieve or filter arrangements clog very quickly, thereby often have to be cleaned manually and thus require a considerable cleaning effort. In addition, the more complex systems with a longer cleaning interval - due to the many-part and complicated structure with additional cleaning lines, spray nozzles and backwash lines or scrapers - are laborious to produce and difficult to handle during manual cleaning.

The present invention addresses the problem of providing an improved or at least alternative beverage maker whose Screening device for the wastewater flow without additional cleaning components long clogging works and it is equally handling and cleaning friendly and inexpensive to produce.

This problem is solved according to the invention by the subject matter of independent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

The present invention is based on the general idea to use water and / or steam from a relaxation and / or drainage process in addition to the cleaning of the screening device. For this purpose, the screening device according to the invention can be arranged in the drip tray with at least one subregion of its active surface in the outlet region of the expansion and / or drainage container. In generic vending machines is known to be at regular intervals, z. B. at the end of a preparation or cleaning process for cooling the heater, water and / or steam passed through the outlet of a relaxation and / or drainage tank in the drip tray. As a result of the placement of the screening device according to the invention, a subregion of its active surface is kept free from the expansion and / or drainage container by water and / or steam. The invention thus merely adds an additional function to the existing fluid flow of water and / or steam from the expansion and / or drainage process. Thus, the particles are removed by the fluid flow from the active surface of the screening device, at least from said portion. These particles can be distributed by the fluid flow again in the drip tray, attach elsewhere, for. B. on the surface of the drip tray and / or on the remaining Sieboberfläche outside said portion. Thus, a defined portion of the active surface of the screening device is maintained as a reserve area with a free active surface through a variety of beverage purchases, even with increasing deposits of particles, in which the wastewater can flow. As the deposits continue to grow, the surface, which can be kept free from the expansion and / or drainage container by the fluid flow, slowly and steadily reduces over many more beverage covers, so that water can no longer run off in the entire reserve area. If the deposits finally expand so much that the entire active surface is clogged, the screening device can be cleaned very easily manually. Thus, the inventive arrangement of the screening device in the outlet of the expansion and / or drainage tank of the drinks vending machine for cleaning the active surface of the screening device no additional components such as lines, pumps and nozzles for cleaning liquids or scrapers needed. Since the already existing in the drinks machine relaxation and / or drainage tank remains even when removed from the drip tray in the drinks machine, the cleaning of the screening device is very easy and easy. Thus, the screening device of the beverage vending machine according to the invention is kept free of clogging for a long time and / or over many beverage references at the lowest production costs without additional cleaning devices. In addition, the sieve device is very easy to handle by the arrangement in the removable drip tray with a manual cleaning.

According to the invention, the active surface of the sieve arrangement is geometrically shaped such that at least the part of the surface located in the outlet region of the expansion and / or drainage container is raised in relation to the base surface of the sieve arrangement. Due to this advantageous geometric shape of the sieve device, the contamination builds up in a targeted manner homogeneously over the active surface of the sieve device up to the raised subregion due to accumulating particles. Above this raised portion of the expansion and / or drainage container is arranged, which emits water and / or steam in the usual way drip tray arranged underneath and thus keeps the subregion of accumulating particles free. Due to the raised arrangement of the reserve area, the drainage level in the drip tray rises to the reserve area when the sieve surface is otherwise blocked. As a result, on the one hand, the volume in which the particles flushed out of the reserve area can be distributed is increased and, on the other hand, the drip-shell surface on which they can accumulate is increased. Thus, the range is further extended to a necessary manual cleaning.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the active surface of the screening device is inclined and / or curved in the area of action of the expansion and / or drainage container with respect to the base surface. As a result, on the one hand the adhesion of particles in the reserve area is made more difficult. On the other hand, the particles can be removed from the reserve area more easily and effectively by the action of the fluid flow of the expansion and / or drainage container. For this purpose, the structure of the deposits designed advantageous because the particles accumulate reinforced from bottom to top and the kept drainage surface remains constant over a longer period of time.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the entire active surface of the screening device is arched over the base area at least one-dimensionally. This prevents the increased adhesion of particles in corner and edge areas. As a result, the particles can be removed more easily and effectively by the action of the expansion and / or drainage container.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the portion of the effective surface of the screening device located in the action region of the expansion and / or drainage container extends approximately from the level of the base surface to the highest point of the screening device. The partial area thus extends approximately from the lowest to the highest point of the sieve arrangement. As a result, the particles accumulate increasingly from bottom to top. As the particles accumulate, so does the level of wastewater that can not drain away from the shell. Since the reserved portion extends from the lowest to the highest level, even with increasing wastewater level in the drip tray over a long range an effective free reserve area is maintained, in which the wastewater can continue to drain.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the Wrkoberfläche the screening device is formed by a net-like structure. This is embedded in a support structure. In this case, the net-like structure can be formed by grid mats, which are available as semi-finished in a variety of mesh sizes and materials. Thus, the mesh size or the material of the screening device can be varied simply and cost-effectively by using different grid mats. The net-like structure can also be formed from the material of the carrier structure. Thus, the net-like structure can be formed in one piece with the support structure in its original molding process.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the screening device is releasably insertable into the drip tray, wherein the support structure of the screening device is held in the drip tray at least partially by a positive connection. As a result, the screening device is easy to manufacture and insert into the drip tray. In addition, it can be removed and / or used in the case of a necessary manual cleaning easily and without tools.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the support structure of the screening device closes sealingly with respect to the drip tray. This prevents particles from being able to bypass the screening device and / or to adhere between the drip tray and the screening device, which also facilitates the cleaning of the drip tray when the screening device is removed.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the inner surface of the drip tray is substantially downhill towards the base of the screening device pronounced. Smaller areas of the drip tray can advantageously have a smaller pitch or be arranged without pitch. Thus, the wastewater flows purposefully in the direction of the screening device. In addition, particles may accumulate in areas of lesser slope.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the surface of the support structure at the outer edge of the screening device in the inserted state to the inner surface of the drip tray is arranged substantially flush. Smaller portions of the support structure can advantageously be arranged partially raised relative to the drip tray. Thus, the wastewater from the drip tray run completely. In addition, particles can accumulate behind the smaller, partially raised subregions of the carrier structure.

Further important advantages of the invention will become apparent from the subclaims, from the drawings and from the associated figure description with reference to the drawings.

It is understood that the features mentioned above and those yet to be explained below can be used not only in the respectively specified combination but also in other combinations or in isolation without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and will be described in more detail in the following description, wherein like reference numerals refer to the same or similar or functionally identical components.

Showing each schematically

1 a sectional view of the beverage vending machine according to the invention in the field of screening device, as a frontal view,

2 . 3 and 4 a representation like 1 but with an alternative embodiment of the screening device,

5 and 6 a sectional view of the beverage vending machine according to the invention in the field of cleaning device, as a plan view and

7 a perspective view of the drip tray with drainage device and screening device.

According to the 1 . 5 . 6 and 7 has an inventive coffee machine 1 as a particularly vivid example of a beverage vending machine, a drip tray 2 with a drain device 3 for discharging wastewater. This wastewater, which drains into the drip tray 2 is guided by an operating process of the coffee machine with particles of Ground coffee and / or Tresterresten and / or lime particles added. That in the drip tray 2 upstream of the drainage device 3 releasably inserted sieve element 4 holds the particles in the wastewater in the drip tray 2 and on the active surface of the screening device 4 back to the downstream of the drainage device 3 be kept clean of contaminants. The active surface of the screening device 4 consists of the net-like structure 11 , a fine-meshed mesh mat, which is in a frame-like support structure 10 is embedded. Above the sieve arrangement 4 is in a housing of the coffee machine a relaxation and drainage tank 5 with an outlet 51 arranged. From the outlet 51 gives the relaxation and drainage tank 5 in a known manner at the end of the beverage preparation water and steam, depending on the prepared beverage for cooling the heating and / or relaxing the line parts, in the drip tray and acts as a cleaning on the underlying effective surface of the screening device 4 one. Here is the subarea 61 the active surface of the screening device 4 in the area of influence 81 of the relaxation and drainage tank 5 is located, opposite the base 7 sublime, and thus arranged elevated.

In operation of the coffee machine 1 builds a layer of particles on the active surface of the screening device over several preparation cycles 4 and slows down by closing the openings of the net-like structure 11 the drainage of the wastewater. In this first stage of the deposits, the action of the fluid flow from the expansion and drainage tank causes 5 through the approximately centric position of the outlet 51 above the sieve surface, that the deposits from the edge of the screening device 4 build up to their midst.

If the deposits have grown so much that only the reserve area 82 is free of particles, the sewage level in the drip tray rises 2 at least temporarily, since the drainage is inhibited. The wastewater level rises to the level of the reserve area 82 on, this is increasingly occupied by particles. In this second stage of the deposits, the action of the fluid flow from the expansion and drainage tank causes 5 that in the reserve area 82 accumulating particles are absorbed in the fluid stream and in the entire volume of waste water in the drip tray 2 be distributed. While the sewage towards the reserve area 82 flows back through gravity, laying a large part of the particles outside the reserve area 82 on the surface of the drip tray 2 and the remaining surface of the screening device 4 at. Analogous to the first stage, a layer of particles builds up from the outer edge of the reserve area over several preparation cycles 82 in the center on.

In a third stage of the deposits, the deposited particles occupy the active surface of the screening device 4 in the reserve area 82 almost completely, causes the action of the fluid flow from the expansion and drainage tank 5 a short-term lifting and stirring up of the particles in the wastewater or in the introduced fluid. As a result of the distribution thus generated, wastewater can continue to flow away, albeit at a low speed.

In a fourth stage of the deposits, the entire active surface of the screening device 4 blocked with deposited particles, so that the wastewater can no longer, or can no longer flow at the required speed. At this stage, the screening device 4 manually cleaned or replaced. This is the drip tray 2 from the coffee machine 1 refer to. The relaxation and drainage tank 5 remains in the coffee machine 1 and thus generates no additional manual handling and cleaning effort. The sieve device 4 can then very easily from the drip tray 2 removed and / or together with the drip tray 2 getting cleaned.

By transporting the particles in the wastewater or in the fluid flow of the expansion and drainage tank 5 from the reserve area 82 and the targeted attachment of these particles on the surface of the drip tray 2 and the remaining effective surface of the screening device 4 the amount of time and the amount of waste water is significantly increased up to a necessary manual cleaning. So the cleaning effort is significantly reduced. The simple structure of the screening device 4 and the use of the existing fluid flow from the expansion and drainage tank 5 to keep the reserve area clear 82 allow a particularly cost-effective to produce solution of the problem of the invention.

In the 2 apparent development of the invention provides an alternative design of the screening device 4 which differs from the aforementioned embodiment only in the form of the active surface, but not in the operative principle. So can the shape of the screening device 4 easy on the particular conditions of various coffee machines 1 , such as B. the existing volume of construction to be adjusted.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention is as in 3 visible the effective surface of the Siebeirichtung 4 in the area of influence 81 of the relaxation and drainage tank 5 relative to the base area 7 the screening device 4 inclined. This tendency of the active surface impedes the adhesion of particles in the reserve area 82 and facilitates their rinsing by the fluid flow of the expansion and drainage container 5 , In addition, with increasing deposits the flow rate remains in the reserve area 82 approximately constant due to the constant inflow surface. The sewage level rises in the drip tray 2 with increasing deposits, but the remaining screen area between deposit and water surface remains over the entire reserve area 82 approximately constant. Thus, especially in the already described second stage of the deposits, the time span and the amount of waste water are further increased until a necessary manual cleaning and the cleaning effort is further reduced. All the advantages mentioned regarding handling and production costs are retained.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention is as in 4 shown schematically and in 7 in perspective view, the effective surface of the screening device 4 opposite the base 7 arched. This design enhances the homogeneous growth of the deposits with increasing wastewater level in the drip tray 2 , Thus, the homogenous shape also effectively prevents the increased adhesion of particles to discontinuities such as corners and edges.

Looking at the screening device 4 in the perspective view of the 7 , Can see a further advantageous development, in which the screening device 4 from a net-like structure 11 consisting in a framework designed as a framework 10 is embedded. This structure allows the screening device 4 to produce from a cost-effective filter or sieve material. This is the net-like structure 11 as a blank of plastic and / or metal mesh in a tool with the plastic carrier structure 10 connected and / or embedded therein. At the same time, the geometry of the net-like structure becomes 11 brought into the required shape and through the support structure 10 held in this form. The screening device thus produced 4 is resistant to common household cleaners and suitable for cleaning in the dishwasher. This structure of the screening device 4 allows the implementation of all requirements with regard to handling and cleanability with the lowest production costs.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the screening device closes 4 through their support structure 10 opposite the drip tray 2 sealing off. This prevents the screening device 4 on the one hand, that particles bypass the active surface and next to the screening device 4 from the drip tray 2 in the drain device 3 reach. On the other hand, it prevents particles from getting in between the drip tray 2 and the screening device 4 accumulate. This will make the installation downstream of the screening device 4 effectively protected against particles and so the manual cleaning of the drip tray 2 and the screening device 4 further reduced.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the support structure 10 the screening device 4 by a reversible positive connection in the drip tray 2 held. By this fixation is the screening device 4 easy to remove in case of cleaning and without tools. The sieve device 4 is doing, for example, by means of releasable snap hooks in the drip tray 2 fixed. These fixatives can be directly through the support structure 10 formed, or on the drip tray 2 be arranged and in the support structure 10 intervention. By this type of fixation is the screening device 4 easily removable and saves against z. B. a screw assembly in the production time and costs.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the inner surface of the drip tray 2 towards the base area 7 the screening device 4 essentially downslope. As a result, wastewater is targeted to the base area 7 and the expiration mechanism opening in it 3 directed. Here are in the drip tray 2 partially smaller areas with a lower pitch and / or slope-free areas arranged, inter alia in the immediate vicinity of the screening device 2 , Especially in the described second stage of the deposits particles accumulate better in these areas of reduced slope in the return flow of the wastewater. This effect continues to positively influence the time and waste water quantity until the required manual cleaning.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the surface of the support structure 10 the sieve device used 4 essentially flush with the surface of the drip tray 2 , This results in inserted screening device 4 a largely step-free transition between drip tray 2 and screening device 4 , Thus, a dirt edge is largely prevented in the transition of the components, whereby the cleaning z. B. is facilitated with a rag. Here is the support structure 10 partially opposite the drip tray 2 elevated. Thus, in part, the return flow of the wastewater to the screening device 4 braked, creating a targeted deposition of the particles on the underlying areas of the drip tray 2 reached - and thus the time and the amount of wastewater until the necessary manual cleaning is further positively influenced.

The 5 and 6 show a horizontal section through the coffee machine 1 and serve to illustrate the arrangement. On them is next to the drip tray 2 the exemplary spatial arrangement of the base 7 the sie band order 4 to recognize, as well as the position of the outlet 51 , Also shows 6 Examples of the resulting effect area 81 and the reserve area 82 the cleaning device 5 hiss of the imaginary middle axis of the Siebandordnung 4 and the outer edge 9 ,

The invention has been described using the example of a coffee machine, but can be applied to beverage vending machines of any kind. The term drip tray is representative of any type of container that is suitable for catching and / or draining off residues. Likewise, the term sieve device is representative of any conceivable type of sieve and / or filter arrangement and can consist of all known sieve and filter materials.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Vending Machine

2

drip tray

3

off device

4

screening

5

Systems / drainage container

51

Outlet of the relaxation / drainage tank

61

raised portion of the screening device, version 1

62

raised portion of the screening device, version 2

63

raised portion of the screening device, version 3

64

raised portion of the screening device, version 4

7

Base of the screening device

81

Effective area of the expansion / drainage tank

82

reserved reserve area

9

Outer edge of the sieve surface

10

Carrier structure of the screening device

11

net-like structure of the screening device

Claims (9)

Vending machine ( 1 ), in particular coffee machine, with a removable drip tray ( 2 ), one in the drip tray upstream of a drain device ( 3 ) arranged sieve device ( 4 ) and a relaxation and / or drainage container ( 5 ), at least one subregion ( 61 . 62 . 63 . 64 ) an active surface of the screening device ( 4 ) in an outlet area ( 81 . 82 ) of the expansion and / or drainage tank ( 5 ), and wherein the subregion ( 61 . 62 . 63 . 64 ) in relation to a base area ( 7 ) of the screening device ( 4 ) is sublime. Vending machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the subregion ( 61 . 62 . 63 . 64 ) relative to the base area ( 7 ) of the screening device ( 4 ) inclined and / or arched ( 63 . 64 ). Vending machine according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the entire active surface of the screening device ( 4 ) relative to the base area ( 7 ) at least one-dimensionally arched ( 64 ). Vending machine according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the subregion ( 61 . 62 . 63 . 64 ) approximately from the level of the base area ( 7 ) of the screening device ( 4 ) to the highest point of the active surface of the screening device ( 4 ). Vending machine according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the active surface of the screening device ( 4 ) by a, in a support structure ( 10 ) embedded, net-like structure ( 11 ) is formed. Vending machine according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the screening device ( 4 ) detachable in the drip tray ( 2 ) and the support structure ( 10 ) in the drip tray ( 2 ) is held at least partially by a positive connection. Vending machine according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the support structure ( 10 ) opposite the drip tray ( 2 ) sealingly closes. Vending machine according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the inner surface of the drip tray ( 2 ) substantially downhill towards the base ( 7 ) of the screening device ( 4 ) is pronounced. Vending machine according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the surface of the support structure ( 10 ) at the outer edge of the screening device ( 4 ) in the inserted state to the inner surface of the drip tray ( 2 ) is arranged substantially flush.

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