EP1078879A1 - Distributeur de boissons avec pompe péristaltique - Google Patents

Distributeur de boissons avec pompe péristaltique Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1078879A1
EP1078879A1 EP99116973A EP99116973A EP1078879A1 EP 1078879 A1 EP1078879 A1 EP 1078879A1 EP 99116973 A EP99116973 A EP 99116973A EP 99116973 A EP99116973 A EP 99116973A EP 1078879 A1 EP1078879 A1 EP 1078879A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
beverage
beverage material
bib
group
supplying tube
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP99116973A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP1078879B1 (fr
Inventor
Hiroshi Watanabe
Hiroshi Kosaka
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Sanyo Electric Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Sanyo Electric Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Sanyo Electric Co Ltd filed Critical Sanyo Electric Co Ltd
Priority to DE1999612945 priority Critical patent/DE69912945T2/de
Priority to EP19990116973 priority patent/EP1078879B1/fr
Publication of EP1078879A1 publication Critical patent/EP1078879A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1078879B1 publication Critical patent/EP1078879B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67D—DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B67D1/00—Apparatus or devices for dispensing beverages on draught
    • B67D1/08—Details
    • B67D1/12—Flow or pressure control devices or systems, e.g. valves, gas pressure control, level control in storage containers
    • B67D1/1202—Flow control, e.g. for controlling total amount or mixture ratio of liquids to be dispensed
    • B67D1/1204—Flow control, e.g. for controlling total amount or mixture ratio of liquids to be dispensed for ratio control purposes
    • B67D1/1211—Flow rate sensor
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67D—DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B67D1/00—Apparatus or devices for dispensing beverages on draught
    • B67D1/08—Details
    • B67D1/12—Flow or pressure control devices or systems, e.g. valves, gas pressure control, level control in storage containers
    • B67D1/1247—Means for detecting the presence or absence of liquid

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a beverage dispenser for feeding a beverage material from BIB (Bag In Box).
  • a beverage material-supplying opaque tube extending from BIB is squeezed by a tube pump (a peristaltic pump) to draw the beverage material from BIB and then to extrude the beverage material via the beverage material-supplying tube to a nozzle, and, at the nozzle, is mechanically mixed with cooled water for dilution or cooled carbonated water.
  • a tube pump a peristaltic pump
  • a detector for sensing the sold-out state has hitherto been mounted in intimate contact with the beverage material-supplying tube. This detector senses, through an electrical factor, such as a magnetic field or an electrostatic capacitance, whether or not the beverage material is present or absent in the beverage material-supplying tube. A sensor in the detector outputs an analog signal as shown in Fig. 8.
  • Fig. 8 shows a change in an analog voltage output from the sensor over a period involving a change in the state of the beverage dispenser from a stand-by state to a beverage selling state.
  • the detector decides that the beverage material has been sold out. In this case, the detector changes its output to indicate the sold-out state.
  • the dispenser executes sold-out display and the like based on the change in output from the detector.
  • a beverage dispenser comprises:
  • a sensor for outputting an analog signal dependent upon a condition within the beverage material-supplying tube is provided adjacent to the beverage material-supplying tube.
  • a processor is provided into which the output of the sensor is input. The processor calculates a moving average value using, as a data source, highest signal values among sampled signals obtained by multipoint sampling of analog signals output from the sensor, and, based on the magnitude of a change in the moving average value, a decision is made on whether or not the beverage material has been sold out.
  • the magnitude of a change in analog signal output from the sensor can be clearly grasped, realizing enhancing the accuracy of the determination of the sold-out.
  • Fig. 1 is a front view of a beverage dispenser 1 according to the invention
  • Fig. 2 a side view of a beverage dispenser 1 according to the invention
  • Fig. 3 an enlarged view of a beverage dispenser 1 in its operating section 27
  • Fig. 4 a front view of a beverage dispenser 1 with a door 28 thereof being opened
  • Fig. 5 a side view showing the internal construction of a beverage dispenser 1
  • Fig. 6 an enlarged front view of BIB 3, a sensor 13, and a pump 5 shown in Fig. 4
  • Fig. 7 a block view of an electric circuit of a control unit 21 in a beverage dispenser 1.
  • the beverage dispenser 1 is a beverage dispenser for BIB used in restaurants, tearooms and the like.
  • the beverage dispenser 1 comprises, in a mainly body 2, BIB units 32, 32 for feeding neutral beverages, such as oolong tea and orange juice, in combination with a tank unit 31 for feeding contemplated strongly carbonated, weakly carbonated, and non-carbonated drinks.
  • the structure of the beverage dispenser 1 is such that, as shown in Fig. 4, the tank unit 31 is disposed in the center portion and the BIB units 32, 32 are disposed respectively on both sides of the tank unit 31.
  • the tank unit 31 and the BIB units 32, 32 are hidden by an openable door 28 located at the front face thereof.
  • the tank unit 31 comprises a solenoid valve 8 and a flow regulator 17 provided in a beverage material passage for feeding the beverage material. Further, the tank unit is provided with a nozzle 12 for ejecting a contemplated beverage prepared, in a mixer, by mixing the beverage material with dilution water fed through another tube.
  • the nozzle 12 is a composite nozzle which ejects contemplated different beverages selected by users prepared from different beverage materials fed respectively from a plurality of beverage material tanks.
  • a beverage material-supplying opaque tube 4 of BIB 3 passes a sensor 13 for sold-out detection and is supported in the state of sandwiching between a rotor 5A and an arm 5B supported on an axis 5C for rotation in a pump (a peristaltic pump) 5.
  • the beverage material is fed through a pinch solenoid 19 provided in a lower part of the pump 5 into a nozzle 6.
  • the pump 5 may be one disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 211299/1994.
  • the pump 5 is such that a plurality of rollers 5D mounted on the rotor 5A successively squeeze the beverage material-supplying tube 4 to extrude the beverage material to the nozzle 6. Further, a nozzle 7 for dilution water is provided adjacent to the nozzle 6 for the beverage material.
  • a table 14 is provided below the nozzles 6, 7 in the BIB unit 32 and the nozzle 12 in the tank unit 31.
  • a cup guided by a guide 15 may be placed on the table 14.
  • numeral 33 designates a compressor constituting a cooling device for cooling dilution water and the like
  • numeral 34 a condenser
  • numeral 36 a motor for a dilution water pump
  • numeral 37 a water tank
  • numeral 38 a carbonator a carbonator.
  • the senor 13 is provided adjacent to and in intimate contact with the beverage material-supplying tube 4.
  • This sensor 13 generates from its core a magnetic field within the beverage material-supplying tube 4, and outputs, as an analog signal (voltage), a change in magnetic field, created by a difference in magnetic permeability between the beverage material passed through the beverage material-supplying tube 4 and air bubbles.
  • An operation panel 27 for operating the feed of the beverage from the tank unit 31 and the BIB units 32, 32 is provided on the front of the door 28.
  • sold-out lamps 23 are provided on the operation panel 27 in its portions corresponding to the BIB units 32, 32.
  • a reset switch 18 for performing resetting with respect to the sold-out state upon replacement of BIB, with the beverage material being sold out, by new BIB filled with the beverage material is provided on the backside of the door 28.
  • Fig. 7 shows a control unit 21 associated with BIB in the beverage dispenser 1.
  • the output of the sensor 13 and the output of the reset switch 18 are input into a micro-computer 22 in the control unit 21.
  • the output of the micro-computer 22 is connected to the sold-out lamp 23, the pinch solenoid 19, the pump 5, and the solenoid 25 for dilution water.
  • the micro-computer 22 comprises a processor 22a, a sampling and selecting circuit 22b, and a memory 22c.
  • Figs. 8 and 9 show analog signals output from the sensor 13 over a period involving a change of the beverage dispenser from the stand-by state to the beverage selling state, in which the levels L A and L B in Fig.8 are equal to the levels L A and L B in Fig.9, respectively.
  • the level of signals from the sensor 13 remains unchanged during the stand-by period.
  • the processor 22a drives the pump 5 during a preset selling time, and, in addition, open the solenoid 25 for dilution water to eject dilution water.
  • the pump 5 is stopped, the solenoid 25 for dilution water is closed, and the pinch solenoid 19 is closed.
  • the beverage material in an amount determined by the selling time is diluted with the dilution water to feed a predetermined concentration of the neutral beverage into the cup.
  • pulsation as shown in Fig. 8 appears in the level of signals from the sensor 13 during selling. This is attributable to vibration of the beverage material-supplying tube 4, a variation in ejection of the beverage material or other phenomena created by squeezing the pump 5.
  • the processor 22a gives the sampling and selecting circuit 22b an instruction for multipoint sampling (n samples, for example, 14 samples) of analog signals from the sensor 13 at predetermined intervals (for example, 10 ms).
  • the highest value in the first group of collected n samples is selected, and is stored as data N1 in a data source buffer for moving average in the memory 22c provided in the micro-computer 22a.
  • 16 highest values are stored.
  • the current N1 is discarded, N2 is transferred to N1, and the new highest value is stored as N16.
  • the data is sequentially updated. This state is shown in Fig. 10.
  • the processor 22a calculates the average of the first three data N1, N2, and N3 to obtain data , and calculates the average of the last three data N14, N15, and N16 to obtain data .
  • the difference between the data and the data that is, - , is then determined to obtain a change in moving average value.
  • a decision is successively made on whether or not this change (difference) has exceeded a predetermined level for decision. When the change (difference) has exceeded the predetermined level, a decision is made to the effect that the beverage material has been sold out.
  • the arm 5B is opened to remove the beverage material-supplying tube 4, followed by setting of a beverage material-supplying tube 4 of a new BIB 3 between the rotor 5A in the tube pump 5 and the arm 5B.
  • the operati-on of a reset switch 18 permits the processor 22a to reset the decision of sold-out.
  • the senor 13 is used for detecting a condition within the beverage material-supplying tube 4 by means of a magnetic field.
  • the detection means is not limited to the sensor, and detection using an electrostatic capacitance is also effective in the invention.
  • the number of moving average data is not limited to that described in the above embodiments, and may be properly varied.
  • a sensor for outputting an analog signal dependent upon a condition within the beverage material-supplying tube is provided adjacent to the beverage material-supplying tube.
  • a processor is provided into which the output of the sensor is input. The processor calculates a moving average value using, as a data source, highest signal values among sampled signals obtained by multipoint sampling of analog signals output from the sensor, and, based on the magnitude of a change in the moving average value, a decision is made on whether or not the beverage material has been sold out.
  • the magnitude of a change in analog signal output from the sensor can be clearly grasped, realizing enhancing the accuracy of the determination of the sold-out.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • Beverage Vending Machines With Cups, And Gas Or Electricity Vending Machines (AREA)
  • Devices For Dispensing Beverages (AREA)
EP19990116973 1999-08-27 1999-08-27 Distributeur de boissons avec pompe péristaltique Expired - Lifetime EP1078879B1 (fr)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE1999612945 DE69912945T2 (de) 1999-08-27 1999-08-27 Getränkespender mit Peristaltikpumpe
EP19990116973 EP1078879B1 (fr) 1999-08-27 1999-08-27 Distributeur de boissons avec pompe péristaltique

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP19990116973 EP1078879B1 (fr) 1999-08-27 1999-08-27 Distributeur de boissons avec pompe péristaltique

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1078879A1 true EP1078879A1 (fr) 2001-02-28
EP1078879B1 EP1078879B1 (fr) 2003-11-19

Family

ID=8238885

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19990116973 Expired - Lifetime EP1078879B1 (fr) 1999-08-27 1999-08-27 Distributeur de boissons avec pompe péristaltique

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1078879B1 (fr)
DE (1) DE69912945T2 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2004067964A1 (fr) 2003-01-28 2004-08-12 Tsinghua University Procede de transfert de fluide et micropompe a action peristaltique

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4428232A (en) * 1980-11-20 1984-01-31 Nippon Soken, Inc. Capacitance liquid level detector
US4957220A (en) * 1988-12-06 1990-09-18 Du Benjamin R Vending machine last drink sensor and dispensing apparatus
JPH06211299A (ja) 1991-05-23 1994-08-02 Nippon Koka Cola Kk 箱収納高粘度飲料バッグ用ポストミックス飲料ディスペンサー装置
US5401139A (en) * 1990-02-02 1995-03-28 Isco, Inc. Pumping system
US5797519A (en) * 1997-03-14 1998-08-25 The Coca-Cola Company Postmix beverage dispenser
US5875930A (en) * 1996-04-02 1999-03-02 Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. United type-beverage dispenser

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4428232A (en) * 1980-11-20 1984-01-31 Nippon Soken, Inc. Capacitance liquid level detector
US4957220A (en) * 1988-12-06 1990-09-18 Du Benjamin R Vending machine last drink sensor and dispensing apparatus
US5401139A (en) * 1990-02-02 1995-03-28 Isco, Inc. Pumping system
JPH06211299A (ja) 1991-05-23 1994-08-02 Nippon Koka Cola Kk 箱収納高粘度飲料バッグ用ポストミックス飲料ディスペンサー装置
US5875930A (en) * 1996-04-02 1999-03-02 Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. United type-beverage dispenser
US5797519A (en) * 1997-03-14 1998-08-25 The Coca-Cola Company Postmix beverage dispenser

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2004067964A1 (fr) 2003-01-28 2004-08-12 Tsinghua University Procede de transfert de fluide et micropompe a action peristaltique
US8353685B2 (en) 2003-01-28 2013-01-15 Capitalbio Corporation Method for fluid transfer and the micro peristaltic pump

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP1078879B1 (fr) 2003-11-19
DE69912945T2 (de) 2004-04-22
DE69912945D1 (de) 2003-12-24

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