FR2883089A1 - Automatic beverage e.g. coffee, dispensing device for use with counter furniture, has interface fixed in front of pediment pivoting between lowered position delimiting space at rear of pediment and raised position for accessing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The device (10) has a consumer interface (16) equipped with preselection knobs for selecting a type of beverage e.g. coffee, and fixed in front of a pivoting pediment (14). The pediment pivots between a vertical lowered position delimiting a housing space at a rear of the pediment and a horizontal raised position for accessing an automatic dispensing machine (17) that is mounted on a pair of parallel slides (13). The pediment is locked in the lowered position using a lock.

Description

1 2883089

  Automatic beverage dispensing apparatus with consumer interface and dissociated machine. 10

  TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to an automatic beverage dispensing apparatus intended to be integrated in a countertop cabinet, comprising a beverage preparation machine, fluidic and electrical connection means, a consumer interface provided with buttons. preselection of the type of drinks, and means of payment of consumption.

  STATE OF THE ART Document FR 2832048 describes a machine for dispensing a beverage, which is equipped with a device for mixing a soluble product with a liquid.

  There are also other types of machines that do not use soluble products, such as coffee beans, ground coffee, tea bags with hot water, tea leaves infused in specific preparation group, syrup mixed with hot or cold water, etc.

  These machines intended for the preparation of coffee, chocolate or tea, are generally placed on a worktop of a countertop furniture, and the cup is placed directly under the outlet of a machine.

  These machines have different shapes, sizes, and colors from each other, and each typically has a consumer interface that is integral with the front of the machine. Each type of machine has a predetermined interface. The juxtaposition of different types of machines in the environment of a countertop furniture is then detrimental to the uniformity of the aesthetic appearance of the whole. The maintenance and troubleshooting of these conventional machines arranged directly on the worktop of the furniture, on the other hand require complicated manipulations.

  OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The object of the invention is to provide an automatic beverage dispensing apparatus, intended to be easily integrated in a countertop cabinet, and making use of a standard consumer interface regardless of the type of machine used.

  The device according to the invention is characterized in that the consumer interface is shaped according to a fake facade of automatic dispensing apparatus, and is fixed on the front of a pivoting pediment, likely to be in a lowered vertical position. delimiting at the rear a housing space of the machine, either in a raised horizontal position to allow access to the machine.

  It is thus possible to easily integrate any type of machine at the rear of the pediment without shifting the physical proportions, nor disturb the consumers with different interfaces.

  According to a preferred embodiment, the interface is equipped with a funnel for receiving the beverage circulating in a spout of the machine. The pediment is constituted by a plastron provided with a pouring spout opening, and holes for the crossing of the electromechanical and electronic controls of the machine, an automatic cup dispenser, and the payment unit, which are in the bitter plastron when the latter is in the lowered vertical position. The base of the interface is provided with a receptacle on which is placed a cup from the automatic cup dispenser, said receptacle being arranged facing the funnel at the front of the pediment.

  3 2883089 The body of the machine is thus stripped of all its front body part, which is positioned behind the pediment when the pediment is in the lowered vertical position. The visible facade of the device is on the interface at the front of the pediment. The consumer interface can be used for all payment functions (by currency, bank card, etc.), choice of products distributed by the machine at the rear of the pediment, control of actuators, receipt of distributed products , and all functions of rendering of money, evacuation of waste water, etc ...

  It is possible to affix on the front face of the pediment a predetermined decoration, as well as identification marks. The pediment thus makes it possible to differentiate the characteristics of the machine located behind the pediment with respect to the visible facade of the countertop furniture. The consumer interface can be identical between different furniture islands, regardless of the type of machines and products distributed.

  The other advantages of the pediment are the following: secured opening by a lock to give access to the machine, which is located between the pediment and the bottom of the furniture; ease of maintenance, troubleshooting and supply by mounting the machine on a pair of parallel rails to ensure its rapid removal when the pediment is in the raised position; media management by the possibility of setting up display screens on the front facade of the interface or the pediment itself.

Brief description of the drawings

  Other advantages and features will emerge more clearly from the following description of an embodiment of the invention given by way of non-limiting example, and represented in the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an automatic beverage dispensing apparatus placed on a countertop furniture, and equipped with an interface according to the invention; Figure 2 shows a vertical sectional view of the dispensing apparatus of Figure 1, the pediment of the interface being closed in the lowered position, and arranged between an upper piece of furniture and the worktop of the lower piece of furniture; - Figure 3 shows an identical view of Figure 2, during the tilting of the pediment and the interface upwards; Figures 4 and 5 are identical views of Figure 2, respectively before and after extraction of the machine following the full opening of the pediment of the interface in the raised position.

  Description of a Preferred Embodiment

  Referring to the figures, an automatic beverage dispensing apparatus, designated by the general reference numeral 10, is integrated in a countertop cabinet 11 comprising a lower cabinet 12 and an upper cabinet 13 separated from each other by an intermediate space 15 in which the apparatus 10 is housed.

  The automatic dispensing apparatus 10 is composed of a pivoting pediment 14, a consumer interface disposed at the front on the facade of the pediment 14, and an automatic dispensing machine 17 installed between the bottom of the space 15 and the back of the pediment 14.

  The automatic dispensing machine 17 contains, by way of example, a device for preparing drinks by mixing a soluble product with a liquid, as described by way of example in the document FR-A2832048. The soluble powder products may be coffee or tea, or any other lyophilized or dehydrated substance having a certain concentration. The mixing action of the soluble products is generally carried out with cold or hot water inside a mixing chamber. The machine 17 further comprises fluidic and electrical connection means, and storage means for soluble products, for the preparation of consumptions to the locations provided for this purpose in front of the front facade 14. The machine 17 also comprises at the rear of the pediment 14, an automatic cup dispenser 18, and a payment unit 19 consumptions. In Figure 1, the machine 17, the automatic cup dispenser 18, and the payment unit 19, are shown in dashed lines because hidden by the pediment 14 in the vertical lowered position.

  The front body of the automatic dispensing machine 17 has a spout 20 projecting forwards through a through hole 21 formed in the pediment 14. The spout 20 is connected to the outlet nozzle 22 of the 1 o machine 17 in conjunction with a mixing bowl 23. The soluble products selected by the user from the interface 16, are introduced into the bowl 23 through a conduit 24, and mixed with the liquid.

  Other types of machines 17 may be installed behind the pediment 14 for dispensing drinks, from: ground coffee beans and drilled with a mechanical group; ground coffee; tea in infused leaves; tea bags accompanied by hot water dispensing; syrups.

  The wastewater from the machine 17 is recovered by a pipe 26 in a first container 25 housed in the lower cabinet 12.

  The pediment 14 of separation is formed by a plastron of metal or plastic material, pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis AX located under the upper cabinet 13. The front face of the pediment 14 serves as a support for the interface 16 consumer.

  In the vertical downward position (FIG. 2), the pediment 14 extends perpendicularly to the horizontal work plane PT of the lower cabinet 12, and defines the accommodating space 15 of the machine 17. The outer surface of the pediment 14 may be coated specific decoration or advertising or identification markers. The pediment 14 can be locked in the position 6 2883089 lowered vertically by means of a lock that can be actuated by an authorized person by means of a key or an access code.

  The unlocking of the lock occurs during a maintenance or supply operation, and allows raising the pediment 14 to a raised position (FIGS. 3 to 5) to allow access to the machine 17.

  The consumer interface 16 attached to the front of the pivoting pediment 14 is shaped according to a fake facade of automatic beverage dispensing apparatus. It is equipped with means for introducing and returning money or an electronic card reader cooperating with the payment unit 19, preselection buttons for the selection of drinks dispensed by the machine 17, and control buttons for the operation of the apparatus 10.

  The consumer interface 16 is also provided with a funnel 27 for receiving the drink circulating in the spout 20 when the pediment 14 is in the vertical position (Figure 2). Under the funnel 27 and in front of the pediment 14, there is a receptacle 28 on which is placed the cup from the cup dispenser 18. The receptacle 28 occupies the visible part of the PT worktop, and has a connected pierced bottom by a discharge pipe 29 to a second container 30 for recovering liquid or wastewater.

  The automatic dispensing machine 17 is mounted on a pair of parallel rails 31 extending on the working plane PT in the direction of the depth, to be slidably actuated between a rear position (FIG. 4) and a front position (FIG. 5) when the pediment 14 is in the raised position.

  In addition to the orifice 21 through the spout 20, the pediment 14 has a plurality of other holes 32 arranged between the machine 17 and the interface 16 for the passage of electromechanical actuators and electronic controls necessary for the operation of the machine 17 and the vending machine 1 8 cups. In Figure 2, the pediment 14 is locked in a vertical position, and the machine 17 is ready for operation. The user uses the interface 16 to pay and operate one of the preselection buttons for the selection of the drink, which is prepared at the rear by the machine 17, and distributed to the front through the spout 20 to fill the cup.

  For the extraction of the machine 17 for possible replacement or for reasons of maintenance or technical and sanitary troubleshooting, simply lift the assembly pediment 14 and interface 16 (Figure 3) after unlocking the lock beforehand by an authorized person. At the end of the opening stroke (FIG. 4), the pedestal assembly 14 and interface 16 is in the raised horizontal position, causing the automatic interruption of the power supply to the machine 17.

  1 o The latter is accessible, and the convenience store can easily extract it from the bottom of the space 15 by sliding on the slides 31 to position it at the front of the work table PT (Figure 5).

  It is also possible to position two automatic machines at the rear of the pediment 14, for example a machine with hot drinks, and another with cold drinks, or a machine with coffee beans, and another with drinks soluble. Only one drink exit point and one consumer interface is required.

Claims (2)

8 2883089 Claims   An automatic beverage dispensing apparatus for integration in a countertop cabinet (11), comprising a beverage preparation machine (17), fluidic and electrical connection means, a consumer interface (16) with preselection buttons the type of beverage, and the means of payment of consumption, characterized in that the interface (16) consumer is shaped according to a fake facade of automatic dispensing apparatus, and is fixed on the front of a pediment (14) pivoting, likely to be in a vertical downward position delimiting at the rear a housing space (15) of the machine (17), or in a raised horizontal position to allow access to the machine (17).   2. Automatic dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the interface (16) is equipped with a funnel (27) for receiving the beverage circulating in a spout (20) of the machine (17) .   3. Automatic dispensing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the pediment (14) is constituted by a plastron provided with a hole (21) for passage of the spout (20), and holes (32) for the crossing. electromechanical and electronic controls of the machine (17), a vending machine (18) of cups, and the payment unit (19), which are at the rear of the front plate when the latter is in the position lowered vertical.   4. Automatic dispensing device according to claim 3, characterized in that the base of the interface (16) is provided with a receptacle (28) on which is placed a cup from the automatic dispenser (18) of cups, said receptacle being disposed facing the funnel (27) at the front of the pediment (14).   An automatic dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the machine (17) is slidably mounted on a pair of parallel rails (31) to extract it when the pediment (14) is in the raised position.   6. Automatic dispensing apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the machine (17) and the receptacle (28) are connected respectively by a pipe (26) and a pipe (29) to first and second containers (25, 30). ) wastewater recovery.