HRP20010109A2 - Digital coffee counter - Google Patents

Description

The field to which the invention relates

This invention is used in catering, and it refers to an electric digital meter that is connected to a coffee machine, and with the controlled flow of water, accurately registers each coffee sold. According to the International Classification of Patents (IPC), the invention can be classified into the following classes:

A 47 J 31/46 Discharge devices, pumps, discharge valves or similar devices for conveying liquids

A 47 J 31/58 Safety devices

Technical problem

The technical problem solved by this invention relates to the construction of a device that can be connected to all types of espresso coffee machines in order to:

- carried out precise recording of sold coffees (important for restaurateurs and coffee distributors);

- determined the amount of water needed for one coffee (all coffees are the same in quantity);

- determined the total possible number of prepared coffees.

One of the biggest problems in the hospitality industry is the precise recording of coffee sales. The problem comes to the fore especially in catering establishments where the owners do not do it, and where coffee distributors lease coffee machines on the condition that the user uses their coffee.

With this invention, the maximum utilization of the coffee machine is achieved with regard to its service life, and most importantly, the maximum reduction of expenses is achieved, which is up to 20% of the cost.

State of the art

Several solutions to the above problem are known. Most often, it is a mechanical dial located on the grinder of the coffee machine. This dial registers each dose of ground coffee, but such a dial is very easy to deceive due to the construction of the grinder itself. For this reason, the staff of the catering facility resort to such a method of not recording the sale of coffee, thereby obtaining a material benefit for themselves at the expense of the employer. That problem was tried to be solved by installing a mechanical meter on the coffee machine itself, but such a meter only registers the pressure on the water outlet switch. This puts an additional load on the switch, so it often breaks down, and the counting itself is imprecise, because at one press of the switch (one recorded number) the water flows out indefinitely. In addition to the problems mentioned above, the problem is that all these meters are of mechanical construction, so it often happens that finely ground coffee enters the mechanics of the meter. As a result, the meter often breaks down, which shortens its lifespan.

Presentation of the essence of the invention

Primami's goal of the invention is to enable the restaurateur to keep accurate records of every coffee sold.

The secondary goal of the invention is to avoid the mechanics of the meter itself, which often breaks down due to finely ground coffee.

A further goal of the invention is to extend the service life of the vital parts of the coffee machine and the meter itself, and to increase the usability throughout the service life of the technique by increasing material benefits up to 20% in favor of the owner.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in part from the following description.

The digital coffee meter can be made as a separate unit or an integral part of the coffee machine. The essence of both performances is the same. The difference is that the meter as a separate unit is built into a housing that is impervious to water and finely ground coffee, and on the top cover it has a transparent opening through which the digital numerical record can be seen. The meter, as an integral part of the coffee machine, does not have a housing, but is installed in the coffee machine itself along with other electronics.

The meter itself consists of a rectifier with a voltage stabilizer, a digital counter with memory and a display for displaying the number, an electronic timer (timer) with the possibility of setting (trimming) the time trigger from 5-80 seconds, connections, i.e. cables for connecting to coffee machine, and a waterproof case with a transparent cover through which you can see the display of the meter status.

When testing a digital coffee meter, the results always showed savings, i.e. an increase in coffee sales by 15-20%, so it is very easy to calculate that this meter has a very high cost-effectiveness in terms of the material savings it achieves

Brief description of the drawing

The accompanying drawings, which are included in the description and which constitute the description of the invention, illustrate the hitherto considered method of carrying out the invention and help to explain the basic principles of the invention.

Picture: 1 Digital coffee meter connected to the coffee machine

1) digital coffee meter

2) coffee machine

3) rectifier with voltage stabilizer

4) meter with memory and display

5) time switch (timer) with trimmer for regulation

6) display to show the status of the meter

7) trimmer potentiometer for regulating the time trigger

8) electric valve for water

9) boiler with heaters and water pump

10) water release switch

11) direction of water flow

12) handle with sieve and ground coffee

13) supply voltage -220 V

Image: 2 Digital coffee meter - final appearance

1) waterproof housing

2) adjustment hole (trim)

3) display to show the status of the meter

A detailed description of at least one way of realizing the invention

Reference will now be made to the details of this presumed embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Looking at picture 1, it can be concluded that the DIGITAL COFFEE METER (1) consists of a rectifier with a voltage stabilizer (3), a meter with memory and display (6) and a time switch (5) with a trimmer potentiometer for regulating the trigger time (7) ).

Figure 1 also shows that the DIGITAL COFFEE METER is connected to the -220 V supply voltage in the coffee machine itself, and to the electric water valve (8), and through the switch for letting water through the sieve with ground coffee (10).

So, by pressing the switch on the coffee machine in (10), we turn on the water pump (9), and supply voltage to the electric valve (8), which opens at that moment and lets hot water through the sieve with ground coffee (12). The voltage on the electric valve (8) also gives an impulse to the counter with memory (4), and the number on the display (6) increases by one. At the same moment, the counter with memory (4) activates the time switch (5), which we previously set to the desired time range of 5-80 seconds. trimmer potentiometer (7). If, for example, the time switch is set to 29 seconds, then the time switch (7) will cut off the voltage on the electric valve (8) after exactly 29 seconds. Thus, the water will stop flowing through the electric valve (8). We repeat the procedure by pressing the switch (10) again, the water flows again for 29 seconds, and it turns off by itself if we did not turn it off with the switch (10) earlier. The rectifier with voltage stabilizer (3) adjusts and stabilizes the voltage to achieve a stable and uniform time measurement at the time switch (5).

Why is a time-limited water shutdown necessary at all?

If we want to accurately register each coffee, we must set the trimmer potentiometer (7) on the time switch to the time required for one (longer) coffee to expire. It must be possible to adjust, because the expiration time for each coffee machine is different, and varies in the range of 5-80 seconds. So, in this way, every coffee that comes out of the coffee machine is recorded.

For the needs of esepresso coffee distributors, who, in addition to espresso coffee, provide coffee machines or other equipment for use, and want to ensure that the caterer will be supplied exclusively from them, a numerical (imitation of the total number of coffees sold) is built into the digital coffee counter. It is possible to program the limiter charged amount of coffee (e.g. 6 kg of coffee in the norm equals 900 cups of coffee). So, when the meter counts down 900 coffees, it automatically stops the coffee machine. It is not possible to prepare coffee further unless the meter is reset. The meter is reset with a key owned by the distributor. Except ( imitators, such a meter would also have a signal light that warns of approaching the end of the contracted amount of coffee.This kind of device gives distributors security and a guarantee that the restaurateur will only use the distributor's coffee.

Method of application of the invention

In this way, the invention enables a practical, durable and useful device that can be produced economically, which includes significant improvements compared to previously known devices of this type, and most urgently brings significant savings in the area it is intended for.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that numerous changes could be made to the technical performance and design of the case itself, without abandoning the scope and spirit of the invention.

Claims (7)

1. Digital coffee meter (1), characterized by the fact that it consists of a rectifier with a voltage stabilizer (3), a digital meter with memory and display (4 and 6) and a time switch (5) with a trimmer potentiometer (7) for time regulation triggering. 2. The meter according to claim 1, indicated by the fact that the meter (1), designed as a separate external unit or as an integral part of the coffee machine, is connected to the electric valves (8) for water and the water release switch (10) for all types of espresso coffee device. 3. Counter according to claim 1 and 2, characterized by the fact that it regulates the operation of the electrovalve (8) which lets in a precisely determined amount of water for one coffee, whereby the leak is recorded and remembered by means of a memory meter. 4. Counter according to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd requirements, characterized by the fact that the flow of water can be stopped before the expiration of the set (calibrated) time by the water release switch (10) on the coffee machine (2). 5. Meter according to the 1st and 2nd requirements, characterized by the fact that when the power supply to the meter (1) is interrupted, the power source to the coffee machine (2) is also interrupted. 6. Counter according to requirements 1 and 2, which is intended for coffee distributors, characterized by the fact that a numerical (imitation of the total number of coffees sold) is built into the counter. 7. Counter according to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd requirements, indicated by the fact that the counter for coffee machines with two, three or four groups has a separate or group representation of the number or display.