JP2000357270A - Beverage dispenser device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To automatically select the setting of ice or no ice in accordance with seasons at the time of providing a beverage. SOLUTION: A year is divided into periods by months to set each period as a period with ice or a period without ice by a period division setting means 48. The period to which the present belongs is discriminated by a period discrimination means on the basis of the clock function of a clock means 44. At the time of providing a beverage, ice is supplied to the beverage from an ice supply means 18 if the period to which the present belongs is a period with ice, and ice is not supplied to the beverage 18 if it is a period without ice. Thus, setting of ice or no ice at the time of providing a beverage is automatically selected by months, namely, in accordance with seasons.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a beverage dispenser capable of supplying ice to a beverage to be provided.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, in a beverage dispenser device such as a cup-type beverage dispenser or a cup-type beverage vending machine in which a beverage is poured into a cup and provided or sold,
When a beverage for injecting a cold beverage into a cup is provided, ice is not put into or put into the cup according to the setting of the presence or absence of ice in the beverage dispenser device itself and the selection of the presence or absence of ice according to a user's preference.

The setting of the presence / absence of ice of the beverage dispenser device itself is set by a manager or a service person of the beverage dispenser device. For example, in the seasons such as spring, summer and autumn, ice is supplied at the time of providing a cold beverage. Along with
In winter and other seasons, ice is not supplied even when providing cold beverages. This setting is performed by an ice presence / absence switch provided in the beverage dispenser apparatus. For example, the ice presence / absence change switch is turned on by a manager or a service person at the change of the season from winter to spring and from autumn to winter. By switching manually, it is set to either with or without ice.

[0004] In addition, in the selection of the presence or absence of ice according to the user's preference, an ice selection button is installed together with a beverage selection button on the front of the beverage dispenser device, and it is desired that the presence or absence of ice is different from the ice presence / absence setting of the normal beverage dispenser device itself. In this case, it is possible to select between the presence of ice and the absence of ice by operating the ice selection button. Then, by operating the ice selection button at the time of providing the beverage, for example, when the ice presence / absence setting of the beverage dispenser device itself is set to ice when the season is spring, summer, autumn, etc., the ice is switched to without ice, and the season is changed. When the ice presence / absence setting of the beverage dispenser device itself is set to no ice in winter or the like, the beverage dispenser device is switched to the presence of ice.

[0005]

However, in the conventional beverage dispenser device, for example, the ice presence / absence switch is manually switched by a manager or a serviceman at the change of the season from winter to spring and from autumn to winter, for example. Since it is set to either the presence or absence of ice, the switch of presence / absence of ice must be switched at the turn of the season.

Furthermore, if the user forgets to switch the ice presence / absence changeover switch, the ice presence / absence setting of the beverage dispenser device itself is set to, for example, no ice in the spring, summer, and fall seasons, or ice in the winter season. However, if the ice setting of the normal beverage dispenser device itself is not used (when the ice selection button is not operated), many users cannot put ice when they want to put ice, or they do not want to put ice. Whenever a problem occurs, or when serving beverages,
The user must operate the ice selection button, which causes a problem that the operation of providing the beverage is complicated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has as its object to provide a beverage dispenser device that can automatically switch between setting of ice and no ice at the time of providing a beverage, for example, according to the season. Aim.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a beverage dispenser apparatus for supplying ice to a beverage to be provided, and ice for each period by dividing one year into a plurality of periods. Setting means for setting a period in which ice is supplied and a period in which ice is not supplied without ice, clock means having a clock function, period determining means for determining a current period based on the clock means, and beverage provision Sometimes, when the period indicated by the period determining means is the iced period set by the period setting means, ice is supplied from the ice supplying means, and when the period is free of ice, ice is supplied from the ice supplying means. And control means for preventing supply.

[0009] By setting the presence of ice and the absence of ice for each period of one year, which is divided into a plurality of periods according to, for example, the season, the period to which the beverage currently belongs at the time of providing the beverage is determined. Automatically switches between with and without ice according to the setting of.

[0010] The beverage dispenser device according to claim 2 is
2. The beverage dispenser device according to claim 1, further comprising: ice selecting means for selectively operating with or without ice at the time of providing the beverage, wherein the control means indicates the period determining means when the ice selecting means is selectively operated at the time of providing the beverage. If the period is the period with ice set by the period setting unit, the ice is not supplied from the ice supply unit, and if the period is without ice, the ice is supplied from the ice supply unit.

[0011] Then, when the ice selecting means is selected and operated according to the user's preference at the time of providing the beverage, the ice is switched to the absence of ice if the current period is the period with ice, and if there is ice, the period is the period without ice. Switch to.

[0012] The beverage dispenser device according to claim 3 is
3. The beverage dispenser device according to claim 1, wherein the period setting unit sets the period with ice and the period without ice on a monthly basis.

By setting the ice-free period and the ice-free period on a monthly basis, it is possible to appropriately and easily set the period according to, for example, the climate of the area where the beverage dispenser device is installed.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 shows a configuration diagram of a beverage dispenser device. This beverage dispenser device has a cup station.
11, a plurality of beverage ingredient supply means 12 for supplying a beverage ingredient to a predetermined beverage ingredient supply position, various beverage supply means 13 and 14 for supplying a beverage directly to the cup station 11, and hot water for supplying hot water to the cup station 11 Supply means 15, cold water supply means 16, for supplying cold water to the cup station 11,
Carbonated water supply means 17 for supplying carbonated water to the cup station 11, ice supply means for supplying ice to the cup station 11
18, a stirring means 19 for stirring the inside of the cup at the cup station 11, a cup supply means and a cup transport means (not shown), and the like.

The beverage raw material supply means 12 comprises a plurality of canisters 21 for storing powdered beverage raw materials such as instant coffee, tea, cocoa, sugar, milk and the like by type.
Each of the canisters 21 sends out a beverage ingredient in an amount corresponding to the beverage volume, and supplies the beverage ingredient to a predetermined beverage ingredient supply position through the corresponding chute 22.

The beverage supply means 13 has a plurality of containers 23 for accommodating coffee beans of regular coffee by type. From each of these containers 23, a fixed amount of coffee beans is sent out to a coffee mill 24, where the coffee beans 24 are powdered. The ground coffee powder is sent to the extractor 25, where the extractor 25 supplies hot water.
Mixed with hot water from 15 and the coffee liquor is filtered and extracted,
The extracted coffee liquid is supplied into the cup C which is conveyed to the cup station 11.

The beverage supply means 14 has a plurality of ingredient bags 26 for accommodating liquid beverage ingredients such as, for example, undiluted juices. Through the cooling, the amount of the beverage ingredient corresponding to the beverage volume is supplied into the cup C which is conveyed to the cup station 11.

The hot water supply means 15 has a hot water tank 27 for receiving water supplied from a water source such as tap water and boiling it to a predetermined temperature and storing it. The hot water in the hot water tank 27 is transported to the cup station 11. Is supplied to the inside of the cup C and the extractor 25.

The chilled water supply means 16 has a chilled water tank 28 for storing the chilled water w, and a chilled coil 29 is arranged in the chilled water of the chilled water tank 28, and water from a water source is supplied to the chilled coil 29 by a water pump 30. The heat is exchanged with the cooling water w while passing through the cooling coil 29 and cooled. The cooled cold water is supplied into the cup C conveyed to the cup station 11.

In the carbonated water supply means 17, a carbonated water container 31 is disposed in the cooling water of a cooling water tank 28. In the carbonated water container 31, carbon dioxide gas is supplied from a part of the cold water passed through the cooling coil 29 and a carbon dioxide cylinder 32. Each of them is supplied to produce carbonated water, and the carbonated water is transported to the cup station 11 in the cup C.
Supplied within.

The ice supply means 18 has an ice making device 33 for making ice by receiving the supply of water from a water source. The ice made by the ice making device 33 is supplied by the ice sending means 34 by a predetermined amount corresponding to the beverage capacity. It is supplied into the cup C which is conveyed to the cup station 11.

The stirring means 19 is provided above the cup station 11 and has a stirring tool 36, such as an impeller, which is rotated and driven up and down by a stirring drive section 35. It is configured so as to enter the cup C arranged at 11 and mix and stir the beverage (stir and mix).

The cup supply means accommodates a plurality of types of cups C having different capacities according to the type of beverage, for example, for hot beverages and cold beverages, and stores each of these cups C one by one in a predetermined lower portion. It is configured to supply to the cup supply position. The cup transport means receives the cup C at a cup supply position of the corresponding cup C at the time of providing the beverage and transports the cup C to a predetermined place. After receiving the raw material in the cup C, the cup C is transported to the cup station 11.

Next, FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of the beverage dispenser apparatus. The beverage dispenser apparatus includes a CPU 41. The CPU 41 has a ROM 42 for storing programs and the like, a RAM 43 for storing and reading various data as needed, and a clock means having a clock function. A clock unit (clock IC) 44 is connected, and a plurality of beverage selection buttons (selection buttons) 45 arranged on an operation unit that can be operated by a user, such as the front of the beverage dispenser device, and ice selection means Ice function button 4 as
6. An ice function lamp 47 as an ice supply switching state display means is connected, and a dip switch 48 as period setting means arranged inside the beverage dispenser device is connected.

The operation of the plurality of beverage selection buttons 45 selects the type of beverage, and the operation of the ice function button 46 selects the presence of ice and no ice. When the ice function lamp 47 is turned on and the ice function button 46 is operated under the control of the CPU 41, the ice function lamp 47 is switched to a blinking state. When the button 46 is operated, the ice function lamp 47 is switched to a lighting state, that is, every time the ice function button 46 is operated, the ice function lamp 47 is alternately switched between lighting and blinking.

The dip switch 48 is arranged inside the beverage dispenser device and is operated by a manager or service person of the beverage dispenser device, and divides one year into a plurality of periods to supply ice for each period. Set a period with ice and a period without ice without ice. In the present embodiment, the period with ice and the period without ice are set for each month, and twelve DIP switches 48 from January to December are used.
Switching on sets no ice and switching off sets ice. Then, for example, the dip switches 48 from April to September in the spring, summer, and fall seasons are set to off with ice, and from January to March and 1 in the winter season.
Each of the dip switches 48 for the period from January to December is set to ON and no ice.

It should be noted that when the ice function lamp 47 is turned on, it indicates that there is ice during the period from April to September when the dip switch 48 is set to off (with ice), and the dip switch 48 is turned on. On (no ice)
Is displayed during the period from January to March and from October to December, which is set to "no ice". When the ice function lamp 47 blinks,
It indicates that the switch has been switched off without ice during the period from April to September when 48 is set to off (with ice), and from January to March and when the dip switch 48 is set to on (without ice). It indicates that the ice was switched to the ice even during the period from October to December.

Reference numeral 49 denotes a power supply unit.
Power supply of C100V, and power supply of DC5V
It is supplied to the PU 41, the ROM 42, the RAM 43 and the clock unit 44, respectively.

The CPU 41 has a function of a period judging means for judging a period to which the present time belongs, that is, a month based on the output of the clock section 44. Ice is supplied from the ice supply means 18 during a certain period (an ice supply command is output to the ice supply means 18), and a function of a control means that does not supply ice from the ice supply means 18 during the ice-free period is provided. are doing. Further, when the ice function button 46 is selected and operated at the time of providing the beverage (when the ice function lamp 47 is switched from lighting to blinking or from blinking to lighting), the period indicated by the period judging means is controlled by the dip switch. In the period with ice set by 48, the ice supply unit 18 does not supply ice during the period with ice, and has a function of switching control unit that switches to supply ice from the ice supply unit 18 during the period without ice. .

Next, the supply of ice when the beverage is dispensed by the beverage dispenser device will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

When waiting for a beverage to be served, an ice function button
Whether or not 46 has been pressed (step 1);
Is monitored (step 2).

[0033] Then, when the user is in the four seasons of spring, summer and autumn.
If you want to have no ice even during the period from Monday to September, or if you want to have ice even during the winter season from January to March and from October to December, use the ice function button 46.
Is pressed. In addition, when the user wants to change between the presence of ice and the absence of ice, or if the user accidentally presses the button, the ice function button 46 is pressed again.

When the ice function button 46 is pressed, it is determined whether the ice function lamp 47 is lit or blinking (step 3). If the ice function lamp 47 is lit, it is switched to blinking (step 4). ), If it is blinking, switch to lighting (step 5).

That is, when the ice function lamp 47 switches from lighting to blinking, the dip switch
Spring, summer and autumn season 4 with 48 set to off (with ice)
Indicating that no ice has been switched from month to September, and dip switch 48 is on (no ice)
Is displayed during the winter season set in the period from January to March and from October to December. In addition, when the ice function lamp 47 is switched from blinking to lighting, the dip switch 48 is set to off (with ice), and in the spring, summer, and autumn seasons from April to September, ice is present. That there is something,
It indicates that there is no ice in the winter season from January to March and from October to December in which the dip switch 48 is set to ON (no ice).

Then, the user selects a desired cold beverage, and the corresponding beverage selection button 45 is pressed. Beverage selection button
When the button 45 is pressed, it is determined whether the ice function lamp 47 is lit or blinking (step 6).

When the ice function lamp 47 is on, it is determined that there is ice and no ice is present according to the setting of the dip switch 48. That is, based on the output of the clock unit 44, the current period, that is, the month, is determined. For example, the dip switch 48 is turned on during the period from April to September of the corresponding month of spring, summer, and autumn, and the ice is turned on. If it is set to "Yes" (step 7), an ice supply command is output to the ice supply means 18 to supply ice from the ice supply means 18 (step 9), and a cold drink containing ice is provided. If the corresponding month has been set to no ice by turning off the dip switch 48 during the winter season from January to March and from October to December, an ice supply command is sent to the ice supply means 18. A cold drink without ice is provided without outputting and not supplying ice from the ice supply means 18.

When the ice function lamp 47 is blinking, there is ice, contrary to the setting of the dip switch 48,
No ice is determined. That is, based on the output of the clock unit 44, the current period, that is, the month, is determined. For example, the dip switch 48 is turned on during the period from April to September of the corresponding month of spring, summer, and autumn, and the ice is turned on. If it is set to be present (step 8), an ice supply command is not output to the ice supply means 18 and ice is not supplied from the ice supply means 18 to provide a cold beverage without ice. If the corresponding month has been set to no ice by turning off the dip switch 48 during the winter season from January to March and from October to December, an ice supply command is sent to the ice supply means 18. An output is made to supply ice from the ice supply means 18 (step 9), and a cold drink containing ice is provided.

As described above, by setting the presence of ice and the absence of ice for each period of one year, which is divided into a plurality of periods according to, for example, the season, the period to which the beverage currently belongs at the time of providing the beverage is determined. It is possible to automatically switch between the presence of ice and the absence of ice according to the setting of the period, so that it is possible to reduce the trouble of switching the setting by a manager or a service person, and to prevent a problem caused by forgetting to switch the setting.

Further, an ice function button is provided when a beverage is provided.
When the selection operation is performed on the item 46, if the period to which the present time belongs is the period with ice, it is possible to switch to the absence of ice, and if the period to which there is no ice is present, it is possible to switch to the presence of ice.

Moreover, by setting the ice-free period and the ice-free period for each month, the period can be set appropriately and easily in accordance with, for example, the climate of the area where the beverage dispenser device is installed.

The setting of the ice-free period and the ice-free period is not limited to each month. For example, if the period is set in each of four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter, the number of dip switches 48 can be reduced. , Setting operation is easy, and if it is on a daily basis,
We can respond to the seasons.

The period setting means for setting the period with ice and the period without ice is not limited to the dip switch 48 but may be a CP.
The setting may be registered as data in the RAM 43 by an operation unit or the like connected to the U41.

[0044]

According to the beverage dispenser device of the present invention, a beverage is provided by setting the presence of ice and the absence of ice for each period of one year which is divided into a plurality of periods according to, for example, the season. Sometimes, it is possible to determine the period to which the present time belongs, and to automatically switch between the presence of ice and the absence of ice according to the setting of the period, thereby reducing the trouble of switching the settings and preventing a problem caused by forgetting to switch the settings.

According to the beverage dispenser device of the second aspect, in addition to the effect of the beverage dispenser device of the first aspect, when the ice selecting means is selected when the beverage is provided,
If the period to which the present time belongs is the period with ice, it is possible to switch to the absence of ice, and if it is the period without ice, it is possible to switch to the presence of ice.

According to the beverage dispenser device of the third aspect, in addition to the effect of the beverage dispenser device of the first or second aspect, by setting the period with ice and the period without ice for each month, for example, the beverage dispenser device Can be set appropriately and easily according to the climate of the area where the is installed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a beverage dispenser device showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the beverage dispenser device.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing supply of ice when the beverage is dispensed by the beverage dispenser device.

[Explanation of symbols]

18 Ice supply means 41 CP having functions of period judgment means and control means
U 44 Clock section as clock means 46 Ice function button as ice selection means 48 Dip switch as period setting means

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An ice supply means capable of supplying ice to a beverage to be provided, an ice-free period in which one year is divided into a plurality of periods and ice is supplied in each period, and an ice-free period in which ice is not supplied. Setting means for setting a period, a clock means having a clock function, a period judging means for judging a current period based on the clock means, and a period indicated by the period judging means at the time of providing a beverage, A drink dispenser comprising: ice dispensing means for supplying ice from the ice supplying means during the period with ice set by the setting means, and dispensing ice from the ice supplying means during the period without ice. apparatus. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: ice selecting means for selecting the presence or absence of ice at the time of providing the beverage, wherein the control means determines that when the ice selecting means is selected at the time of providing the beverage, the period indicated by the period determining means is different for each period. 2. The beverage according to claim 1, wherein ice is not supplied from the ice supply means during the period with ice set by the setting means, and ice is supplied from the ice supply means during the period without ice. Dispenser device. 3. The beverage dispenser device according to claim 1, wherein the period setting unit sets the period with ice and the period without ice on a monthly basis.