JP2002080096A - Beverage feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a beverage feeder wherein occurrence of rust, failures and leaks on components of the feeder can be prevented even if a pour-out port shrinks to have resistance in a passage increased. SOLUTION: An end of a deaerating hose 58 is connected with an outlet port 53a on a downstream of an open/close section of a pour-out valve 53. The hose 58 stands upward from the end and is bent approximately in the vicinity of the center 58a to be directed downward, while the other end is connected with an outlet port 54a on a downstream of an open/close section of a pour-out valve 54.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a beverage supply device such as a tea machine, and more particularly, to a structure of an outlet channel of the beverage supply device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 5, a conventional tea dispenser capable of selectively discharging tea or plain hot water is provided with a hot water storage tank 2 capable of storing hot water. On the side surface of the hot water storage tank 2, there are provided discharge valves 3 and 4 each composed of one electromagnetic valve. An outlet port 3 a of the outlet valve 3 is connected to an outlet pipe 5 penetrating the panel 7. A shower-type outlet 8 having many small holes is provided at the tip of the outlet tube 5. In addition, the outlet port 3a of the discharge valve 3 includes:
An air bleeding hose 9 extending upward is connected. The tip 9a of the air release hose 9 is open to the atmosphere. On the other hand, the outlet port 4a of the discharge valve 4 has a panel 7
Is connected. An outlet 11 is formed at the tip of the outlet pipe 6. An outlet port 4a of the discharge valve 4 is connected to an air vent hose 10 extending upward. The air release hose 10 is fixed to the air release hose 9 by a stop band 15. A tea strainer 12 for accommodating tea leaves supplied from a tea leaf supply unit (not shown) is attached to the funnel 13 below the spout 8.

When tea is dispensed by a user of the tea dispenser, the dispensing valve 3 is opened and the hot water in the hot water storage tank 2 passes through the dispensing pipe 5 and the tea outlet 12 from the spout 8. Supplied above. The hot water that has passed through the tea strainer 12 is turned into tea and poured into a container (not shown) such as a cup of tea placed below the funnel 13. On the other hand, when white water is dispensed by the user's selection, the dispensing valve 4 is opened and the hot water in the hot water storage tank 2 is discharged.
Through the pouring hose 6, the liquid is poured from the pouring port 11 into a container placed below the funnel 13. Here, since the discharge pipes 5 and 6 are opened to the atmosphere by the air release hoses 9 and 10, respectively, the discharge of hot water from the hot water storage tank 2 is completed and the discharge valves 3 and 4 are closed. But exit port 3a
And the inside of 4a does not become negative pressure, the hot water flows smoothly in the pouring pipes 5 and 6, the hot water drips at the pouring outlets 8 and 11, or the hot water remains in the pouring pipes 5 and 6. Never. In addition, when the discharge valve 3 is open, hot water flows into the air release hose 9 due to the flow path resistance of the discharge pipe 5. Since the air release hose 9 extends upward, the hot water rises to a position corresponding to the flow path resistance of the discharge pipe 5 in the air release hose 9 and stops. Thereafter, when the pouring valve 3 is closed, the hot water flows out of the pouring port 8, so that the hot water in the air release hose 9 also flows out of the pouring port 8 through the pouring pipe 5. In a state where the discharge valve 4 is open, the hot water similarly flows into the air release hose 10 due to the flow path resistance of the discharge pipe 6. Since the air release hose 10 extends upward, the hot water rises to a position commensurate with the flow path resistance of the discharge pipe 6 in the air release hose 10 and stops. Thereafter, when the pouring valve 4 is closed, the hot water flows out of the pouring port 11, so that the hot water in the air release hose 10 also flows out of the pouring port 10 through the pouring pipe 6.

[0004]

However, in such a conventional tea dispenser, silica or calcium contained in the hot water precipitates during the use process and adheres to the small holes of the spout 8 to form small holes. May reduce the hole diameter. When the hole diameter of the small hole is extremely reduced, the pouring valve 3 is opened, the time required for a predetermined amount of hot water to flow out of the pouring port 8 is increased, and the amount of hot water flowing into the air vent hose 9 is increased. . In some cases, hot water may overflow from the tip 9a of the air release hose 9. When hot water overflows from the air release hose 9, the components of the tea dispenser around the air release hose 9 get wet with the hot water, causing rust, failure, and leakage. Also, if a large amount of hot water overflows from the air release hose 9, other furnishings outside the tea dispenser will also be wet, which will harm the furnishings. Furthermore, the air release hoses 9 and 1
Since the leading ends 9a and 10a of the "0" are open upward, dust easily enters the pouring tubes 5 and 6.
The same occurs when the outlet 11 of the outlet pipe 6 is reduced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and it is possible to wet the components of the beverage supply device even if the spout is reduced and the flow resistance of the spout is increased. It is another object of the present invention to provide a beverage supply device capable of preventing rust, failure, and leakage of these components.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided a beverage supply apparatus comprising at least two or more supply passages each having an opening / closing portion capable of controlling the supply and stoppage of liquid from a supply source of beverage liquid. And an air vent pipe downstream of the opening / closing section and having a rising portion communicating with each of the pouring channels, and an upper end of the rising portion communicating with each other. In addition, the beverage supply device according to the present invention includes a waste liquid recovery unit for beverage liquid, an ejection flow path having an opening / closing unit capable of controlling the ejection and stoppage of liquid from a beverage liquid supply source, and an opening / closing unit. And an air vent pipe that falls from the upper end of the rising portion and communicates with the waste liquid recovery section of the beverage for drinks.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Embodiment 1 FIG. FIG. 1 shows the internal structure of a tea dispenser 20 which is a beverage supply device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, with a door provided on a front surface thereof being removed. Tea machine 2
0 is provided with a main body 21 formed in a vertically long box shape,
It is supported by legs 22 provided at the four corners of the bottom surface. A machine room 31 partitioned by a panel 7 bent into an L-shape is provided at the inner right side in the main body 21.
A canister 23 for storing tea leaves is provided at an upper portion of the front surface of the panel 7. A tea leaf supply unit 24 having a built-in quantitative drum for scooping tea leaves and dropping them by a predetermined amount is provided below the canister 23. At its lower end, a tea leaf supply port 25 is provided, which is covered with a shutter 26 that can be opened and closed.

A heater (not shown) is provided in the upper part of the machine room 31, and a hot water storage tank 2 is provided for boiling hot water and storing the hot water as a beverage liquid. Hot water storage tank 2 constitutes a supply source of a beverage liquid. The hot water storage tank 2 is supplied with water from a water supply cassette 27 provided on the left side inside the main body 21 through a supply pipe 28 via a pump (not shown). At a position adjacent to the tea leaf supply unit 24, the pouring pipe 3 is provided.
5 are provided. The discharge pipe 35 is drawn out of the hot water storage tank 2, penetrates through the panel 7, and projects to the front of the panel 7. A shower-type spout 38 having a large number of small holes is provided at the tip of the spout tube 35, and is arranged at a position adjacent to the tea leaf supply port 25. Below the tea leaf supply port 25 and the spout 38, a tea strainer 32 for accommodating tea leaves is attached to a funnel 33 and disposed. The funnel 33 is rotatable counterclockwise about a funnel shaft 34, and usually has a horizontal posture in which the tea strainer 32 faces upward, and a drive mechanism (not shown) provided in the machine room 31. , So that it can rotate in the counterclockwise direction. Below the funnel 33, a container 2 such as a teacup
A mounting table 44 on which the mounting 9 is mounted is attached. The mounting table 44 constitutes a waste liquid recovery unit that recovers tea and white hot water jumping from the container 29 as waste liquid and discharges the waste liquid to the outside.
A tea container 45 is provided on the front surface of the water supply cassette 27. An outlet pipe 36 is provided on the side of the outlet 33 a of the funnel 33. The discharge pipe 36 is connected to the hot water storage tank 2.
And penetrates the panel 7 and protrudes to the front of the panel 7. A receiving tray 46 is removably mounted around the outlet 33a and the outlet pipe 36. An electrical box 47 is provided at the upper part on the left side in the main body 21. The electrical component box 47 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape elongated in the depth direction. The door on the front of the main body 21 is provided with a tea switch (not shown) that is operated when the user pours out tea and a hot water switch (not shown) that is operated when the user pours out hot water. 47
Is electrically connected to

As shown in FIG. 2, on the side surface of the hot water storage tank 2, a discharge valve 5 composed of one electromagnetic valve is provided.
3 and 54 are provided. The discharge valves 53 and 54 are electrically connected to an electric box 47. Discharge valves 53 and 5
An opening / closing section comprising a valve mechanism is provided inside the valve 4. When the valve is opened, hot water is poured out of the hot water storage tank 2, and when the valve is closed, the pouring of hot water from the hot water storage tank 2 is stopped. An outlet port 53a on the downstream side of the opening / closing section of the discharge valve 53
Is connected to one end of an air release hose 58. The air bleeding hose 58 rises from one end and is almost at the center 5.
8a, it is bent downward, and the other end is the injection valve 54.
Is connected to the outlet port 54a on the downstream side of the opening / closing section. That is, the air release hose 58 has rising portions at both ends, and the upper ends of these rising portions are connected to each other. The bent air release hoses 58 are fixed to each other by the stopper bands 15.
The air bleeding hose 58 has a maximum height near the center 58a, and the maximum height from the outlet ports 53a and 54a is equal to the tip of the air bleeding hoses 9 and 10 from the outlet ports 3a and 4a shown in FIG. It is equal to or higher than the height up to 9a and 10a.

Next, the operation of the tea dispenser 20 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. When the user pours tea, after placing the container 29 on the mounting table 44 and operating the tea switch, the electrical component box 47 opens the pouring valve 53 for a predetermined time, and a predetermined amount of water in the hot water storage tank 2 is discharged. Hot water is the discharge pipe 35
Poured through. The poured hot water is poured from the spout 38 toward the tea strainer 32, passes through the tea leaves accommodated in the tea strainer 32, and becomes tea from the spout 33 a of the funnel 33 into the container 29. Be poured. When the user pours out hot water, after placing the container 29 on the mounting table 44 and operating the hot water switch, the electrical box 47 is dispensed with the discharge valve 5.
4 is opened for a predetermined time, and a predetermined amount of hot water in the hot water storage tank 2 is discharged through the discharge pipe 36. The poured hot water is directly poured into the container 29 from the outlet 37 as white hot water. Each time tea or plain hot water is poured out, the pump is driven and water is supplied from the water supply cassette 27 to the hot water storage tank 2. When the tea is poured a predetermined number of times, the funnel 33 is rotated by the drive mechanism toward the tea waste container 45 as shown by a two-dot chain line, and the tea shell in the tea strainer 32 is discarded in the tea waste container 45. You. Then, while the funnel 33 is returning to the original position, the funnel 33 is
And a predetermined amount of new tea leaves set in the tea strainer 32 is supplied by rotating the metering drum and opening the shutter 26 by the drive mechanism. Thereafter, the funnel 33 returns to the original position, and the next tea can be poured.

When the discharge valve 54 is closed, the outlet port 53a of the discharge valve 53 is connected to the outlet port 37a through the air release hose 58, the outlet port 54a of the discharge valve 54, and the discharge pipe 36. After the discharge valve 53 is closed, the pressure in the outlet port 53a does not become negative, the hot water flows smoothly in the discharge pipe 35, and the hot water drips at the discharge port 38. Does not occur, and no hot water remains in the discharge pipe 35. On the other hand, when the discharge valve 53 is closed, the outlet port 54a of the discharge valve 54 is connected to the air release hose 58,
Since the outlet port 53a of the discharge valve 53 and the outlet 38 communicate with the atmosphere through the discharge pipe 35, even after the discharge valve 54 is closed, the inside of the outlet port 54a does not become negative pressure, Flows smoothly in the pouring pipe 36, and no dripping of hot water occurs at the pouring outlet 37, and no hot water remains in the pouring pipe 36. In addition, when the injection valve 53 is opened, hot water flows into the air release hose 58 due to the flow path resistance of the injection pipe 35.
Since the air release hose 58 extends upward, the hot water rises in the air release hose 58 to a position corresponding to the flow path resistance of the pouring pipe 35 and stops. Thereafter, when the pouring valve 53 is closed, the hot water flows out of the pouring port 38, so that the hot water in the air release hose 58 also flows out of the pouring port 38 through the pouring pipe 35. When the outlet valve 53 is opened in a state where the diameter of the small hole of the outlet 38 is extremely reduced, the amount of hot water flowing into the air release hose 58 increases, but the hot water rises to the maximum height of the air release hose 58. The hot water flows into the outlet port 54a side of the discharge valve 54 through the air release hose 58, and flows out of the discharge port 37 through the discharge pipe 36 into the container 29 or the mounting table 44. Conversely, when the injection valve 54 is opened with the outlet 37 extremely reduced, the amount of hot water flowing into the air release hose 58 increases,
The hot water is removed by the air bleeding hose 58
Through the outlet port 53a of the discharge valve 53,
It flows out of the outlet 38 through the pouring tube 35 into the container 29 or the mounting table 44 via the tea strainer 32.

As described above, the air bleeding hose 58 has the rising portions communicating with the outlet port 53a on the downstream side of the opening / closing portion of the injection valve 53 and the outlet port 54a on the downstream side of the opening / closing portion of the injection valve 54, respectively. Since the upper ends of the rising portions are communicated with each other, hot water overflows from the air vent hose even when the outlet 38 or 37 is blocked and the flow resistance of the outlet flow path increases as in the related art. I will not give it out. Further, among the components of the tea dispenser 20, components that are not originally wetted by hot water do not get wet with hot water overflowing from the air release hose, and do not cause rust, failure, or leakage. Further, the air release hose 58 is connected to the discharge valve 5.
3 and dosing valve 54 and do not have an upwardly facing opening as in the prior art, so that dust does not enter into dosing tubes 35 and 36 via air vent hose 58.

Embodiment 2 FIG. The tea brewing machine according to the second embodiment is different from the tea brewing machine 20 of the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in that instead of the air bleeding hose 58, as shown in FIG. And a connection hose 61 for connecting them. The outlet port 53a of the discharge valve 53 is connected to an air release hose 9 that rises upward. Outlet port 54 of injection valve 54
a, an air bleeding hose 10 rising upward.
Is connected. A connection hose 61 is provided above the air release hose 9 and the air release hose 10, and both ends thereof are connected to the distal end 9 a of the air release hose 9 and the distal end 10 a of the air release hose 10, respectively, and an outlet port 53 a is provided. And the outlet port 54a communicate with each other. The air release hose 10 is composed of the air release hose 9 and the stop band 1.
It is fixed at 5.

As described above, the outlet port 53a on the downstream side of the opening / closing section of the injection valve 53 and the outlet port 54a on the downstream side of the opening / closing section of the injection valve 54 are connected to the air bleeding hose 9 disposed above. Since they are connected to each other via the connection hose 10 and the connection hose 61, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained.
Further, conventionally used air release hoses 9, 10
Since the connection hose 61 is simply added to the apparatus, the design can be easily changed and the apparatus can be easily attached to an existing tea dispenser.

Embodiment 3 As shown in FIG. 4, the tea dispenser according to the third embodiment has a structure in which there is only one dispensing valve 53 and one dispensing pipe 35 for dispensing hot water from hot water storage tank 2, and dispenses only tea. It is a tea dispenser that can be served, and otherwise has substantially the same structure as that of FIG. An outlet valve 53 is provided on a side surface of the hot water storage tank 2, and an outlet port 53 a of the outlet valve 53 has an outlet pipe 35 penetrating the panel 7.
Is connected. A shower-type outlet 38 having a number of small holes is provided at the tip of the outlet tube 35. Further, one end of an air release hose 71 is connected to the outlet port 53a of the discharge valve 53. The air release hose 71 rises upward from one end and bends downward, and the other end is connected to the mounting table 44. That is, the air release hose 71 has a rising portion that communicates with the pouring tube 35, and falls from the upper end of the rising portion to communicate with the mounting table 44. The mounting table 44 includes the mounting table 44.
The tea or the spouting tube 35 jumped from the container 29 placed on the top
A waste liquid collecting unit is configured to collect hot water flowing from the air through the air release hose 71 as waste liquid and discharge the waste water to the outside.
The bent air release hoses 71 are fixed to each other by the stopper bands 15. The air bleeding hose 71 has a maximum height near the center 71a, and the maximum height from the outlet port 53a is the same as the height from the outlet port 3a to the tip 9a of the air bleeding hose 9 shown in FIG. That's all.

As described above, the air release hose 71 has a rising portion communicating with the outlet port 53a on the downstream side of the opening / closing portion of the injection valve 53, and falls from the upper end of the rising portion to the mounting table 44. Because of the communication, the components of the tea dispenser that do not get wet with hot water do not get wet with the hot water that overflows from the air release hose, and do not cause rust, breakdown, or leakage. .

In the first and second embodiments, the length of the air bleeding hose is more than twice the length of the conventional air bleeding hose, but is not limited to this. . If the spout is easily clogged depending on the type of beverage, if the spout has a cross-shaped hole shape, etc. The maximum height position may be changed. Further, in the first and second embodiments, the tea dispenser that supplies two types of beverages has been described. However, the beverage supply device according to the present invention is not limited to the one that supplies two types of beverages. , Three outlet pipes to supply beverages
In a beverage supply device that supplies three or more types of beverages, one or more of which may be connected to all of the outlet pipes. Further, in the third embodiment, a tea dispenser that supplies one kind of beverage has been described. However, in a beverage supply device that supplies two or more kinds of beverages, each discharge pipe and the mounting table are connected by an air release hose. The connection may be established. Further, the discharge pipe 35 and the tea waste container 45 may be connected to each other by an air release hose.
In this case, the tea waste container 45 constitutes a waste liquid recovery unit that recovers hot water flowing through the air release hose 71 as waste liquid and discharges the waste water to the outside. Further, in Embodiments 1 to 3, a tea machine has been described as an example. However, for example, any beverage supply device that supplies beverages such as coffee and cold water is not limited thereto. Of the present invention can be applied to beverage supply devices.

[0018]

As described above, according to the present invention, the beverage supply device has at least two or more dispensers each having an opening / closing part capable of controlling the discharge and stop of the liquid from the supply source of the beverage liquid. An outlet channel and a rising portion communicating with each of the outlet channels on the downstream side of the opening / closing portion, respectively.
Since the upper end of the rising portion is provided with an air vent pipe communicating with each other, if the flow resistance of the pouring channel is not so large, the hot water flows smoothly through the pouring channel and the pouring port Is reduced and the flow path resistance of the discharge flow path increases, the hot water can flow out to the other discharge flow paths via the air vent pipe, without wetting the components of the beverage supply device. Rust, failure, and leakage of these components can be prevented. Further, according to the present invention, the beverage supply device, a waste liquid recovery unit for the beverage liquid, an ejection flow path having an opening and closing unit capable of controlling the ejection and stoppage of the liquid from the supply source of the beverage liquid, It has a rising portion communicating with the discharge flow path on the downstream side of the opening / closing portion, and has an air vent pipe which falls from the upper end of the rising portion and communicates with the waste liquid collecting portion for drinking liquid. If the flow path resistance of the outlet flow path is not so large, the hot water flows smoothly through the pouring flow path, and even if the outlet decreases and the flow path resistance of the pouring flow path increases, the hot water is vented. It can flow out to the waste liquid collecting section through the pipe, and it is possible to prevent rust, failure, and leakage of these components without wetting the components of the beverage supply device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a tea machine according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing the periphery of an outlet tube of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a periphery of an outlet pipe of a tea dispenser according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a periphery of an outlet pipe of a tea dispenser according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the periphery of a spout tube of a conventional tea dispenser.

[Explanation of symbols]

2: hot water storage tank, 35, 36: outlet pipe, 58, 71: air release hose, 61: connection hose, 44: mounting table, 45
... a tea container.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An at least two or more pouring channels each having an opening / closing portion capable of controlling the pouring and stopping of a liquid from a supply source of beverage liquid, and each pouring at a downstream side of the opening / closing portion. A beverage supply device, comprising: a rising portion communicating with a flow path; and an air vent tube having upper ends of the rising portions communicating with each other. 2. A waste liquid recovery section for drinking liquid, an injection flow path having an opening / closing section capable of controlling the injection and stoppage of liquid from a supply source of beverage liquid, and an outlet on the downstream side of the opening / closing section. A beverage supply device, comprising: a rising portion communicating with a flow path; and an air vent pipe that falls from an upper end of the rising portion and communicates with a waste liquid recovery section of the beverage liquid.