JP2003026293A - Beverage dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a beverage dispenser by which foaming is not generated even when a carbonated beverage is fed into a cup with a larger size in the same time as before in relation to the beverage dispenser for feeding the carbonated beverage prepared by mixing a liquid raw material and a carbonated water into the cup. SOLUTION: In the beverage dispenser 1 provided with a post mix valve 11 for feeding a beverage prepared by mixing a liquid raw material and a dilution liquid into the cup, a plurality of post mix valves 11 through which the same beverage can be simultaneously fed into a cup are provided.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a beverage dispenser for supplying a beverage containing a liquid raw material filled in a liquid raw material tank and a diluent such as diluting water or carbonated water to a cup.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a beverage dispenser, a liquid raw material stored in a liquid raw material tank and a diluting liquid such as diluting water or carbonated water are mixed and supplied to a cup as a beverage.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a beverage dispenser 30. FIG. 4 (a) shows a state as viewed from the front, FIG.
(B) shows the state seen from the side direction. Beverage dispenser main body 2, cold storage 3 provided in the beverage dispenser main body 2, front door 4 of the cold storage 3, cold storage cooling coil 5 for cooling the inside of the cold storage 3, cooler for sending refrigerant to the cold storage cooling coil 5 6. A cool air blower 7 is provided which functions to circulate the cool air cooled in the cool box cooling coil 5 in the cool chamber 3. A BIB (bag-in-box) (not shown) is placed in the cool room 3, and a plurality of rollers are rotated to rotate the BI.
Beverage is supplied from a tube pump (not shown) that delivers a predetermined amount of syrup in the tube communicating with B.

A liquid raw material supply is turned on and off by signals from a syrup flow passage 9 connected to a liquid raw material tank 8, a flow regulator 10 for adjusting the flow rate in the syrup flow passage 9 and a supply control unit (not shown). The post-mix valve 11 that functions to communicate with the post-mix valve 11 is communicated with the diluting liquid flow path described later. As will be described later, the postmix valve 11 includes two valves for turning on and off the passage of the liquid raw material and the diluting liquid, and two valves.
It is composed of one solenoid that turns on and off each valve, and one nozzle that mixes the liquid raw material and the diluting liquid to supply the beverage.

The cooling water tank 12 is the cooling water in the water tank,
It functions to cool the carbonated water in the carbonator (carbonated water production apparatus) 13 and the dilution liquid such as the dilution water in the water cooling coil 14, and the cooling water in the water tank is cooled by the cooler 6. A flow regulator 10 that adjusts the flow rate is connected to the outlet of the carbonated water flow path 15 and the water cooling coil 14 that are connected to the carbonator 13, and the type of beverage to be sold (for example, carbonated drink, non-carbonated drink, etc.) The postmix valves 11 arranged together are communicated with each other, and the liquid raw material and the diluting liquid are mixed with each other to form a drink, which is supplied to the cup C.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the post-mix valve 11. The post-mix valve 11 includes two valves 11D and 11E for turning on and off the passage of a liquid raw material and a diluting liquid such as diluting water or carbonated water, and valves 11D and 1D.
One solenoid 11F that turns on and off 1E simultaneously
And a single nozzle 11G for supplying a beverage in which the liquid raw material and the diluting liquid are mixed to the cup C.

The structure of the beverage dispenser 30 which supplies the liquid raw material from the conventional liquid raw material tank 8 and mixes it with a diluting liquid such as diluting water or carbonated water into the cup has been described above. Will be described. First,
The cooling water in the cooling water tank 12 cooled by the cooler 6 cools the diluting liquid such as the carbonated water in the carbonator 13 and the dilution water in the water cooling coil 14, and the refrigerant in the cold storage cooling coil 5 provided in the cold storage 3 The cold air cooled by the cool box cooling coil 5 is circulated and blown into the cool box 3 by the cool air blowing device 7 to cool the cool box 3.

In this state, the cup C is set in the beverage dispenser 30, and the liquid raw material stored in the liquid raw material tank 8 and the carbonated water in the carbonator 13 are provided so that the post mix valve 11 is provided. When a beverage selection button (not shown) is pressed, the postmix valve 11 is turned on (opened) by a signal from the supply control unit, carbonated water is supplied from the carbonator 13, and liquid raw material is supplied from the liquid raw material tank 8. Then, the mixture is mixed by the nozzle 11G to be a carbonated beverage, which is supplied to the cup C.

For example, 180 called 9 ounce cup
When supplying a carbonated beverage to a cup with a volume of ml, if the dilution ratio is 5: 1 and the flow rates of carbonated water and liquid raw material per unit time are 30 ml / sec and 6 ml / sec, the postmix valve 11 is turned on for 5 seconds. Then 1 in the cup
50 ml of carbonated water and 30 ml of liquid raw material are supplied.

Generally, in carbonated beverages, carbon dioxide gas dissolved in the beverage tends to escape by shock or vibration, and at this time, forming (excessive foaming phenomenon) occurs.

In the beverage dispenser as described above, the carbonated water and the liquid raw material are sprayed from the post-mix valve and supplied to the cup. Therefore, the foaming inevitably occurs due to the impact and vibration at this time. This forming not only causes the beverage to overflow from the cup, but when it becomes extreme, it becomes a so-called stupid beverage, and therefore these disadvantages have been sought to be reduced as much as possible.

However, generally, when the flow rate of the carbonated water increases, the forming becomes easier, and when the flow rate of the carbonated water is reduced so that the forming does not occur, the beverage supply time becomes longer.

As a result, since the beverage supply can be completed in about 5 seconds in order to supply the beverage to the cup called 9 ounce cup, the flow rate of the carbonated water per unit time is 30 to 40 ml / sec. If this is done, it is possible to supply a beverage of satisfactory quality in a beverage supply time that is satisfactory to the customer.

[0014]

In recent years, the amount of soft drinks such as carbonated drinks to be drunk at once has increased. As an example, beverages are sold in fast cups and the like in large cups called M cups and L cups, which are becoming popular.

For this reason, there is an increasing tendency for beverage dispensers to supply larger cup-sized beverages than ever before. However, the flow rate of carbonated water per unit time that can be supplied by the post-mix valve has an upper limit in order to prevent forming, and therefore there is a problem that it takes too much time to supply a beverage to a large cup.

Therefore, an object of the present invention relates to a beverage dispenser for supplying a carbonated beverage in which a liquid raw material and carbonated water are mixed to a cup, and even if the carbonated beverage is supplied to a large-sized cup in the same time as before, it is formed. It aims at providing the drink dispenser which does not occur.

[0017]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention according to claim 1 provides a beverage dispenser having a beverage supply section for supplying a beverage containing a mixture of a liquid raw material and a diluting liquid to a cup. The present invention is characterized by including a plurality of beverage supply units capable of simultaneously supplying the same beverage to individual cups.

The invention according to claim 2 is provided with a sensor for detecting the size of the cup, and a control means for controlling the beverage supply time of the plurality of beverage supply units according to the detection output of the sensor. It is a feature.

The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that the control means controls so as to supply the beverage from any one of the plurality of beverage supply portions according to the detection output of the sensor.

The invention according to claim 4 is provided with a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of a cup, and the control means prohibits the beverage supply from the beverage supply section when the detection output of the sensor indicates that there is no cup. It is characterized by controlling to.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a beverage selection button, and a first operation section that is operated when the beverage is set to be supplied only during a period of pressing the beverage selection button. According to the output of the first operation unit, the beverage is controlled to be supplied from at least one of the plurality of beverage supply units only while the beverage selection button is pressed.

The invention according to claim 6 is provided with a second operation section which is operated when one of the plurality of beverage supply sections cannot supply the beverage, and the control means outputs the output of the second operation section. Accordingly, another beverage supply unit capable of supplying the beverage is controlled so as to supplement the beverage supply amount of the beverage supply unit in which the beverage cannot be supplied.

[0023]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the same reference numerals are used for the same configurations as the conventional one.

FIG. 1 is a beverage dispenser 1 for feeding a liquid raw material filled in a liquid raw material tank of the present invention, mixing it with a diluting liquid such as diluting water or carbonated water and supplying it as a beverage to a cup.
It is a block diagram which shows. FIG. 1A shows a state as viewed from the front side, and FIG. 1B shows a state as viewed from the side direction. Beverage dispenser main body 2, cold storage 3 provided in the beverage dispenser main body 2, front door 4 of the cold storage 3, cold storage cooling coil 5 for cooling the inside of the cold storage 3, cooler for sending refrigerant to the cold storage cooling coil 5 6. A cool air blower 7 is provided which functions to circulate the cool air cooled in the cool box cooling coil 5 in the cool chamber 3.

A syrup flow path 9 connected to the liquid raw material tank 8, a flow regulator 10 for adjusting the flow rate in the syrup flow path 9 and a liquid control unit (not shown) supply or stop the liquid raw material supply. The postmix valve 11 (beverage supply unit) that functions to communicate with each other and the diluent flow path described below are communicated with each other, and the liquid raw material and the diluent supplied to the postmix valve 11 are mixed by the nozzle 11G to form a beverage. Supplied.

The post-mix valve 11a and the post-mix valve 11b, which represent each of the plurality of post-mix valves 11, are arranged so that the supplied beverage is poured into one cup.

The cup sensors 16a, 16b, 16c are provided at the cup positions where the beverages supplied from the postmix valve 11a and the postmix valve 11b are poured.
(Sensor) is provided. Cup sensor 16a, 16
b and 16c are, for example, light reflection type sensors having a light emitting portion and a light receiving portion for light. When the light from the light emitting portion hits the side surface of the cup and is reflected, the light receiving portion outputs the reflected light and outputs a signal. It is a thing. Cup sensors 16a, 16b,
When the light receiving portion of 16c receives the reflected light and outputs a signal, the L cup is output, and when the light receiving portions of the cup sensors 16b and 16c receive the reflected light and outputs a signal, the M cup, When only the light receiving section of the cup sensor 16c receives the reflected light and outputs a signal, the supply control section controls the S cup as being set.

Although the embodiment of the light reflection type sensor has been described as the detecting means for detecting the size of the cup, the present invention is not limited to this, and the same effect can be obtained by using a micro switch or the like. be able to.

The cooling water tank 12 is the cooling water in the water tank,
It functions to cool the carbonated water in the carbonator (carbonated water production apparatus) 13 and the dilution liquid such as the dilution water in the water cooling coil 14, and the cooling water in the water tank is cooled by the cooler 6. A flow regulator 10 for adjusting the flow rate is connected to the carbonated water flow path 15 and the water cooling coil 14 outlet side connected to the carbonator 13, and the type of drink to be sold (for example, carbonated drink, non-carbonated drink, etc.) The postmix valves 11 arranged together are communicated with each other, and the liquid raw material and the diluting liquid are mixed by the nozzle 11G to be a beverage, which is supplied to the cup.

FIG. 2 shows a control block diagram of the beverage dispenser 1 of the present invention, in which a beverage selection button 60 for outputting a signal for beverage supply and a setting for supplying beverage only during the period when the beverage selection button 60 is pressed. There is a manual switch 70 (first operation unit) that is operated to, a failure switch 80 (second operation unit) that is operated when any of the plurality of postmix valves 11 cannot supply the beverage, and an L cup. A cup sensor 16a that outputs a signal when, a cup sensor 16b that outputs a signal when either the L cup or the M cup is present, a cup sensor 16c that outputs a signal when any of the L cup, the M cup or the S cup is present, A supply control unit 100 that performs control for supplying a beverage to the cup,
Cooling box cooling coil 5 and cooler 6 that functions to cool the cooling water in the cooling water tank 12, cold air blower 7 that functions to circulate the cold air cooled by the cooling box cooling coil 5 in the cooling box 3, supply A memory 102 for storing control data of each part of the postmix valves 11a, 11b, 11c for supplying a beverage by a signal from the control unit 100 and the beverage dispenser 1.
And a timer 103 that counts clocks generated by a reference clock generator (not shown) and measures time. In addition, when the beverage selection button 60 is selected and the selection signal is supplied to the supply control unit 100, the timer 103 is
In response to an instruction from the supply control unit 100, the counting is performed only for the time for resetting and for supplying the beverage (for example, 5 seconds). The supply control unit 100 outputs a signal to the postmix valve 11 for the time period counted by the timer 103 to supply the beverage.

The structure of the beverage dispenser 1 for supplying the beverage containing the liquid raw material filled in the liquid raw material tank of the present invention and the dilution liquid such as diluting water or carbonated water to the cup has been described above. The operation will be described.

First, the cooling water in the cooling water tank 12 is cooled by the cooler 6, the refrigerant is circulated through the cool box cooling coil 5 provided in the cool box 3, and the cool air cooled by the cool box cooling coil 5 is blown with cold air. The device 7 circulates air into the cool box 3 to cool the cool box 3.

In order to supply the carbonated drink to the L cup in such a state, as shown in FIG.
Set the L cup directly below the post mix valves 11a and 11b. When the L cup is set, a signal is output from any of the cup sensors 16a, 16b, 16c, and when the beverage selection button 60 is pressed, the supply control unit 10
Post mix valves 11a, 1 only for the time required to supply the carbonated drink in an amount corresponding to the size of 0 to L cups.
The signal is output to 1b, the post mix valve 11a,
11b Each solenoid 11F operates to operate the valve 1
When 1D and 11E are turned on (open), the liquid raw material tank 8
The liquid raw material stored in and the carbonated water from the carbonator 13 are supplied and mixed in the nozzle 11G to become a carbonated drink, and the carbonated drink in an amount corresponding to the size of the L cup is supplied.

To supply the carbonated drink to the M cup, as shown in FIG. 3B, the M cup is set just below the post mix valves 11a and 11b of the drink dispenser 1. When the M cup is set, the cup sensor 16
When a signal is output from both b and 16c and the beverage selection button 60 is pressed, the postmix valve 11a is provided for the time required to supply the carbonated beverage in an amount corresponding to the size of the M cup from the supply control unit 100. , 11b, the solenoids 11F of the post-mix valves 11a, 11b operate to turn on the valves 11D, 11E, the liquid raw material stored in the liquid raw material tank 8 and the carbonated water from the carbonator 13 are supplied. Nozzle 11G
It is mixed inside to become a carbonated drink, and the carbonated drink is supplied in an amount corresponding to the size of the M cup.

Further, in order to supply the carbonated drink to the S cup, as shown in FIG. 3C, the S cup is set right below the post mix valves 11a and 11b of the drink dispenser 1. When the S cup is set, the cup sensor 16
When the signal is output from c and the beverage selection button 60 is pressed, the post-mixing is performed from the supply control unit 100 for the time required to supply the carbonated beverage in an amount corresponding to the size of the S cup with one post-mix valve 11. When a signal is output only to the valve 11a and the solenoid 11F of the postmix valve 11a operates to turn on the valves 11D and 11E, the liquid raw material stored in the liquid raw material tank 8 and carbonated water from the carbonator 13 are supplied to the nozzle. It is mixed in 11G to become a carbonated drink, and an amount of carbonated drink according to the size of the S cup is supplied.

Further, the cup sensors 16a, 16b, 16
If the signal is not output from c, the supply control unit 100 does not output the signal to the postmix valves 11a and 11b, so that the drink is supplied even if the drink selection button 60 is pressed in the state where the cup is not set. There is no such thing.

When the cup is set and the beverage selection button 60 is pressed, the supply controller 100 causes the cup sensors 16a, 16
b, 16c outputs a signal to the post-mix valves 11a, 11b for the time required to supply an amount of beverage corresponding to the size of the cup based on the signal output by b, 16c When the customer wants to pour the desired amount of beverage, the manual switch 70 is operated and the beverage selection button 60 is pressed, while the beverage selection button 60 is pressed. Only, the beverage is supplied from the post-mix valve 11a, and when the beverage selection button 60 is released, the beverage supply is stopped. In this way, the beverage is supplied only while the beverage selection button 60 is pressed, even if the beverage selection button 60 is operated only when the next beverage selection button 60 operated by the manual switch 70 is pressed. Alternatively, the operation may be performed correspondingly until the manual switch 70 is operated again.

If the failure switch 80 is operated when the post-mix valve 11a or the post-mix valve 11b has failed and the beverage supply amount has been halved, the supply control unit 1
00 doubles the time for outputting a signal to the postmix valve 11a and the postmix valve 11b. Then, since the supply time of the beverage is doubled, even if one of the postmix valves 11 fails and the beverage cannot be supplied, the remaining postmix valve 11 automatically supplies the amount of beverage according to the size of the cup. can do. When the failure switch 80 responds to the failure of each of the postmix valve 11a and the postmix valve 11b, it is possible to prevent the signal output from the supply control unit 100 from being output to the failed postmix valve 11.

The liquid raw material stored in the liquid raw material tank and the carbonated water from the carbonator are mixed by the post-mix valve in the beverage dispenser which supplies the beverage to the cup. However, the present invention is not limited to this. It goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to a beverage dispenser that supplies a beverage in which a liquid raw material stored in a tank and carbonated water from a carbonator are mixed by a multi-valve to a cup.

The embodiment of the beverage dispenser for supplying the liquid raw material cooled by the cooling water in the cooling water tank and the carbonated water has been described, but the present invention is not limited to the liquid raw material supplied through the cooling device provided separately. It can be applied to a beverage dispenser that supplies a cup with a beverage prepared by mixing carbonated water with a post-mix valve or a multi-valve.

As described above, in the beverage dispenser 1 provided with the post-mix valve 11 for supplying the beverage in which the liquid raw material and the diluting liquid are mixed to the cup, it is possible to simultaneously supply the same beverage to one cup. Since it is possible to increase the amount of carbonated drinks supplied from the postmix valves per unit time by providing multiple postmix valves 11, it is possible to supply carbonated drinks to large-sized cups in the same time as before. Even if it does, it becomes possible to provide the drink dispenser which does not occur.

Cup sensor 1 for detecting the size of the cup
6a, 16b, 16c and cup sensors 16a, 16
The supply control unit 100 that controls the beverage supply time of the plurality of postmix valves 11 according to the detection outputs of b and 16c.
With the provision of and, it becomes possible to automatically supply an amount of beverage according to the size of the cup.

The supply control unit 100 includes the cup sensor 16
By controlling the beverage to be supplied from any one of the plurality of postmix valves 11 according to the detection output of a, 16b, 16c,
Even when a beverage is supplied to a small cup such as an S cup, the beverage can be automatically supplied in an amount corresponding to the size of the cup without spilling the beverage from the cup.

Cup sensor 16 for detecting the presence or absence of a cup
a, 16b, 16c, and the supply control unit 100 controls so as to prohibit the beverage supply from the post-mix valve 11 when the detection output of the cup sensors 16a, 16b, 16c indicates that there is no cup. By this, since the beverage is not supplied even if the beverage selection button 60 is pressed without setting the cup, waste is caused by the beverage being supplied when the beverage selection button 60 is accidentally pressed, and
It becomes possible to eliminate stains and the like around the beverage due to the scattering of the beverage.

Beverage selection button 60 and beverage selection button 6
A manual switch 70 that is operated when the beverage is set to be supplied only during a period when 0 is pressed, and the supply control unit 100 is a period during which the beverage selection button 60 is pressed according to the output of the manual switch 70. Only a plurality of postmix valves 11 at least one postmix valve 1
By controlling the beverage to be supplied from No. 1, the customer can freely pour the desired amount of the beverage into the cup, and since the beverage is supplied from only one post mix valve 11, the beverage selection button 60 It is possible to prevent the beverage from spilling from the cup due to the operation delay of.

A supply switch 100 is provided with a failure switch 80 which is operated when one of the plurality of postmix valves 11 cannot supply the beverage.
According to the output of 0, the other postmix valve 11 that can supply the beverage controls one of the postmix valves 11 by controlling so as to supplement the beverage supply amount of the postmix valve 11 that cannot supply the beverage. Even if it breaks down, it becomes possible to automatically supply the beverage corresponding to the size of the cup from the other post mix valve 11.

[0047]

As described above, according to the present invention, 1
By providing multiple beverage supply units that can supply the same beverage to individual cups at the same time, a beverage dispenser that does not form even if carbonated beverages are supplied to large cups in the same time as before It will be possible to provide.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a beverage dispenser according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of the beverage dispenser according to the embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an operating state of the beverage dispenser according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing a conventional beverage dispenser.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing a post-mix valve.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 beverage dispenser 2 Beverage dispenser body 3 cold storage 6 cooler 7 Cold air blower 8 Liquid raw material storage tank 9 syrup flow path 10 flow regulator 11 Post mix valve 11a Post mix valve 11b Post mix valve 12 Cooling water tank 13 carbonator 14 Water cooling coil 15 carbonated water flow path 16a cup sensor 16b cup sensor 16c cup sensor 60 Beverage selection button 70 Manual switch 80 failure switch 100 supply control unit

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Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A beverage dispenser equipped with a beverage supply unit for supplying a cup with a beverage in which a liquid raw material and a diluting liquid are mixed, and a plurality of beverage supply units capable of simultaneously supplying the same beverage to one cup. A beverage dispenser characterized by comprising. 2. A sensor for detecting the size of a cup, and a control means for controlling the beverage supply time of the plurality of beverage supply units according to the detection output of the sensor. Item 1. A beverage dispenser according to item 1. 3. The beverage dispenser according to claim 2, wherein the control unit controls to supply the beverage from any of the plurality of beverage supply units according to the detection output of the sensor. 4. A sensor for detecting the presence / absence of a cup is provided, and the control means controls so as to prohibit the beverage supply from the beverage supply section when the detection output of the sensor indicates that there is no cup. The beverage dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which is characterized by the above. 5. A beverage selection button, and a first operation section that is operated when setting to supply beverage only during a period in which the beverage selection button is pressed down, and the control means includes the first operation unit. The beverage dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the beverage dispenser is controlled so that the beverage is supplied from at least one of the plurality of beverage supply units only during a period in which the beverage selection button is pressed according to an output of the operation unit. 6. A second operation unit, which is operated when any of the plurality of beverage supply units cannot supply a beverage, wherein the control unit is responsive to an output of the second operation unit. The beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein another beverage supply unit capable of supplying the beverage controls to supplement the beverage supply amount of the beverage supply unit where the beverage cannot be supplied. Dispenser.