JP2003044924A - Method and device for beverage preparation of cup type automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cup type automatic vending machine which can prepare a beverage having powdery raw materials and a diluent completely dissolved when the beverage is prepared by using the powdery raw materials, and diluent supplied into a cup. SOLUTION: The cup type automatic vending machine is equipped with a canister 4 which supplies the powdery raw materials and a hot water tank 5 which supplies the diluent and vends the beverage prepared by using the powdery raw material and diluent supplied form the canister 4 and hot water tank 5 to the cup P and supplies the powdery raw materials and diluent to the cup C in the order of a 1st step for supplying part of a fixed amount of the diluent from the hot water tank 5, a 2nd step for supplying the powdery raw materials from the canister 4, and a 3rd step for supplying a fixed amount of the diluent from the hot water tank 5.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cup-type vending machine which sells cooked cup beverages by supplying a raw material and a diluent such as hot water or water into the cup.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a cup-type vending machine for selling a cup beverage prepared by stirring a beverage containing a raw material supplied into a cup and a diluting solution such as hot water or water with a stirring device, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. The one described in Japanese Patent No. 251241 is known. In this beverage cooking method, first the powder raw material is supplied to the cup, then the impeller of the stirring device is inserted, then the impeller starts to rotate and hot water is supplied, and the impeller is lowered to near the bottom of the cup. Then, the stirring is performed for a predetermined time, and when the stirring is completed, the impeller is raised to the original position so that the cooking of the beverage is completed.

[0003]

However, as described above, a beverage in which the powder raw material is first supplied to the cup, then the impeller of the stirring device is inserted, and then the impeller starts to rotate and hot water is supplied to stir the beverage. In the cooking method, the insoluble powder raw material such as cream, which becomes highly viscous when dissolved, is likely to cause glue or bead-like unmelted residue in the corner of the bottom of the cup as shown in the cup beverage diagram of FIG. Once it becomes a paste or bead, it hardly dissolves even after stirring for a long time.

When the diluent is first supplied to the cup and then the powder raw material is supplied and the mixture is stirred by the impeller, no glue or ball-shaped unmelted residue is generated in the corner of the inner bottom of the cup, but the powder Since the raw material is light, it floats on the diluting liquid, which not only makes it difficult to dissolve the powder raw material in the diluting liquid, but also causes the powder raw material to scatter and stain the surroundings.

[0005] Such a beverage in which the powder raw material is not dissolved not only has an unattractive appearance as a beverage, but also has a problem that the beverage having the original taste cannot be provided because the beverage becomes thinner than a predetermined beverage concentration.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a cup-type vending machine which sells a cup beverage prepared by supplying a raw material and a diluting liquid such as hot water or water into the cup. An object of the present invention is to provide a cup-type vending machine capable of cooking a beverage in which a powder raw material and a diluent are completely dissolved when a beverage composed of a diluent is cooked.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to claim 1 is provided with a powder raw material storage portion for supplying a powder raw material and a diluent storage portion for supplying a diluting liquid. In a cup-type vending machine that sells a beverage prepared by cooking the powdered raw material and the diluent supplied from the raw material storage and the diluent storage, when supplying the powdered raw material and the diluent to the cup, from the diluent storage A first step of supplying a fixed amount of a part of the diluting liquid, a second step of supplying the powder raw material from the powder raw material storage part, and a third step of supplying a certain amount of the diluting liquid from the diluting liquid storage part. It is characterized in that the powder raw material and the diluting liquid are supplied to the cup in order.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in a cup-type vending machine for selling a beverage prepared by cooking a powdered raw material and a diluent supplied to a cup, a powdered raw material storage unit for storing the powdered raw material and a diluent are stored. A first step of supplying a certain amount of a part of the diluent from the diluent storage part and the powder material and the diluent when supplying the powder material and the diluent to the cup, and a first step of supplying the powder material from the powder material storage part. A control means for controlling the powder raw material and the diluting liquid to be supplied to the cup in the order of two steps, and a third step of supplying a diluting liquid of a certain amount from the diluting liquid storage part. It is a feature.

The invention according to claim 3 is provided with an agitator having an impeller for agitating the powder raw material and the diluent supplied to the cup, and the powder raw material and the diluent supplied to the cup are agitated by the impeller of the agitator. The position is the same as the position of the third step.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, the control means controls the impeller so that the diluting liquid is supplied to the cup from the diluting liquid storing portion while the impeller is lowered and the diluting liquid is stirred by the impeller. It is characterized by that.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a cooking section for hot coffee as an embodiment of a cup type vending machine of the present invention. The cooking unit 1 includes a horizontally extending transfer device 2, a cup supply device 3 for supplying a cup C, and a canister 4 (powder raw material storage unit) for supplying powder raw materials such as cream, coffee and sugar into the cup C. And cup C
A hot water tank 5 (diluting liquid storage part) for supplying hot water into the inside, and a stirring device 6 for stirring (cooking) the powder raw material and the hot water (diluting liquid)
It consists of and.

The transport device 2 includes a support frame 22 that extends horizontally in the left-right direction (with respect to FIG. 1) and a drive pulley 23 and a driven pulley 24 that are rotatably supported at both ends of the support frame 22, respectively. , A main conveyor section 21 composed of an endless conveyor belt 25 hung between both pulleys, a conveyor motor 26 for operating the drive pulley 23, and a sub-frame 27 provided in parallel with the support frame 22, and one end. Is fixed to the conveyor belt 25, and the other end is fixed to the sub frame 27.
Similarly, a support frame 31 mounted on the support frame 31 having a driving pulley 29 and a driven pulley 30 rotatably supported at both ends, an endless conveyor belt 32 hung between the pulleys, and a driving pulley. 29, a conveyance motor 33 for operating 29, a roller 34 provided so that the support frame 31 rolls on the surface of the support frame 22 in accordance with the operation of the conveyance belt 25, and a roller 34 provided for rolling on the surface of the sub-frame 27. And a roller 35, and a cup gripping device transport unit 2 including
8 and a cup gripping device 36 fixed to the transport belt 32 of the cup gripping device transport unit 28.

When the conveyor belt 25 is operated, the cup gripping device transporting section 28 causes the rollers 34 to roll on the respective surfaces of the support frame 22 and the subframe 27, so that the cup gripping apparatus transporting section 28 moves in the left-right direction. Be moved smoothly. The cup gripping device 36 is fixed to a predetermined portion of the conveyor belt 32, and a roller 37 is attached to this fixed portion. When the conveyor belt 32 is operated, the roller 37 rolls on the surface of the support frame 31 and the cup gripping device 36 is smoothly moved in the front-rear direction (relative to FIG. 1).
The cup gripping device transporting section 28 can be moved in the left-right direction by the action of the transporting motor 26 that operates in response to a signal from a control unit (not shown).
The cup gripping device 36 fixed to the conveyor belt 32 of No. 8 can also be moved in the front-rear direction by the function of the conveyor motor 33 that operates according to a signal from the controller. As a result, the cup gripping device 36 can freely move in the front, rear, left, and right directions in response to a signal from the control unit.

Further, the cup holding device 36 receives the cup C supplied from the cup supply device 3.
8 and a cup holding arm 39 for holding the cup C body
, And the cup holder 38 is moved by a cup holder moving mechanism (not shown) so that the size of the cup C (large, medium,
It can be moved in the cup height direction according to (small). Further, the cup gripping arm 39 can be opened and closed by an arm opening / closing mechanism (not shown) so that the arm spacing can correspond to the size (large, medium, small) of the cup C. Are held by the cup holding arm 39.

The cup supply device 3 accommodates a large number of large, medium and small cups C, and has a cup unloading device (not shown) at the bottom. Based on the sales instruction, one of the large, medium, and small cups C is carried out of the cup carry-out device one by one from the cup supply device 3 and delivered to the cup gripping device 36.

Each of the cream canister 4a, the coffee canister 4b, and the sugar canister 4c of the canister 4 stores cream, coffee, and sugar as powder raw materials, respectively, and a predetermined amount by a supply mechanism 41 provided at the bottom. The respective powder raw materials of No. 1 are supplied to the cup C. A powder material shooter 42 is provided below each supply mechanism 41, and each canister 4a, 4b, 4
The powder raw material in c is transferred to the cup C that has been conveyed to a position facing each powder raw material shooter 42, and the powder raw material shooter 42
Is supplied via.

The hot water tank 5 is provided with a heater (not shown) inside and supplies hot water from the upper part of the hot water tank to the cup C. The hot water supply port 51 has a hot water supply solenoid valve 52 and a hot water supply solenoid valve 52.
And a hot water supply pipe 53 communicating with. When the hot water supply solenoid valve 52 is turned on (open) by the sales instruction, the hot water supply pipe 5
Hot water is supplied to the cup C that has been conveyed to a position facing a hot water supply nozzle 71 described later via the nozzle 3.

FIG. 2 shows an agitator 6 of a cup-type vending machine according to the present invention, which includes an impeller 61 for agitating a beverage made of powder raw material and hot water in a cup C, and an agitator for rotationally driving the impeller 61. The motor 63 and the impeller 61 are attached to the lower end and the stirring motor 63 is attached to the upper end, and the rotating shaft 62 for transmitting the rotational force of the stirring motor 63 to the impeller 61 and the stirring motor 63
An elevating base 64 to which is attached, and a rack 65 is provided on the elevating base 64. A plurality of guide shafts 67 for guiding the lifting and lowering of the lift base 64 are provided in the case 66 so as to penetrate through the guide holes 64a provided in the lift base 64, and the rotation speed of the lift motor 68 attached to the case 66 is converted. The spur gear 69 attached to the output shaft of the rotation speed conversion unit 68 a meshes with the rack 65 attached to the elevating base 64. A cup cover 70 that covers the cup C at the time of stirring the beverage is attached under the case 66, and the hot water in the hot water tank 5 is supplied to the cup cover 70 by the hot water supply pipe 53.
A hot water supply nozzle 71 is provided to supply the water through the hot water supply nozzle. Further, an ice guide 72 for supplying ice used for cooking iced coffee to the cup C is provided on the upper portion of the cup cover 70.

When the spur gear 69 is rotated to the right (as viewed from the right in FIG. 2) by the controlled rotation of the lifting motor 68, the rack 65 meshing with the spur gear 69 is lowered, and the lifting base is moved along the guide shaft 67. The impeller 61 descends together with 64. Further, when the spur gear 69 is rotated counterclockwise (as viewed from the right direction in FIG. 2), the impeller 61 rises. The impeller 61 is
The stirring motor 63 is rotated by the control rotation of the stirring motor 63 to stir the beverage composed of the powder raw material and the hot water in the cup C.

A controller (not shown) lowers or raises the moving amount (step number) of the impeller 61 corresponding to the size of the cup C. In other words, the vertical movement amount and the movement timing of the impeller 61 are set in the control unit in accordance with the size of the cup C and the type and amount of the powder raw material, and are incorporated in the lifting motor 68. The control unit receives the rotation speed signal from the encoder, the lifting motor 68 is rotated by a predetermined number of steps, the rotation speed conversion unit 68a, the spur gear 69,
The impeller 61 is lowered to a predetermined depth of the cup C via the rack 65, the elevating base 64, the stirring motor 63, and the rotating shaft 62. As a result, regardless of the size of the cup C, the impeller 6 is placed at the most suitable position for stirring in the cup C.
1 can be inserted.

FIG. 3 is a control block diagram of the cup-type vending machine according to the present invention, which is provided on a front panel (not shown) of the cup-type vending machine and is used for selecting a type of cup beverage. A control unit 1 for controlling the button 80 and the cup beverage selected by the beverage selection button 80.
00 (control means), a transfer device 2 that transfers a cup C in response to a signal from the control unit 100, a cup supply device 3 that supplies the cup C, a canister 4 that supplies the powder raw material, and hot water. It has a hot water tank 5 for supplying and a stirring device 6 for stirring the powder raw material and the hot water. Beverage selection button 8
At 0, the beverages to be sold are displayed. Then, when the beverage selection button 80 is pressed, the control unit 100
Outputs a signal to supply, convey, and stir the cup C, which is set corresponding to the display of the beverage selection button 80, and the powder raw material and hot water. When the control unit 100 outputs a signal, the cup supply device 3 supplies the cup C, and the transport device 2
Conveys the cup C to a predetermined position, the canister 4 supplies a predetermined amount of each powder raw material, the hot water tank 5 supplies a predetermined amount of hot water, and the stirring device 6 stirs the raw material and the hot water.

The structure of the cup-type vending machine according to the present invention, which supplies the raw material and the diluting liquid such as hot water or water into the cup and stirs with the stirrer to sell the cooked cup beverage, has been described above. Next, with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, a method of cooking a cup beverage will be described in detail by taking hot coffee as an example.

FIG. 4 is a process chart for explaining the procedure of the cup beverage cooking method according to the embodiment of the present invention. With this configuration, in order to supply the powdered raw material and hot water to the cup C in the cup type vending machine and sell the hot coffee that is stirred and cooked by the stirring device, when the beverage selection button 80 is pressed, first, the cup supply is performed. The cup C supplied from the device 3 to the cup holding device 36 is the cup holder 38 and the cup holding arm 39.
Is gripped by. The cup C gripped by the cup gripping device 36 is appropriately stepwise fed by the operations of the transport motor 26 and the transport motor 33, and is transported to the position of the stirring device 6, as shown in FIG. A small amount of hot water in the hot water tank 5 is supplied from the hot water supply nozzle 71 via the hot water supply pipe 53 (first step). When a small amount of hot water is supplied from the hot water supply nozzle 71 to the cup C, it is then conveyed to the position of the cream canister 4a as shown in FIG. 4 (b), and the powder of the cream canister 4a is placed on the hot water previously supplied. Cream is supplied from the raw material shooter 42, then coffee is supplied from the coffee canister 4b, and further sugar is supplied from the sugar canister 4c (second step).
When each powder raw material corresponding to the beverage selection button 80 is supplied, it is conveyed to the position of the stirring device 6 again. Here, FIG.
As shown in (c), the stirring device 6 starts to operate. First, when the lifting motor 68 rotates clockwise, the guide shaft 6
The impeller 61 descends along with the elevating base 64 along 7. Then, the amount of hot water obtained by subtracting the amount of hot water previously supplied from the fixed amount of hot water required for cooking hot coffee is supplied from the hot water supply nozzle 71 to the cup C (third step). Further, while the impeller 61 descends and the impeller 61 is rotated by the stirring motor 63, the powder raw material and the hot water are completely mixed by stirring the powder raw material and the hot water in the cup C as shown in FIG. 4D. Molten hot coffee is cooked. When the impeller 61 is rotated for a predetermined time (for example, 3 seconds) and the stirring of each powder raw material and the hot water is completed, FIG.
After stopping the rotation of the impeller 61 as shown in (e), the lift motor 68 is rotated counterclockwise to raise the impeller 61. The hot coffee that has been cooked in this way is further conveyed to a sales port (not shown) while being filled in the cup C, and is received by the customer who purchased the hot coffee, and the selling operation is completed.

Although the first step position and the third step position have been described as the same position in the embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this, and the first step position and the third step position may be different from each other. You can set it to the position. For example, if the position of the first step is provided between the cup supply device 3 and the canister 4, the transport distance of the cup C can be shortened, so that the beverage purchaser pushes the beverage selection button 80 and then the cup beverage is transported to the sales outlet. You can shorten the time until.

Next, the above operation will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a timing chart of the cup beverage cooking method according to the embodiment of the present invention. First, the hot water solenoid valve 52
Open a small amount of hot water, then cream, coffee,
Supply sugar. Next, while lowering the impeller 61,
The hot water supply solenoid valve 52 is opened again to supply the amount of hot water required to cook hot coffee, minus the amount of hot water previously supplied. Impeller 61 from the middle of the descent
When the stirring of the powder raw materials and the hot water is completed by rotating the, the impeller 61 is stopped and raised.

Although the embodiment of cooking hot coffee has been described, the present invention can be applied to cooking of agitating not only ice coffee but also beverages composed of other ingredients and a diluting solution such as water or hot water. There is no end.

As described above, the canister 4 for supplying the powder raw material and the hot water tank 5 for supplying the diluting liquid are provided, and the powder raw material and the diluting liquid supplied from the canister 4 and the hot water tank 5 to the cup C are cooked. In a cup-type vending machine that sells a drink, the first step of supplying a fixed amount of a part of the diluting liquid from the hot water tank 5 when the powder raw material and the diluting liquid are supplied to the cup C. The powder raw material and the diluting liquid are supplied to the cup C in the order of the second step of supplying the powder and the third step of supplying the diluting liquid that reaches a certain amount from the hot water tank 5, so that When cooking a beverage consisting of the supplied powdered raw material and the diluent, the powdered raw material is floated on the previously supplied diluent, and the diluent is further supplied on the diluent, so that the powdered raw material is Parenthesis Prevents accumulated in the corner of the inner bottom, the corner Noriwaka Shikuwa ball shaped undissolved cup bottom is not generated, it is possible with powder raw material and the diluent to cook completely dissolved beverage.

In a cup type vending machine that sells beverages prepared by cooking the powdered raw material and the diluted liquid supplied to the cup C, a canister 4 for storing the powdered raw material, a hot water tank 5 for storing the diluted liquid, and the powdered raw material and the diluted liquid When supplying the liquid to the cup C, a first step of supplying a fixed amount of a part of the diluting liquid from the hot water tank 5, a second step of supplying the powder raw material from the canister 4, and an amount reaching a certain amount from the hot water tank 5. A third step of supplying the diluent, and a control unit 100 for controlling the powder raw material and the diluent to be supplied to the cup C,
With the above, when cooking a beverage consisting of the powdered raw material and the diluent supplied in the cup, the powdered raw material is floated on the previously supplied diluent, and the diluent is further supplied on it. Since the powder raw material does not collect in the corner of the inner bottom of the cup and no glue or ball-shaped undissolved residue is generated in the corner of the inner bottom of the cup, the powder raw material and the diluent are completely dissolved. It becomes possible to provide a cup type vending machine capable of cooking a beverage.

The stirring device 6 having an impeller 61 for stirring the powdered raw material and the diluted liquid supplied to the cup C is provided.
The powder raw material and the diluted liquid supplied to the impeller 61 of the stirring device 6
Since the position where the stirring is performed is the same as the position for the third step, it is not necessary to convey the cup C to the position where the powder raw material and the diluent are stirred after supplying the diluent to the cup C. It is possible to shorten the time from when the purchaser presses the beverage selection button 80 to when the cup beverage is transported to the sales outlet.

The control unit 100 controls the impeller 61 inside the cup C.
While diluting the liquid, the diluting liquid is supplied from the hot water tank 5 in a certain amount and is controlled by the impeller 61 so that the diluting liquid can be supplied simultaneously with the stirring operation. It becomes possible to complete the stirring of the powder raw material and the diluent in a short time.

[0032]

According to the present invention, when a beverage consisting of the powdered raw material and the diluent supplied in the cup is cooked, the beverage in which the powdered raw material and the diluent are completely dissolved can be cooked. It becomes possible to provide the automatic vending machine.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a cooking section to which a cup type vending machine of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing a stirring device to which the cup-type vending machine of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is a control block diagram to which the cup type vending machine of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 4 is a process diagram illustrating a procedure of a cup beverage cooking method of an embodiment to which the cup type vending machine of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 5 is a timing chart of a cup beverage cooking method of an embodiment to which the cup type vending machine of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a cup beverage according to a conventional method of supplying a powder raw material and a diluent.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 cooking department 2 Conveyor 3 cup feeder 4 canister 4a cream canister 4b coffee canister 4c sugar canister 5 hot water tank 6 Stirrer 21 Main transport section 28 Cup gripping device transport section 36 cup gripping device 61 impeller 80 Beverage selection button 100 control unit

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A powder raw material storage unit for supplying a powder raw material, and a diluent storage unit for supplying a diluting liquid, wherein the powder raw material storage unit and the powder raw material supplied to the cup from the dilution liquid storage unit are diluted. In a cup-type vending machine that sells a beverage prepared by cooking a liquid, when supplying the powdered raw material and the diluent to the cup, supplying a part of a fixed amount of the diluent from the diluent container. The powder raw material and the dilution are sequentially performed in the order of 1 step, the second step of supplying the powder raw material from the powder raw material storage part, and the third step of supplying the diluting liquid of a certain amount from the diluting liquid storage part. A method for preparing a beverage for a cup type vending machine, characterized in that the liquid and the cup are supplied to the cup. 2. A cup-type vending machine for selling a beverage prepared by cooking a powdered raw material and a diluent supplied to a cup, a powdered raw material storage section for storing the powdered raw material, and a diluent storage section for storing the diluent. When supplying the powder raw material and the diluent to the cup, a first step of supplying a portion of a fixed amount of the diluent from the diluent storage part, the powder raw material from the powder material storage part Control for controlling the powder raw material and the diluent to be supplied to the cup in the order of the second step of supplying and the third step of supplying the diluent that reaches a certain amount from the diluent container. A beverage-cooking device for a cup-type vending machine, comprising: 3. An agitator having an impeller for agitating the powder raw material and the diluent supplied to the cup, wherein the powder raw material and the diluent supplied to the cup are supplied to the impeller of the agitator. The position for stirring is the same position as the position of the third step.
Beverage cooking device of the cup type vending machine described. 4. The control means supplies the diluting liquid in an amount that reaches a certain amount from the diluting liquid storage portion while lowering the impeller in the cup, and controls so that the diluting liquid is stirred by the impeller. The beverage cooking device for a cup-type vending machine according to claim 3, wherein.