JP2003319881A - Drinking water storage device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily clean a tank to store drinking water poured therein and efficiently cool or heat the drinking water in the tank without damaging heat conduction efficiency. <P>SOLUTION: In a drinking water storage device, a drinking water storage tank is composed of an outside tank 3 for cooling or heating, and an inside tank 2 filled with drinking water and removably stored in the outside tank 3. Passages 13 and 15 guiding the drinking water downward are provided at the bottoms of the outside tank 3 and the inside tank 2. The inside periphery 17 of the outside tank 3 is a tapered side, the diameter of which is gradually expanded from the bottom side to the upper open side, and the outside periphery 18 of the inside tank 2 is a tapered side closely contacting the tapered side of the outside tank 3. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a drinking water storage device for storing various drinking water such as coffee while keeping it at a predetermined temperature.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a drinking water storage device that cools and stores drinking water such as juice and coffee, and can pour a required amount into a cup when drinking, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-85812 Etc. are disclosed. In this drinking water storage device, a drinking water storage tank, a cooling device for cooling the storage tank, and the like are mounted on the main body of the device.

When using this drinking water storage device,
A desired drinking water is injected and filled into the storage tank, and the cooling device is operated to cool the drinking water to a predetermined temperature. When the user wants to drink this drinking water, a cup is placed below the storage tank and the operating lever is operated to pour the desired amount of drinking water into the cup from the storage tank for drinking.

[0004]

In the drinking water storage device used in this way, the storage tank and the like are contaminated during use, so that the storage tank is regularly cleaned for hygiene reasons. It is necessary to clean the other parts by wiping. However, in the conventional drinking water storage device, since the storage tank is fixed to the device body so as not to be removable,
I had to carry the entire drinking water storage device to the washing place, clean the storage tank, etc., and then carry it to the original place again to carry it. Carrying the entire drinking water storage device was a heavy task because it was heavy. In addition, there is a concern that water may splash on parts other than the storage tank such as the cooling device and electric parts during cleaning, which may cause malfunction.

The present invention was developed in view of the above points. The purpose is to easily clean the tank for injecting and storing drinking water, and to efficiently cool or heat the drinking water in the tank without impairing the heat transfer efficiency. To provide a drinking water storage device.

[0006]

In order to effectively achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is provided with a storage tank having an upper opening, and drinking water such as coffee poured into the storage tank is In a drinking water storage device for storing by cooling or heating to a predetermined temperature by a cooling or heating means, the storage tank is an outer tank for cooling or heating and an inner side that can be removably accommodated in an outer tank containing drinking water. The outer tank and the inner tank are provided with a passage for engaging the drinking water downward, and the inner peripheral surface of the outer tank is gradually enlarged in diameter from the lower side to the upper opening side. The configuration is characterized in that it is a tapered surface and the outer peripheral surface of the inner tank is a tapered surface that is in close contact with the tapered surface of the outer tank.

When the tank for storing drinking water is cleaned and cleaned after use with the above structure, only the inner tank can be taken out of the outer tank and carried to the washing place without carrying the entire drinking water storage device. . Further, since the inner peripheral surface of the outer tank and the outer peripheral surface of the inner tank are formed into tapered surfaces so that they can be in close contact with each other, when the inner tank is stored in the outer tank, the inner tank containing drinking water is The drinking water can be cooled or heated while being in close contact with the outer tank for cooling or heating to prevent the heat transfer efficiency from being impaired as much as possible. The taper angles of the above-mentioned tapered surfaces of the outer tank and the inner tank are not limited to a predetermined angle, and any taper angle may be used as long as the inner tank can be brought into close contact with the outer tank and heat transfer efficiency is not impaired. Be free. Further, the tapered surfaces of the outer tank and the inner tank may be formed by deep drawing each tank, or may be formed by cutting the outer peripheral portion having a predetermined wall thickness. Further, this drinking water storage device can be used as a device for cooling and storing drinking water at a predetermined temperature by mounting a cooling means equipped with a temperature control device, and by mounting a heating means equipped with a temperature control device. It can be used as a device for heating and storing drinking water at a predetermined temperature.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the drinking water storage apparatus according to the first aspect, a passage opening / closing mechanism is provided in a bottom passage of the inner tank, and the passage opening / closing mechanism is operated in a bottom passage of the outer tank. It is characterized by comprising an operating mechanism for

With the above structure, the inner tank normally closes the bottom passage by the action of the bottom passage opening / closing mechanism. When the inner tank in this state is housed (fitted) in the outer tank, the passage opening / closing mechanism of the outer tank engages with the operation mechanism of the inner tank to open the passage via the passage opening / closing mechanism of the outer tank. As a result, the drinking water in the inner tank can be supplied downward through the passages in each tank. The above-described passage opening / closing mechanism and operation mechanism can be freely modified in design so long as the passage can be opened when the inner tank is housed in the outer tank.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10. The drinking water storage device 1 (see FIG. 1) shown in the figure is mainly for cooling and temporarily storing coffee, and an inner tank 2 (see FIG. 2) to be described later by a cooling means (not shown) mounted therein. reference)
The coffee placed in is cooled through the outer tank 3.
The cooling means (not shown) has a structure including a compressor, a condenser, a cooling pipe and the like similar to the cooling structure mounted on a general refrigerator or the like.

The drinking water storage device 1 is provided with a stainless steel outer tank 3 (see FIG. 9) fixed to the device body 4 and is equipped with a cooling means (not shown) for cooling the outer tank 3. At the same time, a base cover 6 provided with a cup mounting table 5 is provided below the front part of the outer tank 3, and a cup housing space 7 is provided between the upper surface of the mounting table 5 and the front lower surface of the outer tank 3. Have secured. Further, the drinking water storage device 1 includes a stainless steel inner tank 2 that can be detachably accommodated in an outer tank 3, and a filter 9 (see FIG. 4) provided in an upper opening 8 of the inner tank 2 and the filter 9. A lid 10 (see FIG. 1) for sealing the upper opening 8 from above 9 is provided. On the outer periphery of the outer tank 3 (see FIG. 2), a cooling pipe 11 which is a refrigerant passage is closely attached to the outer peripheral surface 12 and wound and brazed. Also, the outer tank 3
An operating mechanism 14 is provided in the bottom passage 13 (see FIG. 3),
A passage opening / closing mechanism 16 is provided in the passage 15 at the bottom of the inner tank 2.

In the outer tank 3 (see FIG. 2), the inner peripheral surface 17 is a tapered surface whose diameter gradually increases from the lower side to the upper opening side. The taper angle α of this tapered surface, which is the inner peripheral surface 17, is 2 degrees. Of course, the design can be changed to other taper angles. Further, the outer peripheral surface 18 of the inner tank 2 is a tapered surface having a taper angle of 2 degrees so as to come into close contact with the inner peripheral surface 17 of the outer tank 3 along the tapered surface. When the inner tank 2 is housed in the outer tank 3 (when fitted together), the outer peripheral surface 18 of the inner tank 2 comes into close contact with the inner peripheral surface 17 of the outer tank 3. A handle 19 (Fig. 4) is provided on the inner tank 2 for easy transportation.
(See) is provided. In addition, holes 15a and 13 that serve as passages 15 and 13 (see FIG. 2 and FIG. 3) through which coffee flows are provided at the same position in the center of the bottoms of the inner tank 2 and the outer tank 3.
a is opened.

The passage opening / closing mechanism 16 provided in the hole 15a at the bottom of the inner tank 2 has an opening / closing valve portion 20, a cylindrical valve holding portion 21, a coil spring 22, and an O externally fitted to the valve holding portion 21. And a ring 23.

The on-off valve section 20 (see FIGS. 3 and 5) is
A valve 24 formed in a substantially bowl shape capable of closing the bottom hole 15a from the inside of the inner tank 2, a shaft 25 formed in the center of the valve 24, and a spring lock formed in one end of the shaft 24 and having a + shape in plan view. The part 26 is integrally formed by resin molding. The shaft 25 and the spring locking portion 26 are housed in the valve holding portion 21 and are formed so as to be movable in the vertical direction.

The valve holding portion 21 (see FIGS. 2, 3 and 6 to
(See FIG. 8) is fixed to the hole 15a at the bottom of the outer side of the inner tank 2 and has a large-diameter cylindrical portion 27 for accommodating the coil spring 22, the shaft 25 and the spring locking portion 26, and the insertion of the shaft 25. And a small-diameter tubular portion 28. An annular groove 30 is formed on the outer peripheral portion near the lower end, and an O-ring 23 is fitted therein. Coil spring 22 housed in large-diameter cylinder 27
Has one end locked by the spring locking portion 26 and the other end by the step portion 29.
Is locked to. Because of this, normally coil spring 2
The hole 15a at the bottom of the inner tank 2 is closed by the valve 24 by the elastic urging force of 2. Further, the valve holding portion 21 projects downward from the hole 3a at the bottom of the outer tank 3 when the inner tank 2 is stored in the outer tank 3. The protruding valve holding portion 21 is inserted into the elbow pipe 31 fixed to the outside of the hole 13a of the outer tank 3.

In the elbow pipe 31 into which the valve holding portion 21 is inserted, a step portion 32 is formed at the boundary between the small diameter cylinder and the large diameter cylinder which communicate with each other, and the lower end of the valve holding portion 21 is near the step portion 32. Will be located.

The step portion 32 is provided with an operating mechanism 14 provided in the hole 13a at the bottom of the outer tank 3. The operation mechanism 14 includes a circular support base 33 fixed to the step portion 32, and a projection shaft 34 protruding from the center of the support base 33 to the inside of the small diameter cylinder. The support base 33 has a plurality of through holes 35. It is formed around the shaft 34.

Reference numeral 36 denotes a detector having a built-in thermistor or the like for detecting the cooling temperature, which is provided via a bracket 37 provided outside the bottom of the outer tank 3.

In the operation mechanism 14 and the passage opening / closing mechanism 16 configured as described above, when the inner tank 2 containing coffee is housed in the outer tank 3, the valve on the inner tank 2 side is set as described above. The holding portion 21 is inserted into the elbow pipe 31 on the outer tank 3 side, and the above-mentioned projection shaft 34 resists the elastic bias of the coil spring 22 and the spring locking portion 26, the shaft 25,
Push valve 24 upwards. As a result, the hole 15a of the inner tank 2 is opened by being sealed with the valve 24, and the coffee in the inner tank 2 is covered with the hole 15a, the small diameter cylindrical portion 28 and the large diameter cylindrical portion 27 of the valve holding portion 21, and the support base 33. It can be fed downward to the elbow pipe 31 through the through hole 35.

When the inner tank 2 is removed from the outer tank 3, the hole 15a at the bottom of the inner tank 2 is closed by the valve 24 by the elastic bias of the coil spring 22. Therefore, even if the inner tank 2 is removed from the outer tank 3 while the coffee remains in the inner tank 2, the holes 15
There is no need to worry that coffee will spill from a and stain the floor.

[0021]

As is apparent from the above description, in the drinking water storage device of the present invention, when cleaning and cleaning the tank storing the drinking water, the inside of the drinking water storage device is not carried without carrying the entire drinking water storage device. Since only the tank can be taken out of the outer tank and carried to the washing place for cleaning, the tank containing the drinking water can be easily cleaned. Also,
Since the inner peripheral surface of the outer tank and the outer peripheral surface of the inner tank are formed in a tapered shape so that they can adhere to each other, the inner tank containing the drinking water adheres to the outer tank for cooling or heating to improve the heat transfer efficiency. Drinking water can be efficiently cooled or heated without damage.

Also, since the passage at the bottom of the inner tank is normally closed by the action of the passage opening / closing mechanism, even if the inner tank containing drinking water is carried around, it may leak from the lower part and stain the floor or the like. Absent. Further, when the inner tank in this state is stored (fitted) in the outer tank, the passage opening / closing mechanism at the bottom of the outer tank is engaged with the operation mechanism of the inner tank to open the passage opening / closing mechanism of the outer tank, Drinking water in the inner tank can be smoothly supplied downward.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a drinking water storage device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing a vertical cross section of a main part of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a vertical cross section of a main part of a passage opening / closing mechanism and an operating mechanism according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a state in which a filter is provided in the upper opening of the inner tank according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an enlarged on-off valve portion and a coil spring according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an inner tank according to the present invention as viewed from below.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a valve holder according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a valve holder according to the present invention as viewed from below.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory view of the bottom portion of the outer tank according to the present invention as seen from the inside.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an inner tank according to the present invention viewed from above.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Drinking water storage device 2 Inside tank (storage tank) 3 Outside tank (storage tank) 8 Upper opening 13 passages 14 Operation mechanism 15 passages 16 passage opening / closing mechanism 17 Inner peripheral surface of outer tank (tapered surface) 18 Outer peripheral surface of inner tank (tapered surface)

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Masami Imanishi             345-1 Tanaka, Nagakawa, Nagakawa-gun, Wakayama Prefecture             In ceremony company Meiwa (72) Inventor Yoshitaka Nakagawa             345-1 Tanaka, Nagakawa, Nagakawa-gun, Wakayama Prefecture             In ceremony company Meiwa F-term (reference) 4B004 BA06 CA04                 4B066 AA05 BA07 BC20

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A drinking water storage device comprising a storage tank having an upper opening, wherein drinking water such as coffee poured into the storage tank is cooled or heated to a predetermined temperature by a cooling or heating means and stored. The storage tank is an outer tank for cooling or heating,
The outer tank and the inner tank are provided with a passage for guiding the drinking water downward, and an inner peripheral surface of the outer tank. Is a tapered surface whose diameter gradually increases from the lower part side to the upper opening side, and the outer peripheral surface of the inner tank is a tapered surface that comes into close contact with the tapered surface of the outer tank. apparatus. 2. The bottom passage of the inner tank is provided with a passage opening / closing mechanism, and the bottom passage of the outer tank is provided with an operating mechanism for operating the passage opening / closing mechanism. Drinking water storage device.