JP2004315049A - Drink server - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a drink server which automatically sterilizes and prevents the reproduction of bacteria, etc., in drink, reduces a running cost and discharges hygienic drink. <P>SOLUTION: This drink server is provided with a supply part 21 for supplying a drink, a low temperature tank 2 for retaining the drink supplied from the part 21 in a refrigerated condition, a low temperature drink discharge cock 24 for discharging the drink in the tank, a cooler 41 installed on the tank, a sterilization heater 27 for sterilizing the drink in the tank being installed on the tank, and a drive part 5 for stopping the refrigeration by the cooler and for heating the drink in the tank by the heater. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a beverage server that cools and heats beverages such as drinking water, stores the beverages, and pours out the beverages. The present invention relates to a beverage server capable of preventing the propagation of bacteria and the like.
[0002]
[Prior art]
BACKGROUND ART Drinking servers capable of dispensing cold water by cooling drinking water such as mineral water and hot water by heating are known. These cold water and hot water are usually stored in a cold water tank and a hot water tank in the beverage server. In this case, since the temperature of the hot water is high (for example, about 80 ° C.), bacteria do not propagate, but the environment in which bacteria are relatively easy to grow in the cold water tank and the piping connected to the cold water tank. Will be.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, the conventional beverage server has relatively few problems on the hot water side, but has a problem that the chilled water tank and the supply path are liable to generate bacteria, and particularly the chilled water tank and the supply path. It was necessary to frequently remove bacteria. For this reason, maintenance takes time and cost, and the running cost of the beverage server has been increased. Further, if maintenance is neglected, there is a risk that a beverage that is not suitable for drinking may be poured out.
[0004]
Therefore, the present invention provides a beverage server that can automatically perform a sterilization process, can prevent the propagation of bacteria and the like in a beverage, can reduce running costs, and can dispense a sanitary beverage. The purpose is to provide.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a beverage server of the present invention includes a supply unit for supplying a beverage, a low-temperature tank that stores the beverage supplied from the supply unit in a cooled state, and a beverage in the low-temperature tank. A low-temperature beverage pouring cock for pouring, a cooler installed in the low-temperature tank, a sterilizing heater installed in the low-temperature tank, and a sterilizing heater for sterilizing the beverage in the low-temperature tank, and the cooling. And a drive unit for stopping the cooling by the vessel and heating the beverage in the low-temperature tank by the sterilizing heater.
[0006]
Further, in the beverage server described above, it is preferable that the sterilizing heater is disposed at a position near a bottom surface in the low-temperature tank.
[0007]
In the above beverage server, a protrusion protruding in a horizontal direction is provided at a lower portion of the low-temperature tank, and the low-temperature beverage pouring cock is attached to a tip side of the protrusion, It is preferable that the size of the inner surface side of the protrusion is larger than the size of the connection portion of the low-temperature beverage pouring cock so as to increase the heat convection of the beverage inside the protrusion.
[0008]
Further, in the beverage server, a high-temperature tank for storing the beverage in a heated state, a heater installed in the high-temperature tank, and a high-temperature beverage discharging cock for discharging the beverage in the high-temperature tank. It is preferred to have.
[0009]
Further, in the beverage server described above, it is preferable that the drive unit stops the cooling by the cooler every time a predetermined time elapses, and performs heating by the sterilizing heater.
[0010]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Here, as the beverage, drinking water such as mineral water will be described as an example. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a beverage server 1 of the present invention as viewed from a side. On the upper part of the main body 11 of the beverage server 1, a placing plate 12 is pivotally supported at the right end on the main body 11 as shown in the figure, and the beverage container 10 is set on the placing plate 12. As the beverage container 10, for example, a BIB (BAG IN BOX) type container, a synthetic resin bottle, or the like can be used. This mounting plate 12 is for BIB.
[0011]
As shown by a two-dot chain line, the beverage container 10 is set in a state where one side of the placing plate 12 is lifted, and the placing plate 12 is lowered to a horizontal state. It is to be connected. The supply unit 21 is directly connected to the top plate 2a (see FIG. 2) of the low-temperature tank 2 by welding. The low-temperature tank 2 is a tank that stores the beverage that has dropped from the beverage container 10 via the supply unit 21 by gravity. Cooled cold water is stored in the lower part of the low-temperature tank 2.
[0012]
The partition plate 26 is for preventing the lower cooled water and the upper uncooled drinking water from being mixed. A gap is provided between the outer periphery of the partition plate 26 and the inner wall of the low-temperature tank 2. When the cold water below the partition plate 26 is poured out from the cold water cock 24, the beverage above the partition plate 26 is accordingly Water moves downward through the gap. The partition plate 26 is supported at a predetermined position by the column member 25. The column member 25 is provided with a through hole along the central axis, and this through hole communicates with the supply pipe 31. The drinking water above the partition plate 26 is supplied to the high-temperature tank 3 through the through hole of the column member 25 and the supply pipe 31.
[0013]
A cooler 41 is arranged on the outer periphery of the low-temperature tank 2. The cooler 41 is arranged below the partition plate 26. The cooler 41 cools the drinking water in the low-temperature tank 2 by the heat of vaporization when the refrigerant is vaporized. The refrigerant is compressed by the compressor 4 and sent to the radiator 42, cooled and liquefied by the radiator 42, and further sent to the cooler 41. The refrigerant vaporized in the cooler 41 to cool the drinking water is circulated to the compressor 4 again.
[0014]
The blower fan 43 is for blowing air to the radiator 42 for air cooling. The air flow by the blower fan is as shown by the arrow in the figure. The drive unit 5 drives the compressor 4 and the blower fan 43, and also the heater 32, the sterilizing heater 27, and the like, which will be described later. Details of the operation of the driving unit 5 will be described later.
[0015]
A sterilization heater 27 is provided near the bottom surface inside the low-temperature tank 2. The cold water in the low-temperature tank 2 is periodically heated by the sterilizing heater 27 to sterilize bacteria generated in the cold water and bacteria adhered to the inner surface of the low-temperature tank 2 and the inner surface of the drinking water passage. I do. Further, a protruding portion 23 that protrudes in the horizontal direction is provided at a lower portion of the low-temperature tank 2. The protrusion 23 will be described later in detail. A cold water cock 24 for discharging cold water is connected to the tip side of the protruding portion 23.
[0016]
The high-temperature tank 3 is for storing drinking water (hot water) heated to a high temperature. A heater 32 is arranged below the outer periphery of the high-temperature tank 3. A hot water cock 35 (see FIG. 3) for discharging hot water is connected to the high-temperature tank 3, but is not shown in FIG. A drain pipe 33 for discharging drinking water in the high-temperature tank 3 is provided on a bottom surface of the high-temperature tank 3. The low temperature tank 2 is covered with a heat insulating member 61, and the high temperature tank 3 is covered with a heat insulating member 62.
[0017]
FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the low-temperature tank 2. The upper side of the main body of the low-temperature tank 2 is detachably attached to the main body as a top plate 2a. The supply unit 21 is directly connected to the top plate 2a by welding. The air vent plug 22 is for discharging the air in the low-temperature tank 2 to the outside. The supply unit 21 is provided with a through hole along the central axis. The distal end of the supply unit 21 is formed to be sharp at the distal end so that a connection port is opened in the base of the beverage container 10 and, at the same time, the base and the supply unit 21 are connected.
[0018]
A column member 25 is provided upright on the bottom surface of the low-temperature tank 2, and a partition plate 26 is fixed to an upper end of the column member 25. The inside of the low-temperature tank 2 is divided into an upper part and a lower part by a partition plate 26. The drinking water at the lower part of the low-temperature tank 2 is cooled by the cooler 41 and stored as cold water. On the inner wall side of the low-temperature tank 2 where the cooler 41 is arranged, ice that has been cooled and frozen is attached to the drinking water. The ice cools the drinking water in the lower part of the low-temperature tank 2 efficiently. Further, a through hole is provided in the column member 25 along the center axis, and a center hole is also provided in the center of the partition plate 26. Drinking water above the partition plate 26 is supplied to the high temperature tank 3 through the central hole and the through hole.
[0019]
A sterilization heater 27 is arranged near the bottom surface of the low-temperature tank 2. The drinking water in the low-temperature tank 2 and the passage of the drinking water connected to the low-temperature tank 2 are environments in which bacteria and the like are more likely to grow than the high-temperature tank 3. For this reason, the sterilization heater 27 is operated periodically (for example, at a time determined once a day), and the drinking water in the low-temperature tank 2 is heated to a high temperature (for example, 65 ° C.) to perform the sterilization treatment. . At this time, the cooling operation by the cooler 41 is stopped. By the heating operation of the sterilization heater 27, sterilization of drinking water in the low-temperature tank 2 and the passage and sterilization of bacteria adhering to the inner surfaces of the low-temperature tank 2 and the passage are performed.
[0020]
A projecting portion 23 that projects in the horizontal direction is provided on the outer peripheral side surface of the lower part of the low-temperature tank 2. A cold water cock 24 for discharging cold water is connected to the tip side of the protruding portion 23. A connection screw portion 23a is integrally provided on the distal end side of the projecting portion 23, and a cold water cock 24 is connected to the connection screw portion 23a. By pushing the lever 24 a of the cold water cock 24 in the direction of the arrow, the cold water is discharged from the cold water cock 24.
[0021]
FIG. 3 is a view of the lower portion of the low-temperature tank 2 and the protrusion 23 as viewed from the left side of FIG. The protrusion 23 is formed by arranging a cylindrical member having a cylindrical shape so that the central axis thereof is horizontal, and connecting the cylindrical member to the lower side surface of the low-temperature tank 2 by welding. The inside of the protrusion 23 is continuous with the inside of the low-temperature tank 2. The inner diameter of the protruding portion 23 is sufficiently larger than the inner diameter of the connecting portion of the cold water cock 24. As described above, since the cold water cock 24 is connected to the distal end of the projection 23 having a large internal dimension, sufficient heat convection and heat conduction are generated inside the projection 23, and the inside and the inner wall of the projection 23 are formed. Sterilization treatment of the surface can be sufficiently performed.
[0022]
On the other hand, when the chilled water cock 24 is connected to the low-temperature tank 2 by a connecting pipe having an inner diameter substantially equal to that of the connecting portion, hot water does not sufficiently spread to the inside and the inner surface of the connecting pipe. There is a problem that the sterilization treatment of the inside and the inside becomes insufficient. In the present invention, since the cold water cock 24 is connected to the tip of the protrusion 23 having a large internal dimension, sufficient heat convection and heat conduction occur inside the protrusion 23, and the inside of the protrusion 23 and Sterilization treatment of the inner wall surface can be sufficiently performed.
[0023]
Note that a thick tube made of a metal material having good heat conductivity (for example, stainless steel, copper, or the like) is used for the tube constituting the supply unit 21 so that the heat conductivity is sufficiently large. For this reason, the sterilization of the drinking water in the supply unit 21 and the inner surface of the supply unit 21 is also sufficiently performed.
[0024]
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a connection state of each unit of the beverage server 1. Drinking water is supplied from the beverage container 10 to the low-temperature tank 2, and is further supplied from above the low-temperature tank 2 to the high-temperature tank 3. The low temperature tank 2 is provided with a cold water cock 24 for discharging cold water in the low temperature tank 2, and the high temperature tank 3 is provided with a hot water cock 35 for discharging hot water in the high temperature tank 3. Have been. A drain pipe 33 is provided on the bottom surface of the high-temperature tank 3. By opening the drain valve 34, all the drinking water in the high-temperature tank 3 can be discharged.
[0025]
A sterilization heater 27 is arranged inside the low-temperature tank 2. In addition, a heater 32 is arranged below the outer periphery of the high temperature tank 3. These heaters are electric heaters that perform a heating operation by supplying power from the driving unit 5. A cooler 41 is arranged on the outer periphery of the low-temperature tank 2. The cooler 41 is connected to the compressor 4 and the radiator 42 as shown.
[0026]
The drive unit 5 normally controls the driving of the heater 32 so as to maintain the drinking water in the high-temperature tank 3 at a predetermined high temperature (for example, 80 ° C.), and reduces the drinking water in the lower part of the low-temperature tank 2 to a predetermined low temperature. The drive control of the cooling operation by the compressor 4 is performed so as to keep the temperature (for example, 10 ° C.). The drive unit 5 has a built-in timer, and is configured to periodically sterilize the low-temperature tank 2. The time interval for performing the sterilization process, the operation time, and the like can be changed.
[0027]
For example, a sterilization process can be performed every day between 2 am and 1 hour. In the sterilization process, first, the compressor 4 is stopped to stop the cooling operation, and power is supplied to the sterilization heater 27 to heat it. Then, the drinking water in the low-temperature tank 2 is kept at a predetermined high temperature (for example, 65 ° C.) for a predetermined time (for example, one hour). By this sterilizing process, sterilizing process of the drinking water in the low-temperature tank 2, the projecting portion 23 and the passage, and sterilizing process of the bacteria adhering to the low-temperature tank 2, the projecting portion 23 and the inner surface of the passage are performed. When the sterilization process is completed, the drive unit 5 stops supplying power to the sterilization heater 27, starts the compressor 4, and returns to the normal operation.
[0028]
As described above, according to the present invention, the drinking water in the low-temperature tank 2 of the drinking server 1 can be periodically sterilized, and the sanitary drinking water can always be provided. It becomes. Since this sterilization process is automatically performed, maintenance work is also significantly reduced, and the running cost of the beverage server can be reduced.
[0029]
In the above embodiment, drinking water such as mineral water has been described as an example of a beverage, but the present invention can be applied to any beverage other than drinking water. In addition, although the beverage server 1 has been described as being capable of dispensing both low-temperature beverages and high-temperature beverages, a beverage server that only dispenses low-temperature beverages may be used. Further, the sterilizing heater 27 is desirably arranged at a position near the bottom surface inside the low-temperature tank 2, but may be arranged at another position. Further, the example in which the sterilization process is performed once a day for one hour has been described. However, the frequency and the operation time of the sterilization process can be set arbitrarily, such as twice a day or once every two days.
[0030]
【The invention's effect】
The present invention is configured as described above, and has the following effects.
[0031]
Since the sterilization heater is provided in the low-temperature tank, the sterilization of the beverage in the low-temperature tank can be automatically performed periodically, and sanitary drinking water can always be provided. Further, maintenance work can be significantly reduced, and the running cost of the beverage server can be reduced.
[0032]
Since the sterilization heater is arranged at a position near the bottom surface in the low-temperature tank, the entire beverage in the low-temperature tank can be efficiently and sufficiently heated, and the sterilization of the beverage in the low-temperature tank is sufficiently performed. be able to.
[0033]
A projection is provided at the lower part of the low-temperature tank, and the low-temperature beverage pouring cock is attached to the distal end of the projection with a large internal dimension, so that sufficient heat convection and heat conduction occur inside the projection, and the projection is The sterilization of the inside and the inner wall surface can be sufficiently performed.
[0034]
A high-temperature tank is placed below the low-temperature tank, and a high-temperature beverage pouring cock is provided to dispense the beverage in the high-temperature tank. it can.
[0035]
When the drive unit stops the cooling by the cooler every time a predetermined time elapses and performs the heating by the sterilizing heater, the sterilizing process can be automatically executed by simple control. In addition, since the cooling operation is stopped during the sterilization process, unnecessary energy consumption can be eliminated.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a beverage server of the present invention as viewed from a side.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a low-temperature tank.
FIG. 3 is a view of a lower portion of a low-temperature tank and a protrusion as viewed from the left side of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a connection state of each unit of the beverage server.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Beverage server 2 ... Low temperature tank 2a ... Top plate 3 ... High temperature tank 4 ... Compressor 5 ... Driver 10 ... Beverage container 11 ... Main body 12 ... Placement plate 21 ... Supply unit 22 ... Air vent plug 23 ... Protrusion 23a ... Connection Thread part 24 Cold water cock 24a Lever 25 Column member 26 Partition plate 27 Sterilizing heater 31 Supply pipe 32 Heater 33 Drain pipe 34 Drain valve 35 Hot water cock 41 Cooler 42 Radiator 43: blower fans 61, 62: heat insulating members

Claims (5)

A supply unit (21) for supplying a beverage;
A low-temperature tank (2) for storing the beverage supplied from the supply section (21) in a cooled state,
A low-temperature beverage discharging cock (24) for discharging a beverage in the low-temperature tank (2);
A cooler (41) installed in the low-temperature tank (2);
A sterilizing heater (27) installed in the low-temperature tank (2) for sterilizing beverage in the low-temperature tank (2);
A drive unit (5) that stops cooling by the cooler (41) and drives the beverage in the low-temperature tank (2) by the sterilizing heater (27). The beverage server according to claim 1, wherein:
The beverage server, wherein the sterilizing heater (27) is disposed at a position near a bottom surface in the low-temperature tank (2). The beverage server according to claim 2, wherein
At the lower part of the low-temperature tank (2), a protruding part (23) protruding in the horizontal direction is provided.
The low-temperature beverage pouring cock (24) is attached to a tip side of the protrusion (23),
The size of the inner surface side of the protrusion (23) is made larger than the size of the connection portion of the cold drink pouring cock (24) so as to increase the heat convection of the beverage inside the protrusion (23). Beverage server. The beverage server according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A high-temperature tank (3) for storing the beverage in a heated state,
A heater (32) installed in the high temperature tank (3);
A beverage server having a hot beverage pouring cock (35) for pouring a beverage in the hot tank (3). The beverage server according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the drive unit (5) stops cooling by the cooler (41) every time a predetermined time elapses, and performs the sterilization. A beverage server for performing heating by a heating device (27).

Images