JP2005308332A - Cold/hot water machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cold/hot water machine having superior sterilizing function without generating noise during sterilization with a simple structure. <P>SOLUTION: This cold/hot water machine 1 comprises a cold water container 14 having a cooling means 13, a hot water container 16 having a heating means 15, and a water supply container 3 for supplying water to the cold water container 14, and an auxiliary heater 18 is mounted as an auxiliary heating means for heating the cold water CW in the cold water container 14. When the sterilization in the cold water container 14 is needed, a switch 10 is turned on, thus a control circuit 19 is functioned to automatically stop the operation of the cooling means 13 of the cold water container 14, to operate the auxiliary heater 18, and simultaneously to light a pilot lamp 11. By operating (generating heat) the auxiliary heater 18, the cold water CW in the cold water container 14 is heated to prepare the hot water (boiling water) to be used in sterilizing the inside of the cold water container 14. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a cold / hot water machine equipped with a storage container for cold water and hot water used for drinking, and capable of selectively supplying cold water and hot water.

  Cold and hot water machines that can selectively supply cold and hot water so that customers and employees can freely drink cold and hot water at various restaurants such as coffee shops and cafeterias, employee cafeterias and offices Is often installed. Conventional cold water heaters store water supplied from the outside in a cold water container having a cooling means and a hot water container having a heating means, respectively, from a hot water supply port and a cold water supply port provided on a front panel or the like. Hot and cold water can be poured into a cup.

  When the hot and cold water machine is used for a long period of time, the hot water container in a high temperature state is kept relatively clean, but in the cold water container, germs and the like may propagate and become unsanitary. When germs or the like propagate in the cold water container, the taste of the cold water may deteriorate or a bad odor may be produced.

  In view of this, recent cold / hot water machines have been proposed that include devices for sterilizing cold water containers, hot water containers, and piping systems by heat (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 06-48488 (page 3-6) JP-A-11-190577 (page 3-14)

  In the cold / hot water machine (drinking water dispenser) described in Patent Document 1, a heating sterilizer is configured by attaching a heater to a part of the piping system, a cold water tank, and a plurality of locations of the hot water tank. Is complicated and power consumption is large. In addition, as a safety measure during heat sterilization, the heater attached to the piping system must be covered with a heat insulating material, etc., so that the device tends to be large and complicated in order to secure a space for covering. is there.

  In the case of the cold / hot water machine (dispensing water dispenser) described in Patent Document 2, the heater is attached to the piping system because the piping system is sterilized by circulating the hot water in the hot water tank in the piping system. Although it is not necessary, it is necessary to arrange a circulation pump or a solenoid valve. For this reason, not only the apparatus becomes large and complicated, but also noise is generated from the circulating pump during the sterilization operation. Moreover, a low voltage direct current power supply (DC12V) is required as a power supply for the motor that drives the circulation pump.

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a cold / hot water machine having a simple structure, which does not generate noise during sterilization, and has an excellent sterilization function.

  When a chiller / hot water machine is used for a long period of time, the place where germs etc. are most likely to propagate is in the chilled water container, and in the piping system in which chilled water and hot water flow frequently and in the warm water tank where hot water is always stored, It has been empirically found that is unlikely to occur. The present invention has been made on the basis of such experience, and the cold / hot water machine of the present invention includes a cold water container having a cooling means and a hot water container having a heating means, and the inside of the cold water container is subjected to a certain selection operation. In the cold / hot water machine that supplies the cold water or the hot water in the hot water container, an auxiliary heating means for heating the cold water in the cold water container is provided.

  With such a configuration, when the sterilization of the cold water container is necessary, after the cooling means of the cold water container is deactivated, the auxiliary heating means is activated, and the cold water in the cold water container becomes hot water (hot water). As a result, the inside of the cold water container can be sterilized. It is only necessary to provide auxiliary heating means for heating the cold water in the cold water container, and piping for hot water circulation is unnecessary, so the structure is simple and no circulation pump is required, so noise during sterilization does not occur. Moreover, since the inside of the cold water container in which miscellaneous bacteria are most prone to breed can be intensively sterilized, an excellent sterilizing function is exhibited.

  Here, it is desirable to attach a heater to the bottom of the cold water container as the auxiliary heating means. With such a configuration, it is possible to heat the cold water stored in the cold water container from the vicinity of the bottom thereof, thereby generating a hot water flow circulating up and down in the cold water container. The inside can be sterilized evenly.

  On the other hand, it is also possible to provide an automatic control mechanism that automatically stops the cooling means when the auxiliary heating means is operated. Providing such an automatic control mechanism prevents the cooling means and the auxiliary heating means from operating at the same time, thereby preventing an overload accident of the cooling means.

(1) A cold water container having a cold water container having a cooling means and a hot water container having a heating means and heating the cold water in the cold water container in a cold water heater for supplying cold water in the cold water container or hot water in the hot water container by a certain selection operation. By providing the auxiliary heating means for this purpose, it is possible to obtain a cold / hot water machine that has a simple structure, does not generate noise during sterilization, and exhibits an excellent sterilization function.

(2) If a heater is attached to the bottom of the cold water container as the auxiliary heating means, a hot water flow that circulates up and down in the cold water container is generated, so that the inside of the cold water container can be sterilized evenly.

(3) If an automatic control mechanism that automatically stops the cooling means when the auxiliary heating means is operated is provided, the cooling means and the auxiliary heating means are not operated simultaneously. Can be prevented.

  Hereinafter, a hot and cold water machine according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front view showing a cold / hot water machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the cold / hot water machine shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the chiller / heater 1 according to the present embodiment is mounted in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped body portion 2 placed on a predetermined installation surface and detachably attached to the upper portion of the body portion 2 in an inverted state. It is comprised with the water supply container 3 made. In a concave space 6 provided in front of the main body 2, a hot water cock 4 for pouring hot water and a cold water cock 5 for pouring cold water are arranged. Operation levers 4a and 5a for opening and closing the respective cocks 4 and 5 are provided in a hanging state on the back portions of the hot water cock 4 and the cold water cock 5, respectively.

  When the operation levers 4a and 5a are not touched, the hot water cock 4 and the cold water cock 5 are in a closed state. When a cup or the like is pressed against one of the operation levers 4a and 5a and pressed to the back side, the hot water cock 4 or The cold water cock 5 is opened, and hot water or cold water is extracted from each of the cocks 4 and 5.

  The front cover 7 above the concave space 6 displays pilot lamps 8 and 9 for displaying the operating state of the chiller / heater 1, a switch 10 for performing a sterilization operation to be described later, and indicating that the sterilization operation is being performed. A pilot lamp 11 is arranged. A tray 12 for receiving and collecting water drops (hot water drops) falling or spilling from a cup when supplying hot water or water from the hot water cock 4 or the cold water cock 5 and a tray cover 12a covering the surface thereof are concave. It is arranged below the space 6. If both pilot lamps 8 and 9 are lit, both cold water and hot water can be supplied. If either one of the pilot lamps 8 and 9 is lit, only either cold water or hot water is supplied. It shows that it can be supplied.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the cold / hot water machine 1 of this embodiment is provided with the cold water container 14 which has the cooling means 13, the hot water container 16 which has the heating means 15, and the water supply container 3 which supplies water to the cold water container 14. The auxiliary heater 18 is provided as an auxiliary heating means for heating the cold water CW in the cold water container 14.

  By selecting and operating one of the operation levers 4a, 5a in the concave space 6 in front of the chilled / hot water machine 1, the chilled water CW in the chilled water container 14 is poured out from the chilled water cock 5 or in the hot water container 16 Hot water HW can be poured out from the hot water cock 4. In this case, the cold water CW in the cold water container 14 is discharged from the cold water cock 5 by the water pressure in the cold water container 14, and the hot water HW in the hot water container 16 is discharged from the hot water cock 4 by the water pressure in the hot water container 16. Therefore, a water supply pump is not necessary.

  The water supply container 3, the cold water container 14, and the hot water container 16 are arranged in series in this order from the vertical upper side to the vertical lower side. Therefore, the cold water CW in the cold water container 14 is automatically supplied from the spout 3a of the water supply container 3 mounted in an inverted state above the cold water container 14, and the hot water HW in the hot water container 16 is supplied to the cold water container 14. Is automatically supplied via the water supply pipe 17. In FIG. 2, the cold water cock 5 is drawn higher than the hot water cock 4, but in the actual cold water heater 1, as shown in FIG. 1, the cold water cock 5 and the hot water cock 4 have the same height. Is arranged.

  The spout 3a of the water supply container 3 is located at the same level as the water surface CWS of the cold water CW in the cold water container 14, and when the cold water CW in the cold water container 14 decreases and the water surface CWS falls below the spout 3a, the spout When air flows into the water supply container 3 from 3a and the water in the water supply container 3 is automatically supplied into the cold water container 14, the water surface CWS rises up to the spout 3a, so that the water from the water supply container 3 falls. Stops automatically.

  Similarly, the spout 17a of the water supply pipe 17 communicating with the cold water container 14 is located at the same level as the water surface HWS of the hot water HW in the hot water container 16, and the hot water HW in the hot water container 16 is reduced and the water surface HWS is reduced. When descending from the spout 17a, air flows into the cold water container 14 from the spout 17a, and the cold water CW in the cold water container 14 automatically flows into the hot water container 16 through the water supply pipe 17, thereby the water surface. When the HWS rises to the spout 17a, the inflow of the cold water CW from the cold water container 14 is automatically stopped.

  In addition, since the upper surface of the cold water container 14 is open to the atmosphere, if the upper surface of the hot water container 16 is open to the atmosphere, the cold water CW in the cold water container 14 passes through the water supply pipe 17 to the hot water container 16. It will flow in and the hot water container 16 will overflow. However, in the cold / hot water machine 1 of the present embodiment, the upper surface of the hot water container 16 is airtightly closed by the lid body 16a, and the portion where the water supply pipe 17 penetrates the lid body 16a is also kept airtight. Unless the water surface HWS of the hot water HW in the hot water container 16 falls below the spout 17 a of the water supply pipe 17, the cold water CW in the cold water container 14 does not flow into the hot water container 16 without permission.

  As described above, in the cold / hot water machine 1, the auxiliary heater 18 is provided as auxiliary heating means for heating the cold water CW in the cold water container 14. Accordingly, when sterilization in the cold water container 14 becomes necessary due to long-term use, etc., when the switch 10 is turned on, the control circuit 19 functions to automatically stop the operation of the cooling means 13 of the cold water container 14. When the auxiliary heater 18 is operated, the pilot lamp 11 is turned on at the same time. When the auxiliary heater 18 is activated (heated), the cold water CW in the cold water container 14 is heated to become hot water (hot water), so that the inside of the cold water container 14 can be sterilized.

  The chiller / heater 1 can be sterilized only by providing the auxiliary heater 18 for heating the chilled water CW in the chilled water container 14, and does not require piping for circulating hot water. It is simple, and the apparatus does not increase in size and complexity. Further, in the case of the chilled / hot water machine 1, the chilled / hot water machine (drinking water dispenser) shown in Patent Documents 1 and 2 does not require a circulating pump for circulating hot water, so that noise caused by the circulating pump also occurs during sterilization operation. No power is required for the circulation pump. Furthermore, since the inside of the cold water container 14 in which miscellaneous bacteria are most prone to breed can be intensively sterilized, an excellent sterilizing function is exhibited.

  As shown in FIG. 2, in the cold / hot water machine 1, since the auxiliary heater 18 is attached to the bottom of the cold water container 14, the cold water CW stored in the cold water container 14 can be heated from the vicinity of the bottom. it can. As a result, a hot water flow circulating up and down in the cold water container 14 can be generated, so that the inside of the cold water container 14 can be sterilized evenly.

  In the chiller / heater 1, the control circuit 19 is provided with an automatic control mechanism that automatically stops the cooling means 13 when the switch 10 for operating the auxiliary heater 18 is turned ON. For this reason, the cooling means 13 and the auxiliary heater 18 do not operate simultaneously, and an overload accident of the cooling means 13 can be prevented.

  When the switch 10 is turned on to sterilize the inside of the cold water container 14, a timer (not shown) incorporated in the control circuit 19 starts to operate, and when a preset sterilization operation time has elapsed, the auxiliary heater 18 Is automatically stopped and the cooling means 13 is automatically started. Therefore, when sterilization in the cold water container 14 is necessary, the sterilization operation is automatically started and stopped only by turning on the switch 10 and the normal operation of the cold / hot water machine 1 is automatically resumed. , Handling is very easy.

  For this reason, it is also possible to perform the sterilization operation in a so-called unattended state using the nighttime when the cold / hot water machine 1 is not used. Since the switch 10 after the ON operation can be turned OFF by manual operation, it is possible to quickly cope with a situation where it is desired to stop the sterilization operation for some reason.

  The cold / hot water machine of the present invention can be widely used in various restaurants such as a coffee shop and a cafeteria, an employee cafeteria, an office, and the like as a device that selectively supplies cold water and hot water for drinking.

It is a front view which shows the cold / hot water machine which is embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the cold / hot water machine shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cold / hot water machine 2 Main-body part 3 Water supply container 3a, 17a Outlet 4 Hot water cock 5 Cold water cock 4a, 5a Operation lever 6 Recessed space 7 Front cover 8, 9, 11 Pilot lamp 10 Switch 12 Tray 12a Tray cover 13 Cooling means 14 Cold water container 15 Heating means 16 Hot water container 16a Lid 17 Water supply pipe 18 Auxiliary heater 19 Control circuit CW Cold water HW Hot water CWS, HWS Water surface

Claims (3)

  A cold water container having a cold water container having a cooling means and a hot water container having a heating means, and supplying the cold water in the cold water container or the hot water in the hot water container by a certain selection operation, heating the cold water in the cold water container A hot and cold water machine characterized in that an auxiliary heating means is provided.   The cold / hot water machine of Claim 1 which attached the heater at the bottom part of the said cold water container as said auxiliary | assistant heating means.   The cold / hot water machine according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an automatic control mechanism that automatically stops the cooling means when the auxiliary heating means is operated.

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