JP2007181479A - Coffee maker - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To refrigerate coffee liquid easily and in short time by using the Peltier effect. <P>SOLUTION: In the coffee maker, a funnel-shaped basket 3 for holding a filter 30 for filtering coffee powder 60, a coffee cup storage part 50 located below and apart from the basket 3, a guide passage disposed between an outlet 3a of the basket 3 and the cup storage part 50 for meanderingly guiding coffee liquid 61 extracted from the basket 3 to the cup storage part 50, a radiating means 11 attached to the guide passage and a refrigerating means composed of a Peltier element 20 attached to the cup storage part 50 are stored in one casing 5. The coffee maker is structured to refrigerate the coffee liquid 61 extracted from the basket part 3 in a first stage in the meandering guide passage and refrigerate the coffee liquid 61 in a second stage thereafter in the cup storage part 50. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a coffee maker that supplies hot water to coffee powder to extract coffee liquid and cool it to produce iced coffee.

Conventional ice coffee makers are very inconvenient because a large amount of ice must be used to cool the extracted coffee liquid. There are also coffee makers that are electrically cooled, but they require equipment such as a compressor and a condenser. Accordingly, an iced coffee maker is also known that uses a Peltier element to cool the coffee liquid in order to reduce the size and noise (see Patent Document 1). However, the extracted coffee liquor is so hot that it takes a long time to cool with only the Peltier element.
JP 10-75892 A

  Then, the problem which this invention tends to solve is providing the coffee maker which can cool a coffee liquid easily and for a short time using the Peltier effect.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, a coffee maker according to the present invention has a funnel-like basket that holds a filter for filtering coffee powder, and a coffee cup housing portion that is provided at a position below the basket and away from it. A guide path that is arranged between the outlet part of the basket and the cup storage part and guides the coffee liquid extracted from the basket to the cup storage part while meandering, a heat radiation means attached to the guide path, and a cup storage The cooling means comprising a Peltier element attached to the part is housed in one housing, and the coffee liquid extracted from the basket part is cooled in the first stage by the meandering guide path and then cooled in the second stage in the cup housing part. It was configured as follows.

  Preferably, the meandering guide path has a groove shape meandering to the cooling block in a planar shape, and a heat radiating fin is joined to the cooling block.

  More preferably, a cooling fan is provided for exhausting heat by blowing air to the heat radiation means attached to the heat radiation side of the Peltier element and the induction path.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention is configured to cool the coffee liquid in two stages. In the first stage cooling, the coffee liquid is meandered through the induction path to dissipate heat, and in the second stage cooling, the Peltier element is used to cool to a predetermined temperature. Therefore, since the hot coffee liquid is cooled not only in the Peltier element but also in two stages, it is possible to efficiently produce ice coffee at a desired temperature in a short time.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a coffee maker according to the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings.

  1A and 1B show a coffee maker according to the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is an external perspective view, and FIG. 1B is a partial perspective view of a state in which a cup housing portion is opened. 2A and 2B show the internal structure of the coffee maker, where FIG. 2A is an overall cross-sectional view, and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II of FIG. 3A and 3B show the first cooling block, in which FIG. 3A is a plan view and FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG. FIG. 4 shows the first cooling means of another embodiment, (a) is a plan view and (b) is a partial perspective view.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the coffee maker of the present invention includes a housing 5. As shown in FIG. 2A, the hot water supply means 4 is provided on the inner upper side of the housing 5. The hot water supply means 4 includes a water storage tank 40. The water storage tank 40 stores water 62 for coffee. The housing 5 has a tank lid 63 for opening and closing the upper opening of the water storage tank 40, and the water for coffee 62 is supplied into the water storage tank 40 by opening the tank lid 63.

  As shown in FIG. 2A, a funnel-shaped basket 3 is provided on the inner upper side of the housing 5. In the funnel-shaped basket 3, a filter 30 for filtration is held in the basket. The funnel-shaped basket 3 is provided with a large number of pleats on the inner wall surface of the basket. Coffee powder 60 is set in the filter 30. As shown in FIG. 1A, the funnel-shaped basket 3 is provided so as to be rotatable and detachable with respect to the housing 5. The funnel-shaped basket 3 is rotated and detached, and the basket 3 is washed and the filter 30 and the coffee powder 60 are taken in and out.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the hot water supply means 4 includes a hot water supply pipe 41. The inflow end of the hot water supply pipe 41 is connected to the water storage tank 40. The hot water supply pipe 41 is provided with a heater 42 on the way. The outflow end of the hot water supply pipe 41 is disposed above the funnel-shaped basket 3. Then, the coffee water 62 in the water storage tank 40 is heated by the heater 42 through the hot water supply pipe 41 and boiled at regular intervals, and hot water is supplied to the funnel-shaped basket 3. The heater 42 is attached to the water storage tank 40 and can directly heat the coffee water 62 in the water storage tank 40. The supplied hot water 62 passes through the coffee powder 60 and is filtered by the filter 30 to be extracted as the coffee liquid 61 from the opening 3 a at the bottom of the funnel-shaped basket 3.
Further, the hot water supply means 4 is not provided, and hot water can be directly supplied to the funnel-shaped basket 3 to extract the coffee liquid 61.

  As shown in FIG. 2 (a), the housing 5 is provided with a first cooling means 1 at the inner central portion and a second cooling means 2 at the inner lower portion. The coffee liquid 61 extracted from the funnel basket 3 is cooled in the order of the first cooling means to the second cooling means 2. The first cooling means 1 includes a first cooling block 10. The 1st cooling block 10 is comprised, for example with the flat plate block made from aluminum. As shown in FIG. 3A, the first cooling block 10 is provided with a guide path 10a that meanders in a planar shape. As shown in FIG. 3B, the guide path 10 a is provided in a groove shape on the upper surface of the first cooling block 10. As shown in FIG. 2A, the first cooling block 10 is provided to be inclined downward from the funnel-shaped basket 3.

  The first cooling means 1 includes first radiating fins 11. The first heat radiating fins 11 are joined to the lower part of the first cooling block 10 as shown in FIG. The coffee liquid 61 discharged from the funnel-shaped basket 3 falls to the guide path 10a of the first cooling block 10, and passes through the guide path 10a while meandering. Thereby, the coffee liquid 61 is cooled by the heat radiation action of the first cooling block 10 and the first heat radiation fin 11. The coffee liquid 61 of about 75 to 85 degrees is cooled to about 30 to 40 degrees by the first cooling means 1. Since the first cooling block 10 is inclined toward the second cooling means 2, the cooled coffee liquid 61 is guided to the second cooling means 2. The surface of the first cooling block 10 is preferably subjected to an alumite treatment or a fluorine processing treatment to prevent oxidation or the like.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the housing 5 includes a cup housing portion 50 at the lower portion. The cup housing part 50 has a handle part 50a. As shown in FIG. 1B, the cup housing portion 50 is configured to be able to rotate by grasping the handle portion 50a. The cup housing part 50 holds a cup 51 for containing the coffee liquid 61. And the cup accommodating part 50 is rotated and the cup 51 is withdrawn / inserted.

  As shown in FIG. 2A, the second cooling unit 2 includes a Peltier element 20. The second cooling means 2 includes a second cooling block 21. The second cooling block 21 is provided inside the cup housing portion 50 and is configured to contact or approach the cup 51. The lower part of the second cooling block 21 is joined to the Peltier element 20. The second cooling means 2 includes, for example, second radiating fins 22 made of aluminum. The second heat radiating fins 22 are joined to the lower part of the Peltier element 20. By passing an electric current through the Peltier element 20, the second cooling block 21 absorbs heat, and the second radiation fin 22 generates heat. Further, since the temperature inside the cup 51 becomes higher, the coffee liquid 61 in the cup 51 can be effectively cooled by joining the Peltier element 20 to the upper part of the second cooling block 21. The second cooling block 21 can prevent oxidation or the like by subjecting the surface to alumite treatment or fluorine processing. Furthermore, since the periphery of the 2nd cooling block 21 can be thermally insulated by making the cup accommodating part 50 into a heat insulating material or performing a heat insulation process, reducing the influence of ambient temperature and improving the cooling effect of the 2nd cooling block 21. Can do.

  A cooling fan 23 is provided below the second radiation fin 22. The cooling fan 23 is composed of, for example, an axial fan and blows upward. As shown in FIG. 2B, the second heat dissipating fin 22 has a plurality of fin portions 22a projecting downward through a gap portion 22b having a predetermined interval. The fin part 22a is extended in the left-right direction of Fig.2 (a). The first heat dissipating fins 11 are similarly configured, and fin portions (not shown) are provided in the same direction. The air blown from the cooling fan 23 is sent from the left side to the right side through the gap portion 22b of the second radiating fin 22 as shown by the arrow direction f1 in FIG. It is sent from the left side to the right side through the section (not shown). And the ventilation of the cooling fan 23 is sent outside through the outlet 52 provided in the housing 5.

  Therefore, since the ventilation of the cooling fan 23 further exhausts heat from the first heat radiation fins 11 and the second heat radiation fins 22, the cooling capacity of the first cooling means 1 and the second cooling means 2 can be improved. As a result, the coffee liquid 61 guided into the cup 51 from the guide path 10a is secondarily cooled and lowered to about 15 degrees. As described above, the coffee is cooled in a short time without being diluted with ice, and delicious iced coffee can be made.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the first cooling means 1 may be a radiator system including a meandering pipe-shaped guide path 10 a and fins 11 for cooling the coffee liquid 61 passing through the guide path 10 a. The fins 11 are provided so as to extend substantially at right angles to the guide path 10a and are arranged in parallel. The fin 11 may be formed in a wave shape, and any method may be used as long as heat exchange can be performed. Further, the first cooling means 1 may have a meandering guide path accommodated in a water tank.
By providing a conversion means for converting the current direction to the Peltier element, it is possible to keep the coffee liquid in the cup warm and make hot coffee in winter.

The coffee maker which concerns on this invention is shown, (a) is an external appearance perspective view, (b) is a partial perspective view of the state which opened the cup accommodating part. The internal structure of a coffee maker is shown, (a) is whole sectional drawing, (b) is the II sectional view taken on the line of (a). The 1st cooling block is shown, (a) is a top view, (b) is the II-II sectional view taken on the line of (a). The 1st cooling means of another Example is shown, (a) is a top view, (b) is a partial perspective view.

Explanation of symbols

3 funnel-shaped basket 10 first cooling block 10a guide path 11 first heat radiation fin 20 Peltier element 23 cooling fan 30 filter 50 cup housing part 60 coffee powder 61 coffee liquid

Claims (3)

  A funnel-shaped basket for holding a filter for filtering coffee powder, a coffee cup storage portion provided at a position below the basket and away from the basket, and an outlet portion of the basket and a cup storage portion. A guide path that guides the coffee liquid extracted from the basket to the cup housing portion while meandering, a heat dissipating means attached to the guide path, and a cooling means comprising a Peltier element attached to the cup housing portion, A coffee maker configured to be stored in a single casing and cooled in the first stage of a coffee liquid extracted from a basket portion through a meandering guide path and then cooled in a second stage in a cup storage portion.   2. The coffee maker according to claim 1, wherein the meandering guide path has a groove shape meandering in a plane with the cooling block, and a heat radiating fin is joined to the cooling block.   The coffee maker according to claim 1, further comprising a cooling fan that exhausts heat by blowing air to a heat radiating side of the Peltier element and a heat radiating means attached to the guide path.

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