JP2007195832A - Beverage dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a low-cost beverage dispenser with a low possibility of causing a disadvantage such as failure. <P>SOLUTION: The beverage dispenser includes: a water reservoir 4 for storing a predetermined amount of drinking water; a hot water tank 7 for storing hot water heated by a heater 9, and supplying the hot water every time coffee beverage is dispensed; a hot water-pressing/supplying device 20 for heating the hot water supplied from the hot water tank 7 and supplying the hot water as high temperature and high pressure water; a canister 15 for storing coffee beans and supplying the coffee beans every time the coffee beverage is dispensed; a mill 16 for milling the coffee beans supplied from the canister 15 into ground coffee beans; and a beverage dispensing device 17 for compressing the coffee beans ground by the mill 16, passing the high temperature and high pressure water supplied from the hot water-pressing/supplying device 20 through the compressed ground coffee beans, and dispensing the coffee beverage. A pipe 11 communicating with the hot water tank 7 and the hot water-pressing/supplying device 20 is provided with an inflow valve 12, and a pipe 13 communicating with the hot water-pressing/supplying device 20 and the beverage dispensing device 17 is provided with an outflow valve 14. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a beverage supply device that is provided in a cup-type beverage vending machine, a beverage dispenser, and the like and extracts and supplies a coffee beverage using ground coffee beans and hot water.

  Conventionally, the thing of patent document 1 with which the cup-type drink vending machine was equipped as this kind of drink supply apparatus is known. This beverage supply device extracts and supplies coffee beverages, a beverage extraction device for extracting coffee beverages, a raw material supply device and a hot water supply device for supplying a predetermined amount of ground coffee beans and hot water to the beverage extraction device, And a hot water supply pipe for supplying hot water from the hot water supply apparatus to the beverage extraction apparatus and a beverage pipe for supplying the coffee beverage extracted by the beverage extraction apparatus to the cup are connected. The beverage extraction device is provided with a cylinder having a raw material inlet opening upward, a reciprocating motion within the cylinder, a piston to which one end of a beverage pipe is connected, and a cylinder raw material inlet opening and closing. And a cap to which one end of the hot water supply pipe is connected. The hot water supply device has a hot water tank with a heater that heats and stores the supplied drinking water, and a hot water pump that feeds the hot water in the hot water tank to a predetermined high pressure (for example, 8 atm).

  In this beverage supply apparatus, coffee beverage is extracted and supplied as follows. First, a predetermined amount of ground coffee beans is supplied from the raw material supply device to the cylinder of the beverage extraction device via the raw material inlet. Next, after closing the raw material inlet with a cap, the piston is moved to the raw material inlet and the ground coffee beans are compressed. Then, the hot water pump is driven for a predetermined time to send hot water in the hot water tank to the hot water supply pipe, and a predetermined amount of hot water is supplied to the cylinder at a predetermined high pressure. In this way, by supplying high-pressure hot water to the ground coffee beans compressed in the cylinder, the coffee ingredients are dissolved in the hot water soaked in the ground coffee beans, and the coffee beverage is extracted, and the beverage piping is transferred to the cup. Supply.

As described above, the coffee beverage is extracted by supplying a predetermined high-pressure hot water to the cylinder of the beverage extraction device and dissolving the coffee component in the hot water permeated into the ground coffee beans. In order to supply such high-pressure hot water, a gear pump that rotates a pair of gears to supply high-pressure hot water and a suction valve and a discharge valve that reciprocate together with the electromagnetic plunger by the electromagnetic force of the electromagnetic coil. There is a method of supplying high-pressure hot water with an electromagnetic pump in which a piston functions as a pump.
JP 2001-23032 A

  However, when the beverage supply device is first installed and used for the first time, no hot water is introduced into the hot water pump, so that the hot water pump runs idle. There is a risk that the gear tooth surface may be abnormally worn by rotating the gear at a high speed in the absence of the gear. Also, in the case of an electromagnetic pump, the load applied to the piston is small unless hot water is introduced. Therefore, the electromagnetic plunger and the piston reciprocate at full stroke, and the spring that supports the piston that reciprocates with the electromagnetic plunger is unreasonable. Stretching is required, and an abnormal impact load is applied to the spring, which may cause damage. Thus, if abnormal wear of the gear tooth surface of the gear pump or damage to the spring supporting the piston that reciprocates with the electromagnetic plunger of the electromagnetic pump occurs, high pressure hot water can be supplied to the cylinder of the beverage extraction device. As a result, the beverage supply device cannot extract and supply the coffee beverage. In addition, since these gear pumps and electromagnetic pumps have a large number of components, the beverage supply device is expensive, and there is a risk that problems such as failure may occur.

  An object of this invention is to provide the drink supply apparatus with low possibility that malfunctions, such as a failure, arise at low cost in view of the said situation.

In order to achieve the above object, a beverage supply device according to claim 1 of the present invention is a beverage supply device that extracts and supplies a beverage using raw materials and hot water,
A raw material supply device for storing the raw material and supplying the raw material every time the beverage is extracted;
A hot water tank for storing hot water by installing a heater for heating drinking water and supplying hot water every time the beverage is extracted;
One end is closed, the opposite side is opened, and the cylinder is provided with an outlet for the hot water at the closed end, and the open side of the cylinder is closed so that the inside of the cylinder can be reciprocated. A hot water pressurizing and feeding device comprising: a sliding body, and a drive unit for reciprocating the sliding body;
A beverage extraction device for extracting a beverage using the raw material and hot water supplied from the raw material supply device and hot water pressure supply device;
It is characterized by having.

The beverage supply device according to claim 2 of the present invention is a beverage supply device that extracts and supplies a beverage using raw materials and hot water,
A raw material supply device for storing the raw material and supplying the raw material every time the beverage is extracted;
A hot water tank for storing hot water by installing a heater for heating drinking water and supplying hot water every time the beverage is extracted;
One end is closed, the opposite side is opened, and the cylinder is provided with an outlet for the hot water at the closed end, and the open side of the cylinder is closed so that the inside of the cylinder can be reciprocated. A hot water pressurizing and supplying device comprising: a sliding body, a drive unit for reciprocating the sliding body, and a heater for heating the hot water flowing into the cylindrical body;
A beverage extraction device for compressing the raw material supplied from the raw material supply device, and extracting the beverage by passing the hot water supplied from the hot water pressure supply device to the compressed raw material;
It is characterized by having.

A beverage supply device according to claim 3 of the present invention is the beverage supply device according to claim 1 or 2 described above, wherein an inflow valve is provided in a pipe line connecting the hot water tank and the hot water outlet / inlet of the cylindrical body. An outflow valve is provided in a pipe line connecting the hot water outflow inlet and the beverage extraction device,
The inflow valve is a check valve that allows the flow of hot water flowing into the cylinder, and automatically closes the passage against the reverse flow, and the outflow valve allows the flow of hot water flowing out of the cylinder. The check valve automatically closes the passage against the reverse flow.

A beverage supply device according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the beverage supply device according to the first or second aspect described above, wherein the pipe lines communicating the hot water tank, the beverage extraction device, and the hot water outlet / inlet of the cylindrical body intersect. With a three-way valve
When sucking hot water into the hot water pressure supply device, the pipe connecting the hot water tank and the hot water outlet is opened, and the pipe connecting the hot water outlet and the beverage extraction device is closed,
When hot water is supplied from the hot water pressure supply device to the beverage extraction device, a pipe connecting the hot water tank and the hot water outlet is closed, and a pipe connecting the hot water outlet and the beverage extraction device The three-way valve is opened and closed so as to open the valve.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the raw material supply device, the hot water tank, the cylindrical body which closes one end and opens the opposite side and has the hot water outflow inlet at the closed end, and the open side of the cylindrical body A hot water pressurizing and feeding device comprising a sliding body disposed so as to be reciprocally movable inside the cylinder and a reciprocating movement of the sliding body, and a beverage for extracting a beverage using raw materials and hot water Since the beverage supply device is configured with the extraction device, it is possible to realize a beverage supply device that is less likely to cause problems such as failure at low cost.

  According to the invention of claim 2, the raw material supply device, the hot water tank, the cylinder having one end closed and the opposite side opened, and the closed end provided with a hot water outflow inlet, Hot water pressurizing supply comprising a sliding body disposed so as to reciprocate inside the cylindrical body with the open side closed, a drive unit for reciprocating the sliding body, and a heater for heating the hot water flowing into the cylindrical body Since the beverage supply device is composed of the apparatus and the beverage extraction device that extracts the beverage by compressing the raw material and passing the hot water supplied from the hot water pressure supply device to the compressed raw material, the espresso coffee beverage is extracted. It is possible to supply high-temperature and high-pressure hot water suitable for the espresso coffee beverage supply device at low cost and with a low possibility of failure.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, the pipe that communicates the hot water tank with the hot water outlet / inlet of the cylindrical body is allowed to flow of hot water flowing into the cylindrical body, and the passage is automatically provided for reverse flow. An inflow valve, which is a check valve that is closed, is allowed to flow in the pipe that connects the hot water outlet / outlet of the cylindrical body and the beverage extraction device. Since an outflow valve, which is a check valve that closes, is provided, hot water supply from the hot water tank and from the hot water supply device to the beverage extraction device can be realized at low cost, possibly causing problems such as malfunctions. Can be lowered.

  According to the invention of claim 4, when the three-way valve is provided at a position where the pipe connecting the hot water tank and beverage extracting device and the hot water outflow inlet of the cylindrical body intersects, and hot water is sucked into the hot water pressure supply device Open the pipe that connects the hot water tank and the hot water outflow inlet, close the pipe that connects the hot water outflow inlet and the beverage extraction device, and supply hot water from the hot water pressure supply device to the beverage extraction device, The three-way valve is opened and closed so that the pipe connecting the hot water tank and the hot water outflow inlet is closed and the pipe connecting the hot water outflow inlet and the beverage extractor is opened. Thus, a three-way valve is provided at a position where the pipes communicating the hot water tank and the beverage extraction device and the hot water outlet / outlet of the cylinder intersect, and the hot water pressure supply device from the hot water tank and the beverage extraction device from the hot water pressure supply device When hot water is supplied, the beverage supply device can be made at low cost and less likely to have problems such as failure.

Exemplary embodiments of a beverage supply device according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. This beverage supply device is provided in a cup-type beverage vending machine, a beverage dispenser, and the like, and extracts and supplies a coffee beverage using ground coffee beans and hot water.
(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a beverage supply apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. As shown in the figure, this beverage supply device 1 stores a water reservoir 4 that stores a predetermined amount (for example, 800 cc) of drinking water and a heater 9 that heats the drinking water, stores heated hot water, and coffee. For each beverage extraction, a hot water tank 7 that supplies hot water, a hot water pressure supply device 20 that heats the hot water supplied from the hot water tank 7 and supplies it as hot water of high temperature and pressure, stores coffee beans, and extracts coffee beverages. Each time, the canister 15 that supplies coffee beans, the mill 16 that grinds the coffee beans supplied from the canister 15 to make coffee ground beans, the coffee ground beans that are ground by the mill 16 are compressed, and the compressed coffee ground beans And a beverage extractor 17 for extracting a coffee beverage by passing high-temperature and high-pressure hot water supplied from the hot-water pressure supply device 20. In addition, an inflow valve 12 is provided in the pipe line 11 that communicates the hot water tank 7 and the hot water pressurization supply device 20, and an outflow valve 14 is provided in the pipe line 13 that communicates the hot water pressurization supply apparatus 20 and the beverage extraction device 17. ing. The inflow valve 12 is a check valve that permits the flow of hot water flowing from the hot water tank 7 into the hot water pressure supply device 20 and automatically closes the passage against the reverse flow, and the outflow valve 14 is from the hot water pressure supply device 20. It is a check valve that permits the flow of hot water flowing out to the beverage extraction device 17 and automatically closes the passage against the reverse flow.

  When the water inlet valve (solenoid valve) 3 is opened, the drinking water is supplied from the water tap 2 to the water reservoir 4. The water reservoir 4 is provided with a float switch 5 that detects the water level and outputs a water level signal to a control unit (not shown). When the water reservoir 4 reaches the lower limit water level, the water inlet valve 3 is opened to supply water. When the upper limit water level is reached, the water inlet valve 3 is closed to stop water supply.

  The hot water tank 7 is provided with a float switch 8 that detects the water level and outputs a water level signal to the control unit. When the hot water in the hot water tank 7 reaches the lower limit water level, the water pump 6 is driven to the water reservoir 4. The stored drinking water is supplied, and when the upper limit water level is reached, the water pump 6 is stopped to stop water supply. The drinking water supplied to the hot water tank 7 is heated by the heater 9 (for example, 95 ° C.), and hot water is supplied when the hot water supply valve (solenoid valve) 10 is opened.

  For example, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 11 of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-23032, the beverage extraction device 17 is provided with a cylinder having a raw material inlet opening upward and reciprocally movable in the cylinder. In addition, a coffee pipe having one end of a beverage pipe connected thereto, a cap for opening and closing a cylinder raw material inlet, and a pipe connected to one end of the pipe are supplied from the canister 15 and ground by a mill 16 When the ground beans are supplied from the raw material inlet of the cylinder, the cylinder raw material inlet is closed with a cap, and then the piston is raised to compress the ground coffee beans, and hot hot water supplied from the hot water pressure supply device 20 is supplied. The espresso coffee beverage from which the coffee grounds are extracted by passing this compressed ground coffee beans from the pipe line 13 through the outflow valve 14 is supplied to the beverage pipe 18. Pour into a cup C.

  FIG. 2 shows a side sectional view of the hot water pressure supply device 20. The hot water pressure supply device 20 has a closed end 21a closed at one end, an open end 21b open at the opposite side, a tubular body 21 provided with a hot water outflow inlet 22 at the closed end 21a, and an opening of the tubular body 21 A sliding body 23 that is closed so as to reciprocate inside the cylinder body 21 by closing the end 21b, a drive unit (for example, a motor provided with a speed reduction mechanism) 24 that reciprocates the sliding body 23, and the cylinder body 21 A heater 25 that heats the inflowing hot water, and the hot water outflow inlet 22 communicates with the pipe 11 through the inflow valve 12 and the pipe 13 through the outflow valve 14. The sliding body 23 has an O-ring 23 a that functions to prevent hot water from leaking from the gap with the inner surface of the cylindrical body 21. Further, the drive unit 24 reciprocates the sliding body 23 on the inner surface of the cylindrical body 21 by the crank mechanism 24a.

  The hot water suction and supply operation of the hot water pressure supply apparatus 20 in the above configuration will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 3 (a), the hot water pressure supply device 20 stops the sliding body 23 on the open end 21b side of the cylindrical body 21, and the hot water flowing into the cylindrical body 21 is as shown in FIG. Heated by the heater 25 (for example, 98 ° C.). Then, when the supply of the coffee beverage is instructed, the coffee beans ground by the mill 16 from the coffee beans supplied from the canister 15 are supplied to the beverage extraction device 17, and a signal is output from the control unit to the drive unit 24. Then, the drive unit 24 rotates the crank 24a by 180 degrees (in the direction of the arrow in the drawing), and moves the sliding body 23 toward the closed end 21a of the cylindrical body 21 as shown in FIG. When the sliding body 23 moves to the closed end 21 a side, a certain amount of hot water stored in the cylindrical body 21 and stored at a high temperature (the amount necessary to extract the coffee beverage once) is pressurized from the hot water inlet / outlet 22. , Flows through the outlet valve 14 and is supplied to the beverage extractor 17, and a coffee beverage obtained by extracting coffee components from the ground coffee beans is supplied and poured into the cup C from the beverage pipe 18. When this high temperature and high pressure hot water is supplied from the hot water pressure supply device 20 to the beverage extraction device 17, the inflow valve 12, which is a check valve, is provided in the pipe line 11. The passage is closed and hot water is prevented from flowing back toward the hot water tank 7. When the supply of high-temperature and high-pressure hot water from the hot-water pressure supply device 20 to the beverage extraction device 17 is completed in this way, the hot-water supply valve 10 is opened, and the drive unit 24 is driven and slid as shown in FIG. When the moving body 23 is moved from the closed end 21 a side to the open end 21 b side of the cylindrical body 21, hot water stored in the hot water tank 7 and heated by the heater 9 is sucked into the cylindrical body 21. And as shown to Fig.3 (a), the sliding body 23 is moved to the open end 21b side of the cylinder 21, and stopped, the hot water which flowed in the cylinder 21 is heated with the heater 25, and the next coffee drink Prepare for supply instructions.

  As described above, the closed end 21a with one end closed, the open end 21b with the opposite side opened, and the tubular body 21 provided with the hot water outlet 22 at the closed end 21a, and the open end 21b of the tubular body 21 Hot water pressure supply for supplying high temperature and high pressure hot water to the beverage extraction device 17 by a sliding body 23 which is disposed so as to reciprocate within the cylindrical body 21 and a drive unit 24 which reciprocates the sliding body 23. Since the apparatus 20 is configured, it is possible to provide a beverage supply apparatus that is less likely to cause a malfunction such as a failure at a low cost. Furthermore, since the heater 25 for heating the hot water flowing into the cylindrical body 21 is provided and the hot water supplied from the hot water tank 7 is reheated by the heater 25, high temperature and high pressure suitable for extracting espresso coffee beverages. An espresso coffee beverage supply device that can supply hot water and is less likely to cause malfunctions at low cost can be realized.

The hot water stored in the hot water tank 7 is stored at a temperature (for example, 80 ° C.) lower than the conventional temperature (for example, 95 ° C.) and heated by the heater 25 provided in the hot water pressure supply device 20. May be supplied to the beverage extraction device 17. As described above, when the hot water in the hot water tank 7 storing a large amount of hot water is set to a low temperature, energy loss due to heat radiation from the outer wall of the hot water tank 7 can be reduced. Further, a non-return check that permits the flow of hot water flowing into the cylindrical body 21 and automatically closes the passage against the reverse flow in the pipe line 11 that communicates the hot water tank 7 and the hot water outlet 22 of the cylindrical body 21. The inflow valve 12, which is a valve, is allowed to flow in the hot water flowing out from the cylindrical body 21 in the pipe line 13 that communicates the hot water outlet / outlet 22 of the cylindrical body 21 and the beverage extraction device 17, and is automatically adapted to reverse flow. Since the outflow valve 14 which is a check valve for closing the passage is provided, the hot water supply from the hot water tank 7 to the hot water pressure supply device 20 and the hot water pressure supply device 20 to the beverage extraction device 17 can be realized at low cost. It is possible to reduce the possibility of malfunctions such as failure. Furthermore, if the stop position angle of the crank 24a at the time of drink supply standby is changed, the amount of hot water stored in the cylinder 21 can be changed, and the amount of hot water supplied to the beverage extraction device 17 can be changed.
(Embodiment 2)
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the first embodiment, the pipe 11 that connects the hot water tank 7 and the hot water outlet / inlet 22 of the cylindrical body 21 is allowed to flow of hot water flowing into the cylindrical body 21, and automatically passes against the reverse flow. The pipe 13 connecting the hot water outlet / outlet 22 of the cylindrical body 21 and the beverage extraction device 17 is allowed to allow the flow of hot water flowing out of the cylindrical body 21 to reverse flow. On the other hand, the beverage supply device 1 is configured by providing the outflow valve 14 which is a check valve that automatically closes the passage. In the beverage supply device 30 of the second embodiment, the hot water tank 7 and the beverage extraction device 17 are provided. When the three-way valve 31 is provided at a position where the pipes 11 and 13 communicating with the hot water outflow inlet 22 of the cylindrical body 21 intersect, and hot water is sucked into the hot water pressure supply device 20, the hot water tank 7 and the hot water outflow inlet 22 are provided. The pipe 11 that communicates with the hot water outlet 22 and the beverage extractor 17 When the pipe 13 is closed and hot water is supplied from the hot water pressure supply device 20 to the beverage extraction device 17, the pipe 11 connecting the hot water tank 7 and the hot water outlet 22 is closed, and the hot water outlet 22 and the beverage are supplied. The three-way valve 31 is opened and closed so that the pipe line 13 communicating with the extraction device 17 is opened. When the three-way valve 31 is provided in this manner and hot water is supplied from the hot water tank 7 to the hot water pressurizing and supplying device 20 and from the hot water pressurizing and supplying device 20 to the beverage extracting device 17, the beverage supply device 30 is reduced in cost, etc. It is possible to reduce the possibility of occurrence of defects.

It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the drink supply apparatus by Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a sectional side view of the hot water pressurization supply apparatus of the drink supply apparatus shown in FIG. It is a conceptual diagram which shows operation | movement of the hot water pressurization supply apparatus shown in FIG. It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the drink supply apparatus by Embodiment 2 of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Beverage supply apparatus 4 Water reservoir 6 Water pump 7 Hot water tank 9 Heater 10 Hot water supply valve 11 Pipe line 12 Inflow valve 13 Pipe line 14 Outflow valve 15 Canister 16 Mill 17 Beverage extraction apparatus 18 Beverage pipe 20 Hot water pressurization supply apparatus 30 Beverage supply apparatus 31 3-way valve C cup

Claims (4)

A beverage supply device that extracts and supplies beverages using raw materials and hot water,
A raw material supply device for storing the raw material and supplying the raw material every time the beverage is extracted;
A hot water tank for storing hot water by installing a heater for heating drinking water and supplying hot water every time the beverage is extracted;
One end is closed, the opposite side is opened, and the cylinder is provided with an outlet for the hot water at the closed end, and the open side of the cylinder is closed so that the inside of the cylinder can be reciprocated. A hot water pressurizing and feeding device comprising: a sliding body, and a drive unit for reciprocating the sliding body;
A beverage extraction device for extracting a beverage using the raw material and hot water supplied from the raw material supply device and hot water pressure supply device;
A beverage supply device comprising: A beverage supply device that extracts and supplies beverages using raw materials and hot water,
A raw material supply device for storing the raw material and supplying the raw material every time the beverage is extracted;
A hot water tank for storing hot water by installing a heater for heating drinking water and supplying hot water every time the beverage is extracted;
One end is closed, the opposite side is opened, and the cylinder is provided with an outlet for the hot water at the closed end, and the open side of the cylinder is closed so that the inside of the cylinder can be reciprocated. A hot water pressurizing and supplying device comprising: a sliding body, a drive unit for reciprocating the sliding body, and a heater for heating the hot water flowing into the cylindrical body;
A beverage extraction device for compressing the raw material supplied from the raw material supply device, and extracting the beverage by passing the hot water supplied from the hot water pressure supply device to the compressed raw material;
A beverage supply device comprising: An inflow valve is provided in a pipe line that communicates the hot water tank and the hot water outflow inlet of the cylindrical body, and an outflow valve is provided in a pipe line that communicates the hot water outflow inlet of the cylindrical body and the beverage extraction device,
The inflow valve is a check valve that permits the flow of hot water flowing into the cylinder, and automatically closes the passage against the reverse flow, and the outflow valve allows the flow of hot water to flow out of the cylinder. The beverage supply device according to claim 1, wherein the beverage supply device is a check valve that automatically closes the passage against a reverse flow. A three-way valve is provided at a position where pipes communicating the hot water tank and the beverage extraction device and the hot water outflow inlet of the cylindrical body intersect,
When sucking hot water into the hot water pressure supply device, the pipe connecting the hot water tank and the hot water outlet is opened, and the pipe connecting the hot water outlet and the beverage extraction device is closed,
When hot water is supplied from the hot water pressure supply device to the beverage extraction device, a pipe connecting the hot water tank and the hot water outlet is closed, and a pipe connecting the hot water outlet and the beverage extraction device The beverage supply device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the three-way valve is opened and closed so as to open the mouth.

Images