JP2009198147A - Beverage providing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a beverage providing device capable of preventing freezing of cooling water 41 in a periphery of a cold water coil 63 without using an agitator. <P>SOLUTION: A cooling coil 54 of a cooler 43 cooling the cooling water 41, and the cold water coil 63 of a cold water extraction conduit 44 extracting cold water are concentrically arranged in a cooling water tank 42 storing the cooling water 41. A cooling water circulation passage 66 circulating the cooling water 41 of the cooling water tank 42 is provided in a raw material cooler 33 cooling a raw material supply part. By the cooling water circulation passage 66, the cooling water 41 is taken out from a water intake 67 provided in a bottom face of the cooling water tank 42 and in an inner position of the cooling coil 54 and the cold water coil 63, and via the raw material cooler 33, it is returned into the cooling water tank 42 from a return port 68 provided in a top face of the cooling water tank 42 and in an inner side position of the cooling coil 54 and the cold water coil 63. A stream is generated in the cooling water 41 by circulation of the cooling water 41 by the cooling water circulation passage 66, and freezing of the cooling water 41 in the periphery of the cold water coil 63 is prevented. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a beverage providing apparatus that provides a cold beverage.

  Conventionally, for example, in tea dispensers and cup-type beverage vending machines that pour beverages into cups, raw materials and cold water are supplied into the mixing balls and cups, and the raw materials are mixed in the mixing balls and cups. A cold beverage is provided by stirring and mixing with cold water.

  In order to cool room temperature water and pour it out as cold water, a configuration of a cooling unit employing an ice bank system is known. In this ice bank type cooling unit, the cooling coil of the refrigeration circuit and the cooling water coil through which the water passes are arranged concentrically in the cooling water stored in the cooling water tank, and around the cooling coil by the operation of the refrigeration circuit. The ice layer is iced, cooling water is cooled by this ice layer, and cold water is obtained by heat exchange between the cooling water and water passing through the cooling coil using the cooling water as a medium. In addition, if the cooling water freezes around the chilled water coil, heat exchange using the cooling water as a medium becomes difficult and cooling efficiency decreases. Therefore, the agitator disposed in the cooling water inside the cooling coil and the chilled water coil. Is rotated by an agitator motor to generate a water flow in the cooling water to prevent the cooling water from freezing.

Moreover, in addition to the raw material supply part which supplies a raw material, the raw material cooling unit which cools this raw material supply part and maintains the freshness of a raw material may be provided. In this raw material cooling unit, a raw material cooler is disposed in the vicinity of the raw material supply unit, the raw material cooler and the cooling water tank are connected by a cooling water circulation path, a circulation pump is provided in the cooling water circulation path, and the operation of the circulation pump Thus, the cooling water in the cooling water tank is taken out and circulated so as to return to the cooling water tank through the raw material cooler, and the raw material supply unit is cooled by the raw material cooler. The end portion provided with the water intake port and the end portion provided with the return port of the cooling water circulation path are arranged in the cooling water from the upper part of the cooling water tank (for example, refer to Patent Document 1).
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-6783 (page 2-7, Fig. 1-2)

  Conventionally, in order to prevent the cooling water from freezing around the cold water coil, an agitator and an agitator motor have been required, but these are expensive parts, and the agitator motor is continuously rotated. Therefore, there is a problem that much power consumption is required.

  In addition, when the raw material cooling unit is provided, the cooling water in the cooling water tank is circulated through the cooling water circulation path, so that water flow is generated in the cooling water, but consideration is given to preventing the cooling water from freezing around the cooling water coil. Was not.

  This invention is made | formed in view of such a point, and it aims at providing the drink provision apparatus which can prevent that cooling water freezes around a cold water coil, without using an agitator.

  The beverage providing apparatus according to claim 1 has a cooling water tank for storing cooling water and a cooling coil formed in a coil shape, and the cooling coil is disposed in the cooling water of the cooling water tank to cool the cooling water. A cooling means and a cold water coil formed in a coil shape are disposed in the cooling water of the cooling water tank together with the cooling coil to cool the water passing through the inside by heat exchange with the cooling water. Cold water extraction pipe to be poured out, raw material supply part for supplying raw material, raw material cooler for cooling the raw material supply part with the cooling water, bottom surface of the cooling water tank, the cooling coil and the cold water coil The cooling water is taken out from the water intake provided at the inner position of the cooling water and returned to the cooling water tank through the raw material cooler from the upper surface of the cooling water tank and the return opening provided at the inner position of the cooling coil and the cooling water coil. A circulation passage, in which is provided a circulation pump for circulating the cooling water in the cooling water circulation passage.

  The beverage providing device according to claim 2 is the beverage providing device according to claim 1, wherein the return port is located immediately above the water intake port of the cooling water circulation path.

  The beverage providing device according to claim 3 is the beverage providing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the return port of the cooling water circulation path is located above the water level of the cooling water in the cooling water tank.

  According to the beverage providing apparatus of claim 1, the cooling water is taken out from the water intake provided at the bottom of the cooling water tank and at the inner side of the cooling coil and the cooling water coil by the cooling water circulation path of the raw material cooler for cooling the raw material, By returning to the cooling water tank from the return port provided on the upper surface side of the cooling water tank and inside the cooling coil and the cooling water coil through the raw material cooler, a water flow equivalent to the case of using the agitator is generated in the cooling water. It is also possible to prevent the cooling water from freezing around the cold water coil without using the agitator by using the raw material cooling function.

  According to the beverage providing device of claim 2, in addition to the effect of the beverage providing device of claim 1, the return port is located directly above the intake port of the cooling water circulation path, so that it occurs in the cooling water. The water flow can be strengthened, and the effect of preventing freezing of cooling water can be enhanced.

  According to the beverage providing device according to claim 3, in addition to the effect of the beverage providing device according to claim 1 or 2, the return port of the cooling water circulation path is located above the water level of the cooling water in the cooling water tank. The cooling water falls from the return port to the water surface, the water flow generated in the cooling water can be strengthened, and the cooling water freezing prevention effect can be enhanced.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 3 shows a tea machine 11 as a beverage providing device. The tea machine 11 has a tea machine body 12 and a door body 13 that can be opened and closed on the front surface of the tea machine body 12. , Are placed on the table 14. The tea dispenser 11 pours tea in which powdery raw materials and hot water or cold water are mixed, and also allows hot water or cold water to be poured directly.

  A pouring opening 15 is formed in the door body 13, and a pouring portion 16 is formed in the tea machine main body 12 behind the pouring opening 15 with tea pouring positions at three locations in the width direction.

  On the front surface of the door body 13, two kinds of selection buttons 17 for hot tea and cold drink are arranged above the spout 15 and above the respective pouring positions. ing. Further, a selection button 18 for directly pouring hot water and cold water is disposed above the spout 15 and above the rightmost pouring position. Each of these selection buttons 17 and 18 is provided with a button lamp 19 composed of, for example, an LED or the like that lights up to indicate that it is ready to be dispensed or blinks to indicate that it is being dispensed.

  On the back surface of the door body 13, a controller 20 for controlling the tea dispenser 11 is installed. The controller 20 is provided with a setting display unit 21 and a setting unit 22. Further, on the back surface of the door body 13, a state display unit 23 using, for example, an LED for displaying the state of the tea machine 11 such as operation, water interruption, and drainage is disposed.

  In the tea machine body 12, a mixing mechanism 26 in which a plurality of mixing balls for stirring and mixing the ingredients of the beverage and hot water or cold water are arranged above each pouring position of the pouring unit 16, and each of the mixing mechanisms 26 A plurality of raw material supply units 27 that supply raw materials to the mixing ball, each mixing ball of the mixing mechanism 26, a hot water supply unit (not shown) that supplies hot water to the right pouring position, each mixing ball of the mixing mechanism 26, and right pouring A cold water supply unit 28 for supplying cold water to the position is disposed.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the plurality of raw material supply units 27 are configured to be cooled by a raw material cooling unit 31. The raw material cooling unit 31 has a cooling box 32 that houses a plurality of raw material supply units 27 and a door (not shown) that opens and closes the front surface of the cooling box 32, and a raw material that is a heat exchanger is provided in the upper part of the cooling box 32 A cooler 33 is provided.

  Each raw material supply unit 27 includes a container 36 that stores the raw material and a lid 37 that opens and closes the upper surface of the container 36, and a discharge port (not shown) that discharges the raw material is provided at the lower front surface of the container 36. A discharge mechanism (not shown) for discharging the raw material from the discharge port is provided. A chute 38 for guiding the discharged material to the mixing ball of the mixing mechanism 26 is disposed at the discharge port of the container 36.

  FIG. 1 shows a cold water supply unit 28, which includes a cooling water tank 42 in which cooling water 41 is stored, a cooler 43 as a cooling means for cooling the cooling water 41 in the cooling water tank 42, and a cooling water tank. A cold water discharge pipe 44 for discharging the cold water cooled through the 42 cooling water 41 is provided.

  The cooling water tank 42 has a bottomed cylindrical shape, and an upper surface opening is closed by a lid 46. An overflow hose 47 that discharges excess cooling water is connected to the upper side of the cooling water tank 42, and a drain hose 48 that can drain the cooling water 41 is connected to the lower side.

  The cooling machine 43 is composed of a refrigeration circuit having a compressor 50 arranged in the cooling water tank 42, a condenser 51, a dryer 52, a capillary tube 53, and a cooling coil 54 arranged in the cooling water 41 in the cooling water tank 42. ing. The condenser 51 is provided with a fan unit 55 that blows air to the condenser 51 to dissipate heat. The cooling coil 54 is formed in a coil shape with a virtual central axis as the center, and is arranged so as to coincide with the central axis of the cooling water tank 42. Then, by operating the cooler 43, the cooling water 41 in the cooling water tank 42 is cooled via the cooling coil 54, and control is performed so that a predetermined thickness of ice layer forms on the surface of the cooling coil 54.

  In the cooling water 41 of the cooling water tank 42, a water temperature sensor 57 that detects the water temperature of the cooling water 41, a thermo sensor 58 that operates according to the temperature of the cooling water 41, a water level sensor 59 that detects the water level of the cooling water 41, and An icing sensor 60 for detecting the icing thickness of the ice layer formed on the surface of the cooling coil 54 is disposed.

  The base end of the cold water discharge pipe 44 is connected to a water supply pipe for supplying water, and the tip is disposed at each water supply location such as each mixing ball via a flow rate sensor 62 and a water supply electromagnetic valve (not shown). A cold water coil 63 disposed in the cooling water 41 in the cooling water tank 42 is provided in the middle of the cold water discharge pipe 44. The cold water coil 63 is formed in a coil shape with a virtual central axis as a center, and is disposed in the cooling water tank 42 so as to be concentric around the cooling coil 54. That is, the central axis of the cooling water tank 42 is arranged so that the central axes of the cooling coil 54 and the cooling water coil 63 coincide. Then, the water supplied to the cold water discharge pipe 44 is cooled by heat exchange with the cooling water 41 while passing through the cold water coil 63 to be cold water.

  The raw material cooling unit 31 includes a cooling water circulation path 66 for circulating the cooling water 41 in the cooling water tank 42 to the raw material cooler 33. This cooling water circulation path 66 takes out the cooling water 41 from the water intake 67 provided at the bottom surface of the cooling water tank 42 and inside the cooling coil 54 and the cooling water coil 63, passes through the raw material cooler 33, and on the upper surface of the cooling water tank 42. The cooling water is returned into the cooling water tank 42 from a return port 68 provided at an inner position of the cooling coil 54 and the cooling water coil 63. The cooling water circulation path 66 is provided with a circulation pump 69 for circulating the cooling water 42.

  The intake port 67 and the return port 68 of the cooling water circulation path 66 are provided at positions corresponding to the central axis of the cooling water tank 42, the central axis of the cooling coil 54 and the cooling water coil 63, and the return port is directly above the intake port 67. 68 is located. The return port 68 of the cooling water circulation path 66 is located above the water surface of the cooling water 41 in the cooling water tank 42.

  Next, the operation of the tea dispenser 11 will be described.

  When the selection button 17 for cold beverage or the selection button 18 for direct dispensing of cold water is operated, water supply from the water supply source to the cold water extraction conduit 44 is performed by opening the water supply solenoid valve of the cold water extraction conduit 44. The cold water cooled while passing through the cold water coil 63 disposed in the cooling water 41 of the cooling water tank 42 is poured out.

  When the cold beverage selection button 17 is operated, cold water is supplied from the cold water discharge pipe 44 to the mixing ball of the mixing mechanism 26 and the raw material is supplied from the raw material supply unit 27, and the cold water and the raw material are mixed in the mixing ball. And the mixed cold drink is poured out.

  Further, the operation of the cooler 43 is controlled based on detection by the water temperature sensor 57 and the icing sensor 60 of the cooling water tank 42. The cooling water 43 is cooled to cool the cooling water 41 in the cooling water tank 42 through the cooling coil 54, and an ice layer having a predetermined thickness is formed on the surface of the cooling coil 54.

  In the raw material cooling unit 31, the cooling water 41 is taken out from the water intake 67 at the bottom of the cooling water tank 42 to the cooling water circulation path 66 and returned to the cooling water tank 42 through the raw material cooler 33 by the operation of the circulation pump 69. The raw material supply unit 27 is cooled by the raw material cooler 33 through which the cooling water 41 passes, and the freshness of the raw materials stored in the raw material supply unit 27 is maintained.

  During the operation of the raw material cooling unit 31, the cooling water circulation path 66 takes out the cooling water 41 from the water intake 67 provided on the bottom surface of the cooling water tank 42 and at the inner side of the cooling coil 54 and the cooling water coil 63, thereby cooling the raw material. By returning to the inside of the cooling water tank 42 from the return port 68 provided on the upper surface side of the cooling water tank 42 and on the inner side of the cooling coil 54 and the cooling water coil 63 through the vessel 33, as shown in FIG. A water stream can be generated.

  In this water flow, the cooling water 41 flows from the top to the bottom inside the cooling coil 54, the cooling water 41 flows around the cooling water coil 63 outside the cooling coil 54, and the cooling water 41 flows from the bottom to the top. Circulate. This water flow is equivalent to the water flow when the agitator A is rotated by the agitator motor M as shown in FIG.

  Therefore, it is possible to prevent the cooling water 41 from freezing around the cold water coil 63 without using the agitator A by using the raw material cooling unit 31 as well. Therefore, since the agitator A is not necessary, the cost can be reduced, the configuration can be simplified, and the power consumption can be reduced.

  In addition, since the return port 68 is positioned directly above the intake port 67 of the cooling water circulation path 66, the water flow generated in the cooling water 41 can be strengthened, and the freezing prevention effect of the cooling water 41 can be enhanced.

  Further, since the return port 68 of the cooling water circulation path 66 is located above the water surface of the cooling water 41 of the cooling water tank 42, the cooling water 41 falls from the return port 68 to the water surface, and the water flow generated in the cooling water 41 The cooling effect of the cooling water 41 can be increased.

It is a block diagram of the drink provision apparatus which shows one embodiment of this invention. It is a one part perspective view of a drink provision apparatus same as the above. It is a front view of a drink provision apparatus same as the above. The water flow of the cooling water tank of a drink provision apparatus same as the above is shown, (a) is explanatory drawing of the water flow at the time of using a raw material cooling unit, (b) is explanatory drawing of the water flow at the time of using an agitator.

Explanation of symbols

11 Tea dispenser as a beverage supply device
27 Raw material supply department
33 Raw material cooler
41 Cooling water
42 Cooling water tank
43 Cooling machine as a cooling means
44 Chilled water outlet
54 Cooling coil
63 cold water coil
66 Cooling water circuit
67 Water intake
68 Return
69 Circulation pump

Claims (3)

A cooling water tank for storing cooling water;
A cooling means having a cooling coil formed in a coil shape, the cooling coil being disposed in the cooling water of the cooling water tank to cool the cooling water;
Cold water having a cold water coil formed in a coil shape, which is arranged in the cooling water of the cooling water tank together with the cooling coil, and cools and pours water passing through the inside by heat exchange with the cooling water An extraction line;
A raw material supply unit for supplying raw materials;
A raw material cooler for cooling the raw material supply unit with the cooling water;
Cooling water is taken out from a water intake provided at a bottom surface of the cooling water tank and at an inner position of the cooling coil and the cooling water coil, passes through the raw material cooler, and is located on an upper surface of the cooling water tank and inside the cooling coil and the cooling water coil. A cooling water circulation path returning from the return port provided in the position into the cooling water tank;
A beverage providing apparatus comprising: a circulation pump for circulating the cooling water in the cooling water circulation path. The beverage providing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the return port is located directly above the water intake port of the cooling water circulation path. The return port of the cooling water circulation path is located above the water surface of the cooling water in the cooling water tank. The beverage providing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein

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