JP2013086003A - Beverage manufacturing machine and operation method of beverage manufacturing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a beverage manufacturing machine in which normal alkaline water can be supplied and utilized at all times.SOLUTION: A beverage manufacturing machine 10 comprises an electrode mechanism 12 in which alkaline water is extracted by electrolyzing water with an anode 24a and a cathode 24b as a pair of electrodes. The beverage manufacturing machine is configured to execute a water supply operation to supply and utilize alkaline water, a polarity switching operation to perform electrolysis by switching polarities of the anode 24a and the cathode 24b, and a rinse operation to exchange water in an electrolytic bath 18 of the electrode mechanism 12. The beverage manufacturing machine 10 comprises a controller 22 which controls the operation of the water supply operation, the polarity switching operation and the rinse operation, and the controller 22 synchronizes the rinse operation and the polarity switching operation.

Description

  The present invention relates to a beverage production machine provided with an electrode mechanism for electrolyzing water with a pair of electrodes to extract alkaline water, and a method for operating the beverage production machine.

  Conventionally, beverage manufacturing machines that manufacture various beverages such as tea and soft drinks are equipped with an electrolysis mechanism having an electrolyzer with a pair of electrodes separated by a diaphragm, and by electrolyzing water by this electrolysis mechanism, In other words, alkaline water having good flavor and good taste is extracted on the cathode side, and this alkaline water is used for water supply (for sale) (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

  When tap water is electrolyzed using the above electrolysis mechanism, scales such as calcium and potassium adhere to the surface of the cathode (cathode) from which alkaline water is extracted, resulting in a decrease in electrolysis ability. There is a problem. Therefore, in order to prevent the adhesion of the scale, a polarity switching operation for switching the polarity of the pair of electrodes is generally performed.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-32818 JP 2006-81666 A

  However, immediately after performing the polarity switching operation as described above, there is a problem that acidic water is mixed in the water on the cathode side used for water supply (sales), and this mixed water is used for water supply. This is because electrolysis is performed on the cathode side from which alkaline water is extracted as the anode side during polarity switching operation.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a beverage production machine that can always supply and use normal alkaline water.

  The beverage production machine according to the present invention includes an electrode mechanism that electrolyzes water by a pair of electrodes to extract alkaline water, and performs a water supply operation that uses the alkaline water for supply, and switches the polarity of the pair of electrodes. A beverage production machine capable of performing a polarity switching operation for performing electrolysis and a rinsing operation for replacing water in an electrolytic cell of the electrode mechanism, wherein the water supply operation, the polarity switching operation, and the rinsing operation are performed. A control device for controlling is provided, wherein the control device synchronizes the rinse operation and the polarity switching operation.

  In addition, an operation method of a beverage production machine according to the present invention is an operation method of a beverage production machine provided with an electrode mechanism that electrolyzes water by a pair of electrodes to extract alkaline water, and an electrolytic cell for the electrode mechanism The rinsing operation for exchanging water inside and the polarity switching operation for performing electrolysis by switching the polarities of the pair of electrodes are synchronized.

  According to such a configuration and method, by synchronizing the rinsing operation and the polarity switching operation, the acidic water stored on the cathode side immediately after the polarity switching operation is replaced with new water by the rinsing operation. Therefore, it is possible to prevent acid water from being mixed into the water supply side and always use normal alkaline water. Moreover, since the rinsing operation and the polarity switching operation are synchronized, the person in charge of maintenance and the user of the beverage manufacturing apparatus can perform the rinsing operation in the usual manner of use without being aware of the polarity change of the electrodes. It is possible to remove the scale on the electrode surface at the same time by simply carrying out the process, and normal alkaline water can be used efficiently.

  By using the water immediately after executing the polarity switching operation as the rinsing water for the rinsing operation, the acidic water mixed in the cathode side is used as the rinsing water. Can be surely prevented.

  When receiving the execution start operation of the rinse operation, the control device first executes the polarity switching operation for a predetermined time, and then executes the rinse operation after completion of the polarity switching operation, and ends the rinse operation. A water supply standby state that enables the water supply operation to be executed later may be set. Then, just by starting the rinsing operation, the polarity switching operation is automatically executed to remove the scale on the electrode surface, and further, the acidic water generated on the cathode side by this polarity switching operation is discharged by the rinsing operation. It is possible to automatically return to the water supply standby state again, and the labor of the maintenance staff and the user can be further reduced.

  The polarity switching operation may be executed only once during the daily operation time of the beverage production machine.

  According to the present invention, by synchronizing the rinse operation and the polarity switching operation, the acidic water stored on the cathode side immediately after performing the polarity switching operation can be replaced with new water by the rinse operation. By preventing acid water from being mixed into the water supply side, normal alkaline water can always be used.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a piping system and a control system of a beverage manufacturing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an operation time chart of the rinse operation in the beverage manufacturing machine shown in FIG.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a beverage production machine according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings by giving preferred embodiments in relation to the operation method of the beverage production machine.

  FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a piping system and a control system of a beverage manufacturing machine 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The beverage production machine 10 according to the present embodiment is a tea supply machine that electrolyzes water by an electrolysis mechanism 12 to extract alkaline water, and manufactures and sells tea using the alkaline water. Of course, the beverage production machine 10 can also be used as a production machine for various beverages such as uses other than the tea dispenser, for example, a water supply machine, a hot water supply machine, and a soft drink sales machine.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the beverage production machine 10 is for supplying water with an electrolysis mechanism (electrolysis device) 12 for electrolyzing water such as tap water supplied from a cassette tank 14 and alkaline water extracted by the electrolysis mechanism 12. As a water supply pipe 16 for use as a rinsing pipe, a rinse pipe 20 for discharging water in an electrolytic cell 18 provided in the electrolysis mechanism 12, and a control device 22 for controlling the operation of the beverage production machine 10.

  The electrolysis mechanism 12 includes an electrolysis tank 18 which is a water tank in which an anode (+ electrode) 24a and a cathode (−electrode) 24b, which are a pair of electrodes, are arranged with a diaphragm 26 therebetween, and are illustrated under the control of the control device 22. The water stored in the electrolytic cell 18 can be electrolyzed by the current supplied from the power supply device that does not.

  The electrolytic cell 18 is a two-cell type partitioned by a diaphragm 26 into an anode cell 18a on the anode 24a side and a cathode cell 18b on the cathode 24b side. Tap water stored in the cassette tank 14 is supplied to the electrolyzer 18 through a pipe 28 by driving a pump (not shown). Of course, a water pipe or the like may be directly connected to the electrolytic cell 18 without using the cassette tank 14. In addition, the acidic water produced | generated by the anode tank 18a is used for the rinse operation mentioned later, for example, or is discharged | emitted from the piping 29 outside.

  The water supply pipe 16 is connected to a pipe 30 through which water in the cathode tank 18b circulates, and a tea supply device 32 is connected in the middle thereof. Therefore, by opening the water supply valve (sales valve) 34, tea produced using alkaline water from the cathode tank 18b can be supplied to the cup 36. Of course, by stopping the operation of the tea supply device 32, it is possible to supply alkaline water or hot water obtained by boiling the alkaline water directly to the cup 36 (hot water supply).

  The rinsing pipe 20 is branched from the middle of the pipe 30, and by opening a rinsing valve (rinse operation valve) 38, rinsing water that is drainage used for rinsing operation of the electrolytic cell 18, the pipe 30, etc. 40 can be discharged. The water supply valve 34 and the rinse valve 38 are configured by, for example, electromagnetic valves.

  The control device 22 controls the operation of the beverage making machine 10 by appropriately driving and controlling the electrolysis mechanism 12, the water supply valve 34, and the rinse valve 38. Under the control of the control device 22, the beverage maker 10 drives and controls at least the electrolysis mechanism 12 to extract alkaline water into the cathode tank 18 b, and uses this alkaline water for water supply via the water supply pipe 16. A polarity switching operation for removing scales such as calcium and potassium attached to the electrode surface by switching (reversing) the polarity of the anode 24a and the cathode 24b as a pair of electrodes to perform electrolysis, and the electrode mechanism 12 The electrolytic cell 18 (cathode cell 18b) and the rinsing operation in which the water in the pipe 30 is replaced and cleaned can be executed.

  Next, an operation method of the beverage manufacturing machine 10 configured as described above will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

  FIG. 2 is an operation time chart of the rinsing operation in the beverage manufacturing machine 10 shown in FIG. 1, (1) ON-OFF (open / close) operation of polarity switching operation, and (2) ON-OFF (open / close) of the rinse valve 38. ) Operation and (3) the property (alkaline or acidic) of water in the cathode chamber 18b in relation to the elapsed time.

  First, a normal water supply operation is performed until time t1 in FIG. That is, during this water supply operation, water electrolysis using the anode 24a and the cathode 24b is performed intermittently or continuously in the electrolytic cell 18, and alkaline water is stored in the cathode cell 18b (water supply). Standby state). In this water supply standby state, the rinse valve 38 is normally OFF (closed). For example, when the user presses a sales button (not shown), the water supply valve 34 is turned ON (opened), and the tea supply device The alkaline water tea produced at 32 can be sold to the cup 36.

  Next, the rinse operation is started at time t1 in FIG. This rinse operation is a maintenance operation for cleaning the electrolytic bath 18 and the water in the pipe 30 once a day, for example, and a maintenance person of the beverage manufacturing machine 10 performs a rinse button (not shown). ) Or automatically by the control device 22 at regular intervals.

  Therefore, when the control device 22 receives the start operation of the rinsing operation by manual or automatic operation as described above, first, the control device 22 performs the polarity switching operation, and reverses the anode 24a and the cathode 24b as the cathode and the anode, respectively (time). t1-t2). Thereby, the water in the cathode chamber 18b gradually changes from alkaline to acidic. That is, the polarity switching operation is also executed once a day, equivalent to the rinsing operation.

  When the polarity switching operation is finished after a predetermined set time has elapsed (time t2), the control device 22 turns on (opens) the rinse valve 38 and starts a substantial rinse operation (rinse operation). . By this rinsing operation, acidic water in the electrolytic cell 18 (cathode cell 18b) is discharged to the drainage bucket 40 through the rinse valve 38, and at the same time, water in the cassette tank 14 is sucked up to the electrolytic cell 18 (cathode cell 18b). . In the rinsing operation, at least all of the water in the cathode tank 18b is replaced with new water in the cassette tank 14.

  When the rinsing operation is finished after a certain period of time has elapsed (time t3), the control device 22 again puts the beverage production machine 12 into a water supply standby state, and again becomes alkaline in the cathode tank 18b supplied with new water from the cassette tank. Water is generated, and the alkaline water is set to a state where water can be constantly supplied.

  As described above, according to the beverage manufacturing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, the control device 22 synchronizes the rinse operation and the polarity switching operation. As a result, the acidic water stored in the cathode tank immediately after the polarity switching operation can be used / discharged as the rinsing water during the rinsing operation, so that the acidic water is prevented from being mixed into the water supply side. Therefore, normal alkaline water can always be used. Moreover, since the rinsing operation and the polarity switching operation are synchronized, the person in charge of maintenance and the user of the beverage manufacturing apparatus 10 can perform the rinsing operation in the usual manner of use without being aware of the polarity change of the electrodes. It is possible to remove the scale on the electrode surface at the same time, and normal alkaline water can be used efficiently.

  In the beverage manufacturing apparatus 10, for example, the rinsing operation is performed only once during the daily operation time, so that the polarity switching operation can be performed reliably only once during the daily operation time. It is possible to easily prevent the scale from increasing and the electrolytic efficiency from decreasing.

  It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it is needless to say that the present invention can be freely changed without departing from the gist of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Beverage production machine 12 Electrolysis mechanism 16 Water supply piping 18 Electrolytic tank 18a Anode tank 18b Cathode tank 20 Rinse piping 22 Controller 24a Anode 24b Cathode 34 Water supply valve 38 Rinse valve

Claims (5)

An electrode mechanism that electrolyzes water by a pair of electrodes to extract alkaline water, a water supply operation that uses and supplies the alkaline water, and a polarity switching operation that performs electrolysis by switching the polarity of the pair of electrodes, and , A beverage production machine capable of performing a rinsing operation to replace water in the electrolytic cell of the electrode mechanism,
A control device for controlling the operation of the water supply operation and the polarity switching operation and the rinse operation;
The said control apparatus synchronizes the said rinse operation and the said polarity switching operation | movement, The drink manufacturing machine characterized by the above-mentioned. The beverage manufacturing machine according to claim 1,
The beverage production machine using water immediately after executing the polarity switching operation as rinse water for the rinse operation. The beverage production machine according to claim 2,
When receiving the execution start operation of the rinse operation, the control device first executes the polarity switching operation for a predetermined time, and then executes the rinse operation after completion of the polarity switching operation, and ends the rinse operation. A beverage production machine, wherein a water supply standby state in which the water supply operation can be performed later is set. In the beverage manufacturing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The polarity switching operation is executed only once during the daily operation time of the beverage manufacturing machine. A method of operating a beverage production machine comprising an electrode mechanism for electrolyzing water by a pair of electrodes to extract alkaline water,
A method for operating a beverage production machine, wherein a rinse operation for exchanging water in an electrolytic cell of the electrode mechanism and a polarity switching operation for performing electrolysis by switching the polarity of the pair of electrodes are synchronized.

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