JP2018026045A - Cup type beverage vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress the proliferation of microbes inside a cup type beverage vending machine.SOLUTION: A cup type beverage vending machine 1 includes: a storage tank 2 connected to the supply source 6 of water and stores water; a first pipe line L1 in which a first end part 11 is connected to the storage tank 2 and an outlet nozzle 13 is formed on a second end part 12; an ice-machine 3; a second pipe line L2 connecting the ice machine 3 to the storage tank 2 and supplying the water to the ice machine 3; and ultraviolet irradiation devices UV1, UV2, UV4, UV5 located close to an outlet nozzle 13 inside the first pipe line L1, close to the outside of the outlet nozzle 13, and in the inner part of the second pipe line L2 or located inside the storage tank 2 and having light emission diodes.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to a cup-type beverage vending machine, and more particularly to a mechanism for suppressing the generation and growth of bacteria in the apparatus.

  A cup-type beverage vending machine that mixes water supplied from a storage tank with a material and supplies a beverage is known. Such a device is used, for example, as a vending machine for juice, tea, coffee and the like. A material substance that becomes a material such as juice is supplied simultaneously with water and mixed in a cup to produce a desired beverage. In such an apparatus, water stays in the vicinity of the outlet nozzle when it is not being discharged. However, since the outlet nozzle is exposed to the atmosphere, bacteria in the outside air may enter the pipe from the outlet nozzle, grow inside the pipe, and be discharged together with water. In addition, water introduced into the apparatus is temporarily stored in a storage tank and is sent to a mechanism that generates cold water, hot water, and ice. The storage tank has a structure in which outside air is introduced through an opening for overflow, etc., and bacteria in the outside air are likely to be mixed. If water stays in the storage tank for a long time, the bacteria may grow. When bacteria are generated in the water supply path in this way, water containing the bacteria is discharged, which is a sanitary problem. Therefore, by installing a pair of electrodes in the water in the storage tank and applying a DC voltage to produce hypochlorous acid having a bactericidal action from chloride ions in the water by electrolysis, the water in the storage tank There is known a technique for sterilizing (Patent Document 1).

JP 2006-318185 A

  Hypochlorous acid has persistence and can suppress bacterial growth in water for a certain period of time as residual chlorine. However, the amount of hypochlorous acid produced by electrolysis differs depending on the chloride ion concentration in the water, so electrolytic control is required in accordance with water quality fluctuations. At present, appropriate electrolysis control is difficult, and if the residual chlorine concentration is high, it may affect the odor and taste of the beverage, which may reduce the quality.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a cup-type beverage vending machine that suppresses the growth of bacteria without affecting the smell or taste of the beverage.

  The cup-type beverage vending machine of the present invention is connected to a water supply source, a storage tank for storing water, a first end connected to the storage tank, and an outlet nozzle formed at the second end. The first pipe, the ice maker, the storage tank connected to the ice maker, the second pipe for supplying water to the ice maker, the vicinity of the outlet nozzle inside the first pipe, the vicinity of the outside of the outlet nozzle And an ultraviolet irradiation device provided with a light emitting diode or the like, located in the second pipe or in the storage tank.

  In the present invention, an ultraviolet irradiation device including a light emitting diode or the like is provided in the vicinity of the outlet nozzle in the first pipe, in the vicinity of the outside of the outlet nozzle, in the second pipe, or in the storage tank. For this reason, the proliferation of bacteria in a cup-type beverage vending machine can be prevented, and the water discharged from the outlet nozzle can be kept in a state free from sanitary problems.

  According to the present invention, there is provided a cup-type beverage vending machine that suppresses the growth of bacteria without affecting the odor and taste of the beverage by sterilizing with non-persistent ultraviolet rays irradiated from a light emitting diode or the like. be able to.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a cup-type beverage vending machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic block diagram of the cup-type drink vending machine which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram of the cup-type drink vending machine which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram of the cup-type drink vending machine which concerns on the 4th Embodiment of this invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. A cup-type beverage vending machine (hereinafter also referred to as a vending machine) according to an embodiment of the present invention is a beverage vending machine that mainly supplies juice by mixing material materials such as juice, coffee, and tea with water. Used as The material may be a liquid such as syrup or a solid such as powder. The present invention can also be used in cup-type beverage vending machines that use any of room temperature water, cold water, and hot water. In each embodiment described below, a plurality of ultraviolet irradiation devices and the like are installed. However, in each embodiment, it is sufficient that at least one ultraviolet irradiation device or the like is provided, and the effect of the present invention can be achieved by providing at least one ultraviolet irradiation device or the like.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a cup-type beverage vending machine 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The vending machine 1 includes a storage tank 2 that is connected to a water supply source 6 and stores tap water, and a first pipe L1 that is connected to the storage tank 2. The first pipe L1 has a first end portion 11 and a second end portion 12. The first end 11 is connected to the storage tank 2, and the second end 12 is formed with an outlet nozzle 13 for discharging water. The outlet nozzle 13 is provided immediately above a region 15 in which a container 14 such as a paper cup is set. The water supply source 6 is a pipe for supplying tap water, for example. The first pipe L1 is made of a tube such as silicon or polyethylene, and the storage tank 2 is made of polyethylene. The storage tank 2 can be omitted. A pump 16 for sending water is provided on the first pipe L1.

  The storage tank 2 is connected to a water supply source 6 through an activated carbon filter 17. The activated carbon filter 17 is located between the water supply source 6 and the first end portion 11, and is connected to the water supply source 6 and the storage tank 2 in this embodiment. Activated carbon filter 17 removes residual chlorine contained in tap water (generally effective chlorine concentration contained in tap water is 0.1 to 1.0 mg / L) and trace organic substances such as trihalomethane. Since residual chlorine affects the taste of water, the storage tank generally stores water from which residual chlorine has been removed through an activated carbon filter. However, if the residual chlorine concentration is about 0.1 mg / L, there is a sufficient bactericidal action without affecting the taste and the growth of bacteria in the storage tank 2 can be suppressed. Therefore, a bypass pipe 18 for bypassing the activated carbon filter 17 is provided, and a part of the tap water is stored in the storage tank 2 without removing residual chlorine. For this reason, it is desirable that the flow rate of water passing through the activated carbon filter 17 is about 30 to 80% of the flow rate of water from the water supply source 6. A first on-off valve 19 is provided between the activated carbon filter 17 and the storage tank 2, and the first on-off valve is based on a water level detection signal of a water level sensor (not shown) provided in the storage tank 2. 19 is activated to supply water to the storage tank 2.

  The storage tank 2 is provided for temporarily storing tap water supplied from the water supply source 6 and can be omitted. Therefore, the first end 11 of the first pipe L1 may be indirectly connected to the water supply source 6 via the storage tank 2 or may be directly connected to the water supply source 6. Good.

  A cooling device 4 for cooling the water flowing through the first pipe L1 is provided downstream of the pump 16 of the first pipe L1. The cooling device 4 is provided between a first ultraviolet irradiation device UV1 and a first end 11 which will be described later. The cooling device 4 is a cold water tank through which the first pipe L1 passes. The cold water tank is connected to the refrigeration cycle 20 and supplied with cold water. In order to ensure sufficient contact length (heat exchange length) with the cold water in the cold water tank, it is desirable that the first pipe L1 is folded or wound a plurality of times in the cold water tank. A bypass pipe 21 for bypassing the cooling device 4 is provided, and when normal temperature water is supplied or when the cooling device 4 is bypassed for some reason, a valve (not shown) is operated so that water passes through the bypass pipe 21. Can be.

  The vending machine 1 has an ice making machine 3. The ice making machine 3 includes a storage container 31 that stores ice, and an ice making unit 32 that is connected to the bottom of the storage container 31 and performs ice making. Water is supplied to the ice making unit 32 through a second pipe L2 connecting the storage tank 2 to the ice making unit 32. The water is turned up into ice by the ice making unit 32 and is stored in the storage container 31. The ice in the storage container 31 falls by gravity through the ice discharge pipe 33 and is discharged from the ice discharge port 34 provided along with the outlet nozzle 13.

  A third pipe L3 is connected to a lower level and an intermediate level of the storage container 31 of the ice making machine 3. The third pipe L3 is connected to the inlet side of the pump 16 of the first pipe L1, and the low-temperature drain water generated inside the ice making machine 3 is gravity-induced to the first end 11 of the first pipe L1. And return to the cooling device 4.

In the vicinity of the outlet nozzle 13 inside the first pipe L1, a first ultraviolet irradiation device UV1 including a light emitting diode (hereinafter referred to as LED) that emits ultraviolet light is provided. The diode that emits ultraviolet light has an LED structure formed on a sapphire substrate or an aluminum nitride substrate (AlN substrate) using gallium nitride (GAN), aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN), aluminum nitride (AlN) or the like as a light emitting material. It is. An LED using these materials can emit ultraviolet light having a peak wavelength of 250 to 280 nm by passing an electric current. Since the light source can be remarkably reduced in size, it can be installed in a small space that was difficult to install with conventional UV lamps, and has the advantages of low voltage drive and high-speed response. As the first ultraviolet irradiation device UV1, an LED module that can be inserted and attached between two pipes can be used. For example, a flowing water type sterilization module incorporating an LED (output 30 mW / cm ² , wavelength 270 to 290 nm). Can be used. LED of 1st ultraviolet irradiation device UV1 irradiates the inside of the 1st piping L1 with an ultraviolet-ray, disinfects the microbe which exists in the water in the 1st piping L1, or suppresses proliferation of a microbe. The outlet nozzle 13 is exposed to the outside air, and bacteria in the atmosphere are likely to enter. In particular, in a state where water is not discharged, the bacteria are not discharged by the water and are likely to stay in the outlet nozzle 13 and the first pipe L1. Providing the first ultraviolet irradiation device UV1 in the vicinity of the outlet nozzle 13 where bacteria are likely to invade can suppress the growth of bacteria even when water is not discharged. The first ultraviolet irradiation device UV1 can be operated at the timing of discharging cold water, can be operated intermittently at regular time intervals, or can be operated continuously. The first ultraviolet irradiation device UV1 may shorten the operation interval when water is not discharged for a certain period.

  An ultraviolet irradiation device UV <b> 2 is provided near the outside of the outlet nozzle 13. The outlet nozzle 13 is exposed to the outside air, and bacteria in the atmosphere are likely to be mixed. Therefore, by irradiating the ultraviolet rays from the vicinity of the outside of the outlet nozzle 13 with the ultraviolet irradiation device UV2, the bacteria entering the outlet nozzle 13 can be sterilized and the growth of the bacteria can be suppressed.

Similar to the first ultraviolet irradiation device UV1, the second ultraviolet irradiation device UV2 also includes an LED that irradiates ultraviolet rays. As the LED used in the second ultraviolet irradiation device UV2, for example, an LED having an output of 1 to 30 mW / cm ² and a wavelength of 270 to 290 nm can be used.

  The vending machine 1 has a hot water tank 5. The hot water tank 5 is connected to a sixth pipe L6 branched from between the pump 16 and the cooling device 4 of the first pipe L1. The hot water tank 5 contains a heater (not shown) and stores hot water heated by the heater. The seventh pipe L7 extends from the hot water tank 5, and an outlet nozzle 22 for discharging hot water is provided at the end. Since germs die in a hot water environment, the ultraviolet water irradiation device is not provided in the hot water tank 5 and the seventh pipe L7.

  The vending machine 1 includes a product selection unit 7 for selecting the type of beverage, a receiving unit 8 for coins, banknotes, and the like, and a control unit 9. In the case of a vending machine that provides beverages free of charge, the receiving unit 8 can be omitted. The product selection unit 7 includes a button 71 that is pressed by a user to select a product, and a product selection signal generation unit 72 that generates a product selection signal 73. The product selection signal generation unit 72 generates a product selection signal 73 indicating which beverage is selected according to the pressed button 71 and transmits the product selection signal 73 to the control unit 9. The receiving unit 8 includes an insertion port 81 for coins, bills, and the like, and an amount reading unit 82 for reading the amount of coins, bills, etc. inserted from the insertion port 81. The money amount reading unit 82 transmits the read money amount information 83 to the control unit 9.

  When the control unit 9 collates the product selection signal 73 with the amount information 83 and determines that the amount is equal to or higher than the price of the selected beverage, the control unit 9 activates the pump 16 in the first pipe L1. Water is discharged from the outlet nozzle 13. Accordingly, the product selection unit 7 constitutes an input unit that receives an input for discharging water and generates a predetermined signal based on the input. When the selected beverage uses hot water, a valve (not shown) is switched to discharge the hot water. At the same time, the control unit 9 opens a valve (not shown) on the pipe 35 connected to the storage tank for storing the material substance in response to the selected beverage, that is, the inputted product selection signal 73, and the pipe 35. The material substance is discharged from the material substance supply nozzle 36 provided at the outlet. The control unit 9 opens a valve (not shown) of the ice discharge pipe 33 in accordance with the selected beverage, that is, the input product selection signal 73, and from the ice discharge port 34 provided at the outlet of the ice discharge pipe 33. Allow the ice to drain. The water outlet nozzle 13, the material substance supply nozzle 35, the ice discharge port 34, and the hot water outlet nozzle 22 are disposed adjacent to each other above the region 15 to which the container 14 is supplied. And the material substance are mixed, and ice is added as necessary to produce a desired beverage.

(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a vending machine 101 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the third ultraviolet irradiation device UV3 is provided in the third pipe L3, and the fifth ultraviolet irradiation device UV5 is provided in the storage tank 2. The elements whose explanation is omitted are the same as those in the first embodiment.

  Inside the third pipe L3, a third ultraviolet irradiation device UV3 including a light emitting diode that irradiates ultraviolet rays is provided. When discharging the ice produced by the ice making machine 3, external air is introduced into the ice making machine. In addition, ice may stay in the storage container 31 in a stationary state for a long time, and the bacteria are less likely to be discharged and are easy to reproduce. By providing the third ultraviolet irradiation device UV3 in the third pipe L3, it is possible to suppress the growth of bacteria contained in the water that returns to the first pipe L1 and is finally discharged from the outlet nozzle 13. As the third ultraviolet irradiation device UV3, an LED used in the above-described second ultraviolet irradiation device UV2 can be used.

  In the storage tank 2, a fifth ultraviolet irradiation device UV5 having a light emitting diode for irradiating ultraviolet rays is provided. The storage tank 2 has a structure in which an opening for overflow or the like communicates with the outside air, and bacteria in the outside air are likely to be mixed. If water stays in the storage tank 2 for a long time, the bacteria grow. The water in the storage tank 2 is more likely to flow than the ice in the storage container 31 of the ice making machine 3, and the ultraviolet light can be evenly irradiated by the water in the storage tank 2, so that the fifth ultraviolet irradiation device UV5 Is provided inside the storage tank 2. As the fifth ultraviolet irradiation device UV5, for example, a waterproof LED sterilization module can be used. By performing waterproofing, it is possible to install in the water in the storage tank 2 and irradiate directly into the water, so that bacteria in the water can be sterilized efficiently.

(Third embodiment)
FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of a vending machine 201 according to the third embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is different from the second embodiment in that a fourth pipe L4 for supplying water to the ice making machine 3 is provided. The elements whose descriptions are omitted are the same as those in the first and second embodiments.

  The fourth pipe L4 branches from between the first ultraviolet irradiation device UV1 of the first pipe L1 and the outlet nozzle 13 and is connected to the ice making machine 3 to supply water to the ice making machine 3. In FIG. 3, the fourth pipe L4 is shown to join the second pipe L2.

  A second on-off valve 23 is provided downstream of the branch portion of the fourth pipe L4 of the first pipe L1, and a third valve is provided upstream of the junction with the second pipe L2 of the fourth pipe L4. An on-off valve 24 is provided. When supplying cold water from the outlet nozzle 13, the second on-off valve 23 is opened and the third on-off valve 24 is closed. When cold water is not supplied from the outlet nozzle 13, the second on-off valve 23 is closed and the third on-off valve 24 is opened. As a result, a circulation path that passes through the first pipe L1, the cooling device 4, the first pipe L1, the fourth pipe L4, the ice making machine 3, and the third pipe L3 is formed. It is desirable to operate the pump 16 continuously or intermittently to circulate water along the circulation circuit. Since the water cooled by the cooling device 4 is supplied to the ice making machine 3, the energy consumption of the ice making unit 32 can be reduced. Further, by irradiating the circulating water with ultraviolet rays from the first ultraviolet irradiation device UV1 and the third ultraviolet irradiation device UV3, it is possible to further suppress the growth of bacteria in the circulation path.

(Fourth embodiment)
FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a vending machine 301 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. The present embodiment includes a fifth pipe L5 for returning drain water generated inside the ice making machine 3 to the second pipe L2, and a fourth ultraviolet irradiation device UV4 provided inside the second pipe L2. This is different from the second embodiment. The elements whose descriptions are omitted are the same as those in the first and second embodiments.

  The second pipe L2 connects the bottom of the storage tank 2 to the ice making unit 32 at the bottom of the ice making machine 3 as in the first to third embodiments. The fifth pipe L5 connects the ice making machine 3 to the second pipe L2, and drain water generated inside the ice making machine 3 is returned to the second pipe L2. The fifth pipe L5 is connected to the lower level and the intermediate level of the storage container 31 as in the first embodiment. In this embodiment, since the drain water of the ice making machine 3 is circulated as the supply water to the ice making machine 3, low-temperature water can be efficiently recirculated to the ice making machine 3, and the energy consumption of the ice making unit 32 can be reduced. It is valid. Inside the second pipe L2, a fourth ultraviolet irradiation device UV4 provided with a light emitting diode for irradiating ultraviolet rays is provided. The fourth ultraviolet irradiation device UV4 is located between the end portion 25 of the second pipe L2 connected to the storage tank 2 and the connection point of the fifth pipe L5. It may be provided between the junction of the fifth pipe L5 of L2 and the inlet of the ice making unit 32.

Example 1
The sterilization test was conducted with the cup-type beverage vending machine of the first embodiment. The comparative example has the same configuration as that of the first embodiment except that the first and second ultraviolet irradiation devices UV1 and UV2 are not provided. After production of the beverage, ultraviolet irradiation was performed for 10 minutes from the first and second ultraviolet irradiation devices UV1 and UV2, and thereafter ultraviolet irradiation was performed for 10 minutes every hour from the first ultraviolet irradiation device UV1. When the number of general viable bacteria in the cold water discharged from the outlet nozzle 13 after one month operation was measured, it was 3200 / ml in the comparative example, but decreased to 41 / ml in the example 1. After that, when the preparation of the beverage was stopped for one week, the concentration of residual chlorine flowing into the storage tank 2 from the bypass pipe 18 decreased, so that the pipe connected to the storage tank 2 and the ice making machine 3 was 100 to 1000 / ml. A degree of fungus was detected.

(Example 2)
The sterilization test was conducted with the cup-type beverage vending machine of the second embodiment. The comparative example has the same configuration as the second embodiment except that the first, second, third, and fifth ultraviolet irradiation devices UV1, UV2, UV3, and UV5 are not provided. After the beverage is produced, the first and second ultraviolet irradiation devices UV1 and UV2 are irradiated with ultraviolet rays for 10 minutes, and thereafter the first, third and fifth ultraviolet irradiation devices UV1, UV3 and UV5 are increased every 10 hours. Ultraviolet irradiation for 1 minute was performed. When the number of general viable bacteria in the cold water discharged from the outlet nozzle 13 after one month operation was measured, it was 3200 / ml in the comparative example, but decreased to about 2 / ml in the example 2.

(Example 3)
The sterilization test was conducted with the cup-type beverage vending machine of the third embodiment. The comparative example has the same configuration as that of the third embodiment except that the first, second, third, and fifth ultraviolet irradiation devices UV1, UV2, UV3, and UV5 are not provided. After the beverage is manufactured, the first and second ultraviolet irradiation devices UV1 and UV2 are irradiated for 10 minutes, and then the second on-off valve 23 is closed and the third on-off valve 24 is opened to form a circulation path. Then, ultraviolet irradiation was performed for 10 minutes every hour from the first, third, and fourth ultraviolet irradiation apparatuses UV1, UV3, and UV5. When the second on-off valve 23 is opened to create a beverage during 10 minutes of UV irradiation, the second on-off valve 23 is closed after the beverage is prepared, and the third on-off valve 24 is opened to open the circulation path. Re-formation was carried out for the remaining time. When the number of viable bacteria in the cold water discharged from the outlet nozzle 13 after one month operation was measured, it was 3200 cells / ml in the comparative example, but decreased to about 1 cell / ml in Example 3. .

  In Examples 2 and 3, the production of the beverage was stopped for one week thereafter, and the number of bacteria in the pipe connected to the storage tank 2 and the ice making machine 3 was measured. It was confirmed that the growth of the fungus was also suppressed in the vicinity of 2 and the ice making machine 3.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cup-type drink vending machine 2 Storage tank 3 Ice maker 4 Cooling device 5 Hot water tank 6 Water supply source 11 1st edge part 12 2nd edge part 13 Outlet nozzle 17 Activated carbon filter L1-L7 1st-7th Piping UV1 to UV5 1st to 5th UV irradiation equipment

Claims (7)

A storage tank connected to a water source and storing water;
A first pipe having a first end connected to the storage tank and an outlet nozzle formed at the second end;
An ice machine,
A second pipe for connecting the storage tank to the ice making machine and supplying water to the ice making machine;
An ultraviolet irradiation device including a light emitting diode, located in the vicinity of the outlet nozzle in the first pipe, in the vicinity of the outside of the outlet nozzle, in the second pipe or in the storage tank. , Cup-type beverage vending machine.   The first ultraviolet irradiation device is provided in the vicinity of the outlet nozzle in the first pipe, and the second ultraviolet irradiation device is provided in the vicinity of the outside of the outlet nozzle. The first ultraviolet irradiation device is The cup type beverage vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the output of the light emitting diode is larger than that of the second ultraviolet irradiation device. A cooling device that is located on the first pipe and cools the water flowing through the first pipe;
Connecting the ice making machine to a position between the first end of the first pipe and the cooling device, a third pipe through which drain water generated inside the ice making machine circulates;
The cup-type beverage vending machine according to claim 1, further comprising a third ultraviolet irradiation device that is located inside the third pipe and includes a light emitting diode.   The first ultraviolet irradiation device is provided in the vicinity of the outlet nozzle inside the first piping, and branches from between the first ultraviolet irradiation device and the outlet nozzle of the first piping, and The cup-type beverage vending machine according to claim 1, further comprising a fourth pipe connected to the ice making machine and supplying water to the ice making machine. A fifth pipe for connecting the ice maker to the second pipe and returning drain water generated inside the ice maker to the second pipe;
The cup type beverage vending machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the fourth ultraviolet irradiation device is provided inside the second pipe.   The cup-type beverage according to claim 5, wherein the fourth ultraviolet irradiation device is located between an end of the second pipe connected to the storage tank and a confluence of the fifth pipe. vending machine. An activated carbon filter located between the source of water and the storage tank;
The cup-type beverage vending machine according to claim 1, further comprising a bypass pipe that bypasses the activated carbon filter.

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