JP2019020013A - Beverage cooler - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a beverage cooler capable of detecting that ice with a predetermined thickness is formed around a spiral evaporation tube before the ice formed around the evaporation tube wraps a beverage cooling tube, even in a case where the ice is locally formed in a thick manner around the evaporation tube.SOLUTION: A beverage cooler 10 comprises an ice thickness detector 40 arranged between a spiral evaporation tube 33 and a spiral beverage cooling tube 21 in a cooling water tank 20, and configured to detect a thickness of ice I around the spiral evaporation tube 33. The ice thickness detector 40 comprises: a tube member 41 extending from the same height position as an upper part of the spiral evaporation tube 33 to the same height position as a lower part thereof; detection water 43 encapsulated in the tube member 41, and having predetermined conductivity; and a pair of electrodes 44a, 44b disposed at an upper part and a lower part in the tube member 41.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a beverage cooling device that cools cooling water by forming ice around an evaporation pipe disposed in a cooling water tank and cools a beverage such as beer through a beverage cooling pipe in the cooling water tank. In particular, the present invention relates to a beverage cooling apparatus that detects that ice having a predetermined thickness is formed around an evaporation tube.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a beverage cooling device for cooling beverages such as beer. The beverage cooling device of Patent Document 1 circulates and supplies a coolant to a cooling water tank that stores cooling water and an evaporation pipe that is arranged so that the vertical direction is the spiraling direction along the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the cooling water tank. A cooling device that cools the cooling water by forming ice around the evaporating pipe, a spiral beverage cooling pipe provided inside the spiral evaporating pipe in the cooling water tank, and a cooling water tank. And a stirring device that stirs the cooling water in the cooling water tank by rotating a stirring blade disposed inside the beverage cooling pipe. In this beverage cooling device, ice is formed around the evaporation tube in the cooling water tank by operating the refrigeration device, and the beverage passing through the beverage cooling tube is cooled by exchanging heat with the cooling water.

  In this beverage cooling device, when the ice formed around the evaporation tube grows until it entrains the beverage cooling tube, the beverage in the beverage cooling tube freezes and cannot pass through the beverage cooling tube. An ice thickness detector is provided for detecting the thickness of ice formed around the refrigeration unit, and the operation of the refrigeration apparatus is controlled based on the detection result of the ice thickness detector. The ice thickness detector is provided with a pair of electrodes around the evaporation tube, and based on the potential difference (electric resistance value) between the pair of electrodes, whether or not ice of a predetermined thickness is formed around the evaporation tube. Detected. Specifically, when ice having a predetermined thickness is formed around the evaporation tube and at least one of the pair of electrodes is covered with ice, the potential difference (electric resistance value) between the pair of electrodes is a predetermined upper limit. When the value is equal to or greater than the value and ice having a predetermined thickness is not formed around the evaporation tube and the pair of electrodes are exposed to cooling water without being covered with ice, the potential difference between the pair of electrodes (electric resistance) Value) is lower than a predetermined upper limit value, and based on the potential difference (electric resistance value) between the pair of electrodes, it is detected whether or not ice having a predetermined thickness is formed around the evaporation tube.

JP-A-8-285430

  In the beverage cooling apparatus described in Patent Literature 1, a pair of electrodes constituting the ice thickness detector is disposed at the same height as the middle portion in the vertical direction of the spiral evaporation tube. When ice is uniformly formed in the vertical direction around the spiral evaporator tube, a predetermined thickness is formed around the spiral evaporator tube based on the potential difference between the pair of electrodes constituting the ice thickness detector. It can be detected whether or not the ice is formed. However, when the ice formed around the spiral evaporator tube is formed locally thick on the upper or lower part of the spiral evaporator tube where the pair of electrodes constituting the ice thickness detector is not disposed, Ice formed around the evaporation tube came to entrain the beverage cooling tube, and the beverage in the beverage cooling tube might freeze. In the present invention, even when ice is locally thickly formed around the spiral evaporator tube, the ice formed around the evaporator tube has a predetermined thickness around the evaporator tube before the ice formed around the beverage cooler tube. The purpose is to make it possible to detect the formation of ice.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention circulates a coolant in a cooling water tank that stores cooling water and a spiral evaporation pipe that is disposed along the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the cooling water tank so that the vertical direction is the spiraling direction. A refrigeration apparatus that cools the cooling water by supplying and forming ice around the spiral evaporation pipe, a spiral beverage cooling pipe provided inside the spiral evaporation pipe in the cooling water tank, and a spiral An ice thickness detector, comprising: an ice thickness detector disposed between a spiral evaporation tube and a spiral beverage cooling tube and detecting an ice thickness around the spiral evaporation tube The vessel has a pipe member extending from the same height position as the upper part of the spiral evaporator tube to the same height position as the lower part, detection water having a predetermined conductivity enclosed in the pipe member, A beverage cooling apparatus comprising a pair of electrodes disposed on an upper part and a lower part. A.

  In the beverage cooling apparatus configured as described above, the ice thickness detector is enclosed in a tube member that extends from the same height position as the upper portion of the spiral evaporator tube to the same height position as the lower portion, and the tube member. In addition, the detection water having a predetermined conductivity and a pair of electrodes disposed at the upper part and the lower part in the pipe member are provided. When ice is locally thickly formed in a part of the vertical direction around the spiral evaporator tube, a part of the detected water in the tube member is formed by locally thick ice around the evaporator tube. Freezing increases the potential difference (electric resistance value) between the pair of electrodes. As a result, even when ice is locally formed in a part of the vertical direction around the spiral evaporator tube, before the ice around the evaporator tube entrains the beverage cooling pipe, It is now possible to detect the formation of ice having a predetermined thickness.

  In the beverage cooling apparatus configured as described above, it is preferable that a metal member having good thermal conductivity is used for the tube member, and an insulating portion that is electrically insulated is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the tube member. When it does in this way, it can make it easy to transmit the cold heat of the ice around an evaporation pipe to the detection water in a pipe member, and can improve the detection accuracy of an ice thickness detector.

  As other embodiments to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a cooling water tank that stores cooling water, and a spiral evaporation pipe that is arranged so that the vertical direction is the spiral traveling direction along the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the cooling water tank. Refrigeration system that cools cooling water by circulating and supplying refrigerant to form ice around the spiral evaporating tube, and helical beverage cooling provided inside the spiral evaporating tube in the cooling water tank A beverage cooling device comprising: a tube; and an ice thickness detector disposed between the spiral evaporator tube and the spiral beverage cooler tube for detecting the thickness of ice around the spiral evaporator tube. The ice thickness detector includes an annular tube member disposed between the inside of the spiral evaporation tube and the outside of the spiral beverage cooling tube, and a predetermined conductivity enclosed in the tube member. The detected water, the partition plate for partitioning the pipe member so as not to continue in the circumferential direction, and the partition plate in the pipe member. There is provided a beverage cooling apparatus characterized by comprising a pair disposed separately on the side electrode.

  In the beverage cooling apparatus configured as described above, the ice thickness detector includes an annular tube member disposed between the inside of the spiral evaporation tube and the outside of the spiral beverage cooling tube, and a tube A pair of detection water having a predetermined conductivity enclosed in the member, a partition plate for partitioning the pipe member so as not to be continuous in the circumferential direction, and a pair separately disposed on both sides of the partition plate in the pipe member Electrode. When ice is locally thickly formed in a part of the circumferential direction around the spiral evaporator tube, a part of the detected water in the pipe member is formed by locally thick ice around the evaporator tube. Freezing increases the potential difference (electric resistance value) between the pair of electrodes. As a result, even when ice is locally formed around the spiral evaporator tube in the circumferential direction, before the ice around the evaporator tube entrains the beverage cooling tube, It is now possible to detect the formation of ice having a predetermined thickness.

  As yet another embodiment of the present invention that solves the above-described problems, a cooling water tank that stores cooling water, and a spiral evaporation that is arranged such that the vertical direction is the spiral traveling direction along the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the cooling water tank. A cooling device that circulates and supplies refrigerant to the pipe and forms ice around the spiral evaporating pipe to cool the cooling water, and a spiral beverage provided inside the spiral evaporating pipe in the cooling water tank The beverage cooling device includes a cooling pipe and an ice thickness detector that is disposed between the spiral evaporation pipe and the spiral beverage cooling pipe and detects the thickness of ice around the spiral evaporation pipe. The ice thickness detector has a Landolt ring-shaped tube member disposed between the inside of the spiral evaporating tube and the outside of the helical beverage cooling tube, and a predetermined conduction sealed in the tube member. A pair of electrodes separately disposed at both ends in the extending direction in the pipe member Further comprising a there is provided a beverage cooling device according to claim. Even in the beverage cooling device configured in this way, when ice is locally formed in a part of the circumferential direction around the spiral evaporation tube, before the ice around the evaporation tube entrains the beverage cooling tube, It has become possible to detect the formation of ice having a predetermined thickness around the evaporator tube.

  In the beverage cooling device of these other embodiments, the tube member uses a metal tube with good thermal conductivity, and an insulating portion for electrically insulating is provided on at least the lower half portion of the inner peripheral surface of the tube member, It is preferable to enclose the detection water at a lower water level than the upper edge of the insulating portion. When it does in this way, it can make it easy to transmit the cold heat of the ice around an evaporation pipe to the detection water in a pipe member, and can improve the detection accuracy of an ice thickness detector.

  In the beverage cooling apparatus according to each embodiment configured as described above, a stirring blade for stirring the cooling water is disposed inside the spiral beverage cooling pipe, and the cooling water is spiraled by rotating the stirring blade. It is preferable to make it flow between the inside and the outside of the cooling pipe. In such a case, the cooling water always flows around the pipe member of the ice thickness detector, and the ice thickness detection accuracy of the ice thickness detector can be increased.

It is the longitudinal cross-sectional schematic diagram along the front-back direction of the drink dispenser of 1st Embodiment of the drink cooling device by this invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional schematic diagram along the front-back direction of the drink dispenser of 2nd Embodiment. It is AA sectional drawing of FIG. It is sectional drawing equivalent to FIG. 3 of 3rd Embodiment.

Below, the drink dispenser which is an embodiment of the drink cooling device by the present invention is explained with reference to drawings.
(First embodiment)
As shown in FIG. 1, the beverage dispenser 10 of 1st Embodiment cools the cooling water in the cooling water tank 20 by using the cooling water tank 20 which stores cooling water in the front part in the housing 11, and the rear part as the machine room 12. The refrigeration apparatus 30 is accommodated. An evaporation pipe 33 is provided on the inner surface of the peripheral wall in the cooling water tank 20, and the evaporation pipe 33 is provided in a spiral shape so that the vertical direction is the spiral traveling direction. In the cooling water tank 20, a beverage cooling tube 21 is disposed inside a spiral evaporation tube 33, and the beverage cooling tube 21 is disposed in a spiral shape so that the vertical direction is the spiraling direction. . The inlet end of the beverage cooling pipe 21 is connected to a beverage container such as a via barrel (not shown) provided outside the housing 11, and the outlet end is connected to a dispensing cock 22 provided on the front surface of the housing 11. .

  The cooling water tank 20 is provided with a stirring device 23, and the stirring device 23 is for stirring the cooling water in the cooling water tank 20 by rotating a stirring blade 23 d disposed in the cooling water tank 20. The stirring device 23 includes a stirring motor 23b on the upper surface of a support plate 23a installed on the upper edge of the cooling water tank 20. The rotating shaft 23c rotated by the agitation motor 23b extends through the support plate 23a into the cooling water tank 20 at a position that is the inner central portion of the spiral beverage cooling pipe 21, and has a stirring blade 23d that agitates the cooling water at the tip. Is fixed. When the rotating shaft 23c is rotated by the stirring motor 23b, the stirring blade 23d at the tip of the rotating shaft 23c rotates inside the spiral beverage cooling pipe 21 in the cooling water tank 20. The cooling water in the cooling water tank 21 flows from the inside of the spiral beverage cooling pipe 21 to the outside of the spiral beverage cooling pipe 21 through the bottom by the rotation of the stirring blade 23d. It rises between the inside of the spiral evaporating pipe 33 and flows again into the inside of the helical beverage cooling pipe 21.

  The refrigeration apparatus 30 includes a compressor 31 that compresses the refrigerant, a condenser 32 that cools the compressed refrigerant gas, a capillary tube (not shown) that expands the liquefied refrigerant, and a spiral on the inner peripheral surface of the cooling water tank 20. An evaporation pipe 33 that evaporates the liquefied refrigerant that has been wound and expanded to cool the cooling water is provided, and a refrigerant circuit in which the refrigerant circulates is configured by connecting these. The refrigeration apparatus 30 circulates the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit, thereby cooling the cooling water around the evaporation pipe 33 in the cooling water tank 20 and forming ice I having a predetermined thickness around the evaporation pipe 33. .

  An ice thickness detector 40 for detecting the thickness of the ice I formed around the evaporation pipe 33 is provided in the cooling water tank 20. The ice thickness detector 40 includes a pipe member 41 extending from the same height position as the upper part of the spiral evaporation pipe 33 to the same height position as the lower part, detection water 43 enclosed in the pipe member 41, and the pipe member 41. It consists of a pair of electrodes 44a and 44b disposed on the upper and lower sides.

  The pipe member 41 extends from the same height position as the upper part of the spiral evaporation pipe 33 to the same height position as the lower part at a position where the ice I having a predetermined thickness of the spiral evaporation pipe 33 is formed. The pipe member 41 uses a metal pipe made of aluminum as a metal pipe having high thermal conductivity, and the cooling heat of the cooling water in the cooling water tank 20 is easily transmitted to the detection water 43 in the pipe member 41. An inner peripheral surface of the tube member 41 is provided in a state of being covered with an insulating portion 41a that is electrically insulated from the outside, and a coating made of an insulating material is employed for the insulating portion 41a. A lid 42 is provided in the upper opening of the tube member 41, and the tube member 41 is sealed by the lid 42. The detection water 43 is enclosed in the tube member 41, and the detection water 43 uses an aqueous solution having a predetermined conductivity. Further, silver iodide is dissolved in the detection water 43, and the detection water 43 is prevented from being overcooled by the silver iodide. A pair of electrodes 44 a and 44 b are disposed in the tube member 41, the upper electrode 44 a is disposed in the upper part in the tube member 41, and the lower electrode 44 b is disposed in the lower part in the tube member 41. It is installed. The pair of electrodes 44a and 44b are not conducted by the pipe member 41 by the insulating portion 41Aa, but are conducted only by the detection water 43. The electrodes 44 a and 44 b are connected to a control device 50 described later by an electric wire 45.

  The beverage dispenser 10 includes a control device 50 that controls the operation of the refrigeration apparatus 30. The control apparatus 50 includes the refrigeration apparatus 30 (particularly the compressor 31) and the ice thickness detector 40 (particularly a pair of electrodes 44a and 44b). And connected to. The control device 50 controls the operation of the refrigeration device 30 based on the detection result by the ice thickness detector 40, and prevents the ice I formed around the evaporation tube 33 from entraining the beverage cooling tube 21. The ice I formed around is controlled to have a predetermined thickness.

  Next, the operation when the beverage dispenser 10 forms ice I having a predetermined thickness around the evaporation pipe 33 based on the detection result of the ice thickness detector 40 will be described. When the beverage dispenser 10 is powered on, the control device 50 operates the stirring device 23 and activates the refrigeration device 30. The refrigerant circulates in the refrigerant circuit by the operation of the refrigeration apparatus 30, and the cooling water in the cooling water tank 20 is cooled by the vaporization of the circulating refrigerant in the evaporation pipe 33, and gradually freezes around the evaporation pipe 33 to freeze the ice I It becomes. Further, by the operation of the stirring device 23, the cooling water in the cooling water tank 20 flows from the top to the bottom inside the spiral beverage cooling pipe 21, and the outside of the spiral beverage cooling pipe 21 and the spiral evaporation pipe 33. Flows from the bottom to the top. The agitator 23 agitates and flows the cooling water in the cooling water tank 20 to cool the beverage passing through the beverage cooling pipe 21 by efficiently exchanging heat with the cooling water, and is formed around the evaporation pipe 33. The ice I is so thick that it is locally close to the beverage cooling pipe 21 or is not so thin that it is spaced apart.

  Until the ice I formed around the evaporation pipe 33 in the cooling water tank 20 reaches a predetermined thickness, the pipe member 41 is not caught in the ice I. Therefore, the detection water 43 in the pipe member 41 is not frozen, The potential difference (electric resistance value) between the pair of electrodes 44a and 44b does not exceed a predetermined upper limit value. In this state, the control device 50 detects that the ice I formed around the evaporation pipe 33 does not have a predetermined thickness, and continues the operation of the compressor 31 of the refrigeration apparatus 30.

  When the ice I formed around the evaporation pipe 33 in the cooling water tank 20 has a predetermined thickness and the pipe member 41 is caught in the ice I, the detection water 43 in the pipe member 41 is frozen and a pair of electrodes 44a. , 44b is equal to or greater than a predetermined upper limit value. The control device 50 stops the operation of the compressor 31 of the refrigeration apparatus 30 when the potential difference (electric resistance value) between the pair of electrodes 44a and 44b becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined upper limit value. After the operation of the compressor 31 of the refrigeration apparatus 30 is stopped, the thickness of the ice I formed around the evaporation pipe 33 in the cooling water tank 20 decreases and the pipe member 41 is not caught in the ice I. The detected water 43 in the pipe member 41 melts, and the potential difference (electric resistance value) between the pair of electrodes 44a and 44b becomes lower than a predetermined upper limit value. If it will be in this state, the control apparatus 50 will detect that the ice I formed in the circumference | surroundings of the evaporation pipe 33 is not predetermined thickness, and will operate the compressor 31 of the freezing apparatus 30. FIG.

  In the beverage dispenser 10 configured as described above, the ice thickness detector 40 includes a pipe member 41 extending from the same height position as the upper part of the spiral evaporation pipe 33 to the same height position as the lower part, And a pair of electrodes 44a and 44b disposed in the upper and lower portions of the pipe member 41. When the ice I is locally thickly formed on the upper part of the periphery of the spiral evaporation tube 33, the detection water 43 is locally frozen at the upper part in the tube member 41, and between the pair of electrodes 44a and 44b. The potential difference (electric resistance value) is greater than or equal to a predetermined upper limit value. Further, even when the ice I is locally thickly formed in the middle portion in the vertical direction around the spiral evaporation tube 33, the detection water 43 is locally frozen in the middle portion in the vertical direction in the pipe member 41. The potential difference (electric resistance value) between the pair of electrodes 44a and 44b is equal to or greater than a predetermined upper limit value. Further, when the ice I is locally thickly formed in the lower part around the spiral evaporation tube 33, the detection water 43 is locally frozen in the lower part in the tube member 41, and a pair of electrodes 44a, 44b. The potential difference between them (electric resistance value) is equal to or greater than a predetermined upper limit value.

  As described above, the detection water 43 in the pipe member 41 is locally thickly formed around the evaporation pipe 33 regardless of where the ice I is thickly formed in the vertical direction around the spiral evaporation pipe 33. Part of the ice I is frozen, and the potential difference (electric resistance value) between the pair of upper and lower electrodes 44a and 44b increases. As a result, even if ice I is locally formed in any part in the vertical direction around the spiral evaporator tube 33, the ice I around the evaporator tube 33 evaporates before it is caught in the beverage cooling pipe 21. It was possible to detect that ice I having a predetermined thickness was formed around the tube 33. Therefore, the beverage cooling pipe 21 can be prevented from being caught in the ice I formed locally thick around the evaporation pipe 33, and the beverage in the beverage cooling pipe 21 is prevented from being frozen by the ice I. I was able to.

  Further, the tube member 41 of the ice thickness detector 40 uses a metal tube material (aluminum-made metal tube material) having good thermal conductivity, and an insulating portion 41 a that is electrically insulated is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the tube member 41. . By doing in this way, the cold heat of the ice I around the evaporation pipe 33 can be easily transmitted to the detection water 43 in the pipe member 41, and the detection accuracy of the ice thickness detector 40 can be improved. If a plurality of ice thickness detectors 40 are arranged in the circumferential direction of the beverage cooling pipe 21 and the evaporation pipe 33, the ice I is locally distributed not only in the vertical direction of the evaporation pipe 33 but also in the circumferential direction of the evaporation pipe 33. Even if it is formed thick, it becomes possible to detect that ice I having a predetermined thickness has been formed around the evaporation pipe 33 before the ice I around the evaporation pipe 33 is caught in the beverage cooling pipe 21. .

(Second Embodiment)
As shown in FIG.2 and FIG.3, the beverage dispenser 10 of 2nd Embodiment replaces the ice thickness detector 40 of 1st Embodiment with the ice thickness detector 40A. In the ice thickness detector 40 of the first embodiment, the beverage cooling pipe 21 is not caught in the ice I even when the ice I is locally thickly formed in a part of the spiral evaporation pipe 33 in the vertical direction. As described above, it is possible to detect that the ice I around the evaporation tube 33 has a predetermined thickness. In contrast, in the ice thickness detector 40A of the second embodiment, even when the ice I is locally thickly formed in a part of the circumferential direction of the spiral evaporating tube 33, the beverage cooling tube 21 has the ice I It is possible to detect that the ice I around the evaporator tube 33 has reached a predetermined thickness so that the ice I is not caught in. The configuration of the beverage dispenser 10 of the second embodiment is the same as that of the beverage dispenser 10 of the first embodiment except for the ice thickness detector 40A. Below, the ice thickness detector 40A of 2nd Embodiment is explained in full detail.

  The ice thickness detector 40A is disposed between the inside of the spiral evaporating tube 33 and the outside of the spiral beverage cooling tube 21, and is electrically insulated from the lower half of the inner peripheral surface. A pipe member 41 having a ring shape in plan view, a detection water 43A having a predetermined conductivity sealed at a lower water level than the insulating portion 41Aa in the pipe member 41A, and the inside of the pipe member 41A in the circumferential direction. A partition plate 46A that is partitioned so as not to be continuous and a pair of electrodes 44Aa and 41Ab that are separately disposed on both sides of the partition plate 46A in the tube member 41A are provided.

  The pipe member 41A is obtained by bending a metal pipe material into a circular ring shape in plan view so as to be continuous in the circumferential direction of the spiral beverage cooling pipe 21 and the evaporation pipe 33. The ring-shaped tube member 41 in plan view is located between the inside of the spiral evaporator tube 33 and the outside of the spiral beverage cooling pipe 21 as a position where the ice I having a predetermined thickness of the spiral evaporator tube 33 is formed. The spiral evaporating tube 33 and the spiral beverage cooling tube 21 are disposed at the same height as the intermediate portion in the vertical direction. The pipe member 41A uses a metal pipe made of aluminum as a metal pipe having high thermal conductivity, and the cooling heat of the cooling water in the cooling water tank 20 is easily transmitted to the detection water 43A in the pipe member 41A. The lower half of the inner peripheral surface of the pipe member 41A is provided with an insulating portion 41Aa that is electrically insulated, and a coating made of an insulating material is employed for the insulating portion 41Aa. The insulating portion 41Aa may be any member that covers at least the lower half portion of the inner peripheral surface of the tube member 41A, and may cover the entire inner peripheral surface of the tube member 41A. In addition, the pipe member 41A is not limited to a circular ring shape in plan view, but a metal pipe material bent into a polygonal shape or a polygonal ring shape having a curved portion called R. May be.

  The detection water 43A is sealed in the pipe member 41A at a lower level than the insulating portion 41Aa, and the detection water 43A uses an aqueous solution having a predetermined conductivity. Further, silver iodide is dissolved in the detection water 43A, and the detection water 43A is prevented from being overcooled by the silver iodide. The partition plate 46A provided in the annular tube member 41A partitions the tube member 41A so as not to be continuous in the circumferential direction. The partition plate 46A uses an insulating material such as resin so as not to electrically connect both sides of the pipe member 41A partitioned by the partition plate 46A. In the tube member 41A, a pair of electrodes 44Aa and 44Ab are disposed separately on both sides of the partition plate 46A. The pair of electrodes 44Aa and 41Ab are not conducted by the pipe member 41A by the insulating portion 41Aa and the partition plate 46A but are conducted by the detection water 43A. The electrodes 44Aa and 44Ab are connected to the control device 50 by an electric wire 45A. In the beverage dispenser 10 of the second embodiment, the control device 50 also detects the ice thickness of the ice thickness detector 40A by the potential difference between the pair of electrodes 44Aa and 44Ab, as in the beverage dispenser 10 of the first embodiment. Based on this, the compressor 31 of the refrigeration apparatus 30 is operated so that ice I having a predetermined thickness is formed around the evaporation pipe 33.

  In the beverage dispenser 10 configured as described above, the ice thickness detector 40A is an annular tube member that is disposed between the inside of the spiral evaporating tube 33 and the outside of the spiral beverage cooling tube 21. 41A, detection water 43A having a predetermined conductivity enclosed in the tube member 41A, a partition plate 46A for partitioning the annular tube member 41A so as not to be continuous in the circumferential direction, and the annular tube member 41 And a pair of electrodes 44Aa and 44Ab arranged separately on both sides of the partition plate 46A.

  When the ice I is locally thickly formed at a position away from the partition plate 46A in the pipe member 41A as a part in the circumferential direction around the spiral evaporation pipe 33, the detected water 43A in the pipe member 41A is Part of the ice I formed locally thick around the evaporation tube 33 is frozen, and the potential difference (electric resistance value) between the pair of electrodes 44Aa and 44Ab becomes a predetermined upper limit value or more. Further, when the ice I is locally thickly formed at a position near the partition plate 46A in the pipe member 41A as a part in the circumferential direction around the spiral evaporation pipe 33, the detection water 43A in the pipe member 41A is formed. Is locally frozen around at least one of the pair of electrodes 44Aa and 44Ab by the ice I formed locally thick around the evaporation tube 33, and a potential difference (electric resistance value) between the pair of electrodes 44Aa and 44Ab. ) Is equal to or greater than a predetermined upper limit value.

  As described above, the detection water 43 </ b> A in the pipe member 41 </ b> A is locally thickly formed around the evaporation pipe 33, regardless of where the ice I is thickly formed around the spiral evaporation pipe 33. A part of the ice I freezes, and the potential difference (electric resistance value) between the pair of electrodes 44Aa and 44Ab increases. As a result, even if ice I is locally formed in any part in the circumferential direction around the spiral evaporator tube 33, the ice I around the evaporator tube 33 evaporates before being caught in the beverage cooling pipe 21. It was possible to detect that ice I having a predetermined thickness was formed around the tube 33. Therefore, the beverage cooling pipe 21 can be prevented from being caught in the ice I formed locally thick around the evaporation pipe 33, and the beverage in the beverage cooling pipe 21 is prevented from being frozen by the ice I. I was able to.

  In addition, the pipe member 41A of the ice thickness detector 40A uses a metal tube material (aluminum metal tube material) with good thermal conductivity, and an insulating portion that electrically insulates the lower half of the inner peripheral surface of the tube member 41A. 41Aa was provided, and the detection water 43A was sealed at a lower water level than the upper edge of the insulating portion 41Aa. By doing in this way, it can be made easy to transmit the cold heat of the ice around the evaporation pipe 33 to the detection water 43A in the pipe member 41A, and the detection accuracy of the ice thickness detector 40A can be improved. If a plurality of ice thickness detectors 40A are arranged in the vertical direction of the beverage cooling pipe 21 and the evaporation pipe 33, the ice I is locally distributed not only in the circumferential direction of the evaporation pipe 33 but also in the vertical direction of the evaporation pipe 33. Even if it is formed thick, it becomes possible to detect that ice I having a predetermined thickness has been formed around the evaporation pipe 33 before the ice I around the evaporation pipe 33 is caught in the beverage cooling pipe 21. .

(Third embodiment)
As shown in FIG. 4, the beverage dispenser 10 of 3rd Embodiment replaces the ice thickness detector 40A of 2nd Embodiment with the ice thickness detector 40B. Also in the ice thickness detector 40B of the third embodiment, the beverage cooling pipe 21 is not caught in the ice I even when the ice I is locally thickly formed in a part of the circumferential direction of the spiral evaporation pipe 33. As described above, it is possible to detect that the ice I around the evaporation tube 33 has a predetermined thickness. The configuration of the beverage dispenser 10 of the third embodiment is the same as the beverage dispenser 10 of the first and second embodiments except for the ice thickness detector 40B. Below, the ice thickness detector 40B of 3rd Embodiment is explained in full detail.

  The ice thickness detector 40B is disposed between the inside of the spiral evaporating tube 33 and the outside of the spiral beverage cooling tube 21 and is electrically insulated from the lower half of the inner peripheral surface. A Landolt ring-shaped (C-shaped) pipe member 41B provided with a detection water 43B having a predetermined conductivity sealed at a lower water level than the insulating portion 41Ba in the pipe member 41B, and the pipe member 41B. And a pair of electrodes 44Ba and 44Bb arranged separately at both ends in the extending direction.

  The pipe member 41B is formed by bending a metal pipe material into a Landolt ring shape having a circular part in plan view so as to extend in the circumferential direction of the spiral beverage cooling pipe 21 and the evaporation pipe 33. The Landolt ring-shaped pipe member 41B in plan view is located between the inside of the spiral evaporation pipe 33 and the outside of the spiral beverage cooling pipe 21 as a position where the ice I having a predetermined thickness of the spiral evaporation pipe 33 is formed. Thus, the spiral evaporating tube 33 and the spiral beverage cooling tube 21 are disposed at the same height as the intermediate portion in the vertical direction. The pipe member 41B uses a metal pipe made of aluminum as a metal pipe having high thermal conductivity, and the cooling heat of the cooling water in the cooling water tank 20 is easily transmitted to the detection water 43A in the pipe member 41B. The lower half of the inner peripheral surface of the pipe member 41B is provided with an insulating part 41Ba that is electrically insulated, and a coating made of an insulating material is employed for the insulating part 41Ba. The insulating portion 41Ba only needs to cover at least the lower half of the inner peripheral surface of the tube member 41B, and may cover the entire inner peripheral surface of the tube member 41B. Further, the tube member 41B is not limited to a curved shape so as to form a circular Landolt ring in plan view, and the metal tube material is polygonal or rounded so that both ends in the longitudinal direction of the metal tube material are not continuous. It may be curved into a polygon having a curved portion called.

  Detection water 43B is sealed in the pipe member 41B, and the detection water 43B uses an aqueous solution having a predetermined conductivity. Further, silver iodide is dissolved in the detection water 43B, and the detection water 43B is prevented from being overcooled by the silver iodide. A pair of electrodes 44Ba and 44Bb are disposed at both ends in the extending direction of the tube member 41B having a Landolt ring shape. The pair of electrodes 44Ba and 41Bb are not conducted by the pipe member 41B by the insulating portion 41Ba but conducted by the detection water 43B. The electrodes 44Ba and 44Bb are connected to the control device 50 by electric wires 45B. Also in the beverage dispenser 10 of the second embodiment, the controller 50 controls the ice of the ice thickness detector 40B based on the potential difference between the pair of electrodes 44Ba and 44Bb, as in the beverage dispenser 10 of the first and second embodiments. Based on the thickness detection, the compressor 31 of the refrigeration apparatus 30 is operated so that ice I having a predetermined thickness is formed around the evaporation pipe 33.

  In the beverage dispenser 10 configured as described above, the ice thickness detector 40B includes a Landolt ring tube in plan view disposed between the inside of the spiral evaporating tube 33 and the outside of the spiral beverage cooling tube 21. A member 41B, a detection water 43B having a predetermined conductivity enclosed in the tube member 41B, and a pair of electrodes 44Ba and 44Bb disposed separately at both ends in the extending direction in the tube member 41B I have.

  When the ice I is locally thickly formed at the intermediate portion in the extending direction of the Landolt ring-shaped tube member 41B as a part of the circumferential direction around the spiral evaporation tube 33, the detection in the tube member 41B is detected. The water 43B is locally frozen by the ice I locally formed around the evaporation pipe 33, and the potential difference (electric resistance value) between the pair of electrodes 44Ba and 44Bb becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined upper limit value. Further, when the ice I is locally thickly formed at a position close to the end of the Landolt ring-shaped tube member 41B as a part in the circumferential direction around the spiral evaporation tube 33, the detection in the tube member 41B is detected. The water 43B is locally frozen around at least one of the pair of electrodes 44Ba and 44Bb by the ice I locally formed around the evaporator tube 33, and a potential difference (electricity between the pair of electrodes 44Ba and 44Bb) Resistance value) is equal to or greater than a predetermined upper limit value.

  As described above, the detected water 43B in the pipe member 41B is locally thicker around the evaporation pipe 33 regardless of where the ice I is locally thickened at any portion in the circumferential direction around the spiral evaporation pipe 33. Part of the formed ice I is frozen, and the potential difference (electric resistance value) between the pair of electrodes 44Ba and 44Bb increases. Thus, even if ice I is formed (locally) in any portion in the circumferential direction around the spiral evaporator tube 33, before the ice I around the evaporator tube 33 is caught in the beverage cooling pipe 21. It has become possible to detect the formation of ice I having a predetermined thickness around the evaporation tube 33. Therefore, the beverage cooling pipe 21 is prevented from being caught in the ice I formed locally thick around the evaporation pipe 33, and the beverage in the beverage cooling pipe 21 can be prevented from being frozen by the ice I. .

  In addition, the pipe member 41B of the ice thickness detector 40B uses a metal pipe material (aluminum metal pipe material) having good thermal conductivity, and an insulating portion that electrically insulates the lower half of the inner peripheral surface of the pipe member 41B. 41Ba was provided, and the detection water 43B was sealed at a lower water level than the upper edge of the insulating portion 41Ba. By doing in this way, it can be made easy to transmit the cold heat of the ice around the evaporation pipe 33 to the detection water 43B in the pipe member 41B, and the detection accuracy of the ice thickness detector 40B can be improved. If a plurality of ice thickness detectors 40B are arranged in the vertical direction of the beverage cooling pipe 21 and the evaporation pipe 33, even if the ice I is locally thick in the vertical direction of the evaporation pipe 33, the evaporation pipe 33 is provided. It is possible to detect that the ice I having a predetermined thickness has been formed around the evaporation pipe 33 before the ice I around the drink has entered the beverage cooling pipe 21.

  In each of the above-described embodiments, the metal members made of aluminum are used for the pipe members 41 to 41B. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other metal tubes made of high heat conductivity such as copper and stainless steel are used. It may be used. Moreover, the cross-sectional shape in the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the tube members 41 to 41B is not limited to a circle, but may be a polygon.

  Moreover, although demonstrated using the drink dispenser 10 as one Embodiment of the drink cooling device of this invention, this invention is not restricted to this, For example, the pouring cock was separately attached to the counter etc., and the note attached to the counter The present invention can also be applied to a beverage cooling apparatus in which a beverage cooling pipe 21 is connected to the outlet cock using a beverage hose or the like.

  Moreover, although demonstrated using the drink dispenser 10 as one Embodiment of the drink cooling device of this invention, this invention is not restricted to this, For example, the water supply which cools and pours out water, tea, etc. as a drink It is also applied to the machine and tea machine.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Beverage cooling device (beverage dispenser), 20 ... Cooling water tank, 21 ... Beverage cooling pipe, 23d ... Stirrer blade, 30 ... Freezing device, 33 ... Evaporation pipe, 40-40B ... Ice thickness detector, 41-41B ... Pipe Members, 43 to 43B ... detection water, 44a, 44b ... a pair of electrodes, 44Aa, 44Ab ... a pair of electrodes, 44Ba, 44Bb ... a pair of electrodes.

Claims (6)

A cooling water tank storing cooling water;
A coolant is circulated and supplied to a spiral evaporating pipe arranged so that the vertical direction of the cooling water tank is along the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the cooling water tank, and ice is formed around the spiral evaporating pipe A refrigeration system for cooling the cooling water;
A helical beverage cooling pipe provided inside the helical evaporation pipe in the cooling water tank;
A beverage cooling apparatus comprising an ice thickness detector disposed between the spiral evaporation tube and the spiral beverage cooling tube and detecting the thickness of ice around the spiral evaporation tube. ,
The ice thickness detector includes a pipe member extending from the same height position as the upper part of the spiral evaporation pipe to the same height position as the lower part, and a detection water having a predetermined conductivity sealed in the pipe member. And a beverage cooling device comprising a pair of electrodes disposed at an upper part and a lower part in the pipe member. The beverage cooling device according to claim 1, wherein
The pipe member uses a metal pipe material having good thermal conductivity, and an insulating portion for electrically insulating is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the pipe member. A cooling water tank storing cooling water;
A coolant is circulated and supplied to a spiral evaporating pipe arranged so that the vertical direction of the cooling water tank is along the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the cooling water tank, and ice is formed around the spiral evaporating pipe A refrigeration system for cooling the cooling water;
A helical beverage cooling pipe provided inside the helical evaporation pipe in the cooling water tank;
A beverage cooling apparatus comprising an ice thickness detector disposed between the spiral evaporation tube and the spiral beverage cooling tube and detecting the thickness of ice around the spiral evaporation tube. ,
The ice thickness detector includes an annular tube member disposed between the inside of the spiral evaporation tube and the outside of the spiral beverage cooling tube, and a predetermined encapsulated in the tube member. Detecting water having conductivity, a partition plate for partitioning the tube member so as not to be continuous in the circumferential direction, and a pair of electrodes separately disposed on both sides of the partition plate in the tube member A beverage cooling device characterized by the above. A cooling water tank storing cooling water;
A coolant is circulated and supplied to a spiral evaporating pipe arranged so that the vertical direction of the cooling water tank is along the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the cooling water tank, and ice is formed around the spiral evaporating pipe A refrigeration system for cooling the cooling water;
A helical beverage cooling pipe provided inside the helical evaporation pipe in the cooling water tank;
A beverage cooling apparatus comprising an ice thickness detector disposed between the spiral evaporation tube and the spiral beverage cooling tube and detecting the thickness of ice around the spiral evaporation tube. ,
The ice thickness detector includes a Landolt ring-shaped tube member disposed between the inside of the spiral evaporation tube and the outside of the spiral beverage cooling tube, and a predetermined sealed in the tube member. A beverage cooling device comprising: detected water having a conductivity of 1; and a pair of electrodes separately disposed at both ends of the pipe member in the extending direction. The beverage cooling device according to claim 3 or 4,
The pipe member uses a metal pipe material having good thermal conductivity, and an insulating portion that is electrically insulated is provided in at least the lower half portion of the inner peripheral surface of the pipe member, and the detection water is supplied from an upper edge of the insulating portion. A beverage cooling device characterized by being sealed at a low water level. In the drink cooling device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
A stirring blade for stirring the cooling water is disposed inside the spiral beverage cooling pipe,
The beverage cooling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cooling water is caused to flow between the inside and the outside of the spiral beverage cooling pipe by the rotation of the stirring blade.

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