JP2020188842A - Beverage extraction device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a beverage extraction device which appropriately performs a following pressing-out process, facilitates opening of a lid body, or prevents steam from blowing out from the inside of a beverage extraction container in opening of the lid body by opening the inside of the beverage extraction container to the atmosphere after the pressing-out process.SOLUTION: A beverage extraction device includes a water feeding tank 15, a water sending pump 17, heating means 18, a beverage extraction container 25 for extracting extracted liquid from an extraction raw material C, a first solenoid valve 28 which can open the inside of the beverage extraction container 25 to the atmosphere, and a control unit 22. The control unit 22 is configured to perform a steaming process for steaming the extraction raw material C, an extraction process for extracting the extracted liquid from the extraction raw material C steamed in the steaming process, and a pressing-out process for pressing out the extracted liquid extracted in the extraction process and opens the inside of the beverage extraction container 25 to the atmosphere by opening the first solenoid valve 28 after the pressing-out process.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

The present invention relates to a beverage extraction device such as a coffee maker, and more specifically, to a beverage extraction device capable of appropriately pouring an extract into a server, a cup, or the like after extracting the extract with a beverage extraction container. Is.

Beverage extraction devices such as a so-called coffee maker that extracts coffee from coffee powder and a so-called tea maker that extracts tea from tea leaves are known. For example, the applicant has already applied for the coffee maker of Patent Document 1.

The above coffee maker performs "a steaming process of steaming coffee powder", "an extraction process of extracting coffee from steamed coffee powder", and "an extrusion process of applying steam pressure to the extracted coffee" in a beverage extraction container. It has, and after the extrusion process, a new extrusion process is repeated multiple times. Even if it is a large coffee maker that puts a large amount of coffee powder and a large amount of hot water, the extracted coffee is properly poured out. Can be done.

By the way, steam for applying pressure is generated by sending a small amount of water to a heater by a water pump. Therefore, in the conventional coffee maker as described above in which a new extrusion process is performed after the extrusion process, more steam is sent into the beverage extraction container in a state where the internal pressure is high, and it is difficult to predict how the pressure rises, which is more than necessary. There was a risk of high pressure. When the internal pressure of the beverage extraction container becomes high, new steam cannot be sent into the beverage extraction container, and as a result, coffee cannot be sufficiently extruded.

In addition, if the internal pressure of the beverage extraction container becomes high, there is a risk that proper pouring may not be performed.

In order to eliminate such an adverse effect, for example, it is conceivable to provide a predetermined waiting time between the first extrusion step and the second extrusion step, but the pressure in the beverage extraction container is increased only by providing the waiting time. However, if a long waiting time is provided, a new problem arises in which the time required to complete all the extrusions becomes long.

By the way, even in a coffee maker that repeats the new extrusion process as described above, the lid is opened after the final extrusion process. In addition, some conventional coffee makers perform the extrusion process only once, but such a coffee maker also opens the lid after the extrusion process.

However, in the beverage extraction container having the above-mentioned extrusion process, if the means such as releasing the pressure after the extrusion process is not provided, the pressure is still applied immediately after the end of the extrusion process (that is, the lid from the inside). In such a state (that is, immediately after the end of the extrusion process), if the lid is unlocked and the lid is opened, the lid will inevitably It becomes difficult to release the locked state. Further, even if the locked state of the lid can be released, if the lid is opened immediately after the end of the extrusion process, steam in the beverage extraction container may be ejected.

JP-A-2018-201659

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and more specifically, by opening the inside of the beverage extraction container to the atmosphere after the extrusion process, a new extrusion process can be appropriately performed, or a lid. It is an object of the present invention to provide a beverage extraction device capable of facilitating the opening of the container or eliminating the blowing of steam from the inside of the beverage extraction container when the lid is opened.

The beverage extraction device of the present invention is configured to provide the following problem-solving means in order to solve the above-mentioned problems.

The invention according to claim 1 is supplied with a water supply tank, a water supply pump for feeding water from the water supply tank, a heating means for heating the water sent from the water supply pump, and hot water and steam heated by the heating means. , A beverage extraction container that extracts an extract from an extraction raw material, a hot water supply pipe that connects the heating means and the beverage extraction container, a first electromagnetic valve that can open the inside of the beverage extraction container to the atmosphere, and a control device. The control device has a steaming step of steaming the extraction raw material, an extraction step of extracting an extract from the extraction raw material steamed in the steaming step, and an extract extracted in the extraction step. A configuration in which the extrusion step is performed and the first electromagnetic valve is opened after the extrusion step to open the inside of the beverage extraction container to the atmosphere.

With the above configuration, the first electromagnetic valve can be opened after the extrusion step to bring the inside of the beverage extraction container into an almost atmospheric state. Therefore, for example, in the case where the extrusion step is performed a plurality of times, the second and subsequent extrusion steps are performed by 1. It will be possible to perform the process with the same pressure as the first time, and the pressure inside the beverage extraction container will not become higher than necessary. In addition, since the inside of the beverage extraction container returns to the atmospheric state once, it becomes possible to properly deliver the required amount of steam.

Further, in particular, in the case where a means for releasing pressure after the extrusion step is not provided, the lid can be easily opened immediately after the extrusion step, and steam is not blown out from the beverage extraction container 25 when the lid is opened. .. It should be noted that the present invention is effective for both those in which only one extrusion step is performed and those in which a plurality of extrusion steps are performed.

In the invention according to claim 2, in addition to the configuration of claim 1, the control device opens the extrusion step and the first solenoid valve after the extrusion step to open the inside of the beverage extraction container to the atmosphere. A configuration that repeats what to do multiple times.

With the above configuration, the first electromagnetic valve can be opened after each extrusion step to bring the inside of the beverage extraction container into an almost atmospheric state, so that the second and subsequent extrusion steps can be performed at the same pressure as the first. The pressure inside the beverage extraction container will not be higher than necessary. In addition, since the inside of the beverage extraction container returns to the atmospheric state once, it becomes possible to properly deliver the required amount of steam.

Further, when the lid is opened immediately after the final extrusion step, the lid can be easily opened and steam is not blown out from the beverage extraction container 25 when the lid is opened.

In the invention according to claim 3, in addition to the configuration of claim 1 or 2, the hot water supply pipe has a branch portion, one end of another pipe communicates with the branch portion, and the other pipe is , The other end opens in the water supply tank, and the first solenoid valve is provided in the middle. For the branch portion, for example, a T-shaped pipe joint member having three openings as shown in FIG. 8 can be used, in which case the hot water supply pipe on the heating means side is connected to the first opening. Then, the hot water supply pipe on the beverage extraction container side is connected to the second opening, and another pipe is connected to the third opening.

With the above configuration, the other pipe can be easily incorporated into the beverage brewing device without the other end interfering with the other member. In addition, steam will be discharged through other pipes, but it is safe because it is inside the water supply tank. In addition, there is water in the water supply tank, and there is a low risk that the water supply tank will heat up.

In the invention according to claim 4, in addition to the configuration of any one of claims 1 to 3, the hot water supply pipe has a second solenoid valve, and the second solenoid valve is used when the power is turned on. A configuration that opens and closes when the power is turned off. The second solenoid valve closes when it is not energized and opens when it is energized.

With the above configuration, even if the lid is accidentally opened while using the coffee maker, the second solenoid valve is closed by the switch means described later, so the tip of the hot water supply pipe (see FIG. 4). No steam will spurt out from.

As a result of the above, the present invention can perform the second and subsequent extrusion steps at the same pressure as the first, and can prevent the pressure in the beverage extraction container from becoming unnecessarily high. The required amount of steam can be properly delivered into the beverage extraction container. Further, it is possible to facilitate the opening of the lid immediately after the extrusion step, and it is possible to prevent steam from being ejected when the lid is opened.

Front view of the beverage brewing device (coffee maker) according to the embodiment of the present invention. Perspective view of the beverage extractor viewed from diagonally above Sectional view of line AA of FIG. A perspective view of the beverage extractor with the lid open, viewed from diagonally above. Enlarged schematic view showing a state in which hot water or steam from a hot water supply pipe flows into the cylinder body through a supply pipe inside the lid. Sectional view of beverage extraction container An exploded perspective view of each part of the beverage extraction container Beverage extraction device control system diagram Flow chart showing beverage extraction control of FIG. Time chart corresponding to beverage extraction control in the flowchart of FIG.

Hereinafter, the beverage brewing apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. As a beverage extraction device, a so-called coffee maker that extracts coffee from coffee powder as an extraction raw material, a so-called tea maker that extracts tea from tea leaves, and the like are known, but in the following, a coffee maker will be used. To do.

In recent years, as a coffee maker, a funnel-shaped paper filter or a mesh filter is generally used to extract components by passing hot water through coffee powder. The coffee maker 10 described below includes a water supply tank 15 and a water supply pump 17. A heating heater 18 and a beverage extraction container 25, which are heating means, are provided, and components are stably extracted from coffee powder C by performing a steaming step, an extraction step, an extrusion step, and the like in the beverage extraction container 25, and It is possible to provide coffee with little variation in taste.

A front view of the coffee maker 10 is shown in FIG. 1, a perspective view thereof is shown in FIG. 2, a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 1 is shown in FIG. 3, and a perspective view with an open lid is shown in FIG. Is shown. In FIG. 1, the front side is the front side, the back side is the rear side, the upper side is the upper side, the lower side is the lower side, the right side is the right side, and the left side is the left side.

First, the schematic flow of hot water, steam, and the like will be described with reference to FIG. 8, which is a block diagram showing a main mechanism of the coffee maker 10.

From the upstream side, the coffee maker 10 has a water supply tank 15 for storing water W and a water pump 17 for sending the water W supplied from the water supply tank 15 to the heating heater 18 which is a heating means via the water supply pipe 20. When the water supply pump 17 is turned on and driven, the water W in the water supply pipe 20 is sent to the heating heater 18.

The heating heater 18 heats the sent water W to generate hot water HW and steam S. The hot water HW and steam S generated by the heater 18 are sent to the beverage extraction container 25 via the hot water supply pipe 19. A required amount of coffee powder C, which is an extraction raw material, is contained in the beverage extraction container 25 in advance, and when hot water HW or steam S is sent from the heating heater 18, the steaming process and the extraction process are performed in the beverage extraction container 25. Is performed and coffee is extracted.

Then, the extracted coffee is extruded from the discharge hole 68 on the bottom surface of the beverage extraction container 25 during the extrusion process and is poured out to the server 14.

By the way, in order to apply vapor pressure into the beverage extraction container 25, it is necessary that the beverage extraction container 25 is correctly attached to the coffee maker 10 and the lid 30 is properly closed. Therefore, a switch means 41 for detecting the correct mounting state of the beverage extraction container 25 and the lid 30 is provided.

The switch means 41 allows the water supply pump 17 and the heater 18 to be energized when they are in the correct mounting state, and shuts off the energization when the mounting state is not correct.

A flow meter 16 is provided in the water supply pipe 20 between the water supply tank 15 and the water supply pump 17, and detects the amount of water to be supplied and sends a detected signal to the control device 22.

The hot water supply pipe 19 between the heater 18 and the beverage extraction container 25 is provided with a hot water temperature detection sensor 21a, and the heater 18 is provided with a heater temperature detection sensor 21b to send the water to the beverage extraction container 25. The temperature of the hot water and the temperature of the heater 18 are detected and the detected signals are sent to the control device 22.

Further, a branch portion 27 is provided in the hot water supply pipe 19 between the heater 18 and the beverage extraction container 25. The branch portion 27 is a pipe joint member having a plurality of openings and communicating internally, for example, as shown in FIG. 8, a T-shaped pipe joint member having three openings, and the first opening. The hot water supply pipe 19 on the heating heater 18 side is connected to, the hot water supply pipe 19 on the beverage extraction container 25 side is connected to the second opening, and the branch pipe 27a, which is another pipe, is connected to the third opening. become.

A first solenoid valve 28 is provided in the middle of the branch pipe 27a, which is another pipe, and the other end is opened in the water supply tank 15.

The first solenoid valve 28 is in an open state when it is not energized and is in a closed state when it is energized. Specifically, the first solenoid valve 28 is controlled so as to be turned on and off almost following the water supply pump 17 (see FIG. 10), and the power switch is turned on as well as when the power switch is off. Even when the on coffee maker 10 is in use, when the first solenoid valve 28 is not energized, it is opened to allow the air in the beverage extraction container 25 to communicate with the beverage extraction container 25 and the water supply tank 15. Send to the water tank 15 side. That is, the pressure in the beverage extraction container 25 is set to the atmospheric pressure state.

Then, when the first solenoid valve 28 is energized, it is closed and the communication between the beverage extraction container 25 and the water supply tank 15 is cut off. With such a control mode, the pressure in the beverage extraction container 25 can be appropriately controlled, and the lid can be easily opened immediately after the extrusion process.

The water supply tank 15 has, for example, an external opening at the top thereof from which air can flow in, in order to improve the water supply operation. Therefore, as soon as the first solenoid valve 28 is opened, the air in the beverage extraction container 25 is sent to the water supply tank 15 side.

A second solenoid valve 29 is provided in the hot water supply pipe 19 that communicates the heater 18 and the beverage extraction container 25. In the case of FIG. 8, it is between the heater 18 and the branch portion 27.

The second solenoid valve 29 is in a closed state when it is not energized and is in an open state when it is energized. Specifically, the second solenoid valve 29 is interlocked with the on / off of energization. That is, it is in the closed state when it is not energized (when the coffee maker 10 is not in use) and is in the open state when it is energized (when the coffee maker 10 is in use).

As described above, when the lid of the second solenoid valve 29 is accidentally opened while the coffee maker is in use, the switch means 41 moves up to turn off the power switch, and the second solenoid valve closes. To do. As a result, steam does not spout from the tip of the hot water supply pipe 19 (to be exact, the tip of the packing member 35 as shown in FIG. 4). That is, the switch means 41 has the same function as the power switch on the operation unit 11.

The beverage extraction container 25 is a container that is made substantially airtight by the lid 30, and is extracted by steaming and extracting coffee powder C with the supplied hot water HW or steam S, and further applying vapor pressure after extraction. The coffee is extruded from the bottom discharge hole 68 and injected into the server 14 placed below the discharge hole 68.

The coffee maker 10 is controlled by the control device 22 by operating the operation unit 11 (see FIGS. 1, 2 and 4). The control device 22 is mainly composed of a CPU, and various control programs, set values, and the like of the coffee maker 10 are stored in a storage means such as a memory.

The control device 22 includes a flow meter 16, a water supply pump 17, a heating heater 18, a hot water temperature detection sensor 21a, a heater temperature detection sensor 21b, a switch means 41, a first solenoid valve 28, a second solenoid valve 29, and the like. Water supply, hot water supply, steam supply, steaming process, extraction process, extrusion process, etc. are performed in the beverage extraction container 25 based on the operation from the operation unit 11, and the coffee is suitable for the problem. Is generated.

Next, the details will be described. The coffee maker 10 has a back box body 10A on the rear side, a bottom box body 10B on the lower side, and an upper box body 10C on the upper side. The coffee maker 10 has a rectangular shape in a plan view and has a water supply tank when viewed from the right. It has a U-shape when the 15 is not attached.

The back box body 10A is a tubular body having a predetermined front-rear width and a predetermined left-right width and rising from the rear end side of the bottom box body 10B to the rear end side of the upper box body 10C as a whole having a substantially rectangular cross section. In the internal space 10AA, a water pump 17, a flow meter 16 (see FIG. 8), a heater 18 for boiling water, a hot water temperature detection sensor 21a (see FIG. 8), a heater temperature detection sensor 21b (see FIG. 8), and a control A device 22 (see FIG. 8) and the like are installed.

The bottom box body 10B is a high-strength box-shaped member, and has a plurality of leg portions 10BB as separate members below the front, rear, left, and right, and supports the entire coffee maker 10 in a stable state. A back box body 10A is attached to the rear upper surface in an upright state, and a server 14 (which may be a cup) is placed on the upper surface on the front side of the back box body 10A. ..

The upper box body 10C is a rectangular member in a plan view having thicknesses in the vertical direction, and is an eaves-shaped member connected to the upper end of the back box body 10A and extending horizontally toward the front side. The lid 30 is provided on the left side of the upper portion thereof, and the operation unit 11 is provided on the right side of the upper portion thereof.

Further, in the upper box body 10C below the lid body 30, a storage space 12 for storing the beverage extraction container 25 is formed. The storage space 12 has an insertion cylinder 13 having openings at the top and bottom for inserting the beverage extraction container 25, and a rubber hot water supply pipe 19 is drawn into the upper box body 10C.

The insertion cylinder 13 is a tubular member that is circular in a plan view and has openings at the top and bottom. The tip thereof has a large diameter portion 13a (see FIG. 3), and when the beverage extraction container 25 is fitted into the insertion cylinder 13, the flange 47 of the cylinder itself of the beverage extraction container 25 described later has a large diameter. Ground on the portion 13a.

The hot water supply pipe 19 is made of rubber extending from the heater 18 of the back box body 10A, and is fitted to the upper end of the supply pipe 40 integrally formed with the inner plate 31 of the lid body 30 (FIG. 5). (See), hot water HW and steam S are supplied to the beverage extraction container 25 via the supply pipe 40.

The hot water supply pipe 19 is routed from the heater 18 of the back box body 10A to the inside of the lid body 30 of the upper box body 10C, and has a branch portion 27 in the middle thereof. Then, one end of the branch pipe 27a is connected to the branch portion 27, and the other end of the branch pipe 27a is connected to the upper part of the water supply tank 15 (see FIG. 8).

A first solenoid valve 28 is arranged in the middle of the branch pipe 27a, and a second solenoid valve 29 is arranged in the hot water supply pipe 19 between the branch portion 27 and the heater 18. (See FIG. 8). The first solenoid valve 28 and the second solenoid valve 29 are arranged in the internal space of either the back box body 10A or the upper box body 10C.

The space on the left side between the upper box body 10C, the back box body 10A, and the bottom box body 10B is a server mounting space 10D, and the server mounting space 10D is shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. As such, the server 14 (which may be a cup) is placed. When the server 14 is mounted in the server mounting space 10D, the coffee extracted by the beverage extraction container 25 is pushed out from the discharge hole 68 in the server 14 during the extrusion process.

Further, the space on the right side between the upper box body 10C, the back box body 10A, and the bottom box body 10B is a water tank installation space 10E, and as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the water tank installation space A water supply tank 15 is arranged in 10E.

The water supply tank 15 is mounted by pushing the water supply tank 15 from the front side to the rear and pulling it out from the rear to the front to replenish water. Then, when the water supply tank 15 is pushed backward from the front side and attached, a first pipe portion having a short length (not shown) provided below the rear end of the water supply tank 15 is connected to the tip of the water supply pipe 20 (not shown). It is fitted to the packing to connect the lower part of the water supply tank 15 and the water supply pipe 20.

Further, a second pipe portion having a short length (not shown) is provided above the rear end of the water supply tank 15, and when the water supply tank 15 is pushed in, the second pipe portion becomes a branch pipe 27a (FIG. 8). It is fitted into a packing (not shown) connected to the tip of (see) to communicate the upper part of the inside of the water supply tank 15 with the branch pipe 27a. As a result, when the first solenoid valve 28 is opened after the extrusion step, the air in the water supply tank 15 is sent to the beverage extraction container 25 to immediately bring the inside of the beverage extraction container 25 into the atmospheric pressure state. At that time, steam or the like from the beverage extraction container 25 is sent to the water supply tank 15, but it is safe because it returns to water in the water supply tank 15.

When the water supply tank 15 is attached, the water W in the water supply tank 15 is sent to the water supply pump 17 provided in the lower part of the back box body 10A via the first pipe portion and the water supply pipe 20.

The heater 18 is provided above the water supply pump 17 in the back box body 10A, and is connected to the water supply pump 17 via a water supply pipe 20. Therefore, the water W sent by the water supply pump 17 is sent to the heating heater 18 to become hot water HW and steam S, and is sent to the beverage extraction container 25 via the hot water supply pipe 19.

The heater 18 is configured such that the heater pipe surrounds the water pipe, for example, and the water flowing in the water pipe can be quickly heated by the heater of the heater pipe.

The lid 30 is, for example, an elliptical member in a plan view, and is movable up and down with the hinge portion 33 as a fulcrum. The lid 30 is in a state of being vertically erected when opened (see FIG. 4), and a beverage extraction container when closed. Located on top of 25.

The lid 30 has an inner plate 31 having a substantially horizontal shape and an outer plate 32 having a substantially hat-shaped cross section, and an internal space 30a is formed between them. The internal space 30a has a lock mechanism for opening and closing the lid 30.

The lock mechanism includes a lock release lever 34, an upward moving spring 36 that pushes up the lock release lever 34, a lever member 37, a locking claw 38, and a locking piece 39.

The lock release lever 34 is a thin plate having a rectangular shape in a plan view provided on the upper surface of the lid 30 (see FIG. 2), a protrusion 34a hangs down in the center of the lower surface thereof, and an upward moving spring 36 is further behind the lower surface. The upper end of the is in contact.

When the rear side of the lock release lever 34 is pushed down, the rear side of the lock release lever 34 moves downward against the force of the upward moving spring 36. When the rear side of the unlock lever 34 moves downward, the protrusion 34a provided on the lower surface of the unlock lever 34 pushes the rear end of the lever member 37 downward.

When the rear end of the lever member 37 is pushed downward, the lever member 37 rotates clockwise in FIG. 3 with the hinge 37a provided at the center as a fulcrum. When the lever member 37 rotates clockwise, the locking claw 38 formed at the front end of the lever member 37 disengages from the locking piece 39 formed on the upper box body 10C side. ..

Then, when a finger is put on the front end of the lock release lever 34 and the lid 30 is pushed upward, the lid 30 moves upward with the hinge portion 33 on the rear side as a fulcrum and drinks. The upper surface of the extraction container 25 is opened so that the beverage extraction container 25 can be taken out upward (see FIG. 4).

The lid 30 is closed by tilting the lid 30 forward and applying a force from above. That is, when closing the lid body 30, when the lid body 30 is tilted forward and a force is applied from above, the locking claw 38 of the lever member 37 is forcibly engaged with the locking piece 39 on the upper box body 10C side. It is done by doing.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, a supply pipe 40 that vertically penetrates the inner plate 31 is formed integrally with the inner plate 31 at the center of the inner plate 31 of the lid 30 (even if it is a separate body). Good). Then, the end of the hot water supply pipe 19 is fitted to the upper end of the supply pipe 40, and the cylindrical packing member 35 is fitted to the lower end of the supply pipe 40 (see also FIG. 4).

The lowermost end of the supply pipe 40 is closed, and slightly above the lowermost end, there are two pipe holes 40a and 40a that open in the left-right direction (there may be more than two).

When the lid 30 is closed, the packing member 35 is pushed from above and below by the inner plate 31 and the cylinder cap 50 of the beverage extraction container 25, and the lower end thereof is formed on the upper surface of the cylinder cap 50. It is pressure-welded so as to surround the cap opening 51, and as shown in FIG. 5, a bun-shaped packing space 35a is formed in which the lowermost end enters inward and the central portion expands outward.

When the extraction operation is started in this state, the hot water HW and the steam S are sent to the supply pipe 40 at a linearly faster speed than the hot water supply pipe 19 as shown by the arrow 1. The hot water HW and steam S sent to the supply pipe 40 collide with the closed portion at the lowermost end of the supply pipe 40, and the speed decreases. The reduced-speed hot water HW and steam S change their directions and flow into the packing space 35a in a state of spreading to the left and right through the two pipe holes 40a and 40a as shown by arrows 2.

The hot water HW and steam S that have flowed into the packing space 35a are agitated in the packing space 35a as shown by the arrow 3, and the speed is further reduced. After that, the hot water HW and the steam S flow into the beverage extraction container 25 through the cap opening 51 in a state of being expanded as shown by the arrow 4.

Conventionally, a sprinkler portion is provided in this portion to spread hot water HW and steam S and supply them in a state of slowing down. Then, the structure becomes complicated and the cost rises due to the provision of the sprinkler portion, but the structure can be simplified and the cost can be reduced by adopting the above structure.

By the way, the upper box body 10C is provided with a switch means 41 capable of simultaneously detecting whether the beverage extraction container 25 is correctly attached to the coffee maker 10 and the lid body 30 is properly closed.

The switch means 41 is attached to the front side of the upper box body 10C (see FIG. 3). The mounting form is a form in which the upper end thereof is erected and protrudes above the upper surface of the upper box body 10C, and the mounting position is below the inner plate 31 of the lid 30 and the beverage extraction container 25. It is below the handle 53 provided on the cylinder cap 50. The switch means 41 is vertically movable by a spring (not shown).

Therefore, when the beverage extraction container 25 to which the cylinder cap 50 is attached is housed in the insertion cylinder 13, the handle 53 provided on the cylinder cap 50 is tilted forward, and the lid 30 is pushed from above and closed. The lower surface of the inner plate 31 of the lid 30 pushes the upper surface of the handle 53 of the cylinder cap 50 downward.

Then, the lower surface of the handle 53 pushes down the switch means 41 downward. As a result, the lid 30 is completely closed, the switch means 41 is turned on (that is, energized), and the energization of the water supply pump 17, the heating heater 18, and the like is started.

The beverage extraction container 25 will be described. A cross-sectional view of the beverage extraction container 25 is shown in FIG. 6, and an exploded perspective view thereof is shown in FIG. 7.

The beverage extraction container 25 includes a central cylindrical cylinder body 45, a cylinder cap 50 fitted and fixed to the upper end opening 46a of the cylinder body 45, and a filter member 55 attached to the lower inside of the cylinder body 45. It has a liquid reservoir 65 attached to the outer peripheral portion of the lower end of the cylinder body 45.

The cylinder main body 45 is a tubular resin member having an open top and bottom, and has a tubular main body 46 having an upper end opening 46a at the upper end, an upper flange portion 47 at the upper end of the main body 46, and a main body 46. It has a small diameter portion 48 located at the bottom of the.

The upper flange portion 47 is a plan-viewing ring-shaped portion that protrudes horizontally from the upper end opening 46a of the main body portion 46, and has two notches 47a and 47a at opposite positions in the radial direction. At the center of each of the two notches 47a and 47a, there are engaging protrusions 47b and 47b protruding outward.

The small diameter portion 48 is a tubular portion having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the main body portion 46 and having a short vertical length. A horizontal and plan view ring-shaped stepped portion 49 is provided between the inner peripheral surface of the main body portion 46 and the inner peripheral surface of the small diameter portion 48 (see FIG. 6).

Further, the small diameter portion 48 has a male screw 48b on the outer circumference thereof and three helicoid engaging pieces 48a, 48a, 48a on the inner circumference thereof at intervals of 120 degrees (only one is shown in FIG. 6). .. Each of the three helicoid engaging pieces 48a, 48a, 48a engages with each of the three helicoid engaging grooves 60, 60, 60 on the outer periphery of the filter member 55.

The cylinder cap 50 is a disk-shaped stainless steel member, and has a mountain-shaped ridge at the center and a circular cap opening 51 penetrating vertically at the horizontal portion of the top. Further, lock support members 52A and 52A are attached to locations facing each other in the radial direction on the upper surface of the cylinder cap 50, respectively.

The lock support member 52A is a resin member having a U-shaped plan view having notches 52Aa and 52Aa whose central portions are cut outward, respectively, and the following in the notches 52Aa and 52Aa, respectively. The root portions 52c and 52c of the lock members 52 and 52 are fitted.

When the root portions 52c, 52c of the following lock members 52, 52 are fitted into the notch portions 52Aa, 52Aa, the shafts 52b, 52b are attached so as to cross the notch portions 52Aa, 52Aa, respectively. Then, the respective lock members 52 and 52 are pivotally supported in a form in which the respective root portions 52c and 52c are fitted into the notch portions 52Aa and 52Aa.

The lock members 52 and 52 are substantially rectangular resin members, and have rod-shaped root portions 52c and 52c integrally formed on one side surface portion on the long side, and a rectangular portion at the central portion thereof. It has lock grooves 52a and 52a having a shape. The rod-shaped root portion 52c has an insertion port (not shown) through which the shaft 52b can be inserted.

As described above, the root portions 52c and 52c of the lock members 52 and 52 are fitted into the notches 52Aa and 52Aa of the lock support members 52A and 52A, respectively, and are pivotally supported by the horizontal shafts 52b and 52b.

When the root portions 52c, 52c of the lock members 52, 52 are pivotally supported, the lock members 52, 52 can rotate up and down about the respective shafts 52b, 52b. Then, by rotating the lock members 52 and 52 downward, the lock grooves 52a and 52a are engaged with the engaging protrusions 47b and 47b of the cylinder body 45, respectively, and by rotating upward, the lock groove 52a , 52a are separated from the engaging protrusions 47b and 47b of the cylinder body 45, respectively, and the cylinder cap 50 is removed.

Further, a semicircular arc-shaped resin handle 53 is attached between the lock support member 52A on the upper surface of the cylinder cap 50 and the cap opening 51. The handle 53 has a shaft portion (not shown) protruding outward at each of the end portions 53b and 53b, and the handle 53 can be rotated by pivotally supporting the shaft portion on the inner side wall of the lock support members 52A and 52A. (See the top view of FIG. 7).

Further, the handle 53 has a U-shaped grip portion 53a protruding outward at the center thereof, and the handle 53 is raised by holding the grip portion 53a and pulled upward to raise the beverage extraction container 25. It will be taken out from the insertion cylinder 13.

When the handle 53 is tilted forward, the switch means 41 is located below the grip portion 53a. Then, when the lid 30 is completely closed, the lower surface of the grip portion 53a pushes the switch means 41 downward.

An annular packing 54 made of silicon is fitted on the lower surface of the cylinder cap 50. Then, when the cylinder cap 50 is fitted into the upper end opening 46a of the cylinder body 45, the annular packing 54 comes into contact with the inner peripheral surface of the upper end opening 46a and the upper surface of the upper flange portion 47, and the cylinder body 45 Seal the inside.

The filter member 55 is a resin-made tubular member having a tubular portion 56 and an upper flange 57, and is inserted into the cylinder body 45 and is detachably supported. Therefore, the outer diameter of the tubular portion 56 is smaller than the inner diameter of the small diameter portion 48 of the cylinder body 45, and the outer diameter of the upper flange 57 is smaller than the inner diameter of the main body portion 46 of the cylinder body 45, but the inner diameter of the small diameter portion 48. When the filter member 55 is inserted into the cylinder body 45, the lower surface of the upper flange 57 is placed on the upper surface of the step portion 49 in the cylinder body 45 (see FIG. 6).

The tubular portion 56 has a horizontal and cross-shaped filter frame 58 inside. The filter frame 58 has an upper and lower two-layer structure, and is integrally formed with the tubular portion 56 in a form in which a stainless steel mesh member 59 is sandwiched between the layers.

Further, on the outer circumference of the tubular portion 56, three helicoid engaging grooves 60, 60, 60 are provided at intervals of 120 degrees. Each of the three helicoid engaging grooves 60, 60, 60 is engaged with the three helicoid engaging pieces 48a, 48a, 48a formed on the inner peripheral surface of the small diameter portion 48 of the cylinder body 45. It fits.

The liquid reservoir 65 is a resin member having a bottomed main body 66 and a funnel-shaped bottom plate 67, and has a female screw 70 on the inner peripheral portion thereof.

The funnel-shaped bottom plate 67 is a funnel-shaped bottom member integrally formed slightly below the central portion of the inner peripheral surface of the bottomed main body 66, and has a discharge hole 68 opened in the vertical direction at the lowermost end thereof. Further, an air introduction pipe 69 protruding in the vertical direction is erected at a position slightly separated from the discharge hole 68 in the radial direction. The air introduction pipe 69 introduces air from the outside during the extrusion process to prevent the inside of the liquid reservoir 65 from being evacuated, thereby improving the pouring of coffee from the discharge hole 68.

The beverage extraction container 25 is assembled as follows. First, the filter member 55 is inserted into the cylinder body 45 from above the cylinder body 45, and the filter member 55 is rotated about the central axis to form three helicoid engaging grooves 60 on the outer peripheral surface of the tubular portion 56. Each of 60 and 60 is engaged with each of the three helicoid engaging pieces 48a, 48a and 48a on the inner peripheral surface of the small diameter portion 48 of the cylinder body 45.

Then, the filter member 55 is fixed in a state where the lower surface of the upper flange 57 is placed on the upper surface of the step portion 49 in the cylinder body 45. When removing the filter member 55, the filter member 55 is rotated in the opposite direction to release the engagement with the cylinder body 45. Then, the filter member 55 is pulled upward and taken out from the upper end opening 46a of the cylinder body 45.

Next, a required amount of coffee powder is put into the upper part of the filter member 55 from the upper end opening 46a. Then, the cylinder cap 50 is placed in the upper end opening 46a of the cylinder body 45, and the cylinder cap 50 is pushed down downward. Then, the annular packing 54 on the lower surface of the cylinder cap 50 enters the upper end opening 46a and comes into close contact with the upper surface and the inner peripheral surface of the upper end opening 46a, and the inside of the cylinder body 45 is sealed.

After that, the left and right lock members 52 and 52 are rotated downward about the shafts 52b and 52b, and the lock grooves 52a and 52a of the respective lock members 52 and 52 are formed on the left and right engaging protrusions 47b of the cylinder body 45. The cylinder cap 50 is fixed to the cylinder body 45 by engaging with each of the 47b. As a result, the beverage extraction container 25 is completed. The handle 53 is tilted as shown in FIG. 6, but when tilted, the grip portion 53a is located on the front side of the coffee maker 10, and the switch means 41 is located below the grip portion 53a.

After that, the lid 30 of the coffee maker 10 is opened, and the beverage extraction container 25 is inserted into the insertion cylinder 13 in the upper box 10C (see FIG. 4). When the beverage extraction container 25 is inserted into the insertion cylinder 13, the grip portion 53a is slightly pushed upward by the switch means 41 and is in an inclined state.

After that, when the lid 30 is pushed from above, the tilted grip portion 53a is pushed downward to push the switch means 41 downward. Then, the locking claw 38 of the lid 30 engages with the locking piece 39 of the upper box body 10C, and the lid 30 is completely closed. As a result, the water supply pump 17, the heating heater 18, and the like can be energized.

That is, if the beverage extraction container 25 is not inserted into the insertion cylinder 13 or the lid 30 is not completely closed, the water supply pump 17 and the heater 18 are not driven. The switch means 41 is also a power switch and a safety device for the coffee maker 10.

The operation of the coffee maker 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 to 10. 8 is a control system diagram of the beverage extraction device, FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the beverage extraction control of FIG. 8, and FIG. 10 is a time chart corresponding to the beverage extraction control of the flowchart of FIG. is there.

After storing the beverage extraction container 25 containing the required amount of coffee powder C in a predetermined place, inserting the outlet, and pressing the start button with the switch means 41 turned on, the control operation is started (step S1). .. Then, the preheating step is first entered, and the control device 22 drives, that is, turns on the heating heater-18 to execute the preheating control (step S2). The heater 18 is provided with a heater temperature detection sensor 21b (thermistor), and the heater temperature detection sensor 21b detects the temperature of the heater 18.

At the same time, the second solenoid valve 29 is turned on, and the hot water supply pipe 19 is in a communicating state. The second solenoid valve 29 is maintained in that state until the control of the control device 22 is completed or the lid 30 is released during the control and the power is turned off.

Then, after the heater 18 is turned on, when the heater temperature detection sensor 21b detects that the temperature of the heater 18 has risen to, for example, about 110 ° C., the preheating step (step S2) is performed with the heater 18 turned on. On the other hand, the water supply pump 17 is turned on to perform the steaming step (step S3). At the same time that the water supply pump 17 is turned on, the first solenoid valve 28 is turned on to close the branch pipe 27a.

In the steaming step (step S3), the control device 22 turns on the water pump 17 with the heater 18 turned on for, for example, about 3 seconds, and the water W in the water supply tank 15 can be heated by the water pump 17. A small amount is supplied to the heating heater 18 to heat it to a boiling state. As a result, the boiling water HW and steam S are supplied to the supply pipe 40 in the lid 30 through the hot water supply pipe 19.

The hot water HW and the steam S supplied to the supply pipe 40 are diffused in the packing space 35a formed by the packing member 35 and reduced in speed to be supplied into the beverage extraction container 25 from the cap opening 51 and inside the cylinder body 45. The coffee powder C is sufficiently permeated over the entire area from the upper layer to the lower layer. In this case, the amount of coffee powder C to be put in the beverage extraction container 25 is an amount corresponding to the amount of cups to be extracted, for example, an amount corresponding to 4 cups when trying to extract 4 cups.

When the on time, which is the driving time of the water pump 17, elapses, the control device 22 turns off the water pump 17 and the heater 18 at the same time, and maintains the same state for a predetermined set time, for example, 12 seconds ( That is, the standby process is executed).

When the water supply pump 17 and the heater 18 are turned off, the first solenoid valve 28 is also turned off at the same time to open the branch pipe 27a. By the way, the opening operation of the first solenoid valve 28 is not always necessary and may be omitted.

When the water supply pump 17 and the heater 18 are turned off for a predetermined set time, the coffee powder C in the beverage extraction container 25 is uniformly steamed as a whole in the closed space, and the weight increases by containing hot water and steam, or It becomes swollen to some extent. Then, when the predetermined time elapses, the extraction step is executed (step S4).

The extraction step is a hot water supply step in which hot water HW is continuously supplied to the beverage extraction container 25 via the hot water supply pipe 19, and the time in the hot water supply step depends on the amount of hot water supplied. The amount of hot water supplied is, for example, an amount capable of extracting four cups of coffee when extracting four cups of coffee, and the entire amount of the hot water is supplied in this extraction step.

In the extraction step, the control device 22 supplies the beverage extraction container 25 with a predetermined temperature and a predetermined amount of hot water HW by turning on the heater 18, the water pump 17, and the first solenoid valve 28 together. .. Then, the first solenoid valve 28 is closed to close the branch pipe 27a.

The coffee powder C is sufficiently steamed in the steaming step and contains hot water HW and steam S to increase its weight. Therefore, in the extraction step, the coffee powder C does not float with respect to the hot water HW and easily sinks. Therefore, when the hot water HW is poured, the beverage is efficiently convected up and down in the beverage extraction container 25, and the lower layer portion and the upper layer portion are effectively mixed and agitated.

Moreover, since the coffee powder C is steamed in the steaming step and swells containing the hot water HW and the steam S, it is easy to inhale the hot water HW, and the coffee powder C is uniformly and effectively extracted. be able to.

In the extraction step, a part of the coffee stays in the cylinder body 45, and a part of the coffee is dropped from the liquid reservoir 65 through the discharge hole 68 into the server.

Further, in the extraction step, the heater 18 is turned off immediately before the end (however, the water supply pump 17 remains on). By doing so, the amount of hot water and the amount of steam sent into the beverage extraction container 25 immediately after the end of the extraction step is reduced, and the adverse effect on the subsequent steps is reduced.

When the extraction step is completed, the control device 22 executes the standby step (step S5). The standby process is a process in which the heating heater 18 and the water supply pump 17 are not turned on, and the extraction time in the extraction process is lengthened to more effectively infiltrate the hot water HW into all of the coffee powder C. The rich and bitter components that are difficult to elute from the powder C can be more easily extracted. As a result, coffee with little variation in taste can be extracted.

Further, in the standby process, the first solenoid valve 28 is also turned off at the same time, and the branch pipe 27a is communicated with the first solenoid valve 28. By the way, the opening operation of the first solenoid valve 28 is not always necessary and may be omitted.

When the standby step is completed, the control device 22 executes the first extrusion step 1 (step S6).

In the first extrusion step 1, the control device 22 first turns on the heater 18 for a predetermined time (for example, 9 seconds) and turns off the first solenoid valve 28 to perform preheating. That is, the heating step of FIG. 10 is executed. Then, while the first solenoid valve 28 is off, the branch pipe 27a is opened. By the way, the opening operation of the first solenoid valve 28 is not always necessary and may be omitted.

Next, the water pump 17 and the first solenoid valve 28 are turned on, and a small amount of water is sent to the heater 18. As a result, the water becomes steam, and the beverage extraction container 25 is filled with steam. That is, the steam process of FIG. 10 is executed. Then, when the first solenoid valve 28 is turned on, the branch pipe 27a is closed.

Then, the upper surface of coffee, which is the extract extracted in the extraction step, is pressed by the pressure of steam. As a result, the pressed coffee has impurities removed by the mesh member 59 to reach the liquid reservoir 65, and is poured into the server 14 from the discharge hole 68 at the lowermost end of the liquid reservoir 65. In this case, the coffee extruded is a part of the extracted coffee.

The operation of the water supply pump 17 at this time is performed, for example, by repeating on / off a plurality of times (for example, 3 times, and the total time is 11 seconds). When such a driving method is adopted, the amount of water supplied to the heating heater 18 per unit time is smaller than that in the case of continuous driving, and the heating degree of the heating heater 18 is relatively increased, so that the amount of steam generated is increased. , The pressure in the beverage extraction container 25 is increased, and the coffee extrusion function is improved.

When the steam step is completed, a standby step of turning off the heater 18, the water supply pump 17, and the first solenoid valve 28 is executed. The predetermined time in the standby process may be set in advance according to the amount, type, amount of hot water, etc. of the coffee powder.

Then, the pressure in the beverage extraction container 25 is brought to the atmospheric pressure state by turning off the first solenoid valve 28 (step S7), and this state continues until the heating step of the second extrusion step 2. By the way, the "opening step to the atmosphere" in step S7 of FIG. 9 corresponds to the "standby step" of the first extrusion step 1 of FIG. 10, and the "opening step to the atmosphere" of step S9 of FIG. 9 corresponds to 2 of FIG. The "standby process" of the second extrusion process 2 corresponds to this.

When the first extrusion step 1 is completed, the control device 22 executes the second extrusion step 2 (step S8). Similar to the first time, the second extrusion step 2 is a heating step of turning on only the heating heater 18, and a steam step of turning on the water pump 17 and the first solenoid valve 28 to send steam to the beverage extraction container 25. And a standby step of turning off the heating heater 18, the water pump 17, and the first solenoid valve 28.

In the second extrusion step 2, the control device 22 turns on the heater 18 for a predetermined time (for example, 9 seconds) and turns off the water supply pump 17 and the first solenoid valve 28 at the same time. Generate steam. That is, the heating step of FIG. 10 is executed. Then, while the first solenoid valve 28 is off, the branch pipe 27a communicates with the branch pipe 27a.

Next, the heater 18 is turned off, and the water supply pump 17 and the first solenoid valve 28 are turned on to supply the steam generated by the heater 18 to the beverage extraction container 25. That is, the steam process of FIG. 10 is executed. Then, when the first solenoid valve 28 is turned on, the branch pipe 27a is closed.

Then, the upper surface of the coffee that was not extruded in the first extrusion step 1 is extruded by the pressure of steam. As a result, the pressed coffee has impurities removed by the mesh member 59 to reach the liquid reservoir 65, and is poured into the server 14 from the discharge hole 68 at the lowermost end of the liquid reservoir 65.

Further, the water supply pump 17 is performed by repeating on / off a plurality of times (for example, 3 times and the total time is 11 seconds) as in the first time. As described above, when such a driving method is adopted, the amount of water supplied to the heating heater 18 portion per unit time is smaller than that in the case of continuous driving, and the heating degree of the heating heater 18 is relatively increased. Therefore, the amount of steam generated increases, the pressure in the beverage extraction container 25 increases, and the coffee extrusion function improves.

When the steam step is completed, a standby step of turning off the heater 18, the water supply pump 17, and the first solenoid valve 28 is executed. The predetermined time in the standby process may be set in advance according to the amount, type, amount of hot water, etc. of the coffee powder.

Then, when the first solenoid valve 28 is turned off, the pressure in the beverage extraction container 25 is brought to the atmospheric pressure state (step S9), and this state is continued until the heating step of the third extrusion step 3. The number of times the extrusion process is repeated is preset according to the number of cups, and the control ends when the set number of times is completed.

When the second extrusion step 2 is completed, the control device 22 will execute the third extrusion step 3 (and the subsequent extrusion steps if necessary) shown in FIG. However, these extrusion steps are the same as those of the first extrusion step 1 and the second extrusion step 2, and thus are omitted. When the second extrusion step 2 is completed, the standby step of the second extrusion step 2 becomes an air opening step, and this opening step facilitates the opening of the lid immediately after the completion of the extrusion step 2. Furthermore, steam does not spurt out when the lid is opened.

As a result, when the extrusion process is repeated, the pressure in the beverage extraction container can be set to substantially atmospheric pressure after each extrusion process, so that all coffee can be accurately and reliably dispensed from the coffee maker.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the beverage is applied to a coffee maker as an example of the beverage brewing device has been described, but the present invention can be similarly applied not only to the coffee maker but also to various similar beverage brewing devices.

10 ... Coffee maker 15 ... Water supply tank 17 ... Water pump 18 ... Heating heater 19 ... Hot water supply pipe 20 ... Water supply pipe 22 ... Control device 25 ... Beverage extraction container 27・ ・ ・ Branch part 28 ・ ・ ・ First solenoid valve 29 ・ ・ ・ Second solenoid valve 22 ・ ・ ・ Branch pipe 30 ・ ・ ・ Lid body 45 ・ ・ ・ Cylinder body 50 ・ ・ ・ Cylinder cap 55 ・ ・ ・・ Filter member 65 ・ ・ ・ Liquid reservoir

Claims (4)

A water supply tank, a water supply pump for sending water from the water supply tank, a heating means for heating the water sent from the water supply pump, and hot water and steam heated by the heating means are supplied to extract an extract from an extraction raw material. It has a beverage extraction container, a hot water supply pipe that communicates the heating means and the beverage extraction container, a first electromagnetic valve that can open the inside of the beverage extraction container to the atmosphere, and a control device.
The control device performs a steaming step of steaming the extraction raw material, an extraction step of extracting an extract from the extraction raw material steamed in the steaming step, and an extrusion step of extruding the extract extracted in the extraction step. At the same time, the beverage extraction device is characterized in that the first electromagnetic valve is opened after the extrusion step to open the inside of the beverage extraction container to the atmosphere. The first aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the control device repeats the extrusion step and opening the first solenoid valve to open the inside of the beverage extraction container to the atmosphere a plurality of times after the extrusion step. The beverage extractor according to the description. The hot water supply pipe has a branch portion and has a branch portion.
One end of another pipe communicates with the branch portion,
The beverage extraction device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the other pipe has the other end opened in the water supply tank and has the first solenoid valve in the middle thereof. The hot water supply pipe has a second solenoid valve.
The beverage extraction device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second solenoid valve opens when the power is turned on and closes when the power is turned off.

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