JP2024024142A - Beverage supply device - Google Patents

Abstract

To suppress agglomeration of a material in an extraction container.SOLUTION: A beverage supply device 1 includes: a material supply part 2; a water supply part 3; an extraction container 4; a filter F; a drip pan 5; a pump 7 for sucking beverages extracted in the extraction container 4 through the filter F and the drip pan 5, discharging the sucked beverages and supplying the beverages to a cup C; an air supply part 8 for supplying air to the extraction container 4; and a control part 11. The control part 11 is configured to execute water supply operation for actuating the water supply part 3 and supplying water in a prescribed supply amount to the extraction container 4, and material supply operation for actuating the material supply part 2 and supplying a material in a prescribed supply amount to the extraction container 4 in a state that the air supply part 8 is actuated and the water in the extraction container 4 is stirred by air.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a beverage dispensing device for extracting and dispensing a beverage into a cup.

Generally, coffee powder (also called ground beans) obtained by grinding coffee beans and tea leaves such as green tea are used as raw materials, and these raw materials and water are supplied to an extraction container to extract a beverage. Beverage dispensing devices for dispensing into cups are known. As such a beverage extraction type beverage supply device, a beverage supply device disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known. In the beverage supply device of Patent Document 1, the bottom opening of the extraction container is closed by a filter that filters the beverage extracted in the extraction container, and a drip pan is arranged below the filter to receive the beverage that has passed through the filter. , a pump is provided in the beverage supply path connected to the drip pan. The beverage extracted inside the brewing container is filtered by a filter and received in a drip pan, and the beverage received in the drip pan is sucked by a pump and supplied to a cup via a beverage supply path.

In a beverage extraction type beverage supply device, a mixing operation is performed in which air is sent through a drip pan and a filter to the extraction container supplied with water and raw materials in order to promote the extraction of the beverage in the extraction container. There is. In this mixing operation (also called air stirring operation), the mixture of water and raw materials inside the extraction container is stirred by air jetted from the top surface of the filter into the inside of the extraction container, and as a result, the extraction of the beverage is It is now being promoted.

Patent No. 6402423

By the way, in a beverage extraction type beverage supply device, there are cases where the ratio of the amount of raw materials such as coffee powder (also called ground beans) and tea leaves to the amount of water supplied to the extraction container is higher than the ratio for general beverages. If a large amount of raw material is supplied (injected) into the extraction container in a short period of time, or if the particle size of the raw material is finer than that of general raw materials, the raw material will form into large clumps and rise to the surface of the water inside the extraction container. There is a risk of floating or sinking in the water. In this way, when the raw materials form into large lumps, it becomes difficult to properly stir the mixture of water and raw materials in the extraction vessel even if mixing operation is performed, which may result in a decrease in extraction efficiency. .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a beverage supply device that can prevent raw materials from forming into lumps in an extraction container.

In order to achieve the above object, one aspect of the present invention includes an extraction container that extracts a beverage using water and a raw material, a raw material supply section that supplies the raw material to the extraction container, and a water supply unit that supplies water to the extraction container. a supply unit, a filter that filters the beverage extracted in the extraction container, a drip pan that receives the beverage that has passed through the filter, and a beverage supply path connected to the drip pan that is provided with a filter that filters the beverage extracted in the extraction container. and a pump that sucks a predetermined amount of the sucked beverage through the filter and the drip pan, and discharges a predetermined amount of the sucked beverage to supply it to the cup. This beverage supply device controls operations of an air supply section that supplies air to the extraction container via the drip pan and the filter, the water supply section, the raw material supply section, the pump, and the air supply section. A control unit. The control unit operates the water supply unit to supply a predetermined amount of water to the extraction container, and operates the air supply unit to supply water in the extraction container with air. It is configured to perform a raw material supply operation in which the raw material supply section is operated to supply a predetermined amount of raw material to the extraction container in a stirred state.

According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a beverage supply device that can suppress raw materials from forming into lumps in an extraction container.

1 is a schematic diagram of a beverage dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a schematic diagram of the beverage dispensing device during filter feeding; FIG. It is a timing chart explaining an example of operation of a beverage supply device. It is a timing chart explaining other examples of operation of a beverage supply device. It is a timing chart explaining other examples of operation of a beverage supply device. It is a timing chart explaining other examples of operation of a beverage supply device. It is a timing chart explaining other examples of operation of a beverage supply device. It is a schematic diagram for explaining a beverage supply device concerning a modification. 9 is a timing chart illustrating an example of the operation of the beverage supply device shown in FIG. 8. FIG. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram for explaining a modification of the air supply section of the beverage supply device.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1 and 2 are schematic diagrams of a beverage supply device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. For example, the beverage supply device 1 uses coffee powder obtained by grinding coffee beans as a raw material, extracts regular coffee using this raw material and water, and supplies a predetermined amount Q of the extracted coffee beverage to a cup C. It is built into a cup-style coffee server.

In this embodiment, the beverage supply device 1 is configured to selectively supply a plurality of types of coffee beverages. A selection switch 1a for a user to select the type of beverage and a cup station S on which a cup C is placed are provided on the front side of the main body (not shown) of the beverage supply device 1. The selection switch 1a outputs an identification signal according to the selection result by the user.

The beverage supply device 1 includes a raw material supply section 2 that supplies raw materials, a water supply section 3 that supplies water (in this embodiment, hot water), and a cylindrical extraction container 4 that receives raw materials and water (hot water). A drip pan 5 disposed below the extraction container 4 with a filter F interposed therein, a filter feeding mechanism 6 for the filter F, a pump 7, an air supply section 8, a buffer section 9, a flow meter 10, and a control system. 11.

The raw material supply section 2 has a canister 21 that accommodates coffee beans. A feeding mechanism 23 is provided below the canister 21 and is driven by the raw material motor 22 to feed a predetermined amount of coffee beans from the canister 21 . A motor-driven mill 24 is disposed below the feeding mechanism 23, which grinds the coffee beans fed from the canister 21 by the feeding mechanism 23 into powder and supplies the powder to the extraction container 4. Therefore, the raw material supply unit 2 can supply coffee powder as a raw material to the extraction container 4 by driving the raw material motor 22 and the mill 24 .

The raw material supply unit 2 includes a plurality of main bodies each including, for example, a canister 21, a raw material motor 22, a feeding mechanism 23, and a mill 24, and individually accommodates different types of raw materials (in this embodiment, different bean types). It is now possible to supply the Furthermore, the mill 24 is capable of changing the particle size depending on the type of raw material (bean type).

The water supply unit 3 includes a tank 31 that boils and stores hot water (also referred to as extraction water) at a predetermined temperature. A hot water supply path L1 for supplying hot water to the extraction container 4 is connected to the lower part of the tank 31 via a hot water supply electromagnetic valve 32 for controlling the supply of hot water. An extraction hot water nozzle 33 in which a plurality of openings (not shown) opening toward the inside of the extraction container 4 is formed above the extraction container 4 is connected to the tip of the hot water supply path L1. Therefore, the water supply unit 3 can supply hot water stored in the tank 31 to the extraction container 4 by opening the hot water supply electromagnetic valve 32.

The extraction container 4 receives coffee powder supplied from the raw material supply section 2 and hot water supplied from the water supply section 3, and extracts a coffee beverage using the received hot water and coffee powder. The extraction container 4 is, for example, formed into a cylindrical shape having a constant diameter. The upper end of the extraction container 4 is opened upward, and hot water supplied from the extraction hot water nozzle 33 of the water supply section 3 can be received through this opening. Further, the bottom of the extraction container 4 is open downward. A filter F for filtering the coffee beverage extracted in the extraction container 4 is sandwiched between the bottom of the extraction container 4 and the top of the drip pan 5.

The filter F is arranged so as to close the bottom opening 4a of the extraction container 4. The filter F is formed by intertwining a plurality of fibers, for example, although it is not particularly limited. Filter F has a predetermined filter thickness Ft. The filter F is formed into a thin band shape and can be wound into a roll. The plurality of fibers of filter F are randomly oriented. For example, fibers have water-retaining properties, and liquid can penetrate into the interior of the fibers by capillary action or the like. As the filter F, a paper filter, a nonwoven fabric filter, or the like, which is made of a fibrous material, is used.

The drip pan 5 is a container that receives the coffee beverage that has passed through the filter F. The top of the drip pan 5 opens upward, and the filter F closes this top opening. The top opening of the drip pan 5 has a shape that follows the bottom opening 4a of the extraction container 4. The drip pan 5 is configured to be movable in the vertical direction indicated by double-headed arrows in FIGS. 1 and 2 by a drip pan moving mechanism (not shown). The upper part of the drip pan 5 is pressed against the bottom of the extraction container 4 with the filter F interposed therebetween. An annular sealing member 5a (packing) is attached to the top surface of the drip pan 5. A filter receiving part (not shown) made of a mesh member such as a wire gauze is arranged on the upper surface of the drip pan 5 to support the filter F and allow the coffee beverage to pass therethrough. The beverage suction port 5b formed at the bottom of the drip pan 5 is connected to a beverage supply path L2 made of a flexible tube such as a silicone tube, which conveys (supplies) the coffee beverage from the drip pan 5 to the cup C. . Note that instead of moving the drip pan 5 by the drip pan moving mechanism, the extraction container 4 may be moved vertically by a moving mechanism (not shown).

The filter feeding mechanism 6 is a device that feeds out the filter F wound into a roll in the longitudinal direction. Specifically, on one side (left side in the illustrated example) of the extraction container 4 and drip pan 5, there is a roll R1 around which an unused filter F is wound, and a filter F pulled out from the roll R1. Guide rollers R2 for guiding are respectively arranged. On the other side of the extraction container 4 and the drip pan 5 (right side in the illustrated example), there is a motor-driven feed roller that rotates in the filter F feeding direction (clockwise in the illustrated example) and feeds out the filter F. R3 and a driven roller R4 that presses the filter F toward the feed roller R3 are respectively arranged. A collection box B is arranged below the feed roller R3 to collect the used filter F sent out by the feed roller R3. As shown in FIG. 2, the filter F held between the extraction container 4 and the drip pan 5 is sent out by the feed roller R3 after the drip pan 5 is moved downward by the drip pan moving mechanism.

The pump 7 is provided in the middle of the beverage supply path L2 connected to the drip pan 5. The pump 7 sucks the coffee beverage extracted in the extraction container 4 through the filter F and the drip pan 5, and discharges the sucked coffee beverage in a predetermined amount Q to supply the coffee beverage to the cup C through the beverage supply path L2. do. The pump 7 promotes (induces) dripping of the coffee beverage inside the extraction container 4 to the drip pan 5 by reducing the pressure inside the drip pan 5, and sucks the coffee beverage received into the drip pan 5. and discharge (supply) to cup C.

Specifically, the pump 7 is a tube pump. The pump 7 has an annular pump casing 7b through which a pump shaft 7a is inserted. A rotary disk 7c attached to the pump shaft 7a is rotatably arranged inside the pump casing 7b. Further, a tube forming part of the beverage supply path L2 is inserted between the inner wall of the pump casing 7b and the rotary disk 7c. Tube rollers 7d that press the tubes are arranged at a plurality of positions (three positions in the illustrated example) on the outer periphery of the rotary disk 7c and spaced apart from each other at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. In the pump 7, when the rotary disk 7c is rotated by a pump motor (not shown), each tube roller 7d crushes and closes the tube, while moving the blocked portion in the longitudinal direction of the tube. The pump 7 thus consists of a tube pump which performs a pumping action to pump out the coffee beverage or air trapped in the tube between two tube rollers 7d adjacent to each other. The pump motor that rotates the rotary disk 7c is configured to be able to switch its rotation direction between a forward rotation direction R and a reverse rotation direction L.

The pump 7 operates in the forward rotation direction R to suck the coffee beverage extracted in the extraction container 4 and discharge the sucked coffee beverage to be supplied to the cup C. The forward rotation direction R is a rotation direction that brings the inside of the drip pan 5 into a negative pressure state, and the reverse rotation direction L is a rotation direction that brings the inside of the drip pan 5 into a pressurized state.

In the standby state (initial state), there is no liquid such as coffee beverage remaining in the extraction container 4, drip pan 5, and beverage supply path L2, and they are only filled with air. L2 is blocked by the tube roller 7d of the pump 7, which is stopped. Therefore, most of the coffee beverage extracted by the extraction container 4 remains stored on the filter F, that is, inside the extraction container 4 while the pump 7 is stopped. The dripping of the coffee beverage extracted in the extraction container 4 into the drip pan 5 is promoted (induced) by the operation of the pump 7 in the forward rotation direction R.

The air supply unit 8 supplies (spouts) air to the extraction container 4 via the drip pan 5 and filter F. In this embodiment, the pump 7 operates to suction the coffee beverage from the extraction container 4 (drip pan 5) and discharge (supply) it to the cup C during forward rotation, and to supply air to the drip pan 5 during reverse rotation. It is configured to be able to operate by selectively switching between supplying air to the extraction container 4 via the drip pan 5 and filter F. Therefore, by operating in the reverse rotation direction L, the pump 7 can also function as the air supply unit 8 that supplies air to the extraction container 4 via the drip pan 5 and filter F. That is, in this embodiment, the air supply section 8 is realized by operating the pump 7 in the reverse rotation direction L, and the pump 7 also has a function as the air supply section 8.

Moreover, the beverage supply device 1 is configured to be able to perform a mixing operation in which air is supplied via the drip pan 5 and the filter F to the extraction container 4 to which hot water and raw materials are supplied. This mixing operation is performed to promote extraction of the beverage in the extraction container 4 before the pump 7 starts discharging the beverage, and is also called an air stirring operation. Specifically, in the mixing operation, a liquid mixture of hot water and raw materials inside the extraction container is stirred by air jetted into the inside of the extraction container 4 from the upper surface of the filter F. As a result, the raw materials are generally evenly dispersed in the hot water, facilitating extraction of the beverage. Air in this mixing operation is supplied by an air supply section 8 (pump 7 in this embodiment).

The buffer section 9 is connected to the downstream end of the beverage supply path L2, and functions as a buffer that receives a predetermined amount of coffee beverage. The buffer part 9 has a cylindrical shape with a bottom that opens downward, and is a member in which a large diameter part 91 located above and a small diameter part 92 located below the large diameter part 91 are integrated. . An inlet into which the coffee beverage flows from a tangential direction of the cylindrical inner circumferential surface is formed on the side surface of the large diameter portion 91, and the downstream end of the beverage supply path L2 is connected to this inlet. Further, the small diameter portion 92 is formed in a funnel shape whose diameter decreases as it goes downward, and a beverage discharge port that opens downward is formed in the lower end surface of the small diameter portion 92 . Therefore, the coffee beverage that has flowed into the buffer section 9 flows downward while swirling along the inner peripheral surface thereof, and is discharged into the cup C from the beverage discharge port. In this embodiment, the air supply unit 8 (pump 7 operating in the reverse rotation direction L) takes in (suctions) air from the beverage outlet of the buffer unit 9, and supplies the taken in (suctioned) air to the beverage outlet. It is guided (discharged) to the drip pan 5 through the supply path L2.

The flow meter 10 measures the flow rate of the coffee beverage flowing through the beverage supply path L2, that is, the flow rate of the coffee beverage supplied from the drip pan 5 to the cup C, and outputs a measurement signal according to the measurement result (measurement value). Output. The flow meter 10 is arranged in the beverage supply path L2 located between the drip pan 5 and the pump 7. The measured value of the flow meter 10 is a flow rate per unit time or an integrated flow rate. A measurement signal from the flowmeter 10 is input to the control unit 11 at, for example, a predetermined sampling time interval.

The control section 11 is an electronic device that controls the operation of the entire apparatus including the operations of the raw material supply section 2 , the water supply section 3 , the pump 7 , and the air supply section 8 . The control unit 11 includes, for example, a microcomputer that includes a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a nonvolatile memory, a volatile memory, an input/output circuit, and the like. Specifically, the processor of the control unit 11 controls the raw material motor 22 of the raw material supply unit 2 according to various signals including the measurement signal of the flow meter 10 by executing an application program stored in a nonvolatile memory. The mill 24, the hot water supply electromagnetic valve 32 of the water supply section 3, the feed roller R3 of the filter feed mechanism 6, the operation of the pump 7 (air supply section 8), etc. are each electronically controlled.

The beverage supply device 1 is configured to be able to supply a plurality of types of coffee beverages as described above according to the user's preferences. Although not particularly limited, in this embodiment, a coffee beverage with a standard strength (extract component concentration) and a standard volume equivalent to one standard cup (hereinafter referred to as "standard coffee" as appropriate) is used. It is configured to be able to selectively supply a coffee beverage that is stronger than the standard concentration and has a volume smaller than the standard volume (hereinafter referred to as "small amount high concentration coffee" as appropriate). Although not particularly limited, when supplying standard coffee, for example, 150 ml of hot water and 10 g of coffee powder are supplied to the extraction container 4, and when supplying a small amount of highly concentrated coffee, for example, 75 ml of hot water and 15 g of coffee. Powder is fed into extraction vessel 4. The total amount of water required to extract a small amount of high-concentration coffee is extremely smaller than the total amount of water required to extract standard coffee. /75) is significantly higher than the ratio of the total amount of raw materials to the total amount of water (=10/150) in the case of standard coffee extraction.

By the way, in the beverage extraction type beverage supply device 1, when producing a small amount of highly concentrated coffee, there is a risk that the raw material becomes a large lump and floats on the water surface or sinks in the water inside the extraction container 4. . As described above, when the raw materials become large lumps, it may be difficult to properly stir the mixture of water and raw materials in the extraction container 4 even if a mixing operation is performed. As a result, there is a risk of a decrease in extraction efficiency and a decrease in beverage quality (for example, a decrease in beverage quality such that a beverage with a desired concentration cannot be extracted). The control unit 11 of the beverage supply device 1 executes the following control to suppress agglomeration of raw materials.

The control unit 11 is configured to operate the water supply unit 3 to perform a water supply operation for supplying a predetermined water supply amount Qw to the extraction container 4 . Then, in order to suppress the raw material from forming into lumps in the extraction container 4, the control section 11 operates the air supply section 8 to agitate the water inside the extraction container 4 with air, and controls the raw material supply section 2 is operated to execute a raw material supply operation in which a predetermined raw material supply amount Qc is supplied to the extraction container 4. That is, the control unit 11 is configured to execute the water supply operation and the raw material supply operation, and in the raw material supply operation, the beverage supply device 1 supplies hot water inside the extraction container 4 with air. The raw material is introduced (supplied) into the extraction container 4 in a bubbling state.

In the raw material supply operation, the control unit 11 operates the raw material supply unit 2, for example, after the water supply unit 3 starts the water supply operation (see FIG. 3 described later) or simultaneously with the start of the water supply operation (not shown). . In the raw material supply operation, the control unit 11 operates the air supply unit 8, for example, before operating the raw material supply unit 2 (see FIG. 3 described later) or simultaneously with the operation of the raw material supply unit 2 (not shown). let In this embodiment, the air supply unit 8 that supplies air (generates bubbling) in this raw material supply operation is realized by operating the pump 7 in the reverse rotation direction. In addition, in the raw material supply operation, the air supply to the extraction container 4 by the air supply unit 8 may be started before the start of the water supply operation, or at the same time as the start of the water supply operation, in relation to the water supply operation. It may be started (see FIG. 3, which will be described later), or it may be started after the start of the water supply operation.

In the present embodiment, the control unit 11 operates the raw material supply unit 2 to feed the raw material into the extraction container 4 in small quantities in multiple batches, and finally extracts a predetermined beverage supply amount Q of beverages. It is configured such that the entire amount of necessary raw material is supplied to the extraction vessel 4. In other words, the predetermined raw material supply amount Qc in the raw material supply operation is set to be smaller than the total amount required to extract the beverage of the predetermined beverage supply amount Q, and the control unit 11 executes the raw material supply operation in multiple steps. do. Although not particularly limited, the control unit 11 operates the raw material supply unit 2 to supply the raw material in two parts. In the operation example described later, the first raw material supply amount Qc1, which is the raw material supply amount Qc of the first supply, is set to the same value as the second raw material supply amount Qc2, which is the raw material supply amount Qc of the second supply. However, the raw material supply amount Qc for each supply may be set to different values.

In this embodiment, the control unit 11 is configured to supply hot water at once without dividing it into multiple doses. That is, the predetermined raw material supply amount Qc in the water supply operation is set to the total amount required to extract the predetermined beverage supply amount Q, and the control unit 11 executes the water supply operation once.

The control unit 11 stores raw material information, which is the time required for the entire amount of coffee powder required to extract a coffee beverage with a predetermined beverage supply amount Q according to the beverage type, to be supplied from the raw material supply unit 2 to the extraction container 4. The total quantity injection time Tc, and the total extraction water supply time Tw, which is the time required for the entire quantity of hot water required to extract a coffee beverage with a predetermined beverage supply quantity Q, to be supplied from the water supply section 3 to the extraction container 4. are set in advance. Similarly, in the control unit 11, a first raw material supply time Tc1 and a second raw material supply time Tc2 are respectively set in advance as the time required to supply the first raw material supply amount Qc1 and the second raw material supply amount Qc2. has been done. Each time (Tc1, Tc2, Tw) is set in the control unit 11 for each beverage type (here, standard coffee, small amount high concentration coffee).

In the present embodiment, the control unit 11 continuously operates the air supply unit 8 between two successive raw material supply operations out of a plurality of (here, two) raw material supply operations (here, The pump 7 is continuously operated in the reverse rotation direction), and the air supply section is continuously operated for a predetermined time T3 after the end of the last raw material supply operation (here, the pump 7 is continuously operated in the reverse rotation direction). ).

Further, in the present embodiment, the measured value of the flow meter 10 is used to determine whether or not the operation of supplying the coffee beverage to the cup C by the pump 7 (hereinafter referred to as "beverage supply operation" as appropriate) is completed. used for. For example, when the measured value is smaller than a predetermined threshold value, the control unit 11 causes the pump 7 to terminate the operation of supplying the beverage to the cup C.

Next, regarding the control of the operation of the beverage supply device 1 by the control unit 11, refer to FIGS. 1 to 3, taking as an example a case where the user selects a small amount of high-concentration coffee (a drink with a small amount of hot water and a large amount of beans). This will be explained in detail. FIG. 3 shows a time chart of an example of a beverage supply process that is executed by the control unit 11 according to an application program in response to an instruction to supply a coffee beverage.

First, during standby, the drip pan 5 is in a lower position and separated from the extraction container 4, as shown in FIG. Here, when the user selects supply of a small amount of high-concentration beverage using the selection switch 1a, a beverage identification signal is input from the selection switch 1a to the control unit 11, and the control unit 11 outputs an operation start signal to the drip pan moving mechanism. Then, the drip pan 5 is moved to the upper position, and the filter F is sandwiched between the drip pan 5 and the extraction container 4. In this state (initial state), no hot water or coffee beverage remains in the extraction container 4, drip pan 5, or beverage supply path L2. Subsequently, the control unit 11 outputs the operation start signal to the hot water supply electromagnetic valve 32, the raw material motor 22, the mill 24, and the pump 7.

As shown in FIG. 3, a water supply operation and a first raw material supply operation are started in response to an operation start signal from the control unit 11. In the water supply operation, after the hot water supply solenoid valve 32 is opened, the control unit 11 closes the hot water supply solenoid valve 32 when a full extraction hot water supply time Tw has elapsed. As a result, the entire amount of hot water required for brewing a coffee beverage with a predetermined supply amount Q is supplied to the extraction container 4.

The control unit 11 starts a water supply operation and a first (initial) raw material supply operation. Specifically, the control unit 11 starts the operation of the raw material supply unit 2 after the water supply unit 3 starts the water supply operation (in FIG. 3, during the water supply operation), and starts the operation of the raw material supply unit 2. (in FIG. 3, at the same time as the start of the water supply operation), the operation of the air supply section 8 is started. In the first raw material supply operation, the control unit 11 starts (ON) the drive motors of the raw material motor 22 and the mill 24 while operating the pump 7 in the reverse rotation direction L (the air supply unit 8). At this time, the pump 7 sucks air from the downstream opening of the beverage supply path L2, the sucked air reaches the inside of the drip pan 5, the pressure inside the drip pan 5 increases, and the inside of the drip pan 5 increases. It becomes pressurized. As a result, air from the pump 7 begins to blow out from the upper surface of the filter F into the extraction container 4. As a result, while the hot water inside the extraction container 4 is being agitated (bubbling) by air, the coffee powder from the raw material supply section 2 begins to be introduced (supplied) into the bubbling hot water. At this time, the coffee powder is dispersed in the bubbling hot water without forming large clumps. After starting the drive motors of the raw material motor 22 and the mill 24, the control unit 11 starts the drive motors of the raw material motor 22 and the mill 24 when a first raw material supply time Tc1 corresponding to the first raw material supply amount Qc1 has elapsed. Stop (OFF). As a result, the coffee powder of the first raw material supply amount Qc1 is dispersed throughout the bubbling hot water inside the extraction container 4 without forming into large lumps, and the first raw material supply operation is completed. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the water supply operation ends before the end of the first raw material supply operation, and in the latter half of the first raw material supply operation, the water supply operation is completed before the end of the first raw material supply operation. Raw materials are supplied in a state where the entire amount is supplied. In other words, a small amount of raw material is supplied to a relatively large volume of bubbling hot water.

The control unit 11 executes a first mixing operation to promote extraction of the beverage in the extraction container 4 after the first supply of raw materials and before the second supply of raw materials. Specifically, after the first raw material supply operation ends, the control unit 11 continues the operation in the reverse rotation direction L of the pump 7 for a predetermined time T3' until the second raw material supply operation. and activate it.

Then, the control unit 11 executes the second raw material supply operation using the same procedure as the first operation. As a result, the remaining second raw material supply amount Qc2 of coffee powder is dispersed throughout the bubbling hot water inside the extraction container 4 without forming large clumps, and the second raw material supply operation is completed. As a result, the entire amount of hot water and the entire amount of coffee powder required to extract a small amount of high-concentration coffee with a predetermined beverage supply amount Q is supplied to the extraction container 4.

After the second raw material supply and before the pump 7 starts discharging the beverage, the control unit 11 executes a second mixing operation to promote extraction of the beverage. Specifically, after the second raw material supply operation is completed, the control unit 11 controls the operation of the pump 7 (air supply unit 8) for a predetermined period of time T3 without stopping the operation of the pump 7 in the reverse rotation direction L. The mixing operation is continued, and when this time T3 has elapsed, the pump 7 is stopped to stop the second mixing operation. As a result, the entire amount of hot water and coffee powder required to extract a small amount of high-concentration coffee with a predetermined amount of beverage supply Q is sufficiently stirred and mixed in the extraction container 4, and the small amount of high-concentration coffee is efficiently extracted in the extraction container 4. Ru.

Further, the control unit 11 operates the pump 7 in the forward rotation direction R, for example, at a timing when a predetermined time has elapsed after stopping the mixing operation by the pump 7, and starts the beverage supply operation by the pump 7. As a result, the inside of the drip pan 5 is brought into a negative pressure state lower than atmospheric pressure, and of the mixed liquid of hot water and coffee powder inside the extraction container 4, the coffee powder is captured by the filter F, and only the coffee beverage is filtered. It is filtered through F and dripped into the drip pan 5. The dripped coffee beverage is sucked into the pump 7, discharged from the pump 7 (beverage discharge starts), and is force-fed to the buffer section 9. The coffee beverage forced into the buffer section 9 flows out from the buffer section 9 and is poured into the cup C.

Then, the control unit 11 stops the pump 7 based on the measured value of the flow meter 10, completes the supply of a predetermined amount Q of high-concentration coffee to the cup C, and ends the beverage supply operation. Specifically, when the entire amount of the small amount of high-concentration coffee extracted by the extraction container 4 is sucked by the pump 7 and supplied to the cup C (drink supply complete), the measured value of the flow meter 10 suddenly decreases (or becomes zero). As a result, the measured value of the flowmeter 10 suddenly becomes smaller than the predetermined threshold, and the control unit 11 determines that the measured value is lower than the threshold and stops the pump 7. Thereafter, the control unit 11 moves the drip pan 5 to the lower position using the drip pan moving mechanism. This causes the beverage supply device 1 to enter a standby state.

As described above, according to the beverage supply device 1 according to the present embodiment, the coffee powder from the raw material supply section 2 is thrown (supplied) into bubbling hot water, so that the raw material becomes a large lump inside the extraction container 4. This prevents them from floating on the water surface or sinking into the water. That is, the beverage supply device 1 can suppress the raw material from forming into lumps in the extraction container 4. As a result, even when supplying a small amount of high-concentration coffee, for example, the occurrence of agglomeration of the raw materials is suppressed, and the mixing operation allows good stirring of the mixture of water and raw materials in the extraction container 4. A small amount of highly concentrated coffee is supplied without reducing extraction efficiency. In addition, the occurrence of insufficient stirring during the mixing operation is reliably prevented, and sufficient air stirring is performed during the mixing operation, thereby stabilizing the quality (taste) of the coffee beverage.

In this embodiment, the air supply unit 8 is realized by operating the pump 7 in the reverse rotation direction. Thereby, the beverage supply device 1 can suppress the increase in parts cost, suppress the agglomeration of raw materials, and can further perform a mixing operation.

In the present embodiment, the control unit 11 operates the raw material supply unit 2 to feed the raw material into the extraction container 4 in small quantities in multiple batches, and finally extracts a predetermined beverage supply amount Q of beverages. It is configured such that the entire amount of necessary raw material is supplied to the extraction vessel 4. This more reliably suppresses agglomeration of coffee powder and improves extraction efficiency. In addition, in this embodiment, although the raw material is supplied in two parts, the number of times of supply is not limited to two. The number of times of supply may be set to an appropriate number depending on the particle size and type of the raw material, and in this embodiment, the particle size and type of coffee powder (ground beans) and coffee beans. The finer the particle size, the greater the number of times of supply, and the greater the oil content, the greater the number of times of supply.

In the present embodiment, the control unit 11 continuously operates the air supply unit 8 (pump 7) between two successive raw material supply operations out of a plurality of raw material supply operations, and also operates the air supply unit 8 (pump 7) continuously during two successive raw material supply operations among the plurality of raw material supply operations, and After the end of the operation, the air supply section 8 (pump 7) is continuously operated for a predetermined time T3. As a result, the mixing operation is performed even between the two successive raw material supply operations, and the extraction efficiency is further improved.

In this embodiment, the control unit 11 is configured to supply hot water to the extraction container 4 at once without dividing it into multiple portions, and to supply the raw material to the extraction container 4 in small portions in multiple portions. As a result, in the first (in this embodiment, the first) raw material supply operation of multiple raw material supply operations, a small amount of raw material is supplied to a relatively large volume of bubbling hot water. . As a result, agglomeration of the raw material in the extraction container 4 is more reliably suppressed or prevented.

Below, a modification of the beverage supply device 1 of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 10 and the like. 4 to 7 are timing charts illustrating other examples of the operation of the beverage supply device 1. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram for explaining a beverage supply device 1 according to a modification. FIG. 9 is a timing chart illustrating an example of the operation of the beverage supply device 1 shown in FIG. 8. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram for explaining a modification of the air supply section 8 of the beverage supply device 1. Note that FIG. 9 shows the same timing chart as FIG. 3 except for the filter initial wetting operation, which will be described later.

In the present embodiment, the control unit 11 is configured to start the operation of the raw material supply unit 2 during the water supply operation in the first (initial) raw material supply operation, but the control unit 11 is not limited to this. As shown in FIG. 4, it may be configured to start after the water supply operation ends. As a result, the coffee powder from the raw material supply section 2 is thrown (supplied) into a larger volume of bubbling hot water than when the raw material supply operation is started while the water supply operation is being executed, so that the clumping of the raw material is prevented. more reliably suppressed or prevented. Note that in the example of FIG. 4 (and FIG. 6 described later), the control unit 11 starts the operation of the air supply unit 8 (tube pump) during execution of the water supply operation, but the invention is not limited to this. The control unit 11 may start the operation of the air supply unit 8 at the same time as the start of the water supply operation (FIG. 3, FIGS. 5 and 7 described later), or may start the operation before the water supply operation. (not shown), or may start simultaneously with the operation of the raw material supply section 2 (not shown).

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the control unit 11 may supply hot water and raw materials at once without dividing them into multiple supplies. In this case, the control unit 11 may be configured to start the operation of the raw material supply unit 2 during the raw material supply operation as shown in FIG. 5 during the water supply operation, or as shown in FIG. It may be configured to start after the end of the water supply operation. In these cases, the predetermined water supply amount Qw and the predetermined raw material supply amount Qc are each set to the total amount required to extract the coffee beverage with the predetermined beverage supply amount Q, and the control unit 11 controls the water supply operation and the raw material supply. Perform each run once. This reduces the number of times the water supply section 3 (hot water supply solenoid valve 32) and raw material supply section 2 (raw material motor 22, mill 24) are turned on and off, thereby extending the lifespan of each device. The operation time of the supply device 1 (the time from the start of operation to the completion of supplying a predetermined amount Q of coffee beverages to the cup C) can be shortened.

In addition, not only when the ratio of the total amount of raw material (coffee powder) to the total amount of hot water is high (when supplying a small amount of highly concentrated coffee), but also when a large amount of raw material is supplied (injected) into the extraction container 4 in a short period of time. Also, if the particle size of the raw material is finer than the particle size of general raw materials, there is a risk that the raw material will become agglomerated. Even in such a case, the beverage supply device 1 is suitable.

In the present embodiment, the control unit 11 supplies hot water to the extraction container 4 at once without dividing it into multiple batches; however, the control unit 11 is not limited to this, and as shown in FIG. It may be executed separately. For example, this is suitable when the beverage supply amount Q is large and the total amount of hot water (Qw1+Qw2 described later in FIG. 7) required to extract the beverage of the beverage supply amount Q is large. In this case, the control unit 11 operates the water supply unit 3 and the raw material supply unit 2 so as to supply hot water and raw materials into the extraction container 4 in small quantities in multiple doses, and finally, the predetermined beverage supply amount Q The extraction container 4 is configured to supply the entire amount of hot water and raw materials necessary for brewing the following beverage. In other words, the predetermined water supply amount Qw in the water supply operation and the predetermined raw material supply amount Qc in the raw material supply operation are each set to be smaller than the total amount required to extract the beverage with the predetermined beverage supply amount Q, and the control unit 11 executes each of the water supply operation and the raw material supply operation multiple times. Although not particularly limited, the control unit 11 operates the water supply unit 3 and the raw material supply unit 2 so as to supply hot water and raw materials in two parts. Referring to FIG. 7, the first water supply amount Qw1, which is the water supply amount Qw of the first supply, is set to the same value as the second water supply amount Qw2, which is the water supply amount Qw of the second supply. However, the water supply amount Qw for each supply may be set to different values. In addition to the total raw material input time Tc, the total extraction hot water supply time Tw, the first raw material supply time Tc1, and the second raw material supply time Tc2, the control unit 11 stores hot water with a first water supply amount Qw1. A first water supply time Tw1 required for supplying water and a second water supply time Tw2 required for supplying hot water with a second water supply amount Qw2 are set in advance for each beverage type.

Furthermore, when supplying standard coffee or large-capacity coffee, etc., if raw material agglomeration does not occur, or even if it does occur, the amount is extremely small, air may not be supplied during raw material supply operation. Good too. In this case, the beverage supply device 1 only needs to stop the pump 7 in the first raw material supply operation and the second raw material supply operation in the time charts of FIGS. 3, 4, and 7, for example. In the examples of the time charts in FIGS. 5 and 6, the pump 7 may be stopped during the raw material supply operation.

Further, in cases where agglomeration of the raw material does not occur, or even if it occurs, the amount is extremely small, the water supply operation may be performed after the raw material supply operation (that is, a hot water pouring method may be used). In this case, the control unit 11 may, for example, supply a raw material with a first raw material supply amount Qc1, supply hot water with a first water supply amount Qw1, supply a raw material with a second raw material supply amount Qc2, and supply a second water supply amount Qw2. Each element (7, 22, 24, 32) is operated so that hot water is supplied in the order of supply, and after the supply of the second water supply amount Qw2 is completed or at the same time as the supply starts, the mixing operation is started as specified. The operation continues for a time T3, and then the beverage supply operation is executed.

By the way, the present inventor discovered that during a mixing operation (air agitation operation) for promoting beverage extraction, an area where no air is ejected or an area where the amount of air ejected is significantly smaller than other areas is formed from the fibrous material. It has been noticed that the uniformity of the air ejected from the top surface of the filter F may not be good. Non-uniform air jetting may lead to insufficient air agitation during the mixing operation, which may lead to a decrease in the extraction efficiency of the beverage in the extraction container 4. In the present embodiment and each of the above-described modifications, the control unit 11 may perform the following filter initial wetting operation to reliably prevent insufficient air agitation.

In the examples shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, in order to reliably prevent the occurrence of insufficient air agitation, the control unit 11 performs filter initialization for the filter F before the mixing operation (here, the water supply operation and the raw material supply operation). It is configured to perform a wetting operation (filter initializing operation/filter leveling operation). When a signal indicating a coffee beverage supply instruction is input to the control unit 11, the control unit 11 is configured to first perform a filter initial wetting operation.

In the filter initial wetting operation, the control unit 11 operates the water supply unit 3 for a first predetermined time T1 to supply a predetermined amount of filter wetting water to the extraction container 4, and also operates the pump 7 for a second predetermined time T1. By operating for time T2 and sucking the filter wetting water inside the extraction container 4, the entire portion of the filter F corresponding to the bottom opening 4a of the extraction container 4 is moved from the top surface of the filter (extraction container 4 side) to the bottom surface of the filter. Wet the entire area up to (drip pan 5 side). By this filter initial wetting operation, the filter wetting water permeates the fibers of the filter F over the entire filter thickness Ft, spreads over the entire filter F, and part of it passes through the filter F. As a result, the resistance to air passing through the filter F becomes almost uniform throughout the filter F, and during mixing operation, air is ejected almost uniformly from the entire top surface of the filter, resulting in insufficient air agitation during mixing operation. occurrence is reliably prevented. Then, the raw material and hot water in the extraction container 4 are sufficiently stirred, the extraction of the coffee beverage is effectively promoted, and the extraction efficiency of the coffee beverage is improved compared to the conventional method. Furthermore, the taste of the coffee beverage can be stabilized by sufficient air agitation during the mixing operation.

Further, the filter wetting water is discharged to the outside of the cup C, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, for example. In this case, the filter wetting water is not used as part of the hot water (extraction hot water) for extracting the coffee beverage, and the extraction hot water is supplied to the extraction container 4 separately from the filter wetting water. As shown in FIG. 8, the beverage supply device 1 further includes a discharge path L2a for discharging filter wetting water, an electromagnetically driven switching valve 12, and a discharge tank 13. The discharge path L2a is a pipe that branches from a branch point X located between the pump 7 and the cup C in the beverage supply path L2. The switching valve 12 is an electromagnetic valve that switches the destination of the fluid discharged from the pump 7 between the cup C and the discharge path L2a. The switching valve 12 is, for example, a three-way valve provided at the branch point X. The discharge path L2a extends from the branch point X to the discharge tank 13. In the filter initial wetting operation, the control unit 11 is configured to operate the switching valve 12 to switch the discharge destination of the filter wetting water sucked by the pump 7 to the discharge path L2a.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9 based on the timing chart of FIG. 3, in the filter initial wetting operation, the control unit 11, for example, opens the hot water supply solenoid valve 32 for a first predetermined time T1. The filter wetting water is supplied to the extraction container 4, the pump 7 is operated in the forward rotation direction R for a second predetermined time T2 to suck the filter wetting water, and the switching valve 12 is operated in the direction of the discharge path to remove the filter wetting water. The discharge destination is switched to the discharge path L2a. In this case, the second predetermined time T2 is set to a length that allows the entire amount of filter wetting water to be discharged out of the cup C (here, the discharge tank 13). In the example of FIG. 9, the pump 7 is operating in the forward rotation direction R at the same time as the hot water supply electromagnetic valve 32 is opened. Then, after the discharge of the filter wetting water is completed, the control unit 11 starts supplying hot water for extraction and raw materials to the extraction container 4. In the filter initial wetting operation in the example of FIG. 9, the control unit 11 may (1) operate the pump 7 in the forward rotation direction R before starting the supply of filter wetting water, or (2) operate the pump 7 in the forward rotation direction R before starting the supply of filter wetting water. The pump 7 may be operated in the forward rotation direction R after the supply of the hot water for extraction is completed and before the supply of hot water and raw materials for extraction is started. In addition, the control unit 11 controls the raw material supply in each of the examples shown in FIGS. It may be configured to perform an initial wetting operation before operation.

In addition, when the initial filter wetting operation is performed, the filter wetting water (in other words, the filter permeation water) is not discharged to the outside, but is used as part of the hot water for extracting the coffee beverage (extraction hot water). may be done. In this case, the first predetermined time T1 is set to be shorter than the total extraction water supply time Tw, the capacity of the filter wetting water is set to be larger than the internal volume of the drip pan 5, and the second predetermined time T2 is set so that the filter wetting water sucked by the pump 7 during the filter initial wetting operation is not discharged beyond the pump 7 to the cup C side. Then, during the filter initial wetting operation, the control unit 11 returns a part of the filter wetting water sucked by the pump 7 to the extraction container 4 by operating the pump 7 in the reverse rotation direction, and completes the filter wetting operation, After completion of this filter wetting operation, the water supply operation and raw material supply operation for the remaining hot water are started. As a result, the entire portion of the filter F corresponding to the bottom opening 4a of the extraction container 4 is wetted more reliably from the upper surface of the filter to the entire lower surface of the filter, and water is more reliably passed through this portion. As a result, the uniformity of air jetting during the mixing operation is significantly improved, and as a result, the extraction efficiency is further improved. Further, in this embodiment, the filter wetting water (filter permeation water) is also used as part of the hot water for extracting the coffee beverage, so the filter wetting water is effectively used.

In addition, in the example of FIG. 9, the control unit 11 opens the hot water supply solenoid valve 32 in order to distinguish between the filter wetting water and the hot water for extraction. Although the valve 32 is closed, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, although not shown, the control unit 11 controls the hot water supply when a time period (=T1+Tw) obtained by adding the total extraction hot water supply time Tw to the first predetermined time T1 after opening the hot water supply electromagnetic valve 32 has elapsed. The solenoid valve 32 may be closed. In addition, as mentioned above, when the filter wetting water is used as part of the hot water for extraction (during the initial filter wetting operation, part of the filter wetting water sucked by the pump 7 is used to operate the pump 7 in the reverse rotation direction). (in the case of returning the hot water to the extraction container 4), the control unit 11 may open the hot water supply solenoid valve 32 and then close the hot water supply solenoid valve 32 when the full extraction hot water supply time Tw has elapsed.

In the above embodiment and each modification example, the air supply unit 8 is realized by the pump 7, but is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, the air supply section 8 may be provided separately from the pump 7.

Specifically, in the example of FIG. 10, the air supply section 8 supplies air to the drip pan 5 via an air supply path L3 provided separately from the beverage supply path L2. One end of the air supply path L3 is connected to the air supply section 8, and the other end of the air supply path L3 is connected to the drip pan 5. The drip pan 5 includes a beverage suction port 5b to which the beverage supply path L2 is connected, an air discharge port 5c to which the air supply path L3 is connected, and a lid plate 5d1 provided above the beverage suction port 5b. It includes a cover part 5d that suppresses the inflow (reverse flow) of air from the air discharge port 5c to the beverage suction port 5b. In the example of FIG. 10, the control unit 11 may be configured to operate the air supply unit 8 instead of operating the pump 7 in the reverse rotation direction L during the raw material supply operation. Further, the control unit 11 may be configured to operate the air supply unit 8 to return the filter wetting water to the extraction container 4 in the filter initial wetting operation and perform the mixing operation. In these cases, the total operating time of the pump 7 is reduced, the operation in the reverse rotation direction is reduced or eliminated, the load on the motor and the tube is reduced, and the life of the pump 7, which is a tube pump, is extended.

Further, in this embodiment, the water supplied to the extraction container 4 is hot water, but is not limited to this, and may be cold water.

Although the embodiments and modifications of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications, and further modifications and changes can be made based on the technical idea of the present invention. Of course it is.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Beverage supply device, 2... Raw material supply part, 3... Water supply part, 4... Extraction container, 5... Drip pan, 7... Pump (tube pump), 8... Air supply part, 11... Control part, C... Cup , F...filter, L2...beverage supply path, Q...predetermined beverage supply amount, Qw...predetermined water supply amount, Qw1...first water supply amount, Qw2...second water supply amount, Qc...predetermined raw material supply amount , Qc1...first raw material supply amount, Qc2...second raw material supply amount

Claims (8)

an extraction container that extracts a beverage using water and raw materials;
a raw material supply unit that supplies raw materials to the extraction container;
a water supply unit that supplies water to the extraction container;
a filter that filters the beverage extracted in the extraction container;
a drip pan that receives the beverage that has passed through the filter;
Provided in a beverage supply path connected to the drip pan, the beverage extracted in the extraction container is sucked through the filter and the drip pan, and a predetermined amount of the sucked beverage is discharged into the cup. a pump that supplies
A beverage dispensing device comprising:
an air supply unit that supplies air to the extraction container via the drip pan and the filter;
a control unit that controls operations of the water supply unit, the raw material supply unit, the pump, and the air supply unit;
including;
The control unit includes:
A water supply operation in which the water supply section is operated to supply a predetermined amount of water to the extraction container, and the air supply section is operated to agitate the water inside the extraction container with air. , a raw material supply operation for supplying a predetermined amount of raw material to the extraction container by activating the raw material supply unit;
Beverage dispensing equipment. The predetermined raw material supply amount is set to be less than the total amount required to extract the beverage of the predetermined beverage supply amount,
The beverage supply device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit executes the raw material supply operation in multiple steps. The control unit continuously operates the air supply unit between two successive raw material supply operations out of the plurality of raw material supply operations, and continues to operate the air supply unit after the last raw material supply operation is completed. The beverage dispensing device according to claim 2, wherein the portion is continuously operated for a predetermined period of time. The predetermined water supply amount is set to the total amount required to extract the beverage of the predetermined beverage supply amount,
The beverage supply device according to claim 2, wherein the control unit executes the water supply operation once. The predetermined water supply amount is set to be less than the total amount required to extract the beverage of the predetermined beverage supply amount,
The beverage supply device according to claim 2, wherein the control unit executes the water supply operation in multiple steps. The predetermined water supply amount and the predetermined raw material supply amount are each set to the total amount necessary to extract the beverage of the predetermined beverage supply amount,
The beverage supply device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit executes each of the water supply operation and the raw material supply operation once. The beverage supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the air supply section is provided separately from the pump. The pump sucks the extracted beverage in the extraction container by operating in a forward rotation direction,
The beverage supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the air supply unit is realized by operating the pump in a reverse rotation direction.