JP2710239B2 - Cup-type beverage vending machine - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of mixing hot water into a cup containing various powder materials such as coffee, cocoa, and black tea, and stirring the stirring blade into the cup from above. The present invention relates to a cup-type beverage vending machine that mixes ingredients and hot and cold water in a cup by entering and rotating the cup to prepare a beverage. 2. Description of the Related Art A conventional general structure of a cup-type beverage vending machine of this type will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 7, 1 is a powder material box containing various powder materials by type, 2 is a hot water tank, 3 is a cold water tank, 4 is an ice maker, 5 is a cup supply mechanism containing a large number of cups 6, and 7 is a product collection. It is a bend stage leading to an exit, and these main parts are arranged in a cabinet to constitute a cup-type beverage vending machine. In this configuration, when a sales signal is given, first, the cup 6 is carried out from the cup supply mechanism 5 to the bend stage 7 via the one-piece cup shooter 5a.
Subsequently, a predetermined amount of powder raw material is carried out of the selected type of powder raw material box 1 through a raw material shooter 1a into a mixing ball 8 as a raw material stirring mechanism. At the same time, in the case of selecting a hot beverage, a hot water supply valve of a hot water tank 2 is selected. 2a is opened and hot water is supplied into the mixing ball 8 through the hot water supply hose 2b, where the powdered raw material and hot water are stirred to prepare a hot beverage. Further, the stirred and mixed beverage flows down the hose 9 from the mixing ball 8 and is poured into the cup 6. [0004] When a cold beverage is selected, a powdered raw material and a small amount of hot water necessary for dissolving the raw material are supplied into the mixing ball 8, where the powdered raw material is dissolved in the hot water by stirring. , Water supply valve 3b of cold water hose 3a drawn out of cold water tank 3 at a slightly delayed timing
Is opened and cold water is additionally supplied to the mixing ball 8 to prepare a cold beverage. Reference numeral 3c denotes a water pump inserted into the hose 3a, and 3d denotes a water cooling coil. The water cooling coil 3d is immersed in a cooling water tank 11 cooled by the refrigerator 10. Ice is carried out of the ice storage chamber of the ice maker 4 at the same time as the raw materials are carried out, and is supplied directly into the cup 6 through the ice chute 4a. [0005] As described above, in a conventional cup-type beverage vending machine that prepares a beverage using powdered raw materials, the cup 6 is carried out to a bend stage according to a sales command and put on standby to separate the powdered raw materials and hot water. In a suitable position, the mixture is supplied to a raw material stirring mechanism (mixing ball 8) and then stirred and mixed to prepare a beverage, and the beverage is poured from the raw material stirring mechanism into a cup 6 carried out to a bend stage through a beverage hose and supplied for sale. It is configured by adopting the method. However, the cup-type beverage vending machine of this type has the following problems. That is, in the process of preparing and supplying the beverage, since the undissolved portion of the beverage adheres to the inside of the mixing ball 8 of the raw material stirring mechanism and the subsequent beverage hose, if the sales standby time is long, the time elapses. At the same time, bacteria are generated and multiplied in the beverage residue, and this causes contamination in the beverage at the time of the next beverage sale. In particular, when selling viscous drinks such as soup, or miso soup with ingredients, etc., the flow of the drink is difficult and the drink runs out poorly, so that the amount of adhered residue in the system increases. For this reason, conventionally, the above-mentioned problem has been dealt with by frequently cleaning the raw material stirring mechanism and the beverage hose, but this cleaning operation is troublesome and time-consuming, and is troublesome. There was a problem in sales management such that sales had to be abandoned due to the large amount of residual residue. On the other hand, as a selling method for solving the above-mentioned problem, a cup containing a powder raw material in which the powder raw material is previously stored in the cup is stored in a cup supply mechanism, and the cup is delivered from the cup supply mechanism to a bend stage according to a sales command. Hot water is directly poured into the cup containing the powdered raw material, and then the powdered raw material and the hot water are stirred and mixed by the raw material stirring means to prepare a beverage, or the product is picked up after receiving the cup delivered from the cup supply mechanism. Equipped with a cup transfer mechanism that transfers the powder raw material and hot and cold water to the cup in the middle of the cup transfer process, and then stirs and mixes the powder raw material and hot water in the cup in the same manner as described above. A method of dispensing beverages has been proposed. According to such a sales method, since the raw materials are directly stirred in the cup, the mixing ball shown in FIG. 7 and the subsequent drinking hose are not required, and therefore, the hygiene problem due to the remaining residue of the drinking residue is eliminated. In addition, it is possible to sell soups, miso soup with ingredients, etc., without restrictions on beverages sold. By the way, as a raw material stirring device used in the above-mentioned selling system, a stirring blade which has been retracted to a standby position in a sales standby state is made to enter a cup in a raw material stirring process, and then the stirring blade is rotated. After stirring the raw materials, after the raw material stirring is completed, the assembly is lifted again from the inside of the cup to the standby position, and held at the standby position until the next sale, and the assembly of the stirring motor and the stirring blade, and the assembly of this assembly. A configuration in combination with a lifting mechanism is used. However, as in the above-described raw material stirring apparatus, the raw material is entered into the cup at the time of blending the beverage and the raw material is agitated, and then the raw material is pulled out of the cup and held at the standby position until the next sale is performed. However, the same sanitary problem as in the raw material stirring method using the mixing ball shown in FIG. 7 remains. That is, drinks, raw material residues, and the like naturally adhere to and remain on the blade surface of the stirring blade pulled out of the cup after the raw material is stirred. If left as such for a long time, bacteria will be generated and propagated. It is unsanitary, and it is not possible to fully utilize the advantage of the sales system by stirring the ingredients in the cup, which eliminates the need for mixing balls and beverage hoses. Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a raw material stirring device for a cup-type beverage vending machine using the above-described raw material stirring device in a cup. It is an object to provide a stirring device. According to the present invention, a beverage is prepared by entering a cup into which a raw material and hot water have been poured from above and stirring the raw material and the hot water. A stirring blade, a cover arranged above the cup, and a washing water nozzle for supplying washing water to the stirring blade at a washing position of the stirring blade drawn out of the beverage in the cup after the beverage is prepared, and after the beverage is prepared. The problem is solved by pulling the stirring blade out of the beverage in the cup and washing the stirring blade with the washing water supplied from the washing water nozzle. [0013] The stirring blade is washed outside the beverage in the cup,
The washing water splash scattered upward from the stirring blade hits the cover and then flows down into the cup. Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 1 to 3 and FIG. 6 are diagrams showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 4 and 5 show the operation of the raw material stirring device corresponding to the selection of hot beverage and cold beverage of the raw material stirring device. It is a time chart showing an operation. In FIG. 1, the same members corresponding to those in FIG. 7 are denoted by the same reference numerals. First, referring to FIG. 1, the overall structure of a cup-type beverage vending machine of a material stirring system in a cup incorporating a material stirring device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.
Reference numeral 12 denotes a cabinet of a vending machine, and a product outlet 7 is opened at a front door thereof. On the other hand, cabinet 12
A powder raw material box 1 containing various raw materials, a hot water tank 2, a cold water tank 3, an ice maker 4, and a cup supply mechanism 5 are installed side by side as shown in FIG. Along with it is arranged in the lower part of the warehouse. Further, the space between the cup discharge end of the cup supply mechanism 5 and the product outlet 7 is connected to the inside of the warehouse, along the movement path of the cup transfer mechanism 13 as a horizontally movable conveyor, the cup supply mechanism 5, and various powder material boxes. 1 and a raw material stirring device 14 are arranged side by side. In this configuration, when a sales command is given, one cup 6 is first unloaded from the cup supply mechanism 5 to a point A on the conveyor of the cup transport mechanism 13. Subsequently, the cup transport mechanism 13 is started, transports the cup 6 to a point B defined immediately below the raw material shooter 1a, temporarily stops, and unloads the powder raw material of the selected beverage from the powder raw material box 1 at this position. It is put into the cup 6 through the raw material shooter 1a. Subsequently, when the cup transport mechanism 13 transfers the cup 6 to the point C, first, the hot water supply valve 2a of the hot water tank 2 is opened to supply an amount of hot water necessary for melting the powder raw material to the hot water supply hose 2.
b into the cup 6. At the same time, the raw material stirring device 14 starts to operate, the stirring blade is inserted into the cup, and the powder raw material and the hot water are stirred and mixed, and the powder raw material is turned into hot water in the cup 6 as will be described in detail later. Melt it. Hot or cold water or ice is additionally supplied to the cup 6 according to the selection of the hot beverage or the cold beverage, and the beverage is stirred at the same time to prepare a prescribed amount of beverage. When the blending of the beverage is completed in this way, the cup transport mechanism 13 starts to start again, transports the cup 6 containing the beverage to the point D desired in the product outlet 7, and stops, thereby ending the selling operation. I do. The series of selling operations is program-controlled by a command from a controller (not shown). Next, the detailed structure of the raw material stirring device 14 will be described with reference to FIGS. The raw material stirring device 14 basically includes a stirring motor 15, a stirring blade 16 attached to the tip of a drive shaft of the motor, and a stirring motor 16.
And a lifting mechanism 17 for raising and lowering. The basic structure is combined with the following stirring blade cleaning means and stirring blade heating / drying means. Here, the stirring blade washing means is for washing the washing water to the stirring blade 16 pulled up from the cup 6 after the raw material stirring step to wash out the beverage adhering to the blade surface. The cover 1 is moved up and down by an elevating mechanism 17 in conjunction with the elevating operation of the stirring motor 15.
8, and a washing water nozzle 19 which is open at the top inside the cover 18. In the illustrated embodiment, the cover 18 also serves as a cup cover that covers the upper surface of the cup 6 to prevent the escape of the beverage accompanying the stirring of the ingredients during the ingredient stirring step. Reference numeral 19 also serves as a hot water supply nozzle for supplying hot water to the cup, to which a hot water supply hose 2b and a cold water hose 3a drawn from a hot water tank and a cold water tank are connected. Further, an ice chute 4 a communicating with the ice making machine is juxtaposed with the nozzle 19 and is connected to the cover 18 by opening. On the other hand, the heating and drying means of the stirring blade is configured as a hot air blower 20 for blowing hot air into the cover 18,
1 is connected to a built-in blower fan 22, and the tip of a hot air nozzle 23 is opened inside the cover 18. Next, the operation of the raw material stirring device 14 having the above-mentioned structure will be described with reference to time charts for hot beverages and cold beverages shown in FIGS. C in FIG.
When reaching the point, the elevating mechanism 17 operates the descent motor 15 and the cover 18 waiting at the elevating position by the instruction from the controller to lower the agitating motor 15 and the agitating blade 16 into the cup 6 from above as shown in FIG. Then, the upper surface of the cup 6 is covered with the cover 18. At the same time, hot water supply hose 2b from hot water tank,
A certain amount of hot water is injected into the cup 6 through the nozzle 19,
Further, at a slight delay timing, the stirring motor 15 is started to rotate the stirring blade 16, and the powder raw material and the hot water are stirred and mixed in the cup 6 to dissolve the powder raw material in the hot water. Subsequently, while the stirring blade 16 is being rotated, additional hot water is injected to prepare a beverage. When the raw material stirring process is completed, the stirring motor 15
Is temporarily stopped, and then the cover 18 together with the stirring motor 15 is raised to the cleaning position in FIG. In this state, the stirring blade 16 is pulled out of the beverage in the cup 6. Subsequently, the process proceeds to a stirring blade cleaning step, in which a small amount of hot water is supplied from a hot water tank through the nozzle 19 into the cover as cleaning water.
At the same time, the stirring motor 15 is operated again to rotate the stirring blade 16. As a result, the hot water blown from the nozzle 19 onto the stirring blade 16 flushes the stirring blade 16, and the beverage adhering to the blade surface is washed away to clean the stirring blade 16.
Further, the washing water is blown off by the rotational centrifugal force of the blade, and flows down into the cup. Further, the washing water splash scattered upward from the stirring blade hits the cover 18 and thereafter flows down into the cup 6. Thus, a prescribed amount of hot water is supplied into the cup, including the amount of water injected for washing, to prepare a beverage. Here, the prepared beverage-containing cup 6 is transported to the point D which leads to the product outlet 7 on the cup transport mechanism as described in FIG. On the other hand, in the raw material stirring device 14, the warm air blower 20 is started to blow heated air into the cover 18, and the stirring blade 16 is forcibly heated and dried. By this heating and drying step, the stirring blades 16 are forcibly dried to suppress the generation and propagation of bacteria. FIG. 5 is a time chart when the cold beverage is selected. Compared to the time chart of FIG. 4, in the latter half of the raw material stirring step, cold water and ice are placed in the cup instead of the second hot water supply. The same as the time chart for the hot beverage shown in FIG. In this case, cold water may be supplied instead of hot water as washing water. Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, a method in which a warm air blower 20 is incorporated as a means for heating and drying the stirring blades 16 and a method in which warm air is blown into the cover 18 in the heat drying step is shown. As shown in FIG. 6, an electric heater 24 may be provided on the wall surface of the cover 18, and the electric heater 24 may be energized and controlled to heat and dry the stirring blade 16 in the heating and drying step. In the embodiment of FIG. 6, the cover 18 is a cleaning-only cover and is fixedly arranged so as to surround the stirring blade 16 at the position where the stirring blade is pulled up. According to the present invention, the stirring blade which enters the cup into which the raw material and the hot and cold water has been poured from above and stirs the raw material and the hot and cold water to prepare a beverage, and is disposed above the cup. And a washing water nozzle for supplying washing water to the stirring blade at the washing position of the stirring blade drawn out of the beverage in the cup after the beverage is prepared, and after the beverage is prepared, the stirring blade is drawn out of the beverage in the cup. The stirring blades are washed with the washing water supplied from the washing water nozzle, and the washing water is allowed to flow down into the cup to prepare a prescribed amount of beverage together with the raw material and hot water. The washing water splashes from the stirring blades and splashes from the stirring blades hit the cover, and then flow down into the cup. It can be cleaned by rinsing with washing water.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an internal configuration diagram of an entire cup-type beverage vending machine incorporating a raw material stirring device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an operating state of a raw material stirring and stirring blade cleaning process. FIG. 3 is a detailed structural diagram of the raw material stirring device in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a detailed structural diagram of the raw material stirring device in FIG. 1 showing an operation state of the raw material stirring and the stirring blade cleaning process; FIG. FIG. 5 is a time chart showing the operation of the raw material stirring device for cold beverage. FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a conventional cup-type beverage automatic. In-flight beverage system diagram of vending machine [Explanation of symbols] 1 ... powder raw material, 1a ... raw material shooter, 2 ...
Hot water tank, 2a: hot water supply valve, 2b: hot water supply hose, 3
... Cold water tank, 3a ... Cold water hose, 3b ... Water supply valve, 4 ... Ice making machine, 4a ... Ice shooter, 5 ... Cup supply mechanism, 6 ... Cup, 14. ..Material stirring device, 15 stirring motor, 16 stirring blade, 17
Elevating mechanism, 18 cover, 19 washing water nozzle, 20 hot air heater, 24 heater.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] Stirring blades that enter the cup into which the ingredients and hot water have been poured from above and stir the ingredients and hot water to prepare a beverage,
A cover disposed above the cup, and a washing water nozzle for supplying washing water to the stirring blade at a washing position of the stirring blade drawn out of the beverage in the cup after blending the beverage; Pull out the inside beverage and wash the stirring blades with the wash water supplied from the wash water nozzle,
A cup-type beverage vending machine wherein the washing water is allowed to flow down into a cup to prepare a prescribed amount of beverage together with the raw material and hot water.