JP2800933B2 - Beverage vending machine - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a beverage vending machine for preparing a beverage by mixing a powdered beverage material and water.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a beverage vending machine of this kind,
There is known a hot coffee prepared by mixing a coffee powder raw material and hot water and selling the hot coffee.

In this beverage vending machine, hot water is supplied from a hot water storage tank, and a coffee powder raw material is supplied to a mixing ball from a canister, and these are once stirred in the mixing ball. The coffee liquid is extracted by flowing it through an extraction device, and then poured into a cup for sale.

[0004] The stirring operation of the mixing ball is performed by a stirring device. The stirring device has a stirring pulsator rotated by a rotary drive source such as a motor. The stirring pulsator is formed below the mixing ball. Placed in the vicinity of the outlet.

When the stirring pulsator rotates,
The centrifugal force acts on the hot water and the coffee powder raw material in the mixing ball due to the rotational force, and is stirred and mixed in the mixing ball without flowing out from the discharge port. On the other hand, when the rotary drive source is stopped after the stirring operation, the centrifugal force does not act, so that the mixture in the mixing ball flows out of the discharge port into the beverage extraction device.

[0006]

The stirring pulsator of the conventional beverage vending machine has a plurality of blades, and centrifugal force acts on the hot water and the coffee powder raw material with the rotation of the blades. With stirring.

However, in such a stirring pulsator, the shape of the blade portion is complicated, which is disadvantageous in manufacturing. In addition, when the stirring and mixing is performed by the blade, the liquid surface vibrates sharply. There has been a problem that the powder is scattered and adheres to and remains on the upper inner wall surface of the mixing ball, or a mixed solution remains at the roots of the blades, which rots and impairs hygiene.

An object of the present invention is to provide a beverage vending machine provided with a stirring pulsator having a simple structure and capable of preventing scattering of a mixture during rotation, in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a mixing ball to which a powdered beverage material and water are supplied and which has a discharge port for a mixture thereof at a lower part thereof, and a mixing ball having a discharge port formed at a lower portion thereof. A stirring pulsator for stirring and mixing the powdered beverage material and the water in the mixing ball by rotation with a small gap therebetween, and controlling the discharge of the mixed liquid by the centrifugal force when the stirring pulsator rotates. And
When the stirring pulsator is stopped, in a beverage vending machine that releases this mixed liquid from the discharge port, the stirring pulsator is formed in a disk shape, and its upper surface is inclined so as to become lower as it goes toward the peripheral end. It is characterized in that the lower surface of the lower surface is composed of an inclined surface inclined so as to become higher toward the peripheral end and a horizontal plane extending horizontally from the upper end of the inclined surface to reach the peripheral end.

[0010]

According to the present invention , a predetermined amount of powdered beverage material and water are supplied to a mixing ball, and a stirring pulsator is rotated. At this time, since the viscosity of the liquid mixture of the powdered beverage material and water is higher than the viscosity of water, the frictional force between the upper surface of the stirring pulsator and the liquid mixture is larger than that of water. Thereby, the centrifugal force accompanying the rotational force of the stirring pulsator is transmitted to the mixed solution without any trouble.

The mixed liquid to which the centrifugal force is applied is extruded obliquely downward along the upper surface of the stirring pulsator , and further
The liquid mixture extruded diagonally downward flows while rotating along the inner wall surface of the mixing ball, and forms a vortex to mix the powdered beverage material with water.

[0012] Also, the mixed liquid is the upper surface of the stirring pulsator.
Sneak Luo lower surface, but penetrates into the gap portion between the periphery of the discharge port and agitation pulsator, this intruded mixture is extruded obliquely upward along the inclined surface of the lower surface of the agitating pulsator, more horizontal Extruded horizontally along
You. The horizontally extruded mixture is mixed with a mixing box.
Flows along the inner wall of the tool. This prevents the mixture from flowing out of the discharge port.

[0013] Further, it penetrates into the lower surface side of the stirring pulsator.
Because the mixture is issued by pressing the horizontal direction as described above, this
Of the mixture flowing on the horizontal surface of the
Crossing with the flowing mixture becomes small,
Can be suppressed.

[0014]

1 to 4 show a first embodiment of a beverage vending machine according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a beverage vending machine, and FIG. 2 shows a main part of the present invention. Sectional view of FIG.
FIG. 3A is a plan view of a stirring pulsator, FIG. 3B is a bottom view of the stirring pulsator, and FIG.

The structure of the beverage vending machine and the beverage selling process will be described with reference to FIG. That is, this beverage vending machine has a hot water storage tank 1 in which hot water is stored, and a canister 2 for storing and transporting the coffee powder raw material. Then, a coffee powder raw material of an extracted amount for one cup of coffee is supplied to the mixing ball 5 through the hot water pipe 3 and the chute 4, respectively. The mixing ball 5 is provided with a stirrer, which will be described later. The stirrer stirs and mixes the hot water and the coffee powder raw material, and sends the mixed liquid to the beverage extraction device 7 through the mixed liquid pipe 6. The beverage extraction device 7 extracts a coffee liquid from the mixed liquid and supplies the coffee liquid to the cup 9 through a coffee liquid pipe 8. Sugar and cream (not shown) are supplied to the cup 9 as needed to sell a coffee beverage.

The configuration and the beverage selling process of such a beverage vending machine are the same as those of the conventional beverage vending machine, and the beverage vending machine according to the present embodiment comprises hot water and coffee supplied to the mixing bowl 5. It has a feature in the structure of the stirring pulsator of the stirring device for stirring and mixing the powder raw materials. The structure of the stirring pulsator and the mixing ball 5 will be described with reference to FIGS.

Here, as shown in FIG. 2, the mixing ball 5 is formed in a substantially cup shape with an open upper surface, and has a discharge hole 5a having a round hole at the bottom. The periphery of the upper opening of the discharge port 5a has an annular inclined portion 5b slightly inclined upward, and the mixed liquid in the mixing ball 5 flows smoothly to the discharge port 5a by the inclined portion 5b. Further, a plurality of outlet holes 5c communicating with the mixed solution pipe 6 are formed in the circumferential direction below the discharge port 5a.
The mixed liquid flowing out of the flow path a flows into the mixed liquid pipe 6 through the outlet hole 5c.

Mixing ball 5 configured as above
Is provided with a stirring device 10. This stirring device 10
Has a motor 11 as a rotary drive source.
1 is transmitted to the rotating shaft 13 via the coupling 12. The rotating shaft 13 is pivotally supported in the mixing ball 5 by upper and lower bearings 14a and 14b.
5 is mounted with an E-ring 16.

The stirring pulsator 15 is formed in a disk shape, and the rotating shaft 13 passes through the center thereof. Further, the upper surface 15a of the stirring pulsator 15 is inclined so as to become lower as it goes toward the peripheral end, so that the mixed liquid does not accumulate on the upper surface 15a when the mixed liquid is discharged. The lower surface 15b of the stirring pulsator 15 is formed so that its central side is formed horizontally, and is inclined so as to be closer to the peripheral edge toward the peripheral edge, and the inclined surface 15c is inclined at the inclined portion 5b.
And a gap 17 (1 to 1.5 mm).

The stirring and mixing operation of the beverage vending machine thus constructed will be described with reference to FIG. The coffee powder raw material and the hot water are supplied to the mixing ball 5, and thereafter, the motor 11 of the stirring device 10 is driven and the stirring pulsator 15
To rotate. At this time, since the viscosity of the mixed solution of the coffee powder raw material and the warm water is higher than the viscosity of the water, the frictional force between the stirring pulsator 15 and the mixed solution is larger than that of the water. Thereby, the centrifugal force accompanying the rotational force of the stirring pulsator 15 is transmitted to the mixed solution without any trouble.

Here, the upper surface 15 of the stirring pulsator 15
The mixed liquid on a is pushed out while rotating toward the inner wall surface of the mixing ball 5 along the upper surface 15a, as shown by a two-dot chain line arrow A, and forms a vortex along the inner wall surface to remove the mixed liquid. Generate.

On the other hand, the inclined surface 15 of the stirring pulsator 15
between c and the inclined portion 5b, i.e., a mixed liquid which has entered the gap 17, for agitation as shown in two-dot chain line arrow B pulsator 15
Extruded diagonally upward along the slope of the inclined surface 15c,
It does not flow out of the discharge port 5a.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the mixing liquid is stirred and mixed by the disk-shaped stirring pulsator 15 having a simple structure without providing the blade as in the prior art. There is no.

FIGS. 5 to 7 show a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part of the second embodiment, and FIG.
FIG. 6A is a plan view of a stirring pulsator, FIG. 6B is a bottom view of the stirring pulsator, and FIG. In this second embodiment, the pulsator 15 for stirring is used.
Since the other configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment, description thereof will be omitted.

The pulsator 1 for stirring according to the second embodiment.
8, the upper surface 18a is formed so as to be inclined downward toward the peripheral end, like the upper surface 15a of the stirring pulsator 15, so that the lower surface 18b is closer to the peripheral edge toward the peripheral end. Inclined inclined surface 18
c and the lower surface 18 extending horizontally from the upper end of the inclined surface 18c.
and a horizontal plane 18d reaching the peripheral end of the b.

According to this embodiment, the stirring pulsator 1
The mixed liquid on the side of the upper surface 18a of the mixing ball 5 along the upper surface 18a as shown by the two-dot chain line arrow C in FIG.
It is extruded while rotating to the inner wall surface side, and forms a vortex along this inner wall surface to generate a mixed solution. This is the same as in the first embodiment.

On the other hand, the inclined surface 18 of the stirring pulsator 18
c, and the mixed liquid that has entered the gap 17, that is, into the gap 17, is mixed with the stirring pulsator 18 as shown by the two-dot chain line arrow D.
Extruded obliquely upward along the slope of the inclined surface 18c,
Furthermore, it is horizontally pushed out to the inner wall surface side of the mixing ball 5 along the horizontal surface 18d.

As described above, since the mixed liquid that has entered the gap 17 is extruded in the horizontal direction without being extruded obliquely upward as in the first embodiment, the flow of the mixed liquid indicated by arrow C and the mixed liquid indicated by arrow D not only is the flow cross slightly,
Thereby, the waving of the mixture is suppressed .

[0029]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Instead of stirring and mixing the powdered raw material and water by rotating the blades as in the past, they are stirred and mixed by a disk-shaped stirring pulsator with a simple structure. Machine can be provided.

Further , the mixed liquid that has entered the gap is extruded in the horizontal direction toward the inner wall surface of the mixing ball, and the crossing of the mixed liquid flowing on the upper surface side of the stirring pulsator slightly occurs.
In this regard, the ripple of the mixed solution can be suppressed.
You.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a beverage vending machine.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a main part of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a stirring pulsator according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an abbreviated cross-sectional view showing the stirring and mixing action of the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part of the second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a view showing a stirring pulsator according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an abbreviated cross-sectional view showing the stirring and mixing action of the second embodiment.

[Description of Symbols] 5: mixing ball, 5a: discharge port, 10: stirring device, 15, 18: stirring pulsator, 15a, 18a ...
Upper surface, 15b, 18b: lower surface, 15c, 18c: inclined surface, 18d: horizontal surface, 17: gap.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A mixing ball to which a powdered beverage material and water are supplied and which has a discharge port for a mixture thereof at a lower portion, and a mixing ball which is disposed above a small gap from the periphery of the discharge port and is rotated to rotate. A stirring pulsator for stirring and mixing the powdered beverage material and water in the pulsator is provided, and when the stirring pulsator is rotated, the centrifugal force controls the release of the mixed solution. In a beverage vending machine that releases a mixed liquid, the stirring pulsator is formed in a disk shape, and the upper surface is formed to be inclined so as to become lower as it goes to the peripheral edge, and the lower edge of the lower surface is closer to the peripheral edge. A beverage vending machine comprising: an inclined surface inclined so as to become higher as it goes, and a horizontal surface extending horizontally from an upper end of the inclined surface and reaching a peripheral end.