JP3123879B2 - Beverage brewing equipment - 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 extracting apparatus for extracting beverages such as a tea machine, a hot water machine, and a cold water machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a tea dispenser of this type, for example, in a tea dispenser, the tapping button is opened to open a tapping valve to extract hot water from a hot water storage tank. And a tea beverage made by mixing powdered tea are extracted into a cup or the like.

[0003] As a method for extracting tea beverages, there is a constant extraction method for extracting a constant amount of tea beverage by simply operating the extraction button with one touch, or a continuous extraction method for continuously extracting tea beverage by continuously operating the extraction button. is there.

[0004] Conventionally, in order to cope with each extraction method, for example, as described in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 6-15173, a changeover switch of the extraction method is provided inside the fuselage, and the changeover switch is used to perform quantitative extraction. There is an apparatus that can select either one of continuous extraction.

[0005] In addition, there is no problem in the automatic water supply method of a water supply direct connection type in which water is automatically supplied to the hot water storage tank.
In the case of the manual water supply method, in which water is supplied to the hot water storage tank artificially, the level of the hot water in the hot water storage tank gradually decreases as the hot water is extracted, and as a result, the extraction pressure of the hot water due to the head gradually decreases. Therefore, there is a problem in that the amount of hot water extracted gradually decreases even when a fixed amount extraction is performed in which the tapping valve is opened for a certain period of time.

Therefore, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-231617, it is necessary to lengthen the opening time of a tapping valve in accordance with the level of hot water in a hot water storage tank to constantly extract a constant amount of tea beverage. A variable tapping time method has been proposed.

[0007]

However, the conventional beverage extraction apparatus has an advantage that when the quantitative extraction is selected, a fixed amount of tea beverage is extracted by one-touch operation of the extraction button as compared with the continuous extraction. Because tea beverages are extracted only in fixed quantities, it is not possible to extract a little more (a smaller amount than the fixed quantity) in addition to the fixed quantity when extracting a fixed quantity of tea drinks. You cannot get the quantity.

Further, in the manual water supply method, when the level of hot water in the hot water storage tank is lowered, the amount of tea beverage to be extracted is reduced. When a raw material or a concentrated liquid raw material is used, a disadvantage that affects the beverage concentration occurs.
In addition, if the said hot water time variable method is adopted, a fixed amount of tea beverage can always be extracted, but the structure becomes complicated.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and a beverage extraction apparatus which enables additional extraction in quantitative extraction in addition to quantitative extraction of a beverage to obtain a desired extraction amount by a user. It is intended to provide.

[0010]

A beverage brewing apparatus according to the present invention is a beverage brewing apparatus for brewing a beverage in a tank by driving the brewing means by operating a brewing switch. Along with the driving, the quantitative extraction means for stopping the extraction means after the quantitative extraction time if the extraction switch is turned off within the quantitative extraction time from the start of the driving of the extraction means, and within the additional extraction allowable time after the driving of the extraction means is stopped. Additional extraction means for driving the extraction means when the extraction switch is turned on until the extraction switch is turned off .

[0011]

In the beverage extraction device of the present invention, the extraction means is driven by turning on the extraction switch to start the extraction of the beverage, and if the extraction switch is turned off within the fixed extraction time, the extraction means is stopped after the fixed extraction time. And extract a fixed amount of beverage. Further, if the extraction switch is turned on within the additional extraction allowable time from the stop of the driving of the extraction means, the extraction means is driven until the extraction switch is turned off to additionally extract the beverage .

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The configuration of an embodiment of the beverage extracting device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 3 shows the structure of a tea dispenser as a beverage extracting device. Reference numeral 1 denotes an airframe, and a door 2 is attached to the front of the airframe 1 so as to be openable and closable.

In the body 1, a tank 3 for storing water as a liquid material for beverage is provided. The tank 3 is provided with a heater 23 which will be described later, and the heater 23 boil water in the tank 3 to a constant hot water temperature.

A water supply pipe 4 for supplying water into the tank 3 is connected to a lower part of the tank 3, and a water supply is directly connected to the water supply pipe 4, and a predetermined amount of tap water is automatically supplied into the tank 3. .

An extraction pipe 5 for extracting hot and cold water in the tank 3 is connected to a side surface of the tank 3, and an electromagnetic valve 6 as an extraction means for extracting hot water and stopping the extraction by turning on and off the extraction pipe 5 is provided. Is attached.

Further, a raw material container 7 for storing, for example, powdered powdered tea as a raw material of a beverage is provided in the machine body 1. Below the raw material container 7, a raw material sending mechanism 9 for feeding the powdered tea in the raw material container 7 to the sending pipe 8 by a fixed amount is provided.

Further, a stirrer is provided at the lower front side in the body 1.
10 and a cup station section 11 are provided. The stirring unit 10 receives the powdered tea through the delivery pipe 8 and the hot water through the extraction pipe 5, agitates the raw materials to produce a beverage, and extracts the beverage to the cup station unit 11. The cup station section 11 is formed in a frame shape opening to the front,
On the bottom is a cup 12 for holding the beverage extracted from the stirring unit 10
And a drain pipe 13 for discharging beverages or the like spilled or discarded into the cup station section 11 is provided at the bottom of the mounting table 11a.

The door 2 is provided with a push button type extraction switch 14 for instructing beverage extraction, and an entrance 15 for inserting and removing the cup 12 from the front of the cup station section 11.
Is provided.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control system of the tea dispenser. Reference numeral 21 denotes a control unit. The control unit 21 is connected to a hot water temperature detection sensor 22 for detecting the temperature of hot water in the tank 3, and The power supply to the third heater 23 is controlled. The extraction switch 14 is connected, and the opening and closing of the solenoid valve 6 and the motor of the raw material delivery mechanism 9
Control 24.

The control section 21 has a timer 25. The timer 25 is provided with a fixed quantity extraction timer 26 for measuring a fixed quantity extraction time T1 (shown in FIG. 4) for opening the solenoid valve 6 for a fixed time and for quantitatively extracting tea beverages. It has a function of an additional extraction allowable timer 27 for measuring the allowable extraction time T2 (shown in FIG. 4).

The control unit 21 drives the solenoid valve 6 by turning on the extraction switch 14, and when the extraction switch 14 is turned off within the fixed extraction time T1 from the start of driving the solenoid valve 6, the fixed extraction time T1 The extraction switch 14 is turned on within the additional extraction allowable time T2 after the stop of the operation of the solenoid valve 6 or the extraction switch 14 is turned on when the fixed extraction time T1 has elapsed. If the extraction switch 14 is turned off, the function of the additional extraction means 29 that drives the solenoid valve 6 until the extraction switch 14 is turned off, if the extraction switch 14 is turned on and is continuously turned on even after the elapse of the quantitative extraction time T1, It has a function of a continuous extraction means 30 for continuously driving the electromagnetic valve 6 until the extraction switch 14 is turned off.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 1 and the timing chart of FIG.

(1) Quantitative extraction (see FIG. 4 (a)) When extracting tea beverages quantitatively, a push button type extraction switch is used.
14 is pressed down (one-touch operation) for a time t1 shorter than the quantitative extraction time T1.

In the standby state, when the extraction switch 14 is turned on (step 1), the solenoid valve 6 is opened (step 2), and the timer of the fixed quantity extraction timer 26 is started. At the same time, a certain amount of powdered tea in the raw material container 7 is supplied to the stirring unit 10,
The powdered tea is stirred with hot water extracted from the tank 3 to produce a tea beverage, and the tea beverage is extracted into the cup 12 set in the cup station unit 11.

Incidentally, even if the extraction switch 14 is turned off during the extraction, the open state of the solenoid valve 6 continues for the fixed extraction time T1.

Then, when the time of the quantitative extraction timer 26 elapses the quantitative extraction time T1 (step 3), it is determined whether the extraction switch 14 is on (step 4).

Here, since the extraction switch 14 is turned on only for a time t1 shorter than the quantitative extraction time T1 by one-touch operation, when the quantitative extraction time T1 has elapsed,
The extraction switch 14 is off. Therefore, the electromagnetic valve 6 is closed (Step 5), the extraction of hot water from the tank 3 is stopped, and the extraction of the tea beverage into the cup 12 is stopped. At the same time, the additional extraction allowable timer 27 starts counting.

As described above, by turning on the extraction switch 14 by a one-touch operation for a time t1 shorter than the quantitative extraction time T1, the electromagnetic valve 6 is opened for the quantitative extraction time T1 to extract a constant amount of tea beverage.

When the additional extraction allowable timer 27 has counted the additional extraction allowable time T2 (step 6), the next quantitative extraction operation can be performed.

The extraction switch 14 is set to a fixed extraction time T1.
Even if it is turned off once and then turned on again, the quantitative extraction time T
If turned off within 1, quantitative extraction will be performed.

(2) Additional Extraction (See FIG. 4 (b)) In the case of additionally extracting a tea beverage, the first additional extraction method shown on the left side of FIG. 4 (b) and the second additional extraction method shown on the right side There is an extraction method.

First, in the first additional extraction method shown on the left side of FIG. 4B, after one-touch operation of the extraction switch 14 to perform a quantitative extraction, an additional extraction allowable time T2 clocked by an additional extraction allowable timer 27. By turning on the extraction switch 14 again (step 7), the extraction switch 14
The electromagnetic valve 6 is opened for a time t2 until the switch is turned off (step 8), and a tea beverage is prepared and additionally extracted as described above.

When the extraction switch 14 is turned off and the electromagnetic valve 6 is closed to complete the additional extraction, the additional extraction allowable timer 27
Is started again, and the process waits for additional extraction.

As to the setting of the additional extraction allowable time T2, when the timing of turning on the extraction switch 14 is short when the extraction switch 14 is turned on, the quantitative extraction is performed without performing the additional extraction. Then extraction switch
It is set appropriately in consideration of the fact that additional extraction is performed without performing quantitative extraction even when 14 is turned on.

Next, in the second additional extraction method shown on the right side of FIG. 4 (b), while the extraction switch 14 is being operated with one touch to perform quantitative extraction, the extraction switch 14 is set within the quantitative extraction time T1. When the switch is turned on again and turned on when the quantitative extraction time T1 has elapsed, the extraction switch 14
The electromagnetic valve 6 is continuously opened for the time t3 (time after the time up of the quantitative extraction time T1) until the is turned off (step 9), and the tea beverage is additionally extracted.

As described above, the extraction switch 14 is turned on again after the extraction switch 14 is turned on once after one-touch operation of the extraction switch 14, thereby opening the electromagnetic valve 6 until the extraction switch 14 is turned off, thereby additionally extracting the tea beverage. it can.

[0038] Therefore, when a certain amount of tea beverage is extracted or during extraction, it can be additionally extracted in addition to the fixed amount, and a desired extraction amount can be obtained by the user.

(3) Continuous extraction (see FIG. 4 (c)) When tea beverages are continuously extracted, the extraction switch 14 is turned on continuously for a time t4 equal to or longer than the quantitative extraction time T1, so that the extraction switch is turned on. The electromagnetic valve 6 is continuously opened until 14 is turned off (step 9), and a tea beverage is prepared and continuously extracted as described above.

As described above, by continuously turning on the extraction switch 14 beyond the quantitative extraction time T1, the electromagnetic valve 6 is opened until the extraction switch 14 is turned off, so that the tea beverage can be continuously extracted.

Next, as another embodiment, in addition to the automatic water supply system in which water is directly connected to the water supply pipe 4 of the tank 3 as in the above embodiment, a manual water supply system in which water is supplied to the tank 3 artificially is used. is there. In this manual water supply method, the level of the hot water in the tank 3 gradually decreases with the extraction of the hot water, and as a result, the extraction pressure of the hot water due to the head gradually decreases. Even if extraction is performed, the amount of hot water extracted gradually decreases.

In such a case, by performing the additional extraction as described above, a desired amount of tea beverage desired by the user can be extracted.

When a powdered raw material or a concentrated liquid raw material is used, a strong beverage is produced by reducing the amount of hot water extracted in the quantitative extraction. Therefore, when the additional extraction is performed, the supply of the powdered raw material or the like is not performed. By extracting only hot water, a beverage having an appropriate strength can be obtained in the cup 12.

Further, leaf tea or the like may be used as a beverage material in place of the powder material or the concentrated liquid material. When using this leaf tea, the leaf tea is replaced by a new one by an automatic tea leaf exchange mechanism, but the leaf tea is supplied when the first extraction switch 14 is turned on, and the quantitative extraction as described above is performed.
Additional extraction and continuous extraction are performed.

In addition to cold water, a cold beverage can be extracted by cooling the water in the tank with a cooling device to produce cold water.

[0046]

According to the beverage brewing apparatus of the present invention , if the brewing means is driven by operating the brewing switch to quantitatively extract the beverage, and if the brewing switch is turned on again within the additional brewing allowable time, the brewing switch is turned on. To turn off the extraction means until the is turned off, the beverage can be additionally extracted in addition to the quantitative extraction,
The amount of extraction desired by the user can be obtained .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating an extraction operation in an embodiment of a beverage extraction device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the embodiment.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are timing charts of the extraction operation of the embodiment, wherein FIG. 4A is a timing chart of quantitative extraction, FIG. 4B is a timing chart of additional extraction, and FIG. 4C is a timing chart of continuous extraction.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 Tank 6 Solenoid valve as extraction means 14 Extraction switch 28 Quantitative extraction means 29 Additional extraction means

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Iwao Iwao 180 Furuichi-cho, Maebashi-shi, Gunma Toshiba Equipment Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-5-111434 (JP, A) JP-A-5-253069 ( JP, A) JP-A-7-23857 (JP, A) JP-A-6-319643 (JP, A) JP-A-6-10198 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , (DB name) A47J 31/00-31/60

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A beverage brewing apparatus for driving a brewing means by operating a brewing switch to brew a beverage in a tank, wherein the brewing switch is turned on to drive the brewing means and to perform quantitative extraction from the start of the driving of the brewing means. A quantitative extraction means for stopping the extraction means after a fixed extraction time if the extraction switch is turned off within a time; and an extraction switch if the extraction switch is turned on within an additional extraction allowable time after the drive of the extraction means is stopped. A beverage brewing apparatus, comprising: additional brewing means for driving the brewing means until it is turned off.