JP3432021B2 - Beverage dispenser - 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 dispenser, and more particularly, to a beverage mixing section to which a concentrated raw material is supplied, by supplying a diluent stored in a tank via a supply pump. The present invention relates to a beverage dispenser in which a concentrated raw material is diluted with a diluent in a mixing section.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A concentrated stock solution is diluted with cold water or warm water,
Beverage dispensers capable of appropriately selecting and supplying a cooled beverage or a heated beverage are known. To describe the basic structure of the beverage dispenser as an example, the dispenser includes a refrigerator that stores a plurality of containers that store concentrated stock solutions, a water storage tank that includes a cooling device that cools water supplied from an external source, and a required water tank. A hot water storage tank or the like for keeping and storing a certain amount of hot water is provided, and the water storage tank and the hot water storage tank are connected via a supply pipe to a beverage mixing section that is connected to each of the concentrated stock solution containers. That is, by supplying the cold water cooled by the cooling device and the concentrated stock solution poured out from the concentrated stock solution container through the pouring mechanism to the beverage mixing unit, the concentrated stock solution is poured into the cooled beverage diluted with the cold water. Will be issued. Further, by supplying the hot water kept warm in the hot water storage tank to the beverage mixing section to which the concentrated stock solution has been supplied from the concentrated stock solution container, a heated beverage in which the concentrated stock solution is diluted with hot water is poured out.

In the beverage dispenser, supply pipes for supplying cold water and hot water are independently piped to the beverage mixing section, and a supply pipe for supplying a concentrated stock solution is provided from the concentrated stock solution container to the beverage mixing section. Has been piped up to. That is, the supply pipe for cold water, the supply pipe for hot water, and the supply pipe for concentrated stock solution face the beverage mixing section in an independent state. As a result, the beverage mixing section becomes large, and the piping structure around the mixing section becomes complicated, which makes it difficult to achieve compactness.

Therefore, by connecting a cold water supply pipe and a hot water supply pipe with a switching valve and switching these as required, either cold water or hot water is selected and the beverage mixture is fed from one supply pipe. There are suggestions to supply the department. As the beverage dispenser, as shown in FIG.
The cold water supply pipe 76 that communicates with the pouring nozzle 42 that functions as a beverage mixing unit after passing through the inside of the hot water storage tank 46 is branched into a plurality of pipes (for example, three pipes) in the middle of the system path. Similarly to the cold water supply pipe 76, the hot water supply pipe 78 inserted and arranged in the same is also branched into three. The ends of the branched supply pipes 76 and 78 are connected to the supply nozzle 68 at the pouring nozzle 42.
The switching valves (three-way valves) 36 communicating with each other are connected to the inflow side, respectively. Further, the supply pump 80 is arranged at a position before branching in the cold water supply pipe 76, and the supply pump 8 is arranged at a position before branching in the hot water supply pipe 78.
2 is provided, and cold water or hot water is pressure-fed to the switching valve 36 by operating the pumps 80 and 82. Then, the cold water or hot water supplied from the water storage tank 24 or the hot water storage tank 46 is selected for the pouring nozzle 42 by operating the operation lever (not shown) provided in the switching valve 36 to switch the valve element. Is configured to be able to be supplied. The supply pipes 76, 7 connected to the inflow side of the switching valve 36
A flow rate control valve 72 is attached to each of the pumps 8 to automatically adjust the pressure of cold water or hot water so that a fixed amount of the diluted beverage can be poured out from the pouring nozzle 42. With this configuration, the number of supply pipes near the pouring nozzle 42 can be reduced, and the nozzle 42 can be downsized and the piping structure can be simplified.

[0005]

In the above-mentioned hot water supply pipe 78, for example, the pipe length from the discharge side of the supply pump 82 to the switching valve 36 is the pipe line from the suction side of the pump 82 to the hot water storage tank 46. It is longer than long. Further, since the supply pump 82 is arranged in the hot water supply pipe 78 before branching, it is necessary to install a large-capacity pump in consideration of supplying hot water to the plurality of pouring nozzles 42 at the same time. There is. That is, in order to stably supply hot water to a plurality of pipes, the discharge side pipe is long and the supply pump 82 discharges hot water at high pressure. In this case, the discharge-side pipeline is branched into a plurality as described above, and the number of connecting portions and bent portions between the supply pipes increases, so that hot water is likely to leak from each portion. For this reason, if the bent portion or the connection portion of each supply pipe is deteriorated due to long-term use and a crack or the like is generated, there is a concern that hot water in a high-temperature and high-pressure state may be ejected from the portion into the beverage dispenser.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been proposed in view of the above-mentioned drawbacks inherent in the above-mentioned prior art, and has been proposed in order to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks. By setting the discharge side supply pipe connected to the discharge side to be shorter than the suction side supply pipe connected to the suction side of the pump, leakage of the diluent from the discharge side supply pipe can be suppressed. It is intended to provide a beverage dispenser.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to overcome the above problems and preferably achieve the intended purpose, the present invention is housed in a main body.
It was disposed to the concentrated raw material container, and a beverage mixing portion enriched material that is stored in the concentrated source container is supplied, the water tank
In a beverage dispenser, which comprises a supply pump for supplying the diluent stored in the hot water storage tank to the beverage mixing section, and the concentrated raw material container is diluted in the beverage mixing section with the diluent, in the concentrated raw material container, Rich in raw material container
Connect a pouring mechanism that supplies compressed ingredients to the beverage mixing section
At the same time, the supply pump is provided in the pouring mechanism,
On the inflow side of the switching valve connected to the suction side of the feed pump,
From the suction side supply pipe from the water storage tank and from the hot water storage tank
The respective suction side supply pipe communicatively connected, the discharge-side supply pipe communicating with the beverage mixing unit is connected to the discharge side of the feed pump, the short from the suction side supply pipe that will be connected to the suction side of the pump The feature is that it is set in this way.

[0008]

The preferred embodiments of the beverage dispenser according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a beverage dispenser according to an embodiment. Although the gist of the present invention lies in the pipeline system of the supply pump, the schematic configuration of the beverage dispenser shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 will first be described in order to contribute to the overall understanding. Further, the beverage dispenser of the embodiment has a configuration capable of selectively supplying a cooled beverage such as juice and a heated beverage such as tea or soup, but it can also be used in a device that supplies only a heated beverage such as tea or soup. It is possible to adopt the present application.

In the beverage dispenser 10, a casing 17 is composed of an upper main body 14 and a lower main body 16 which are formed of a plate material such as stainless steel in a box shape.
It is mounted and fixed on the lower body 16, and a storage 15 having a heat insulating structure is arranged on the upper half thereof. A plurality of (three in the embodiment) concentrated stock solution containers 38 storing concentrated stock solutions are housed in parallel in the width direction of the main body 14 in a storage chamber 15a defined inside the storage case 15. (See Figure 2). At the bottom of each concentrated stock solution container 38, a pouring pump 40
Is connected to the pouring mechanism 32 and a pouring nozzle 42 as a beverage mixing unit, and a required amount of concentrated stock solution poured from the concentrated stock solution container 38 via the pouring mechanism 32 is supplied to the pouring nozzle 42. It is being supplied. Also storage 1
A supply pump 70 for supplying the diluting water such as cold water or hot water to the pouring nozzle 42 is disposed in the lower part of the nozzle 5 in association with each pouring mechanism 32. A heat insulating door (opening / closing door) 19 that opens and closes the opening 15b formed on the front surface of the storage case 15 is opened and closed.
Is a number corresponding to the pouring mechanism 32 (three in the embodiment).
Of the pouring mechanism 32 and the supply pump 70 for the cold water or the hot water are operated by pressing the button 43.

As shown in FIG. 2, on the right side inside the lower body 16, a water storage tank 24 for storing a predetermined amount of cooling water and a part of the evaporation pipe 26 led out from the refrigeration mechanism 22 are stored in the water storage tank 24. An ice bank mechanism 21 immersed in the cooling water therein is provided. The water storage tank 24 constituting the ice bank mechanism 21 is a bottomed case body having a required depth that opens upward and is surrounded by a heat insulating material so as to keep the temperature of the cooling water stored therein constant. The open portion is configured to be opened and closed by the lid 23. Below the water storage tank 24, as shown in the figure, a condenser 18, a compressor 20, and the like that constitute the refrigeration mechanism 22 that cools the cooling water stored in the water storage tank 24 are arranged. The evaporation pipe 26 is spirally wound along the vicinity of the inner wall of the water storage tank 24, and the whole is immersed in cooling water. Then, when the refrigerant circulating in the refrigeration mechanism 22 passes through the evaporation pipe 26, heat is exchanged with the cooling water, the temperature of the cooling water gradually decreases, and an ice layer is formed around the evaporation pipe 26. Is configured. Further, when the cylindrical ice layer having a required thickness is formed on the outer periphery of the evaporation pipe 26, the operation of the refrigeration mechanism 22 is controlled to be stopped. That is, the cooling water in the water storage tank 24 after the freezing mechanism 22 is stopped is cooled to the required temperature via the ice layer formed on the outer circumference of the evaporation pipe 26.

A cooling portion 28a, which is spirally wound in the middle of a first water supply pipe 28 having one end connected to an external water source (not shown), faces the substantially central portion of the water storage tank 26. The cooling portion 28a has an open end portion which is the lid 2 of the water storage tank 24.
It communicates with the sub tank 30 provided in 3. That is, when the tap water supplied from the external water source passes through the cooling part 28a of the first water supply pipe 28, it is cooled by the cooling water in the water storage tank 24 cooled by the ice layer, and this cold water is sub-tank 30. It is designed to flow in. The sub-tank 30 is configured so that the bottom portion of the sub-tank 30 comes into contact with the cooling water stored in the water storage tank 24 and the temperature of the cold water for dilution supplied into the sub-tank 30 does not rise.

On the left side inside the lower body 16 of the beverage dispenser 10, a hot water storage tank 46 for storing a required amount of hot water is arranged as shown in FIG. The hot water storage tank 46 has a second water supply pipe 60 connected to an external water source.
Electromagnetically connected water supply valve 6 provided in the water supply pipe 60
By opening No. 2, a required amount of water is supplied into the tank 46. Further, inside the hot water storage tank 46, a lower limit water level switch 52 is installed near the bottom of the tank, and an upper limit water level switch 54 is installed near the upper end of the tank 46, so that the hot water level (reserved amount) in the hot water storage tank Is arranged between the switches 52 and 54. A float switch is used as the switches 52 and 54. Further, a heater 58 is disposed below the lower limit water level switch 52, and the hot water stored in the hot water storage tank 46 is set to a set temperature (upper set temperature) by the heater 58.
It is designed to be heated up to and kept at this temperature. A temperature sensor 56 that detects a preset upper limit temperature and a preset lower limit temperature is disposed inside the hot water storage tank 46, and the temperature detected by the sensor 56 controls the opening / closing of the water supply valve 62 and the heater. 58 ON-OF
The F control is set to be performed. A plate that receives water supplied into the tank from the second water supply pipe 60 and disperses the water over a wide range below the opening end of the second water supply pipe 60 inside the hot water storage tank 46. A dispersion plate 64 having a shape of a circle is provided. As a result, at the time of water supply, the hot water in the hot water storage tank 46 and the newly supplied water are efficiently mixed.

A suction side supply pipe 66 for hot water and a suction side supply pipe 34 for cold water are connected in communication with the inflow side of a switching valve (three-way valve) 36 connected to the suction side of each supply pump 70. By the switching operation of the switching valve 36, either the suction side supply pipe 66 or the suction side supply pipe 34 is selected and communicated with the supply pump 70. As shown in FIG. 1, the other end of the suction side supply pipe 66 for hot water is inserted into the hot water storage tank 46 and immersed in hot water, and the other end of the suction side supply pipe 34 for cold water is connected to the water storage tank 24. It is inserted into the sub-tank 30 provided in the above and is immersed in cold water. A discharge side supply pipe 68 connected to the discharge side of the supply pump 70
The other end thereof communicates with the pouring nozzle 42. That is, by operating the pump 70 in a state where the supply valve 70 and the suction-side supply pipe 66 for hot water are connected by the switching valve 36, the hot water stored in the hot water storage tank 46 is supplied to the discharge-side supply pipe 68. It is supplied to the pouring nozzle 42 through. Further, by operating the pump 70 in a state where the supply pump 70 and the suction-side supply pipe 34 for cold water are communicated with each other by the switching valve 36, the cold water stored in the sub tank 30 passes through the discharge-side supply pipe 68. Is supplied to the pouring nozzle 42. As the supply pump 70, a positive displacement self-contained pump configured to suck a cold water or a hot water by driving a valve body (not shown) arranged inside to form a negative pressure is preferably adopted. . Further, the discharge side supply pipe 68 is
The flow rate control valve 72 and the check valve 74 are inserted in series so that the flow rate of hot water or cold water can be controlled and the backflow can be prevented.

As is apparent from FIG. 1, the length of the discharge side supply pipe 68 connected to the discharge side of the supply pump 70 is the suction side supply pipe 6 connected to the suction side of the pump 70.
It is set shorter than the pipeline length of 6,34. Further, since a positive displacement self-contained pump is adopted as the supply pump 70, hot water or cold water is not discharged to the discharge side supply pipe 68 at high pressure, and leakage of hot water or cold water in the discharge side supply pipe 68 is prevented. It is possible to suppress. In the case of a positive displacement self-contained pump, it is not necessary to connect the suction side supply pipe 68 to the hot water storage tank 46, and suction can be performed simply by immersing it in hot water in the tank, so the number of connection points in the entire pipeline is reduced. Is what you can do.

[0015]

Next, the operation of the beverage dispenser according to the embodiment will be described below. Beverage dispenser 1
At 0, each of the three concentrated stock solution containers 38 housed in the storage 15 is filled with a different kind of concentrated stock solution. When the cooling beverage is poured out from the corresponding pouring nozzle 42 connected to each stock solution container 38, the switching valve 36 is switched to connect the suction side supply pipe 34 for cold water to the supply pump 70. In this state, by pressing the pouring button 43 of the heat insulating door 19 arranged on the front surface of the storage case 15, the pouring pump 40 of the pouring mechanism 32 is actuated, and the required amount of concentrated stock solution is supplied from the concentrated stock solution container 38. Is supplied to the pouring nozzle 42. Further, the corresponding supply pump 70 is operated to supply cold water for dilution from the sub-tank 30 to the pump 70 via the suction side supply pipe 34, and then to the pouring nozzle 42 via the discharge side supply pipe 68. To be done. As a result, the concentrated stock solution is diluted with cold water at the pouring nozzle 42,
Cold beverage is poured from 2.

Next, when pouring the hot beverage from the pouring nozzle 42, the switching valve 36 is switched so that the suction side supply pipe 66 for hot water is connected to the supply pump 70. By pressing the pouring button 43 in this state, the pouring pump 40 of the pouring mechanism 32 is operated, and a required amount of concentrated stock solution is supplied from the concentrated stock solution container 38 to the pouring nozzle 42. Further, the corresponding supply pump 70 is operated to draw hot water for dilution from the hot water storage tank 46 into the pump 70 via the suction side supply pipe 66, and then to the pouring nozzle 42 via the discharge side supply pipe 68. Supplied. As a result, the concentrated stock solution is diluted with warm water at the pouring nozzle 42,
Hot beverage is poured from 2.

As described above, the line length of the discharge side supply pipe 68 connected to the discharge side of the supply pump 70 is such that
The length of the suction side supply pipes 66 and 34 connected to the suction side of 0 is set to be shorter than that of the suction side supply pipes 66, and a positive displacement self-contained pump is used as the supply pump 70. Therefore, the hot water or the cold water sucked from the hot water storage tank 46 or the sub tank 30 is not discharged to the discharge side supply pipe 68 at high pressure,
Leakage of hot water or cold water in the discharge-side supply pipe 68 due to deterioration due to long-term use can be suppressed. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 1, since the supply pump 70 is provided for each of the pouring mechanisms 32, it is possible to use a low-cost supply pump having a small pouring capacity. Further, unlike the conventional case, one pump fails to prevent the beverage from being dispensed in all the systems, and it becomes possible to cope with the other systems. Further, since the supply pump 70 is arranged close to the pouring nozzle 42, the heat insulating door 19 arranged on the front surface of the storage 15 is opened to take out the concentrated stock solution container 38 to the outside. There is an advantage that the maintenance of 70 and the pipeline can be performed easily.

[0018]

As described above, according to the beverage dispenser of the present invention, the discharge side supply pipe of the supply pump is
By setting it shorter than the suction side supply pipe of the pump,
It is possible to suppress leakage of the diluting liquid due to poor connection or deterioration due to long-term use. In particular, it is effective when hot water of high pressure is used as the diluent . Also, by arranging the supply pump in the vicinity of the door for taking out the concentrated raw material container, also Kanade effects that may easily perform the maintenance of the supply pump or pipe system.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a beverage dispenser according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional front view showing a beverage dispenser according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional side view showing a beverage dispenser according to an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional side view showing a beverage dispenser according to an embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a beverage dispenser according to a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

14 Upper body, 19 Insulated door, 38 Concentrated stock solution container, 4
2 Pour nozzle 46 Hot water storage tank, 66 Suction side supply pipe, 68 Discharge side supply pipe, 70 Supply pump

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-294394 (JP, A) Actual Development No. 5-698 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B67D 1/10

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A concentrated raw material container (38) housed in a main body (14).
Is disposed, beverage mixing portion enriched material that is stored in the concentrated raw material container (38) is fed (42), water storage tank (24)
And a supply pump (70) for supplying the diluent stored in the hot water storage tank (46) to the beverage mixing section (42), so that the concentrated raw material is diluted with the diluent in the beverage mixing section (42). In the beverage dispenser, the concentrated raw material container (38), the concentrated raw material in the raw material container (38)
Connect the pouring mechanism (32) to the beverage mixing section (42)
In addition, the supply pump (70) is provided in the pouring mechanism (32).
Of the switching valve (36) connected to the suction side of the supply pump (70).
On the inflow side, the suction side supply pipe (34) from the water storage tank (24)
And the suction side supply pipe (66) from the hot water storage tank (46)
Communicatively connected, the discharge-side supply pipe communicating with the beverage mixing unit is connected (42) to the discharge side of the feed pump (70) to (68), connected to Ru said suction on the suction side of the pump (70) Beverage dispenser characterized by being set shorter than the side supply pipes ( 34, 66). 2. An opening / closing door (19) for allowing the concentrated raw material container (38) to be removed from the main body (14) of the apparatus main body (14) in which the concentrated raw material container (38) is housed. This door (1
Near to, claim 1 Symbol placement beverage dispenser the feed pump (70) is arranged in 9).