JP3582577B2 - Cup type vending machine - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a cup-type vending machine, and more particularly to a cup-type vending machine that extracts coffee components from ground coffee beans by hot water supplied at a predetermined pressure.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As a conventional cup-type vending machine, ground coffee beans ground to a predetermined particle size are supplied to the extractor, and a predetermined high-temperature hot water pressurized by a pump is supplied to the extractor to convert the coffee beverage at a high pressure. There is something to extract.
[0003]
According to this cup-type vending machine, a predetermined amount of ground beans is dispensed to the extractor based on a coffee beverage sales request selected by a purchaser operating a selection button or the like. After dispensing, the hot water stored in the hot water tank is pressurized to a predetermined pressure by a pump and supplied to a boiler, and then supplied to an extractor via a pipe to extract ground beans and produce a coffee beverage. The extracted coffee beverage is supplied to a cup and, if desired, is mixed with auxiliary ingredients such as sugar and cream and sold.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, according to the conventional cup-type vending machine, after the coffee beverage is extracted, the liquid component remains in the pipeline such as the piping connected to the hot water tank and the extracting machine or the piping for sending the extracted coffee beverage to the cup side. I do. If hot water stays in the piping connected to the hot water tank and the extractor, the degree of extraction of the ground beans may change, and after extraction, the coffee beverage flows back into the piping and mixes with the hot water, and the coffee beverage The oil contained may contaminate the piping. The same applies to the piping for feeding the coffee beverage from the extractor to the cup side.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a cup-type vending machine in which a liquid component does not stay in a pipe after a coffee beverage is extracted.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention supplies ground coffee beans ground to a predetermined particle size to an extractor, and supplies hot water at a predetermined temperature from a hot water tank to the extractor via a pipe. In a cup-type vending machine for extracting a coffee beverage, the hot water staying in the piping due to a negative pressure generated based on the driving of the extraction machine after the extraction of the coffee beverage, and a pipe for delivering the coffee beverage from the extraction machine. There is provided a cup-type vending machine having a flow means for sucking the coffee beverage in a road into the extracted slag of the ground beans from which the coffee beverage is extracted in the extraction machine.
[0006]
According to the above-described cup-type vending machine, by flowing hot water staying in a pipe connected to the extractor after extraction of the coffee beverage to the extractor side, the backflow of the coffee extract, the pipe based on the stay Staining is prevented.
[0007]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, a cup-type vending machine of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0008]
FIG. 1A shows a cup-type vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, which detects a cistern 2 connected to an intake pipe 1 and a change in the level of drinking water provided and stored in the cistern 2. A float switch 2A that outputs a water level lowering signal when the water level falls below a predetermined level, a water intake valve 1A provided in the water intake pipe 1, and a drinking water supplied from the cistern 2 via a pipe 3A to heat the water. A hot water tank 10 for storing hot water at a temperature of 3 ° C., an electromagnetic valve 20 provided in the pipe 3A, a pump 60 fixed to the outer peripheral portion of the hot water tank 10 and supplying hot water by pressurizing the pump 60 and the hot water tank 10. A bypass pipe 60A to be connected, a valve 60B for returning hot water in the pump 60 to the hot water tank 10 by opening the bypass pipe 60A, and ground beans for grinding coffee beans to a predetermined particle size to form ground beans. A supply unit 7, a measuring device 5 for receiving and measuring the ground beans falling from the ground bean supply unit 7, and extracting coffee beans having a predetermined particle size supplied from the measuring device 5 with hot water to produce a coffee beverage. An extractor 30 that supplies the cup 9 via the beverage supply pipe 30A, a pipe 6A that supplies hot water from the pump 60 to the extractor 30, and a pressure signal provided in the pipe 6A and corresponding to the pressure in the pipe. A pressure sensor 25, a flow sensor 19 provided in the pipe 6A for outputting a flow signal according to the flow rate of the hot water, a check valve 21 provided in the pipe 6A for preventing the backflow of the hot water to the upstream side, On the upstream side of the check valve 21, a pipe 6B branched from the pipe 6A and connected to the hot water tank 10, an extraction hot water valve 22 provided on the pipe 6B, and an extraction residue of coffee beans generated in the extractor 30 are received. The slag bucket 17 and the lower part of the cup 9 A drainage bucket 18, a sugar container 11 for storing sugar, a cream container 12A for storing cream ingredients, a cream container 12B for storing cream ingredients for cappuccino, and sugar and cream received via a chute 13; A mixing bowl 14 that is melted with a fixed amount of hot water and is supplied to the cup 9 via a supply pipe 14A, a pipe 15A that supplies hot water from the hot water tank 10 to the mixing bowl 14 disposed at a lower part of the cream container, and a pipe 15A. A hot water valve 23A provided, a pipe 15B for supplying hot water from the hot water tank 10 to a mixing bowl 14 disposed below the sugar container 11, a hot water valve 23B provided in the pipe 15B, and a downstream side of the check valve 21 There is provided a pipe 6C branched from the pipe 6A and discharging the waste liquid to the drain bucket 18 via the hot water valve 24.
[0009]
The ground bean supply unit 7 includes a bean storage container 7A for storing coffee beans, a coffee mill 7B for grinding coffee beans with a grinding blade (not shown) rotating at high speed, and a mill motor for rotating the grinding blade of the coffee mill 7B. 7C, and a chute 7D that is supplied from the measuring device 5 and guides the ground beans crushed by the coffee mill 7B and measured based on the volume to the extractor 30. Hot water tank 10 has a power supply unit 10A for supplying current to heater H1 for drinking water, and a float switch for detecting a change in the water level of hot water in the tank and outputting a water level decrease signal when the water level falls below a predetermined water level. 10B and a hot water temperature sensor 10D that outputs a temperature detection signal according to the hot water temperature in the tank. The amount of water stored in the hot water tank 10 is 5 liters, the output of the heater H1 is 1 kW, and the temperature of the hot water in the hot water tank 10 is maintained at about 97 ° C. The check valve 21 is formed by housing a ball made of a metal material and a spring for urging the ball in a predetermined direction in a housing. In the present embodiment, the flow direction of the hot water from the hot water tank 10 to the extractor 30 is the forward direction, and the ball is urged in the upstream direction by a spring.
[0010]
The extractor 30 includes a cylinder 32 to which the ground beans are supplied via the chute 7D, a piston drive motor 33 for raising and lowering a piston 39 in the cylinder 32, a torque transmission unit 34 for transmitting the drive torque of the piston drive motor to the piston 39, A cylinder unit D integrally provided with a slide guide (described later) provided on an upper portion of the cylinder 32 and engaged with a guide rail (not shown) formed on the main body of the extractor, and engaged with the cylinder 32 via a pipe 6A. A cap 37 for supplying a predetermined high-temperature hot water into the cylinder 32 and a gear 36 for transmitting the driving torque of the cap motor 35 to tilt the cylinder unit D about the fulcrum 34A and to engage the cap 37 with the cylinder 32. Having. Below the cylinder 32 of the cylinder unit D, a beverage supply pipe 30A for supplying the extracted coffee beverage to the cup 9 is attached.
[0011]
In addition, in the cup-type vending machine having the above-described configuration, for simplicity of description, a cup supply unit for supplying the cup 9, a power supply unit for supplying current to the pump 60, a power supply unit for supplying current to the mill motor 7C, The illustration of components such as a stirrer for stirring the beverage in 9, a pipe for a cold beverage, and a raw material storage unit is omitted.
[0012]
FIG. 1B shows a pump 60 that supplies hot water from the hot water tank 10 to the downstream side by rotating a pair of gears 60D and 60E in the direction of the arrow. The pair of gears 60D and 60E rotate the rotation shaft 60C or 60F by a motor (not shown) to send hot water to the pipe 6A at a supply amount corresponding to the rotation speed.
[0013]
2A and 2B show the measuring device 5, wherein FIG. 2A is an overall view and FIG. 2B is a front surface portion provided with a front lid 5 </ b> B. The measuring device 5 includes a measuring chamber 51 having an introduction portion 5A for introducing the ground beans into an upper portion, a hinge portion 52 for rotatably supporting the front lid 5B at an end of the measuring chamber 51, and an inner portion of the measuring chamber 51. A piston 56D integrally formed and slidably housed therein, a piston rod 56 having a rack portion 56A on a side surface, a spring portion 56B formed at a rear end of the piston rod 56, and a portion near the spring portion 56B. The cutout 56C formed, the protrusions 50A and 50B attached to the measuring chamber 51 and abutting on the spring portion 56B to restrict the movement of the piston rod 56, and the cutout 56C of the spring portion 56B are optically detected. An optical sensor 57, a drive shaft 58 having a drive gear 58A meshing with a rack portion 56A of the piston rod 56, and a metering motor 59A for rotating the drive shaft 58 via a torque transmitting portion 59. The rotation axis of the hinge portion 52 is provided in the vertical direction, and the front lid 5B is formed so as to rotate in the horizontal direction to open the frontmost portion of the measuring chamber 51. It is provided above the opening of the front lid 5B so as not to adhere. The front lid 5B is fixed from the hinge portion 52 via a lid support member 5C formed in an inverted “H” shape. The open end of the lid supporting member 5C reaches the side of the measuring chamber 51, and has a light detecting unit 5E at the end which engages with an optical sensor 5D provided on the side of the measuring chamber 51. The diameter of the driving gear 58A is 17.5 mm, and the outer peripheral length of the gear portion meshing with the rack 56A is about 55 mm. Further, a measuring encoder 59B for detecting a rotation amount is provided on a rotating shaft of the measuring motor 59A.
[0014]
3A and 3B show a state in which the front lid 5B of the measuring instrument 9 is opened. FIG. 3A is an overall view, and FIG. 3B is a front surface on which the front lid 5B is provided. Ground beans are supplied from the introduction section 5A to the measuring chamber 51, and when the measuring chamber 51 is filled with the ground beans, the front lid 5B slightly rotates. When this rotation is detected by the optical sensor 5D having the light emitting unit 5a and the light receiving unit 5b, the mill motor 7C is stopped to stop the supply of the ground beans to the measuring chamber 51, and after stopping, the measuring motor 59A is energized. The drive gear 58A rotates to move the piston rod 56 forward. At the tip of a piston 56D formed integrally with the piston rod 56, a projection 56a that contacts the front lid 5B is provided.
[0015]
FIG. 4 shows the piston rod 56 in a state where the measuring chamber 51 is omitted from illustration. The front lid 5B moves the hinge part 52 by moving the piston rod 56 forward with the projection 56a of the piston 56D abutting. And rotates counterclockwise on the paper surface against the reaction force of the spring 55A provided coaxially with the axis. At this time, the front lid 5B and the tip of the measuring chamber 51 are separated from each other, and the ground beans easily fall without being caught between the front lid 5B and the measuring chamber 51.
[0016]
5A and 5B show the cylinder unit D, wherein FIG. 5A shows the front side and FIG. 5B shows the rear side. The cap 37 has a seal member 37A that seals a gap when inserted into the cylinder 32, and is connected to the gear 36 by a rod 38. A guide plate 31 having a guide groove g having a predetermined guide pattern formed thereon is fixed to a fixed portion of the rod 38. A lower portion of the guide groove g is provided with an engagement formed outside the side wall of the cylinder 32. The projection 32A is engaged. The lower part of the piston 39 accommodated in the cylinder 32 is connected to a beverage supply pipe 30A for supplying the extracted coffee beverage to the cup. The lower side wall of the chute 7D is provided with a wiper W for separating the extraction residue (not shown) pushed up by the piston 39 from the piston 39. Drop along the inclined part S.
[0017]
When the driving torque of the cap motor 35 is transmitted via the gear 35A to drive the gear 36 in the r1 direction, the cylinder unit D moves about 30 degrees in the r2 direction about the fulcrum 34A based on the guide pattern of the guide groove g. The cap 37 is inclined and displaced in the r3 direction and inserted into the cylinder 32.
[0018]
6A and 6B show the torque transmitting unit 34, wherein FIG. 6A shows the left side, FIG. 6B shows the front, and FIG. 6C shows the right side. The driving torque of the piston drive motor 33 is transmitted from the gear 341 attached to the rotation shaft of the piston drive motor 33 to the gear 342A, transmitted to the gear 342B provided coaxially with the gear 342A, and provided from the gear 342B to the shaft 343. Is transmitted to the gear 344A. A worm gear 344B is provided below the shaft 343, and the driving torque transmitted from the gear 344A is transmitted from the worm gear 344B to a gear 345A attached to a shaft 345 arranged in a direction orthogonal to the shaft 343, and the gear 345A Is transmitted to a gear 345B provided coaxially with the gear. The driving torque transmitted from gear 345B is transmitted to gear 346A attached to shaft 346, transmitted to gear 346B provided coaxially with gear 346A, and transmitted to gear 347A meshing with gear 346A, and transmitted to gear 347A. The power is transmitted to a gear 347B provided coaxially. A rack portion 348 is attached to a lower portion of the piston 39, and gears 346B and 347B mesh with both surfaces of the rack portion 348. The gears 346B and 347B rotate in opposite directions while holding the rack 348 when the drive torque corresponding to the rotation direction of the piston drive motor 33 is transmitted, thereby moving the piston 39 up and down in the cylinder 32. .
[0019]
The worm gear 344B provided on the shaft 343 prevents the piston 39 from lowering when pressure is applied from the piston 39 side in the process of extracting the coffee beverage.
[0020]
The piston 39 has a predetermined pressure-resistant strength, a piston head 39A, a piston base 39B locked to the piston head 39A by screws 39C and fixed to the rack portion 348, and a piston base 39B attached to the piston head 39A and coffee from the cylinder 32. A delivery section 39D for delivering a beverage and connected to a beverage supply pipe 30A (not shown), an O-ring 39E mounted on an outer peripheral portion of the piston head 39A, and a piston formed of a thin metal plate having corrosion resistance. There is a filter 39F mounted on the upper part of the head 39A, and the piston head 39A and the piston base 39B are locked so as to have a predetermined clearance without applying pressure to the piston head 39A.
[0021]
FIG. 7 shows a state in which the cylinder unit D is inclined. By driving the cap motor 35 and rotating the gear 36, the cylinder unit D is inclined counterclockwise around the fulcrum 34A and the cap 37 is lowered and inserted into the cylinder 32. Is done. Although not shown in the figure, the cylinder 32 is supplied with a predetermined amount of ground beans that has been measured in advance via a chute 7D before tilting.
[0022]
8A and 8B show a current detection circuit for detecting a current supplied to the piston drive motor 33. FIG. 8A is a circuit diagram, and FIG. 8B shows a relationship between a detected current value and a compressive load applied to the piston 39. A motor drive circuit 70 for controlling the rotation of the piston drive motor 33 is connected to a power supply line (24 VDC) 71 and has signal terminals A and B for inputting an energization signal from a main control unit (described later). The piston drive motor 33 is fixed to the ground potential via a detection resistor 72 and is connected to a current detection circuit 74 via an A / D converter 73. When the energization signal input to the signal terminal A of the motor drive circuit 70 is H and the energization signal input to the signal terminal B is L, the piston drive motor 33 rotates in the forward direction, and the energization signal input to the signal terminal A is When the energizing signal input to the signal terminal B at L is H, the piston drive motor 33 rotates in the reverse direction, and when the energizing signal input to the signal terminals A and B is L, the piston drive motor 33 stops, When the energization signal input to the terminals A and B is H, the piston drive motor 33 is braked. When the load on the piston 39 increases due to the compression of the ground beans, the current supplied to the piston drive motor 33 increases as shown in FIG.
[0023]
In the extractor 30 of the present embodiment, the compression load applied to the piston 39 when the current detection circuit 74 detects a current of 0.5 A is 12.5 kgf, and the compression load applied to the piston 39 when a current of 2 A is detected. The compression load is 50 kgf. In general, if the amount of ground beans compressed is large, the hot water passage speed will be small and a strong coffee beverage will be extracted.If the compressed amount is small, the hot water passage speed will be large and a thin coffee beverage will be produced. Is extracted. By controlling the energization of the piston drive motor 33 based on the relationship between the current value and the compression load, the compression amount of the ground beans according to the coffee drink to be sold is set.
[0024]
FIG. 9 shows the energization characteristics of the piston drive motor 33. The current value in the initial stage of energization from the stop state to the start of rotation of the motor is large. Indicates a value. The current rising characteristics of such a motor differ from motor to motor, and hinder the detectability of a current change according to the load applied to the piston 39. For example, at the time of tamping, the energization is started at time t1 and the measurement of the current value is started after Δt seconds, thereby avoiding the current rising characteristic at the beginning of energization. In the present embodiment, Δt is set to 0.1 second, and the same measurement is performed during each energization of packing, hot water suction, and slag pushing up. In addition, since the amount of current increases due to the sliding resistance between the O-ring 39E mounted on the piston 39 and the cylinder 32, the current detection circuit 74 supplies the main control unit 100 with a current value obtained by subtracting the current value corresponding to the sliding resistance. Output.
[0025]
FIG. 10 shows a control block of the cup-type vending machine. The vending control unit 101, the flow meter 19, the pressure sensor 25, the float switch 2A of the cistern 2, the float switch 10B of the hot water tank 10, and the cap provided on the extractor 30 An optical sensor 36B for detecting the top dead center 37, an optical sensor 36C for detecting the bottom dead center, an optical sensor 36D for detecting the slag disposal position, and an optical sensor 39G for detecting the top dead center of the piston 39 provided in the extractor 30. The optical sensor 39H for detecting bottom dead center, the optical sensor 5D for detecting the rotation of the front lid 5B of the measuring device 5, the measuring encoder 59B of the measuring device 5, and the respective components based on the outputs of the optical sensor 57 of the measuring device 5. A main controller 100 for controlling, a memory 102 for storing control data of each section of the cup-type vending machine, and a clock generated by a reference clock generator (not shown) Having a timer 103 for measuring time by counting. The optical sensors 36B, 36C, and 36D are provided on, for example, the gear 36 driven by the motor 35, and include a pair of light receiving units and a light emitting unit that are shielded from the optical path by a disk having a slit for light transmission. This is a transmission type optical sensor, and is provided so as to be in a light receiving (ON) state when the cap 37 is at the top dead center, the bottom dead center, and the slag disposal position. The optical sensors 39G and 39H are, for example, transmissive optical sensors having a pair of light receiving units and light emitting units whose optical paths are shielded by a light shielding unit formed in the rack unit 348. The position of the piston 39 is detected based on the light receiving / shielding output patterns of the sensors 39G and 39H.
[0026]
FIGS. 11A to 11H schematically show the extraction operation of the extractor 30. FIG.
FIG. 11A shows a process of supplying the ground beans, in which the cylinder unit D is upright, and supplies the ground beans P supplied from the measuring device 5 to the cylinder 32 via the chute 7D.
[0027]
FIG. 11 (b) shows a first state of the extraction preparation step. When the ground beans are supplied to the cylinder 32, the cap motor 35 is energized to drive the gear 36, and the cylinder unit D is moved around the fulcrum 34A. Is rotated counterclockwise.
[0028]
FIG. 11C shows a second state of the extraction preparation step, in which the cap 37 is lowered and inserted into the cylinder 32 in synchronization with the inclination of the cylinder unit D, and the driving of the cap motor 35 is stopped. At this time, the gear 36 stops at a position rotated by 180 degrees from the state shown in FIG.
[0029]
FIG. 11D shows a first state of the extraction process. When the cap 37 is inserted into the cylinder 32, the piston drive motor 33 is energized to compress the ground beans by raising the piston 39 in the direction of the arrow. (Tamping). As the compression of the ground beans progresses, the load on the piston 39 increases, so that the current value of the piston drive motor 33 increases. This increase in the current value is detected by a current detection circuit 74, and when a predetermined current value is detected, the piston drive motor 33 is braked. To a compressed state. After compression, hot water is supplied into the cylinder 32 via the pipe 6A. When pressure is applied to the piston 39 at the time of compressing the extracted slag, the piston head 39A moves in the pressure action direction, and the O-ring 39E provided between the piston 39 and the piston base 39B is elastically deformed based on this movement, and the piston 39 and the cylinder 39 are moved. By pressing against the cylinder 32, the airtightness of the cylinder 32 is maintained. The hot water supplied into the cylinder 32 dissolves the coffee component when passing through the ground beans, becomes a coffee extract, and is poured into the cup 9 (not shown) via the beverage supply pipe 30A.
[0030]
FIG. 11E shows a second state of the extraction step. After the hot water valve 24 is opened to bring the pipe 6A to atmospheric pressure, the piston drive motor 33 is driven to raise the piston 39 in the cylinder 32. Then, the extraction residue containing the coffee extract is compressed (packed), and the squeezed coffee beverage is delivered to the beverage supply pipe 30A.
[0031]
FIG. 11F shows a suction step of sucking air into the cylinder 32, in which the piston drive motor 33 is driven in reverse to lower the piston 39. By this lowering operation of the piston 39, the coffee extract remaining in the pipe 30A is sucked into the cylinder 32. At this time, the hot water remaining in the pipe 6A due to the negative pressure in the cylinder 32 is also sucked.
[0032]
FIG. 11 (g) shows a step of preparing the disposal of the extracted slag. The cap 37 is separated from the cylinder 32 by driving the cap motor 35 to rotate the gear 36 by 90 degrees from the state shown in FIG. 11 (c). After the separation, the piston 39 is raised to push up the extraction residue remaining in the cylinder 32 and stop.
[0033]
FIG. 11 (h) shows a process of discarding the extracted residue A. When the cap motor 35 is driven and the gear 36 is further rotated by 90 degrees, the cylinder unit D rotates in the direction of the arrow and stops in an upright state. During this rotation, the extracted residue pushed up by the piston 39 is scraped off by the wiper W provided on the lower side wall of the chute 7D, falls as indicated by an arrow, and enters a residue bucket (not shown).
[0034]
FIG. 12 shows a timing chart in the selling operation of the cup-type vending machine. In the same figure, optical sensors 36B, 36C, 36D for detecting the top dead center, the bottom dead center, and the waste disposal position of the cap 37, and optical sensors 39G, 39H for detecting the positions of the top dead center, the bottom dead center of the piston 39. Are set to ON (H) when light is received and OFF (L) when light is shielded.
[0035]
When the buyer inserts a coin, a control signal is output from the sales control unit 101 to the main control unit 100 to open the extraction hot water valve 22, and the pump 60 is driven at a low speed to send a small amount of hot water to the pipe 6A. You. At this time, the pump 60 is driven at a low speed so as to send out the hot water of a pumping amount without pushing and opening the check valve 21 provided in the pipe 6A. As a result, the hot water staying in the pipe 6A is pumped to the pipe 6B and returned to the hot water tank 10, and the pipe 6A is heated with high-temperature hot water of about 90 to 95 ° C. supplied from the hot water tank 10. When the warm-up of the pipe 6A is completed, the pump 60 is stopped, and after a certain time, the extraction hot water valve 22 is closed. The reason for delaying the timing of closing the extraction hot water valve 22 is that when the extraction hot water valve 22 is closed at the same time as the pump is stopped or before the pump 60 is stopped, the pressure in the pipe 6A increases, and the check valve 21 is pushed open. This is to prevent hot water from being supplied to the extractor 30 and being absorbed by the ground beans in the cylinder 32.
[0036]
In addition to driving the pump 60 at a low speed, for example, a pipe line is formed so that the pipe resistance of the pipe 6B including the hot water valve 22 is smaller than the pipe resistance of the pipe 6A. 22 may be opened.
[0037]
Here, when the purchaser presses the selection button of the coffee beverage after the drive of the pump 60 is stopped and before the extraction hot water valve 22 is closed, the sales control unit 101 outputs a sales signal to the main control unit 100. The main control unit 100 executes the selling operation by closing the extracted hot water valve 22 based on the input of the selling signal.
[0038]
When the purchaser presses the selection button for the coffee beverage containing sugar and cream after the extraction hot-water valve 22 is closed, a sales signal is output from the sales control unit 101 to the main control unit 100, and the main control unit 100 outputs An energization signal is output to the 59A power supply unit. The metering motor 59A rotates based on this energization signal, and the ground beans contained in the metering chamber 51 are pushed out by the piston 56D and supplied to the cylinder 32 of the extractor 30 via the chute 7D. The piston 56D is retracted by a moving amount corresponding to the volume (bulk) in order to measure the ground beans to be used at the next sale with the foremost portion as a reference position (measurement origin). This movement amount is set by counting the pulses output from the weighing encoder 59B, and stopping the rotation of the weighing motor 59A when a predetermined count value is reached.
[0039]
After supplying the ground beans, the cap motor 35 is driven to tilt the cylinder unit D of the extractor 30 to the extraction position. The cap 37 is inserted into the cylinder 32 in synchronization with the tilting operation, and the optical sensor 36C is turned on. When the optical sensor 36C is turned on, the main control unit 100 outputs an energizing signal to the motor drive circuit 70 based on the ON signal of the optical sensor 36C to drive the piston drive motor 33, whereby the piston 39 is raised, and the cylinder 32 Tamping the ground beans contained within. The current value of the piston drive motor 33 at the time of this tamping is detected by the current detection circuit 74, and when a predetermined current value corresponding to the coffee beverage to be sold is detected, the piston drive motor 33 is braked, and thereafter, the energization is stopped. I do.
[0040]
The ground bean supply unit 7 crushes the coffee beans supplied from the bean storage container 7A with a coffee mill 7B and supplies the ground coffee to the measuring instrument 5 as ground beans to be used at the next sale.
[0041]
After the tamping of the ground beans, the hot water valve 23A of the pipe 15A connected to the hot water tank 10 is opened to supply hot water to the mixing bowl 14, and the sugar supplied from the sugar container 11 is dissolved in the hot water. Similarly, the hot water valve 23B of the pipe 15B is opened to supply hot water to the mixing bowl 14, and the cream raw material supplied from the cream container 12A is dissolved with the hot water.
[0042]
Subsequently, the pump 60 is driven to supply high-temperature hot water heated to approximately 90 to 95 ° C. at a pressure of 6 to 8 atm to the cylinder 32. When the high-temperature hot water passes through the ground beans, the coffee component is dissolved to form a coffee beverage, which is supplied to the cup 9 via the beverage supply pipe 30A. The flow meter 19 outputs a flow signal to the main control unit 100 according to the amount of hot water pumped through the pipe 6A at the time of extracting the coffee beverage. In the cup 9, hot water in which sugar is dissolved is supplied from a mixing bowl 14 of a sugar supply system, and hot water in which cream is dissolved is supplied from a mixing bowl 14 of a cream system, and mixed with the extracted coffee beverage.
[0043]
When the extraction of the coffee beverage is completed, the drive of the pump 60 is stopped, and after a lapse of a predetermined time (0.5 seconds), the hot water valve 24 is opened, and the piston drive motor 33 is driven to further raise the piston 39. After the extraction residue is packed and the coffee beverage is squeezed based on the upward movement of the piston 39, the hot water valve 24 is closed, the piston drive motor 33 is driven in reverse to lower the piston 39, and thereby the downstream side of the check valve 21. The coffee extract retained in the pipe 30 </ b> A on the side is sucked into the cylinder 32. The sucked hot water is absorbed by the extraction residue.
[0044]
The disposal of the extraction residue is performed by driving the cap motor 35 to separate the cap 37 from the cylinder 32, and then driving the piston drive motor 33 to rotate forward to raise the piston 39, thereby pushing up the extraction residue to raise the cylinder 32. The cap unit 35 is exposed from the top, and in this state, the cap motor 35 is driven to rotate the cylinder unit D to the upright position. By this rotation, the extracted residue comes into contact with the wiper W provided on the lower side wall of the chute 7D and is removed from the cylinder unit D. After the removal of the extracted slag, the selling operation is completed by driving the piston drive motor 33 in the reverse direction to lower the piston 39, and the sales standby state is entered.
[0045]
The above-described removal of the liquid in the pipe may be performed at the time of standby for sales as necessary. For example, the cylinder unit D is tilted by driving the cap motor 35, and stopped with the cap 37 inserted into the cylinder 32. Next, the piston 39 is raised by opening the hot water valve 24 and driving the piston drive motor 33. As a result, air is sent from the pipe 6A to the pipe 6C, and the liquid in the pipe is discharged to the drainage bucket 18. Here, the compressed air can be sent from the pipe 6A to the pipe 6C by opening the hot water valve 24 after the piston 39 starts to rise. Further, the air is also sent to the beverage supply pipe 30A by the rise of the piston 39, and the coffee beverage staying in the pipe flows downstream.
[0046]
Further, by driving the piston drive motor 33 before inclining the cylinder unit D, the piston 39 is stopped in a state where the piston 39 is raised to a predetermined height that does not interfere with the cap 37. Next, the cylinder unit D is inclined by driving the cap motor 35, and the cylinder unit D is stopped with the cap 37 inserted into the cylinder 32. Next, the hot water valve 24 is opened and the piston 39 is lowered by driving the piston drive motor 33 in the reverse direction. According to this method, the force of sucking the liquid from the pipe 6A and the pipe 6C into the cylinder 32 is increased, and the piston 39 is raised from the bottom dead center after the piston 39 is lowered. Flows downstream with the liquid sucked into the cylinder 32. By controlling the piston drive motor 33 to be energized based on the time set by the timer 103, the liquid can be removed at a desired time.
[0047]
Further, after the sales are completed, the ground beans to be used in the next sales may be supplied into the cylinder 32 and the pipe 6A and the beverage supply pipe 30A may be scavenged by performing tamping. In this case, after the tamping is completed, the sales standby state is established, and the operation of supplying the ground beans during the next sales operation is not required, and the sales time can be reduced.
[0048]
FIG. 13A shows another configuration for removing the liquid in the pipe, which is provided in a gas cylinder 90 for storing carbon dioxide gas, a pipe 6D connected between the gas cylinder 90 and the pipe 6A, and a pipe 6D. It has a solenoid valve 92, a pipe 6E branched by a gas manifold 91 provided on the pipe 6D and connected to the carbonator, and a solenoid valve 93 provided on the pipe 6E, and the pipe 6D is a check valve 21 provided on the pipe 6A. Is connected to the downstream side.
[0049]
FIG. 13B shows the liquid removing operation, in which the piston 39 is stopped with the piston 39 raised to the top dead center. Next, the cap motor 35 is driven to incline the cylinder unit D, and the electromagnetic valve 92 is opened with the electromagnetic valves 93 and 24 closed, whereby carbon dioxide gas is supplied to the pipe 6A at a predetermined gas pressure. The liquid remaining in the pipe is injected to the top of the piston 39 based on the gas pressure of carbon dioxide gas.
[0050]
According to the above-described configuration, the liquid remaining in the pipe is quickly removed based on the gas pressure of the carbon dioxide gas, and the top of the piston 39 is cleaned by the liquid injected from the cap 37 at high pressure. be able to.
[0051]
In the embodiment of the present invention, the production of hot coffee has been described, but the present invention can also be applied to a cup-type vending machine that sells iced coffee.
[0052]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the cup-type vending machine of the present invention, the coffee beverage in the pipeline is ground based on the negative pressure generated based on the driving of the extractor after the coffee beverage is extracted, and the coffee beverage is extracted from the ground coffee. due to so as to suction the extract sediment can after extraction of the coffee beverage, liquid distribution in the pipe is prevented from remaining.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1A is an explanatory view showing a cup-type vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1B is an explanatory view of a pump mounted on the cup-type vending machine; FIG. 3B is an overall view of the measuring device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3B is an explanatory view of a front portion of the measuring device. FIG. 3A is an entire measuring device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 (b) is an explanatory view of a front portion of the measuring instrument. FIG. 4 (a) is a plan view of the measuring instrument according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 (a) is an embodiment of the present invention. A front view (b) of the extractor according to the embodiment with a part cut away is a rear view of the extractor according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 (a) is a torque according to the embodiment of the present invention. The side view (b) of the transmission section is a front view in which a part of the torque transmission section according to the embodiment of the present invention is cut out, and the front view (c) is another side of the torque transmission section according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of an extractor according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 (a) is an explanatory view showing a current detection circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a current-carrying characteristic of a piston drive motor. FIG. 10 is a control block of a cup-type vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. (H) is an explanatory view showing the operation of the extractor according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 is a timing chart of the cup-type vending machine according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4B is a diagram illustrating another configuration for removing the liquid in the pipe, and FIG. 5B is a diagram illustrating the liquid removing operation.
1, intake pipe 1A, intake valve 2, cis-turn 2A, float switch 3A, piping 5, measuring instrument 5A, introduction section 5a, light emitting section 5B, front lid 5b, light receiving section 5C, lid support member 5D, optical sensor 5E, light Detecting unit 6A, piping 6B, piping 6C, piping 6D, piping 6E, piping 7, ground bean supply unit 7A, bean storage container 7B, coffee mill 7C, mill motor 7D, chute 8, extractor 8A, extraction container 8B, beverage supply Pipe 8C, rotating shaft 8D, moving motor 8E, hole 9, cup 10, hot water tank 10A, power supply unit 10B, float switch 10D, hot water temperature sensor 11, sugar container 12A, cream container 12B, cream container 13, chute 14, mixing Bowl 14A, supply pipe 15A, pipe 15B, pipe 16, pipe 17, slag bucket 18, drain bucket 19, flow meter 20, solenoid valve 21, check valve 22, extraction Hot water valve 23A, hot water valve 23B, hot water valve 24, hot water valve 25, pressure sensor 30, extractor 30A, beverage supply pipe 31, guide plate 32, cylinder 33, piston drive motor 34, torque transmitting section 34A, fulcrum 35, cap Motor 35A, gear 36, gear 36A, rotating shaft 36B, optical sensor 36C, optical sensor 36D, optical sensor 37, cap 38, rod 39, piston 39A, piston head 39B, piston base 39C, screw 39D, sending section 39E, O Ring 39F, filter 39G, optical sensor 39H, optical sensor 40, slide guide 50A, projection 50B, projection 51, measuring chamber 52, hinge 55A, spring 56, piston rod 56A, rack 56a, projection 56B, spring. Part 56C, notch 56D, piston 57, optical sensor 58, drive shaft 8A, drive gear 59, torque transmitting section 59A, metering motor 59B, metering encoder 60, pump 60A, bypass pipe 60B, valve 60C, rotary shaft 60D, gear 60E, gear 60F, rotary shaft 70, motor drive circuit 71, power supply line 72, detection resistor 73, A / D converter 74, current detection circuit 80, cream supply controller 90, gas cylinder 91, gas manifold 92, solenoid valve 93, solenoid valve 100, main controller 101, sales controller 102, memory 103, timer 341, gear 342A, gear 342B, gear 343, shaft 344A, gear 344B, worm gear 345, shaft 345A, gear 345B, gear 346, shaft 346A, gear 346B, gear 347A, gear 347B, gear 348, rack A , Extraction slag D, cylinder unit W, wiper P, ground bean g, guide groove S , Slope

Claims (7)

In a cup-type vending machine that supplies ground coffee beans ground to a predetermined particle size to an extractor, and supplies hot water at a predetermined temperature from a hot water tank to the extractor through a pipe to extract a coffee beverage. ,
After the coffee beverage is extracted, the hot water stagnating in the pipe due to the negative pressure generated based on the drive of the extractor and the coffee beverage in a pipe for delivering the coffee beverage from the extractor are extracted in the extractor. A cup-type vending machine characterized by having a flow means for sucking a coffee beverage into an extracted ground bean extract . The flow means includes a cylinder for containing the ground beans, a piston provided in the cylinder so as to be able to move up and down, an elevating means for moving the piston up and down in the cylinder, and a raising operation of the piston by the elevating means. Control for pushing out the hot water stagnating in the pipe and the coffee beverage in a pipe for delivering the coffee beverage from the extractor to a drain bucket by an air flow generated by raising the cylinder from the bottom dead center in the cylinder. 2. A cup-type vending machine according to claim 1, wherein said vending machine has means. The control means sucks the hot water and the coffee beverage into the cylinder by lowering the piston from top dead center to bottom dead center in the cylinder based on a lowering operation of the elevating means, and moves the piston. The hot water and the coffee beverage sucked into the cylinder are raised from the bottom dead center in the cylinder based on the raising operation of the lifting / lowering means to raise the pressure in the cylinder, and the coffee is extracted from the brewer by the coffee machine. 3. A cup-type vending machine according to claim 2, wherein said vending machine is configured to discharge the beverage to the drainage bucket via a pipe for delivering a beverage. 2. The cup type according to claim 1, wherein the flowing means is configured to cause the hot water staying in the pipe to flow toward the extractor by filling a gas with a predetermined pressure from a gas cylinder connected to the pipe. 3. vending machine. The cup-type vending machine according to claim 4 , wherein the extractor is configured to wash the extracted slag by injecting the hot water at a high pressure based on the pressure of the gas. The cup-type vending machine according to claim 4 , wherein the gas cylinder is configured to divert a carbon dioxide gas cylinder filled with carbon dioxide gas for producing a carbonated beverage. The extractor includes a cylinder that contains the ground beans, a piston that is provided in the cylinder so as to be able to move up and down, and a cylinder unit that has a driving unit that drives the piston. The cup according to claim 1, further comprising a tilting means for tilting to a posture, and a cap which is relatively engaged with the cylinder in the second posture and supplies the hot water into the cylinder from the hot water tank. Vending machine.

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