JP3860650B2 - Beverage supply equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a beverage supply apparatus that purifies and sterilizes water such as tap water and groundwater and supplies it as drinking water for general household use or business use.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, as this type of beverage supply device, for example, a beverage dispenser that sells cups of coffee, carbonated beverages, or the like, or a tea dispenser that supplies tea is equipped with a water purification unit.
[0003]
This beverage dispenser will be described as follows. This beverage dispenser has a water purification unit that purifies raw water such as tap water, and a beverage unit that produces coffee, carbonated beverages, etc. using purified water generated by this water purification unit. Beverages are sold based on the sales operation of this beverage unit. Further, the beverage dispenser is provided with a detecting means for detecting a water flow, for example, a flow sensor, in a pipe for supplying purified water from the water purification unit to the beverage unit, and based on a flow signal of the flow sensor (a sales operation signal of the beverage unit). The water supply valve which is the main plug of the water purification unit is opened.
[0004]
Here, when the end of the beverage unit is opened (sold by the beverage unit), the water filled in each unit flows toward the end, and the flow sensor detects this water flow. Based on this detection signal, the water supply valve is opened, tap water is allowed to flow into the water purification unit, and beverages are sold.
[0005]
In this way, when beverages are sold, the pipe must be filled with water as a precondition. Therefore, the water supply valve, which has been closed in the past, is manually opened to supply tap water to the water purification unit. And when water flows out from the end of the water purification unit, the water supply valve is closed, and the pipe is filled with water.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional beverage supply device, it was necessary to watch until the water that passed through the water supply valve came out from the end of the water purification unit (about 10 minutes) at the time of the initial water supply. The manual opening / closing operation of the valve is necessary, which is troublesome.
[0007]
An object of the present invention is to provide a beverage supply device capable of automatically performing an initial water supply operation in view of the conventional problems.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention of claim 1 is a water purification unit that generates raw water by passing raw water such as tap water through an adsorption part made of activated carbon or the like, and is fed from the water purification unit through a pipe. A beverage unit that produces a beverage using purified water, detects a beverage unit sales operation through a flow rate detection means in the pipe, and opens and closes a water supply valve based on the detection signal to control the flow of raw water to the water purification unit In the beverage supply device, a structure having a control means for controlling the water supply valve to be closed when a predetermined time has elapsed since the power supply was turned on at the time of initial water supply while opening the water supply valve for initial water supply based on the power-on signal of the water purification unit It has become.
[0009]
According to this invention, when the starting power is turned on, the water supply valve is opened based on the power-on signal, and the tap water flows to the water purification unit. Moreover, this open state of the water supply valve is continued for a predetermined time, that is, the time until tap water enters the water purification unit and flows out from the end, and then the water supply valve is closed. Thereby, water will be filled in piping.
[0010]
The invention of claim 2 is a beverage that produces a beverage using a purified water unit that generates raw water by passing raw water such as tap water through an adsorption part made of activated carbon and the like, and purified water fed through a pipe from the purified water unit. A beverage supply device that detects a beverage unit sales operation through a flow rate detection means in a pipe, opens and closes a water supply valve based on the detection signal, and controls the flow of raw water to the water purification unit. Control means for opening the water supply valve for initial water supply based on the input signal and for controlling the water supply valve to be closed when a predetermined time has elapsed after the flow rate detection means detects a flow rate equal to or higher than a set value during initial water supply. It has a structure.
[0011]
According to this invention, when the power is turned on, the water supply valve is opened based on the power-on signal, and the tap water flows to the water purification unit. Further, the open state of the water supply valve is continued for a predetermined time after the flow rate detecting means detects a flow rate equal to or higher than the set value, that is, the time from when the water flow unit is detected to have flowed into the pipe until it flows out from the end. Thereafter, the water supply valve is closed.
[0012]
Since the pressure of tap water varies depending on the area where the water supply facility is installed, the time from when the water supply valve is opened until the tap water is drained from the end of the pipe varies depending on the area. Therefore, in the invention of claim 2, since the flow rate detecting means close to the end of the pipe detects the predetermined flow rate, the time until drainage is managed, so that the error due to the level of the water supply pressure is small and the initial water supply is performed without excess or deficiency.
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
1 to 3 show a first embodiment of a beverage supply device according to the present invention, FIG. 1 is a water circuit diagram of the beverage supply device, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing drive control of the beverage supply device, and FIG. These are flowcharts which show operation | movement of the water supply valve based on a sales signal, a water conveyance valve, and a water pump.
[0014]
As shown in FIG. 1, the beverage supply apparatus according to the present embodiment purifies and produces raw water such as tap water, and a beverage unit B that produces beverages using the purified water produced by the water purification unit A. It consists of and.
[0015]
The water purification unit A will be described in detail with reference to FIG. The water purification unit A has a water purification tank 10 for storing tap water, and a water supply pipe 13 connected to the water pipe is connected to the water purification tank 10, and the tap water flowing in the water supply pipe 13 is normally closed. The water is supplied into the water purification tank 10 through the water supply valve 13a, the prefilter 13b, and the check valve 13c. Although not shown, the water purification tank 10 is filled with a conductive adsorbent such as activated carbon, and a voltage is applied to the conductive adsorbent to capture trihalomethane and bacteria contained in the tap water. Is supposed to generate. Further, the outlet side of the water purification tank 10 is connected to the beverage unit B through the water conduit 15, and the purified water flows to the beverage unit B through the check valve 15 a and the flow rate detection means 15 b of the water conduit 15. For example, a well-known flow switch (not shown) is used as the flow rate detection means 15b. This flow switch outputs the fact that water is flowing when the actuator (pald or valve body) fitted with magnets moves up and down by the purified water flowing in the water conduit 15 and the flow rate becomes higher than the set value. On the other hand, when it becomes lower than the set value (including the flow rate 0), it is output that water is not flowing. In addition, 14 is an air introduction pipe | tube, 16 is a drainage pipe, The electromagnetic valves 14a and 16a installed in these are controlled to open and close, and the water in the water purification tank 10 is discharged | emitted.
[0016]
On the other hand, the beverage unit B has a dilution water line 30 for supplying dilution water, a carbonated water line 31 for generating carbonated water, and a syrup line 32 for supplying syrup, as shown in FIG. Beverages are supplied from each line 30, 31, 32 to a dispensing valve (hereinafter referred to as a valve) 33, and carbonated beverages or the like are poured into the cup 34 from the valve 33.
[0017]
The dilution water line 30 is connected to the water conduit 15 of the water purification unit A, and a water guide valve 30a and a water pump 30b that are opened or closed based on an open / close signal of the valve 33 are installed on the downstream side of the water conduit 15. The water fed by the water pump 30b is cooled by the first cooling coil 30c and fed to the valve 33. Further, the carbonated water line 31 has a carbonator 31a, draws a part of the water cooled by the first cooling coil 30c into the carbonator 31a, and then cools it by the second cooling coil 31b and supplies it to the valve 33. The Here, carbon dioxide gas is supplied from the carbon dioxide cylinder 31c to the carbonator 31a, and the water supplied to the valve 33 is carbonated water. Further, the syrup line 32 cools the syrup supplied from the syrup tank 32 a by the third cooling coil 32 b and supplies it to the valve 33. Here, carbon dioxide gas can be supplied to the syrup tank 32a, and syrup containing carbonate can also be supplied to the valve 33.
[0018]
In the water purification unit A and the beverage unit B configured as described above, a part of the water conduit 15, that is, the flow rate detecting means 15 b and the water guide valve 30 a are connected by the connection hose 17, and the units A and B are connected to each other. When installing, this connection hose 17 is connected and both are connected.
[0019]
Next, the drive control circuit of the beverage supply device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG. 2. In this drive control circuit, the water supply valve 13 a, the water guide valve 30 a, The drive control of the water pump 30b will be described.
[0020]
The beverage supply device according to this embodiment is automated by a control device 40 such as a microcomputer. The control device 40 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 41, a memory 42 storing a control program, and I / O ports 43 and 44 for inputting and outputting signals. The I / O port 43 receives a signal from the flow rate detection means 15b, a signal from the beverage sales signal output means (means for outputting the opening / closing operation of the valve 33) 45, and a power-on signal for the water purification unit A. In addition, input / output to the timer 47 is performed. Further, the I / O port 44 drives and controls the water supply valve 13a, the water guide valve 30a, and the water pump 30b based on these signals.
[0021]
Here, the timer 47 sets a set time (initial water supply time), that is, a time during which tap water flows into the water supply pipe 13 when the water supply valve 13a is opened, fills the water purification tank 10, and is drained through the water conduit 15.
[0022]
Next, drive control of each device 13a, 30a, 30b based on this drive control circuit will be described with reference to FIG. First, when performing initial water supply of the water purification unit A, the connection hose 17 of each unit A and B is removed, and the power supply 46 of the water purification unit A is turned on (S1). When the power is turned on, a power-on signal is output and the water supply valve 13a is opened (S2). The open state of the water supply valve 13a is continued for a set time (S3). As a result, tap water flows into the water purification tank 10 through the water supply pipe 13, flows into the water guide pipe 15 after the water purification tank 10 is filled with tap water, and further flows into the flow rate detection means 15b and then drains outside. Is done. And before and after this drainage, the water supply valve 13a is closed and the initial water supply of the water purification unit A is completed (S4).
[0023]
Thus, according to this embodiment, the time from the start to the end of the initial water supply is automatically managed by time management, and the initial water supply operation of the water purification unit A is very simple.
[0024]
When the initial water supply of such a water purification unit A is complete | finished, the water purification unit A and the drink unit B are connected with the connection hose 17, and it waits in a water purification mode (S5). When a beverage sales signal (opening operation signal for the valve 33) is input during this standby, the water guide valve 30a is opened and the water pump 30b is driven (S6, S7). Thereby, when the purified water in the water conduit 15 flows and the flow rate detection means 15b outputs a detection signal equal to or higher than the predetermined flow rate, the water supply valve 13a is opened, and the tap water flows into the purified water unit A (S8, S9). ). On the other hand, when the beverage sales are finished and the valve 33 is closed, the water guide valve 30a is closed and the water pump 30b is stopped. Thereby, when the flow rate becomes lower than the set value, the water supply valve 13a is closed (S10, S11). By performing such a series of operations, the initial water supply of the beverage unit B is also completed.
[0025]
FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the beverage supply apparatus according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, the timer 47 starts counting from the opening operation of the water supply valve 13a. In this embodiment, the water supply valve After 13a is opened, it is determined whether the flow rate detection means 15b has become higher than the set value (determines whether tap water has flowed through the water conduit 15 to the flow rate detection means 15b), and has become higher than the set value That is, when the tap water flows through the flow rate detecting means 15b, the timing is started, and the water supply valve 13a is closed after waiting for a set time (time until the water passing through the flow rate detecting means 15b is discharged). (S1 to S5).
[0026]
Since the pressure of tap water varies depending on the region where the water supply facility is installed, the time from when the water supply valve 13a is opened until the tap water is discharged from the end of the water conduit 15 varies depending on the region. Therefore, in the first embodiment, the time management error may increase.
[0027]
In the second embodiment, when the flow rate detecting means 15b close to the end of the water conduit 15 detects a predetermined flow rate, the time until drainage is managed, so the error due to the level of the water pressure becomes small and the initial water supply is not excessive or insufficient. Done. Other configurations and operations are the same as those in the first embodiment.
[0028]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the initial water supply is automatically performed and simplified. Further, according to the invention of claim 2, the water supply operation in the initial water supply is accurately performed, and raw water such as tap water is not discharged wastefully.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a water circuit diagram of a beverage supply device according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing drive control of the beverage supply device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a water supply valve according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the water supply valve and the water pump. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the water supply valve, the water supply valve and the water pump according to the second embodiment.
13a ... Water supply valve, 15b ... Flow rate detection means, 40 ... Control device, 46 ... Water purification unit power supply, 47 ... Timer, A ... Water purification unit, B ... Beverage unit.

Claims (2)

It has a water purification unit that generates raw water by passing raw water such as tap water through an adsorbing section made of activated carbon, and a beverage unit that generates beverages using purified water fed from the water purification unit through a pipe, In the beverage supply device that detects the sales operation of the beverage unit through the flow rate detection means in the pipe, opens and closes the water supply valve based on the detection signal, and controls the flow of raw water to the water purification unit,
Control means for opening the water supply valve for initial water supply based on a power-on signal of the water purification unit and controlling the water supply valve to be closed when a predetermined time has elapsed since power-on at the time of initial water supply. Beverage supply device characterized. It has a water purification unit that generates raw water by passing raw water such as tap water through an adsorbing section made of activated carbon, and a beverage unit that generates beverages using purified water fed from the water purification unit through a pipe, In the beverage supply device that detects the sales operation of the beverage unit through the flow rate detection means in the pipe, opens and closes the water supply valve based on the detection signal, and controls the flow of raw water to the water purification unit,
When the water supply valve is opened for initial water supply based on a power-on signal of the water purification unit, and when a predetermined time has elapsed after the flow rate detecting means detects a flow rate higher than a set value during the initial water supply, the water supply valve A beverage supply device comprising control means for controlling to close the beverage.

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