JP4967044B2 - Beverage dispenser - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a beverage dispenser that supplies a predetermined amount of beverage according to different cup sizes.

  Conventionally, in a beverage dispenser that supplies a cup with a beverage prepared by mixing a liquid ingredient filled in a liquid ingredient tank with a diluent such as diluting water or carbonated water, the beverage is supplied according to a predetermined cup size. The amount is determined. In this case, a plurality of cup selection buttons are provided on the front surface of the beverage dispenser for each beverage. And the user can supply the drink according to the magnitude | size of a cup by selecting the cup selection button according to the desired drink according to the magnitude | size of a cup.

  However, in such a configuration, since the cup selection button corresponding to the type of beverage is provided on the control panel of the limited beverage dispenser, the size of the selection button is reduced, the number of buttons on the entire panel is increased, and the usability is increased. There was a problem that caused the deterioration.

  Therefore, in order to solve the above problems, conventionally, a plurality of light reflection sensors corresponding to the size of each cup are provided, and the user selects a beverage to supply the beverage according to the size of the cup. An apparatus capable of performing the above has been developed (see Patent Document 1).

JP 2003-26293 A

  However, in the conventional beverage dispenser as described above, when the beverage is supplied to the cup, the sensor becomes dirty due to the scattering of the beverage, which causes erroneous detection. Therefore, in order to prevent the sensor from being contaminated by splashing beverages, a sensor having a splash plate on the front surface of the sensor has been developed, but by detecting the splash plate, In some cases, it may cause erroneous detection, and a hole is made in a location corresponding to the sensor to suppress the cause of the erroneous detection. However, in such a case, there is a problem that the beverage may scatter to the sensor through the hole, and the erroneous detection due to the dirt on the sensor cannot be eliminated.

  Further, when the sensor becomes dirty due to a splash of beverage or the like, a dirt notification lamp for notifying the sensor of the sensor is turned on to urge the user to clean. This dirt notification lamp is used when the output from the sensor provided corresponding to the size of each cup is logically abnormal, that is, even though the upper sensor detects the cup. If the sensor located on the lower side is not detected, it is determined that dirt has adhered to the sensor, and the dirt notification lamp is turned on. In addition, even when the sensor continuously detects the cup after a lapse of a certain time from the end of the beverage supply, it is determined that the sensor is soiled, and the dirt notification lamp is turned on.

  However, if the dirt notification lamp is lit until the cup has been detected after a certain period of time, the dirt notification will continue until the sensor is detecting the cup because the cup has been continuously placed. The lamp will be turned on. For this reason, the user is notified of dirt even when dirt is not attached to the sensor, and there is a problem that the usability is deteriorated and the reliability of the device is lowered.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the conventional technical problem, and even when the sensor is soiled due to the splashing of the beverage, the cup is properly detected and the reliability of the device is improved. To provide a beverage dispenser for improvement.

  The beverage dispenser of the invention of claim 1 is an optical cup size detection sensor for detecting the size of the cup, and a control means for controlling the beverage supply amount to the cup based on the output of the cup size detection sensor. Provided with an optical cup presence / absence detection sensor for detecting the presence of the cup, and a sensor dirt notification means, and the control means comprises a cup When only one of the size detection sensor and the cup presence / absence detection sensor detects the presence of the cup, it is determined that the sensor is dirty, and the sensor contamination notification means notifies the sensor contamination. .

  The beverage dispenser of the invention of claim 2 is characterized in that, in the above invention, the cup presence / absence detection sensor is provided at a position where the smallest used cup can be detected.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the beverage dispenser according to the third aspect, the cup size detection sensor is provided corresponding to a plurality of beverage supply positions for supplying beverages to the cup, and the cup presence / absence detection sensor is provided for each beverage. When a cup exists in any of the supply positions, the cup is provided at a position where the cup is detected.

  The beverage dispenser of the invention of claim 4 is characterized in that, in the above invention, the cup presence / absence detection sensor is a sensor capable of measuring a distance to the cup.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the optical cup size detection sensor for detecting the size of the cup and the control means for controlling the beverage supply amount to the cup based on the output of the cup size detection sensor are provided. The beverage dispenser is provided at a position different from the cup size detection sensor, and includes an optical cup presence / absence detection sensor for detecting the presence of the cup, and a sensor dirt notification means, and the control means is a cup size detection sensor. Alternatively, when only one of the cup presence / absence detection sensors detects the presence of the cup, it is determined that the sensor is dirty, and the sensor contamination notification means notifies the sensor of contamination. It is possible to improve the reliability of the device. Then, when only one of the cup size detection sensor and the cup presence / absence detection sensor detects the presence of the cup, the control means notifies the sensor dirt by the sensor dirt notification means, so that the user can clean the sensor. It is possible to encourage the user to improve usability.

  In the invention of claim 2, in the above invention, since the sensor for detecting presence / absence of the cup is provided at a position where the smallest cup to be used can be detected, the sensor is used regardless of the cup size used to supply the beverage. It becomes possible to judge dirt reliably.

  In the invention of claim 3, in each of the above inventions, the cup size detection sensor is provided corresponding to a plurality of beverage supply positions for supplying beverages to the cup, and the cup presence / absence detection sensor is provided at each beverage supply position. When a cup is present in any of the plurality, the cup size detection sensor at any of the plurality of beverage supply positions detects a cup of any size. When the cup presence / absence detection sensor does not detect the presence of the cup in the state, it can be determined that the cup size detection sensor at the beverage supply position is dirty.

  Further, when no cup size detection sensor detects a cup and the cup presence / absence detection sensor detects the presence of a cup, it can be determined that the cup presence / absence detection sensor is dirty. .

  At this time, the cup presence / absence detection sensor can be configured as a single unit with respect to a plurality of beverage supply positions, and the cost can be reduced.

  In the invention of claim 4, in the above invention, the cup presence / absence detection sensor is a sensor capable of measuring the distance to the cup. In addition to the above, the cup size detection sensors at a plurality of beverage supply positions are cups. When the cup presence / absence detection sensor detects a cup at a beverage supply position farther from the sensor, the cup size detection at the beverage supply position closer to the cup presence / absence detection sensor is detected. It can be determined that the sensor is dirty.

It is a front block diagram of the drink dispenser of a present Example. It is a side lineblock diagram of a drink dispenser similarly. It is a control block diagram of a control apparatus. It is a flowchart figure which detects the presence or absence of a cup, and dirt. It is a flowchart figure which determines cup size.

  Hereinafter, the beverage dispenser 1 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG. 1 is a front view of the beverage dispenser 1 of the present embodiment, FIG. 2 is a side view of the beverage dispenser 1, and FIG. 3 is a control block diagram of the control device 3.

  The beverage dispenser 1 of the present embodiment is a liquid dispenser that fills a liquid material tank, mixes it with a diluent such as diluted water or carbonated water, and supplies it to a cup as a beverage. It is comprised by the main body 2 which exhibits. A control panel 10, which will be described in detail later, is provided on the front surface of the upper wall of the main body 2, and a cup installation base 11 for setting a cup for receiving the supplied beverage is provided on the lower wall.

  Inside the main body 2 of the beverage dispenser 1, a cold storage (not shown) provided with a cold storage cooling coil therein, a cooler (not shown) that sends a refrigerant to the cold storage cooling coil, and cold air cooled by the cold storage cooling coil in the cold storage A cold air blower (not shown) for circulation is provided.

  Further, the main body 2 is configured with a syrup flow path connected to each liquid raw material tank (not shown). A flow regulator for adjusting the flow rate and a postmix valve 5 having a beverage discharge electromagnetic valve 4 that functions to turn on and off the supply of the liquid raw material by a signal from the control device 3 to be described later are communicated with the syrup flow path. In addition, a diluent flow path (not shown) is communicated, and the liquid raw material and diluent supplied to the postmix valve 5 are mixed by a nozzle and supplied as a beverage. The post mix valves 5A and 5B in FIG. 1 showing each of the plurality of post mix valves 5 are provided on the lower surface of the upper wall, and the supplied beverage is poured into one cup set on the cup installation base 11. It is arranged so that. In the figure, 6 (6A, 6B) is a nozzle cover of the postmix valve 5 (5A, 5B).

  The front surface of the main body 2 located between the upper wall and the lower wall, that is, the cup position (beverage supply position) where the beverage supplied from the postmix valve 5 is poured has a predetermined interval in the vertical direction. Cup size detection sensors (hereinafter referred to as size sensors) 13, 14, and 15 are provided. The size sensors 13, 14, 15 are, for example, optical distance measuring type light reflection sensors (light sensors) including a light emitting part and a light receiving part, and when light from the light emitting part hits the side surface of the cup and is reflected, The light receiving unit receives the reflected light and outputs a signal. When the light receiving parts of the size sensors 13, 14 and 15 receive the reflected light and output a signal, the light receiving parts of the L size cup L and the size sensors 14 and 15 receive the reflected light and output the signal. The details will be described later, assuming that an M size cup M is output, and an S size cup S is set when a signal is output by receiving light reflected by the light receiving portion of only the size sensor 15. In this way, the control device 3 controls. In addition, the size sensors 13A, 14A, 15A, 13B, 14B, and 15B shown in FIG. 1 showing each of the plurality of size sensors 13, 14, and 15 are set on the cup mounting base 11 corresponding to the postmix valves 5A and 5B, respectively. It is provided to detect the cup that has been made.

  In the present embodiment, a smoke plate 17 made of a material having low light transmittance is provided on the front surface of the main body 2 between the upper wall and the lower wall where the size sensors 13, 14, 15 are provided. , 14 and 15 are provided in close contact with each other. A splash plate 18 is detachably attached to the front surface of the smoke plate 17.

  When the beverage is discharged from the postmix valve 5, the splash plate 18 scatters the beverage outside the cup and contaminates the front surface of the main body 2 between the upper wall and the lower wall, particularly the size sensors 13, 14, 15. This is a shielding plate to be prevented, and in this embodiment, it is constituted by a light transmissive transparent plate. Further, the splash plate 18 has an upper end portion 18A that extends further upward after the upper end is retracted by a predetermined dimension. The upper end portion 18A is provided with a suspension member 19 provided on the front surface of the main body 2. A locking hole (not shown) for hooking and hanging is formed. Thereby, even when the splash plate 18 becomes dirty, it can be easily removed and cleaned, and convenience is improved.

  Here, in the present embodiment, the smoke reflection plate 17 having a low light transmittance is attached in close contact with the front surface of the size sensors 13, 14 and 15 behind the splash plate 18. In order to receive the emitted signal, a characteristic that cannot be detected unless it is separated from the detection target by several millimeters is used. That is, the smoke plate 17 can be prevented from being detected by bringing the smoke plate 17 into close contact with the size sensors 13, 14, and 15. Further, the smoke plate 17 having a low light transmittance is used because the optical distance measuring type light reflection sensor extends the distance until the emitted signal is received by reducing the light emission amount. It uses the characteristic that can be. That is, by reducing the light transmittance of the smoke plate 17, the amount of light passing through the smoke plate 17 can be attenuated. Thus, even if the splash plate 18 is attached to the front surface of the smoke plate 17, the splash plate Without detecting 18, it is possible to accurately detect the cup ahead.

  Further, sensor holding members 31, 31 are provided on both side surfaces of the main body 2 so as to extend forward. The sensor holding member 31 is provided between the upper wall and the lower wall of the main body 2, and the front end of the sensor holding member 31 is substantially the center of the cup when the cup is placed on the cup installation base 11. Are formed corresponding to the positions corresponding to. In addition, the height position where the sensor holding member 31 is attached is preferably the position where the smallest cup used as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 can be detected, in this embodiment, the cup S can be detected. And

  At the front end of the sensor holding member 31, a cup presence / absence detection sensor (hereinafter referred to as presence / absence sensor) 32 is provided on the surface facing the sensor holding members 31, 31. The presence / absence sensor 32 is, for example, an optical distance measuring type light reflection type sensor (light sensor) including a light emitting part and a light receiving part. When light from the light emitting part hits the side surface of the cup and is reflected, the reflected light is reflected. The light receiving unit receives the signal and outputs a signal. When the light receiving unit of the cup detection sensor 32 receives the reflected light and outputs a signal, the controller 3 controls that the cup is set as will be described in detail later. In addition, the output current of the signal differs depending on the distance to the object to be detected, and the position of the object to be detected can be grasped by the current.

  On the other hand, a cooling water tank (not shown) is provided in the main body 2, and the cooling water in the water tank is cooled by the cooler. And this cooling water has the function which cools dilution liquids, such as carbonated water in the carbonator (carbonated water manufacturing apparatus) which is not illustrated, and dilution water in the water cooling coil which is not illustrated. A flow regulator (not shown) for adjusting the flow rate is connected to the carbonated water flow path and the water cooling coil outlet side connected to the carbonator, and in accordance with the type of beverage to be supplied (for example, carbonated beverage, non-carbonated beverage, etc.) The arranged post-mix valve is communicated, and the liquid raw material and the diluent are mixed by the nozzle to become a beverage and supplied to the cup.

  Next, the control panel 10 provided on the front wall of the main body 2 will be described. The control panel 10 is provided with a beverage display label 21 for indicating the type of beverage to be supplied, corresponding to the postmix valve 5 from which the beverage is discharged. A beverage selection button 22 for instructing the supply of the beverage to be provided is provided. In addition, the beverage display labels 21A and 21B and the beverage selection buttons 22A and 22B in FIG. 1 showing the plurality of beverage display labels 21 and the beverage selection buttons 22 are located above the postmix valves 5A and 5B that discharge the beverage. Correspondingly provided.

  Further, the control panel 10 is provided with sensor status lamps 23A, 24A, 25A, 23B, 24B, and 25B for displaying the detection status of the sensors corresponding to the size sensors 13A, 14A, 15A and 13B, 14B, and 15B. It has been. In particular, in this embodiment, each size (L, M, S size) cup is displayed on the control panel 10 corresponding to each postmix valve 5, and the sensor status lamp corresponding to each size of the cup. 23A, 24A, 25A, 23B, 24B, 25B are arranged.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 26 denotes a sensor dirt notification lamp for notifying that any one of the sensors 13, 14, 15, 32 is dirty and for notifying the prohibited state of beverage supply. Further, for example, an input terminal 30 as shown in FIG. 2 is connected to the main body 2, whereby the mode switching and the beverage discharge solenoid valve 4 (postmix for each cup size) as will be described in detail later. The opening time of the valve 5) can be set.

  The beverage selection buttons 22 (22A, 22B), size sensors 13, 14, 15 (13A, 14A, 15A, 13B, 14B, 15B), sensor status lamps 23A, 24A, 25A, 23B, 24B, 25B, sensors The dirt notification lamp 26 and the beverage discharge electromagnetic valve 4 are connected to the control device 3 as shown in FIG. 3, and are controlled corresponding to each mode. Further, the control device 3 is connected with a memory 27 and a timer 28 as storage means, and according to a supply amount predetermined according to the size of the cup detected by the sensors 13, 14, 15. When the beverage selection button 22 is operated, the beverage discharge electromagnetic valve 4 is opened based on the timer 28 for the time stored in the memory 27. Note that the control device 3 is also connected to the input terminal 30 (not shown) as described above, which makes it possible to set the supply time and display the storage state.

  With the above configuration, a beverage supply operation will be described. The cooling water in the cooling water tank is cooled by the cooler, and the refrigerant is circulated through the cool box cooling coil provided in the cool box, and the cold air cooled by the cool box cooling coil is cooled by the cool air blower. It is assumed that the inside of the cool box is cooled by circulating air inside, and is in a state where the beverage can be sold. The cooling method is not limited to this. For example, in the case of mass sales, an external cold plate method, that is, each pipe such as syrup, carbonated water, water in an aluminum die cast, for example. It may be comprised by what is embedded and is cooled with ice from the outside.

  In such a state, a cup of an arbitrary size is set on the cup installation base 11 and any beverage selection button 22 is operated. Here, referring to the flowcharts of FIGS. 4 and 5, the sensors 13A, 14A, 15A, 13B, 14B, 15B and 32 determine the presence / absence and size of the cup, and also detect the contamination of the sensor. Will be described. First, the control device 3 has an output from the presence / absence sensors 32 and 32 in the above-described standby state where the beverage can be sold, and further has an output from the size sensors 13A, 14A, 15A, 13B, 14B and 15B. Whether or not (step S1).

  If there is no output from both sensors, the control device 3 proceeds to step S2, and outputs from only one of the size sensors 13A, 14A, 15A, 13B, 14B, 15B and the presence / absence sensors 32, 32. Judge whether there is. That is, when any one or more of the size sensors 13A, 14A, 15A, 13B, 14B, and 15B are output and the presence / absence sensors 32 and 32 are not output, the size sensors 13A, If none of 14A, 15A, 13B, 14B, and 15B is output and the presence / absence sensors 32 and 32 are output, the process proceeds to step S3. Return to state.

  In step S3, the control device 3 determines that any one of the sensors 13A, 14A, 15A, 13B, 14B, 15B, 32B, and 32 is contaminated. And the supply of beverages is prohibited.

  On the other hand, if there is an output from either of the size sensor and the presence sensor 32 in step S1, the control device 3 proceeds to step S5, detects the voltage of the presence sensor 32, and detects the detected voltage. Is a voltage corresponding to the distance to detect that the cup is placed at a position corresponding to the right postmix valve 5A. When the detected voltage is a voltage corresponding to the distance for detecting that the cup is placed at a position corresponding to the right post-mix valve 5A, the control device 3 proceeds to step S9.

  In step S9, it is determined whether or not the output size sensor is an output of only the sensors 13A, 14A, and 15A corresponding to the right postmix valve 5A, and any one of the size sensors 13A, 14A, and 15A is determined. If there is an output from only, the process proceeds to step S10, and the size determination at the beverage supply position corresponding to the right post-mix valve 5A is executed. On the other hand, in step S9, if the output size sensor includes outputs from sensors other than the sensors 13A, 14A, and 15A corresponding to the right postmix valve 5A, that is, outputs from the sensors 13B, 14B, and 15B, step S11. Proceed to

  In step S11, the control device 3 detects the voltage of the presence sensor 32 on the left side, and the detected voltage corresponds to the distance for detecting that the cup is placed at a position corresponding to the left post-mix valve 5B. It is determined whether it is a voltage. When the detected voltage is a voltage corresponding to the distance for detecting that the cup is placed at the position corresponding to the left post mix valve 5B, the control device 3 proceeds to step S12 and proceeds to the left post. The size determination at the beverage supply position corresponding to the mix valve 5B is executed. Next, the process proceeds to step S10 in order to perform the right determination, and the size determination at the beverage supply position corresponding to the right postmix valve 5A is performed.

  On the other hand, if the detected voltage is not the voltage corresponding to the distance for detecting that the cup is placed at the position corresponding to the left post-mix valve 5B, the control device 3 proceeds to step S3 and proceeds to the left side. After determining that one of the size sensors 13B, 14B, and 15B is dirty and turning on the dirt notification sensor 26 (step S4), the process proceeds to step S10 to determine the right side and corresponds to the right postmix valve 5A. The size determination at the beverage supply position is executed.

  On the other hand, if the detected voltage is not the voltage corresponding to the distance at which the cup is placed at the position corresponding to the right postmix valve 5A in step S5, the control device 3 proceeds to step S6. Then, it is determined whether or not the detected voltage is a voltage corresponding to a distance for detecting that the cup is placed at a position corresponding to the left postmix valve 5B. If the voltage is not the voltage corresponding to the distance for detecting that the cup is placed at the position corresponding to the left post-mix valve 5B, the control device 3 proceeds to step S3 and similarly to the above. Then, it is determined that dirt is attached to the sensor, and the dirt notification sensor 26 is turned on (step S4).

  When it is determined that the voltage detected in step S6 is a voltage corresponding to a distance for detecting that the cup is placed at a position corresponding to the left postmix valve 5B, the control device 3 Proceeding to S7, it is determined whether or not the output size sensor corresponds to the left beverage supply position. In step S7, if the output size sensor is one of the sensors 13B, 14B, and 15B corresponding to the left beverage supply position, the process proceeds to step S8 and corresponds to the left postmix valve 5B. The size determination at the beverage supply position is executed. In step S7, when there is no output from the sensors 13B, 14B, and 15B corresponding to the left beverage supply position, it means that dirt is attached to the presence / absence sensor 32. In step S3, it is determined that dirt is attached to the sensor, the dirt notification sensor 26 is turned on, and the supply of beverage is prohibited (step S4).

  In addition, in each said size determination, according to the flowchart figure as shown in FIG. 5, the size determination of the cup in each drink supply position is performed. That is, the control device 3 determines whether or not there is an output from any of the size sensors 13 (upper), 14 (middle), and 15 (lower) in step S21. It progresses and it determines with the cup placed in the drink supply position being the cup L. If there is no output from all the size sensors 13, 14, and 15 in step S21, the process proceeds to step S23, and there is output from any of the size sensors 14 (middle stage) and 15 (lower stage). Determine whether or not. When there is, it progresses to step S24 and it determines with the cup placed in the drink supply position being the cup M. If there is no output from all of the size sensors 14 and 15 in step S23, the process proceeds to step S25 to determine whether or not there is an output only from the size sensor 15 (lower stage). When there is only the output of the lower stage, the process proceeds to step S26, and it is determined that the cup placed at the beverage supply position is the cup S.

  Then, along with the determination of the cup size, the control device 3 performs a predetermined display of the sensor status lamp of the control panel 10. That is, when the set cup is the cup L, only the sensor state lamp 23 corresponding to the cup L is lit. When the set cup is the cup M, only the sensor status lamp 24 is lit. When the set cup is the cup S, only the sensor status lamp 25 is lit. The display form of the sensor status lamp is not limited to this.

  After that, the control device 3 supplies an amount of beverage corresponding to the detected cup size to the cup, so that the corresponding beverage is based on the timer 28 for the supply time previously stored in the memory 27 for each cup size. When a signal is output to the discharge electromagnetic valve 4 (postmix valve 5) and the beverage discharge electromagnetic valve 4 is opened, the liquid raw material stored in the liquid raw material tank and carbonated water or dilution water from the carbonator are supplied, and the postmix valve 5 is mixed to become a beverage, and an amount of beverage corresponding to the size of the cup is supplied.

  On the other hand, when it does not belong to any of the sensor output patterns of step S21, step S23, and step S25, for example, only the size sensors 13 and 14 are output, or only the size sensors 13 and 15 are output, or the size sensor. When a logical abnormality has occurred, such as when only 13 or only 14 is output, the control device 3 determines that a sensor logical abnormality has occurred (step S27), and step 28 Then, it is determined that dirt is attached, the dirt notification sensor 26 is turned on, and the supply of beverage is prohibited (step S29).

  As a result, since the presence sensor 32 is provided in addition to the size sensors 13, 14, 15, the presence / absence is detected while the size sensors 13, 14, 15 are detecting any size cup as described above. When the sensor 32 does not detect the presence of the cup, it can be determined that one of the size sensors 13, 14, and 15 is dirty. Conversely, if the size sensor 13, 14, 15 has not detected any size cup and the presence sensor 32 detects the presence of a cup, it can be determined that the presence sensor 32 is dirty. .

  Therefore, the cup detection accuracy can be improved, and the reliability of the device can be improved.

  In addition, the beverage dispenser 1 of this embodiment includes a dirt notification lamp 26 for notifying the user of sensor dirt, and only one of the size sensors 13, 14, 15 and the presence sensor 32 is present in the cup. When the sensor dirt is detected, the sensor dirt notification lamp 26 notifies the user of the sensor dirt, thereby prompting the user to clean the sensor and improving the usability.

  Furthermore, since the presence / absence sensor 32 is provided at a position where the smallest cup used, that is, the cup S can be detected, it is possible to reliably determine the sensor contamination regardless of the cup size used to supply the beverage. Is possible.

  Moreover, like the beverage dispenser 1 of a present Example, the size sensors 13, 14, and 15 are each provided corresponding to the some drink supply position which supplies a drink to a cup, and the presence sensor 32 is each drink supply position. When a cup is present in any of the above, the size sensor 13, 14, 15 of any of the plurality of beverage supply positions detects a cup of any size. When the presence / absence sensor 32 does not detect the presence of the cup in a state where the beverage is supplied, it can be determined that the size sensors 13, 14 and 15 at the beverage supply position are dirty.

  Further, when none of the size detection sensors 13, 14, 15 detects a cup and the presence sensor 32 detects the presence of a cup, it can be determined that the presence sensor 32 is dirty. .

  In addition, although the presence sensor 32 may be provided corresponding to each of a plurality of beverage supply positions, the presence sensor 32 is configured as a single unit with respect to the plurality of beverage supply positions by adopting the configuration of the present embodiment. Therefore, the cost can be reduced.

  Furthermore, since the presence / absence sensor 32 is a sensor capable of measuring the distance to the cup, the presence / absence sensor is in a state in which any of the size sensors 13, 14 and 15 at the plurality of beverage supply positions detects the cup. When 32 is detecting a cup at a beverage supply position far from the sensor, it can be determined that the size sensors 13, 14, 15 at the beverage supply position closer to the presence sensor 32 are dirty. .

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Beverage dispenser 2 Main body 3 Control apparatus 4 Beverage discharge solenoid valve 5, 5A, 5B Post mix valve 10 Control panel 13, 14, 15 Cup size detection sensor (size sensor)
23A, 23B, 24A, 24B, 25A, 25B Sensor status lamp 26 Sensor dirt notification lamp 31 Sensor holding member 32 Sensor for detecting presence / absence of cup (presence sensor)

Claims (4)

  Cup size detection in a beverage dispenser comprising an optical cup size detection sensor for detecting the size of a cup and a control means for controlling a beverage supply amount to the cup based on an output of the cup size detection sensor Provided with an optical cup presence / absence detection sensor for detecting the presence of a cup and a sensor dirt notification means, and the control means is a cup size detection sensor or a cup presence / absence detection sensor. A beverage dispenser characterized in that when only one of them detects the presence of a cup, it is determined that the sensor is dirty, and the sensor contamination notification means notifies the sensor contamination.   The beverage dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the cup presence / absence detection sensor is provided at a position where the smallest cup to be used can be detected.   The cup size detection sensor is provided corresponding to a plurality of beverage supply positions for supplying beverages to the cup, and the cup presence / absence detection sensor includes the cup at any of the beverage supply positions. The beverage dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the beverage dispenser is provided at a position where the cup is detected.   The beverage dispenser according to claim 3, wherein the cup presence / absence detection sensor is a sensor capable of measuring a distance to the cup.