JP6578059B2 - Beverage foam pouring device and beverage server using the same - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an apparatus for pouring foam from sparkling beverages such as beer and other various beverages.

  An apparatus is known that elastically deforms a beverage dispensing tube to change the flow rate or flow rate of the beverage (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). Place a tube for beverage extraction and a tube equipped with a foam dispenser in parallel, crush the bubble extraction tube during beverage extraction, and crush the beverage extraction tube during bubble extraction Such an apparatus is also known (for example, see Patent Document 3).

Special table 2007-537951 gazette Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 7-17800 JP 2015-113166 A

  In the case of pouring out the foam of a beverage, a technique for producing an orifice having a reduced cross-sectional area in the flow path of the beverage is generally used. If a tube is present in at least a part of the beverage dispensing path, it is not impossible to push the tube into an orifice. However, since the range of the cross-sectional area of the orifice suitable for foam generation is narrow, if the elastic deformation of the tube cannot be controlled so as to improve the reproducibility of the shape and dimensions, the foam may not be stably poured out.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a beverage foam pouring device capable of appropriately managing the elastic deformation of a tube and stably pouring foam and a beverage server using the same.

  The beverage foam dispensing apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention has flexibility that can be elastically deformed, a tube through which a beverage passes, a tube holder that holds the tube, and a tube holder that holds the tube. An orifice generating mechanism for elastically deforming the tube so that an orifice is formed inside by pushing the formed tube with a pushing member, and the tube holder cooperates with the pushing member to form the tube A bottom wall portion sandwiching the tube and a pair of side wall portions that limit elastic deformation of the tube to the side caused by the pushing so that a tube insertion region through which the tube passes is formed between the wall portions. And a gap is provided between the pair of side wall portions to allow the pushing member to advance and retreat with respect to the tube insertion region.

  According to the beverage foam dispensing device of the above aspect, when the pushing member is advanced from the gap between the side wall portions to the tube insertion region, the tube passed through the tube insertion region is sandwiched between the pushing member and the bottom wall portion. It is elastically deformed. Since the side wall part which restricts the elastic deformation to the side of a tube exists in the side of a bottom wall part, the tube pushed in by the pushing member cannot protrude freely to the side with respect to the pushing direction. Therefore, the tube is elastically deformed so as to swell while being rounded on the opposite side to the pushing direction on both sides of the pushing member, and an orifice is generated inside the deformed portion. When the tube is surrounded by the bottom wall portion and the side wall portion, the reproducibility of the elastic deformation is increased, and thereby the elastic deformation can be appropriately managed and the bubbles can be stably poured out.

  In the beverage foam pouring device of the above aspect, the pair of side wall portions may be formed so as to draw an arc-shaped cross-sectional contour along the outer peripheral surface of the tube. In that case, free elastic deformation to the side of the tube can be reliably prevented, and the reproducibility of the shape and dimensions of the orifice generated along with the elastic deformation can be further enhanced.

  Moreover, in the drink foam extraction apparatus of the said aspect, the said bottom wall part and a pair of said side wall part may be formed in a row so that the circular-arc shaped cross-sectional outline along the outer peripheral surface of the said tube may be drawn. In that case, the elastic deformation to the side of the tube can be surely prevented while the tube is pushed by the pushing member so as to be in close contact with the bottom wall portion of the tube insertion region. Thereby, the reproducibility of the shape and dimension of the orifice produced | generated with elastic deformation can further be improved.

  In the beverage foam dispensing device of the above aspect, a pressing portion that is thinner than the outer diameter of the tube may be formed on the side of the pushing member that contacts the tube. According to this, since the pushing force can be concentrated on the central portion of the tube, it prevents elastic deformation such that the tube is entirely crushed and the inside is blocked, and rounding is performed on both sides of the pushing member. It is possible to improve the reproducibility of the shape and dimensions of the orifice by elastically deforming the tube so as to be inflated.

  Furthermore, the holding part may be provided with a shaft part formed thinner than the outer diameter of the tube and a protrusion part protruding from the tip of the shaft part and formed thinner than the shaft part. . According to this, the pushing force can be more concentrated on the central portion of the tube, and the tube can be elastically deformed so that the tube is rounded from the protruding portion to the shaft portion on both sides of the pushing member. Therefore, the reproducibility of the shape and dimensions of the orifice can be further enhanced.

  In the beverage foam dispensing apparatus according to the above aspect, the tube holder may be configured by combining a plurality of holding parts that can be divided so as to open the tube insertion region. According to this, since the tube insertion region can be opened by dividing the holding component, the tube can be mounted or removed relatively easily.

  The orifice generation mechanism may be provided with an operation member operated by a user and an operation conversion mechanism that converts an operation of the operation member into an advance / retreat operation of the push-in member with respect to the tube. According to this, when the operation member is operated, the push-in member moves forward and backward with respect to the tube, and it is possible to switch between the dispensing of beverage bubbles or the stopping of dispensing.

  The beverage server according to one aspect of the present invention is a beverage server that can switch between dispensing and stopping dispensing of beverages by opening and closing a beverage dispensing path, and includes the beverage foam dispensing device according to the above aspect, At least a part of the beverage pouring path is constituted by the tube of the beverage foam pouring device.

  According to the beverage server of the above aspect, a beverage capable of stably dispensing beverage foam while using a beverage foam dispensing device having a relatively simple configuration in which an orifice is generated by elastically deforming a tube. A server can be provided.

  In the beverage server of the above aspect, an operation member operable between a beverage dispensing position, a dispensing stop position, and a foam dispensing position, an opening / closing member that opens and closes the beverage dispensing path, and the operation member includes the operation member The open / close member opens the beverage extraction path when operated to the extraction position and the foam extraction position, and the open / close member opens the beverage extraction path when the operation member is operated to the extraction stop position. The operation member is converted into an opening / closing operation of the opening / closing member so as to be closed, and when the operation member is operated to the extraction position, the push-in member moves backward with respect to the tube, and the operation member An operation conversion mechanism that converts the operation of the operation member into an advance / retreat operation of the push member with respect to the tube so that the push member moves forward with respect to the tube when the bubble is moved to the bubble pouring position. It may be e. According to this, when the operating member is operated to the pouring stop position, since the opening / closing member closes the beverage pouring path, neither beverage nor foam is poured out. When the operation member is operated to the pouring position, the opening / closing member opens the beverage pouring path, and the pushing member moves backward with respect to the tube, so that the beverage is poured out without generating bubbles. On the other hand, when the operating member is operated to the foam pouring position, the opening / closing member opens the beverage pouring path, and the pushing member elastically deforms the tube so that an orifice is generated, so that the foam of the beverage is poured out.

  In the above aspect, the opening / closing member is provided so as to be able to advance and retreat with respect to the tube at a position different from the push-in member, and the operation conversion mechanism is configured such that the operation member has the extraction position and the bubble extraction position. The opening / closing member retracts relative to the tube when operated, and when the operating member is operated to the dispensing stop position, the opening / closing member closes the inside of the tube. And may be configured to advance. According to this, it is possible to switch between the dispensing of beverage or its dispensing stop and the dispensing of beverage foam or its dispensing stop using the elastic deformation of the tube. Accordingly, it is possible to simplify the configuration relating to the beverage and the foam dispensing of the beverage server.

  In the above aspect, the operation conversion mechanism includes a drive member that is displaced in a longitudinal direction of the tube in accordance with the operation of the operation member, and is provided between the drive member, the opening / closing member, and the push-in member. A conversion unit may be provided that converts an operation of the drive member in the longitudinal direction into an advance / retreat operation of the opening / closing member and the push-in member with respect to the tube using an inclined portion with respect to the longitudinal direction. According to this, when the driving member is driven in the longitudinal direction of the tube by the operation member, the operation of the driving member is converted into an advancing / retreating operation of the opening / closing member or the pushing member with respect to the tube. Therefore, it is possible to further simplify the configuration related to the beverage and foam extraction of the beverage server.

The vertical sectional view of the drink server to which the drink foam pouring device concerning one form of the present invention was applied. The perspective view shown in the state which saw through the principal part of the extraction switching apparatus partially. The vertical sectional view showing the internal configuration of the dispensing switching device. The disassembled perspective view of a dispensing switching device. The enlarged view which shows the principal part of the extraction switching apparatus in a half cross-sectional state. The perspective view which shows the state divided | segmented so that a tube holding body might be opened. The perspective view of a pushing member. The side view of a pushing member. The figure which shows the state which observed the pushing member from the arrow IX direction of FIG. The figure which shows the state which the pushing-in member retracted | retreated with respect to the tube. The figure which shows the state which advanced the pushing member with respect to the tube and produced | generated the orifice. The perspective view of the pushing member which concerns on a modification. The side view of the pushing member which concerns on a modification. The figure which shows the state which observed the pushing member which concerns on a modification from the arrow XIV direction of FIG.

  FIG. 1 shows an example of a beverage server to which a beverage foam dispensing device according to one embodiment of the present invention is applied. The beverage server 1 includes a holding container 3 that houses a bottle 2 as an example of a beverage container filled with beer as an example of a beverage or a beer-like sparkling beverage, and a gas for dispensing into the bottle 2, for example, carbonic acid A gas supply device 4 for feeding gas (carbon dioxide), a tube 6 as an example of a beverage dispensing pipe for guiding the beverage delivered from the beverage container 2 to the spout 5 by gas pressure, and a beverage or beverage foam via the tube 6 And a dispensing switching device 7 for switching between dispensing and dispensing stop. The holding container 3 includes a substantially cylindrical main body 3a that accommodates the bottle 2, and a lid 3b that is opened and closed around a hinge portion 3c on the rear end side (opposite side of the discharge port 4) for loading and unloading the bottle 2. It has. In addition, the cooling unit 8 etc. with respect to the bottle 2 are also arrange | positioned inside the main body 3a. The bottle 2 is made of resin as an example.

  A cap 10 is detachably attached to the opening of the bottle 2. The gas supply device 4 sends gas into the bottle 2 through the cap 10. The cap 10 is provided with a beverage take-out pipe 10a that is pushed out of the bottle 2 by gas pressure. One end of the tube 6 is connected to the take-out pipe 10a. The tube 6 is formed of a resin material having flexibility over its entire length. The spout 5 is constituted by the tip of the tube 6. The tube 6 extends substantially horizontally before the dispensing switching device 7 and is bent downward via the dispensing switching device 7. A guide tube 12 extending in a substantially vertical direction is provided on the distal end side of the holding container 3, and the distal end portion of the tube 6 is inserted into the guide tube 12. In the following, the longitudinal direction of the tube 6 passing through the dispensing switching device 7 (corresponding to the left-right direction in FIG. 1) is referred to as the front-rear direction of the beverage server 1, and the side of the tube 6 is the side of the beverage server 1. Sometimes called the left-right direction.

  FIG. 2 shows the principal part of the dispensing switching device 7 in a partially transparent state, and FIG. 3 shows its internal structure. FIG. 4 shows an exploded state of the dispensing switching device 7, and FIG. 5 is an enlarged view showing a main part thereof in a half cross-sectional state. The dispensing switching device 7 is driven by the tube holding body 20, the driving member 21 disposed on the upper portion of the tube holding body 20, the operation lever 22 as an operation member for operating the driving member 21, and the driving member 21. An opening / closing member 23 for opening and closing the inside of the tube 6, a push-in member 24 driven by the driving member 21 to elastically deform the tube 6 into a state suitable for foaming, a driving member 21, and an opening / closing member 23 And a cover 25 attached to the tube holder 20 so as to cover the pushing member 24. The entire dispensing switching device 7 is attached to the upper surface of the main body 3a of the holding container 3, and is exposed so that the user of the beverage server 1 can access it by opening the lid 3b.

  The tube holder 20 is provided to hold the tube 6 in a fixed position. The tube holder 20 is an assembly part in which a lower holding part 26 and an upper holding part 27 are overlapped in the vertical direction. The lower holding component 26 is fixed to the main body 3 a of the holding container 3. As well shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a tube groove 26 a into which the lower half of the tube 6 fits is formed on the upper surface side of the lower holding component 26. The upper holding part 27 is a substantially flat part. As is clear from FIG. 5, a tube groove 27 a in which the upper half of the tube 6 fits is formed on the lower surface side of the upper holding component 27. Each of the tube grooves 26 a and 27 a is formed so as to draw a semicircular cross-sectional outline having a radius of curvature substantially equal to the outer peripheral surface of the tube 6. In other words, the cross-sectional contours of the tube grooves 26a and 27a are substantially equal to the shape obtained by dividing the outer peripheral contour of the tube 6 into two equal parts in the vertical direction. Therefore, by overlapping the lower holding component 26 and the upper holding component 27 in the vertical direction, a tube insertion region 28 that is substantially in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the tube 6 is formed in the tube holding body 20 (FIGS. 10 and 11). reference).

  The tube 6 is passed through the tube insertion region 28 of the tube holder 20. Curved portions 26b and 27b are formed at the respective ends of the tube grooves 26a and 27a (see FIG. 5). The tube 6 passed through the tube insertion region 28 is guided into the guide tube 12 while being bent along the curved portions 26b and 27b. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the upper holding component 27 is formed with through holes 27 c and 27 d that communicate with the tube insertion region 28. The through hole 27 c is provided as a gap that allows the open / close member 23 to advance and retract relative to the tube insertion area 28, and the through hole 27 d is provided as a gap that allows the push member 24 to advance and retract relative to the tube insertion area 28. The through holes 27 c and 27 d are provided at an appropriate distance in the longitudinal direction of the tube 6. Therefore, the elastic deformation of the tube 6 by the opening / closing member 23 and the elastic deformation of the tube 6 by the pushing member 24 are performed at different positions. A through-hole 27d corresponding to the push-in member 24 opens at the center of the upper end of the tube insertion region 28, and its axial direction coincides with the vertical direction.

  The lower holding part 26 is formed with a pair of support shafts 26 e that protrude in the radial direction of the tube 6. A bearing portion 27e that is rotatably fitted to the support shaft 26e is formed at one end portion of the upper holding component 27. By fitting the bearing portion 27e to the support shaft 26e, the upper holding component 27 is combined with the lower holding component 26 so as to be rotatable around the support shaft 26e. When the upper holding component 27 is rotated upward about the support shaft 26e, the holding components 26 and 27 are divided to open the tube insertion region 28 (see FIG. 6). Therefore, the tube 6 is arranged along the tube groove 26 a and the tip end portion thereof is inserted into the guide tube 12, and then the upper holding part 27 is rotated so as to overlap the lower holding part 26. The tube 6 can be held by the tube holder 20 through the tube 6.

  The drive member 21 is provided so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the tube 6 along the upper surface of the upper holding component 27. A fitting hole 21 a for engaging the operation lever 22 and the driving member 21 is formed on one end side of the driving member 21. The operation lever 22 includes a lever shaft 30 and a handle 31 attached to the connecting portion 30 a on the upper portion of the lever shaft 30. A substantially hemispherical fulcrum part 30 b is provided in the middle of the lever shaft 30. The operation lever 22 is attached to the lid 3b so as to be operable to tilt in the front-rear direction around the fulcrum 30b. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the operation lever 22 includes a pouring stop position P <b> 0 where the handle 31 is substantially upright in the vertical direction, and a pouring position where the handle 31 is tilted forward of the pouring stop position P <b> 0. It can be operated between P1 and the bubble dispensing position P3 where the handle 31 is tilted to the rear side from the dispensing stop position P0.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, an enlarged portion 30 c is formed at the lower end portion of the lever shaft 30. The end face in the front-rear direction of the enlarged portion 30c is rounded into a spherical shape. The lever shaft 30 is combined with the drive member 21 so that the spherical portions before and after the enlarged portion 30 c are in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the fitting hole 21 a of the drive member 21. Therefore, when the operation lever 22 is operated in the front-rear direction, the drive member 21 moves in the front-rear direction along the upper surface of the upper holding component 27.

  On the opposite side of the drive member 21 from the side where the fitting hole 21a is provided, a pair of left and right wall portions 21b are provided at an appropriate interval. The wall portions 21b are parallel to each other and symmetrical in the left-right direction with the tube 6 passed through the tube insertion region 28 interposed therebetween. The opening / closing member 23 and the pushing member 24 are mounted between the pair of wall portions 21b so as to be movable in the vertical direction. Cutouts 21c and 21d are formed on the wall 21b, and an inverted V-shaped projection 21e is formed between the cutouts 21c and 21d. The side edges in the front-rear direction of the protruding portion 21 e function as an inclined portion that is inclined with respect to the driving direction of the driving member 21, that is, the longitudinal direction of the tube 6. As is apparent from FIGS. 2 and 4, the opening / closing member 23 includes a main body portion 23a disposed so as to be bridged between the wall portions 21b, and a pressing portion 23b extending downward from the main body portion 23a. ing. An inverted V-shaped groove 23c is formed at the end in the left-right direction of the main body 23a. The groove 23c is fitted into a protrusion 21e provided on the wall 21b of the drive member 21. Accordingly, the opening / closing member 23 is supported between the wall portions 21b.

  The pressing portion 23 b of the opening / closing member 23 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape having a rectangular cross section that extends in the left-right direction of the beverage server 1. The distal end portion (lower end portion) of the pressing portion 23 b is appropriately rounded so as not to damage the tube 6. The length in the left-right direction of the pressing portion 23b is set to be somewhat larger than the outer diameter of the tube 6 so that a specific portion of the tube 6 can be pushed in over the entire length. The holding portion 23 b is inserted into the through hole 27 c of the upper holding component 27. Thereby, even if the drive member 21 moves in the front-rear direction, the opening / closing member 23 is held in the position of the through hole 27c without moving back and forth. The tube grooves 26a and 27a are extended in the left-right direction so that the pressing portion 23b that has advanced from the through hole 27c can reach the bottom of the tube groove 26a. A compression coil spring (hereinafter sometimes abbreviated as a spring) 33 as an example of a pushing force applying member that generates a force in a direction in which the opening / closing member 23 is pressed against the tube 6 between the opening / closing member 23 and the cover 25. Is provided.

  When the handle 31 of the operation lever 22 is at the pouring stop position P0, the protrusion 21e of the drive member 21 is in the same position in the front-rear direction as the groove 23c of the opening / closing member 23, whereby the protrusion 21e and the groove 23c are spring-loaded. Fits with 33 forces. In this state, the holding portion 23b elastically deforms the tube 6 so that the inner space is closed. Thereby, the flow of the beverage from the bottle 2 to the spout 5 is prevented, and the dispensing of the beverage is stopped. When the handle 31 of the operation lever 22 is operated from the dispensing stop position P0 to the dispensing position P1, the drive member 21 moves backward (side approaching the bottle 2). In that case, the inclined portion of the protruding portion 21e on the side of the notch portion 21c pushes the wall surface of the groove portion 23c rearward, whereby the displacement of the driving member 21 is converted into a displacement in the direction of pushing up the opening / closing member 23. As a result, the opening / closing member 23 is retracted upward so as to be separated from the tube 6 against the spring 33. Thereby, the inside of the tube 6 is opened, and the flow of the beverage from the bottle 2 toward the spout 5 is allowed.

  On the other hand, when the handle 31 of the operation lever 22 is operated from the dispensing stop position P0 to the bubble dispensing position P2, the drive member 21 moves forward (side approaching the dispensing port 5). In this case, the inclined portion on the cutout portion 21d side of the protrusion 21e pushes the wall surface of the groove portion 23c forward, whereby the displacement of the driving member 21 is converted into a displacement in the direction of pushing up the opening / closing member 23. As a result, the opening / closing member 23 is retracted upward so as to be separated from the tube 6 against the spring 33. Also in this case, the inside of the tube 6 is opened at the opening / closing portion by the opening / closing member 23, and the flow of the beverage from the bottle 2 toward the spout 5 is allowed.

  7 to 9 show an example of the pushing member 24. The pushing member 24 includes a main body portion 24a and a pressing portion 24b extending downward from the main body portion 24a. An inclined portion 24c protruding in a plate shape is formed at an end portion in the left-right direction of the main body portion 24a. The inclined portion 24c is provided so as to be gradually inclined backward as it goes downward. On the inner surface side of the wall portion 21b of the drive member 21, a groove-like inclined portion 21f into which the inclined portion 24c is fitted is provided. The pushing member 24 is supported between the pair of wall portions 21b by fitting the inclined portions 24c to the inclined portions 21f of the pair of wall portions 21b. The inclined portion 24c is movable along the inclined portion 21f.

  The pressing portion 24b of the pushing member 24 includes a shaft portion 24d that extends downward from the main body portion 24a, and a protruding portion 24e that continues to the tip end portion (lower end portion) of the shaft portion 24d. The shaft portion 24 d has a columnar shape, and the outer diameter thereof is set to be somewhat smaller than the outer diameter of the tube 6. As an example, the outer diameter of the shaft portion 24 d is set to about 50 to 60% with respect to the outer diameter of the tube 6. The protruding portion 24e is formed in a tapered shape that gradually becomes thinner as it protrudes from the shaft portion 24d. The projecting portion 24e is provided so that the front end surface 24f is in contact with the center of the upper end of the tube 6 passed through the tube insertion region 28. As is clear from FIG. 9, the front end surface 24 f of the protrusion 24 e is substantially rectangular, and the longitudinal direction thereof is set in the direction in which the inclined portions 24 c are arranged, that is, in the left-right direction across the tube 6. Although the dimension of the front end surface 24f of the protrusion 24e may be determined as appropriate, as an example, the long side dimension of the front end surface 24f is set to about 25 to 30% with respect to the outer diameter of the tube 6. However, the front end surface 24f of the protrusion 24e may be set in a square shape, a circular shape, or other various shapes.

  The shaft portion 24d of the pushing member 24 is inserted into the through hole 27d of the upper holding component 27 so as to be movable up and down. Therefore, even if the drive member 21 moves in the front-rear direction, the push-in member 24 is held in the position of the through hole 27d without moving in the front-rear direction. When the driving member 21 moves forward, the displacement of the driving member 21 is converted into the downward displacement of the pushing member 24 by the inclined portions 21f and 24c. Thereby, the pushing member 24 advances toward the tube 6. On the other hand, when the drive member 21 moves rearward, the displacement of the drive member 21 is converted into an upward displacement of the pushing member 24 with respect to the tube 6. The correspondence between the position of the operation lever 22 and the position of the pushing member 24 is as follows.

  When the handle 31 of the operation lever 22 is at the dispensing stop position P0, the push-in member 24 is positioned at a position where the distal end surface 24f of the pressing portion 24b is retracted relative to the tube 6 as shown in FIG. Specifically, it is in contact with the upper end of the tube 6 or is held at a position somewhat away from the tube 6. When the handle 31 of the operation lever 22 is operated to the extraction position P1, the pushing member 24 is displaced somewhat upward from the position of FIG. Therefore, the pushing member 24 is not involved in the elastic deformation of the tube 6 at any of the pouring stop position P0 and the pouring position P1.

  On the other hand, when the handle 31 of the operation lever 22 is operated to the bubble dispensing position P2, the driving member 21 moves forward, and the displacement is converted into the downward displacement of the pushing member 24 by the inclined portions 21f and 24c. . Therefore, as shown in FIG. 11, the tube 6 is pushed right below from the center of the upper end so as to be sandwiched between the protruding portion 24 e of the pushing member 24 and the bottom wall portion 28 a of the inner peripheral surface of the tube insertion region 28. It is elastically deformed.

  The inner peripheral surfaces of the tube grooves 26 a and 27 a forming the tube insertion region 28 are formed so as to draw a semicircular cross-sectional profile along the outer peripheral surface of the tube 6. Therefore, from the viewpoint of the function performed in relation to the elastic deformation of the tube 6, not only the bottom wall portion 28a that sandwiches the tube 6 in cooperation with the pushing member 24 on the inner peripheral surface of the tube insertion region 28, There is a pair of side wall portions 28b that limit elastic deformation of the tube 6 in the lateral direction (left-right direction in FIG. 11) due to the pushing. Therefore, the tube 6 pushed by the pushing member 24 cannot be elastically deformed so as to protrude freely to the side. In addition, the pushing force of the pushing member 24 acts on the central portion in the left-right direction of the tube 6 in a concentrated manner. Therefore, as shown in the figure, the tube 6 is elastically deformed symmetrically on both sides of the pushing member 24 so as to be rounded upward toward the tube insertion region 28. As a result, a pair of orifices 35 are formed on both sides of the push-in member 24 with a substantially circular cross section and an extremely small cross sectional area. Beverage bubbles are generated by expanding the pressure difference of the beverage before and after the orifice 35, and the bubbles are poured out from the spout 5.

  The cross-sectional area of the orifice 35 can be appropriately adjusted according to the size of the tube 6 and the shape and size of the push-in member 24. The size and shape suitable for foam generation are set according to the type of beverage. Good. As an example, when the beverage is beer and the outer diameter of the tube 6 is 6 mm and the inner diameter is 4 mm, the shape and dimensions of the pushing member 24 are set so that the inner diameter of the single orifice 35 is approximately 0.3 mm. Can be set. The tube 6 may be set in the same manner even when the outer diameter is 5 mm and the inner diameter is 3 mm.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a lock member 40 is attached to the rear end portion of the cover 25 so as to be rotatable about a pin 41. A pair of claws 40 a are provided on the distal end side (lower end side) of the lock member 40. By engaging the claws 40a with the recesses 26d (see FIG. 6) of the lower holding component 26, the upper holding component 27 can be prevented from rotating upward with respect to the lower holding component 26. Therefore, there is no possibility that the upper holding part 27 escapes upward with respect to the lower holding part 26 by a reaction force when the tube 6 is pushed by the opening / closing member 23 or the pushing member 24.

  As apparent from the above description, in the above embodiment, the beverage foam dispensing device A according to an example of the present invention is obtained by combining the tube 6, the tube holding body 20, the driving member 21, the operation lever 22, and the pushing member 24. (FIG. 2) is realized, and the orifice generating mechanism B (FIG. 2) of the beverage foam dispensing device A is realized by the operation lever 22, the drive member 21, and the pushing member 24, and the beverage foam casting is realized by the drive member 21 and the pushing member 24. The operation conversion mechanism C (FIG. 4) of the dispensing device A is realized. Further, the driving conversion mechanism D (FIG. 2) of the beverage server 1 according to an example of the present invention is realized by the driving member 21, the opening / closing member 23, and the pushing member 24, and the protrusion 23 e of the driving member 21 and the groove 23 c of the opening / closing member 23 are realized. The conversion portion E (FIG. 2) in the operation conversion mechanism C is realized by the inclined portion 21 f of the drive member 21 and the inclined portion 24 c of the pushing member 24.

  This invention is not limited to the above form, You may implement in the form to which the appropriate deformation | transformation or change was given. For example, in the above embodiment, the protruding portion 24e of the pushing member 24 is formed in a tapered shape. However, as illustrated in FIGS. 12 to 14, the protruding portion 24e has a smaller outer diameter than the shaft portion 24d. It may be formed in a cylindrical shape. Even with such a shape, it is possible to concentrate the pushing force on the central portion of the tube 6.

  In the above embodiment, the bottom wall portion 28a and the pair of side wall portions 28b of the tube insertion region 28 are formed so as to draw an integral and arc-shaped cross-sectional contour along the outer peripheral surface of the tube 6. There may be a gap between the portion 28a and the side wall portion 28b as long as the tube 6 is not elastically deformed so as to protrude. On the wall surfaces of the bottom wall portion 28a and the side wall portion 28b, a gap or the like may appropriately exist as long as the tube 6 does not protrude. It is sufficient that the bottom wall portion 28 a is provided so as to be able to sandwich the tube 6 in cooperation with the pushing member 24, and that the cross-sectional contour is set to an arc shape along the outer peripheral surface of the tube 6. Not necessarily required. For example, the bottom wall portion 28 a may be formed so as to have an arcuate cross-sectional contour that is somewhat gentler than the outer peripheral surface of the tube 6. The side wall portion 28b only needs to be able to limit elastic deformation that protrudes to the side of the tube 6 due to the pushing, and the cross-sectional contour is not necessarily set to an arc shape along the outer peripheral surface of the tube 6. I don't need it. For example, the side wall portion 28b may be formed to have an arcuate cross-sectional contour that is somewhat gentler than the outer peripheral surface of the tube 6, similarly to the bottom wall portion 28a.

  The operation conversion mechanism for driving the opening / closing member 23 and the pushing member 24 in the vertical direction is not limited to the illustrated example, and various motion conversion mechanisms such as a cam mechanism and a link mechanism may be used as the operation conversion mechanism. The operation member is not limited to a member capable of being tilted, such as an operation lever, and a member capable of various operations such as a rotation operation and a slide operation may be provided as the operation member.

  The beverage pouring path does not necessarily need to be composed of a flexible tube as a whole, and a rigid piping component composed of a hard resin or a metal material may be provided at a part thereof. For example, the tube 6 may be used only in a range that passes through the dispensing switching device 7, and a rigid piping component may be used as a part of the beverage dispensing path before and after the tube 6. That is, the tube which has a softness | flexibility should just be provided in at least one part of the drink extraction path.

  The beverage server of the present invention only needs to have a configuration that realizes an orifice for dispensing beverage foam by elastic deformation of the tube, and a device for switching between dispensing or stopping dispensing in the beverage server is an opening / closing member. It is not restricted to the example implement | achieved by pushing in of the tube by, and pushing-in cancellation | release. For example, a switching valve or the like for opening and closing a valve body provided in the beverage dispensing path according to the operation of the operation member may be provided separately. The beverage foam dispensing apparatus of the present invention is not limited to an example applied to a beverage server with a built-in beverage container, and can be applied to various beverage dispensing apparatuses that are required to dispense beverage foam. Although the drink showed beer as an example, the drink foam pouring device of the present invention may be used for foaming of various drinks.

Claims (11)

A tube having elasticity that can be elastically deformed and through which a beverage passes;
A tube holder for holding the tube;
An orifice generating mechanism that elastically deforms the tube so that an orifice is formed inside by pushing the tube held by the tube holder with a pushing member;
The tube holding body includes a bottom wall portion that sandwiches the tube in cooperation with the push-in member, and a pair of side wall portions that limit elastic deformation of the tube to the side accompanying the push-in. A tube insertion region through which the tube is passed is formed between the portions, and a gap is provided between the pair of side wall portions to allow the pushing member to advance and retreat with respect to the tube insertion region. Beverage foam pouring device.   The beverage foam pouring device according to claim 1, wherein the pair of side wall portions are formed so as to draw an arc-shaped cross-sectional contour along the outer peripheral surface of the tube.   The beverage foam pouring device according to claim 1, wherein the bottom wall portion and the pair of side wall portions are continuously formed so as to draw an arc-shaped cross-sectional contour along the outer peripheral surface of the tube.   The beverage foam pouring device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a pressing portion that is thinner than an outer diameter of the tube is formed on a side of the pushing member that contacts the tube.   The shaft portion formed narrower than the outer diameter of the tube and a projecting portion projecting from the tip of the shaft portion and formed thinner than the shaft portion are provided in the pressing portion. The beverage foam pouring device described in 1.   The beverage foam pouring device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the tube holder is configured by combining a plurality of holding parts that can be divided so as to open the tube insertion region.   The orifice generating mechanism is provided with an operation member operated by a user and an operation conversion mechanism for converting an operation of the operation member into an advance / retreat operation of the push-in member with respect to the tube. The beverage foam pouring device according to claim 1. A beverage server capable of opening and closing a beverage dispensing path to switch between dispensing and stopping dispensing of beverages,
A beverage server comprising the beverage foam dispensing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein at least a part of the beverage dispensing channel is configured by the tube of the beverage foam dispensing device. An operation member operable between a beverage pouring position, a pouring stop position and a foam pouring position;
An opening and closing member for opening and closing the beverage dispensing path;
When the operating member is operated to the pouring position and the foam pouring position, the opening and closing member opens the beverage pouring path, and when the operating member is operated to the pouring stop position, the opening and closing member is The operation of the operation member is converted into an opening / closing operation of the opening / closing member so as to close the beverage dispensing path, and the push-in member moves backward with respect to the tube when the operation member is operated to the extraction position. Then, when the operation member is operated to the bubble pouring position, the operation conversion that converts the operation of the operation member into the advance / retreat operation of the push member with respect to the tube so that the push member advances relative to the tube. Mechanism,
The beverage server according to claim 8, comprising: The opening and closing member is provided so as to be able to advance and retract with respect to the tube at a position different from the pushing member,
The operation converting mechanism is configured such that when the operation member is operated to the extraction position and the bubble extraction position, the opening and closing member is retracted with respect to the tube, and the operation member is operated to the extraction stop position. The beverage server according to claim 9, wherein the beverage server is configured to advance with respect to the tube so that the opening and closing member closes the inside of the tube.   The operation conversion mechanism includes a drive member that is displaced in a longitudinal direction of the tube in accordance with an operation of the operation member, and the longitudinal direction is provided between the drive member, the opening / closing member, and the push-in member. The beverage server according to claim 10, further comprising: a conversion unit that converts the longitudinal movement of the driving member into an advancing / retreating operation of the opening / closing member and the pushing member with respect to the tube by using an inclined portion with respect to the tube.

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