JP7156682B2 - Extraction method and extraction apparatus - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a brewing method and a brewing apparatus for extracting a beverage from an object to be brewed.

Known methods for extracting coffee liquid include an immersion method in which ground beans are immersed in hot water (Patent Document 1) and a permeation method in which hot water is permeated through ground beans (Patent Document 2).

JP-A-05-081544 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-024703

Both the conventional immersion type and permeation type have room for improvement in terms of extracting a beverage with a deeper flavor (for example, coffee liquid).

An object of the present invention is to provide a technology capable of extracting a beverage with a deeper flavor.

A brewing method according to the present invention is a brewing method for extracting a beverage from an object to be brewed, wherein the inside of the brewing container containing the object to be brewed and the liquid is released to the atmosphere by release to the atmosphere. a depressurizing step of depressurizing from a first atmospheric pressure, which is a pressure exceeding the atmospheric pressure, to the atmospheric pressure; and an extraction step of extracting the beverage from the extraction target, wherein the liquid is boiled at the first atmospheric pressure. The liquid that does not boil at the first pressure boils at the atmospheric pressure reduced in the pressure reduction step, and in the pressure reduction step, the pressure is reduced from the first pressure to the first pressure A second atmospheric pressure that is lower and higher than the atmospheric pressure is held for a predetermined time, and the pressure is reduced from the second atmospheric pressure to the atmospheric pressure.

Further, a brewing device according to the present invention is a brewing device for extracting a beverage from an object to be brewed, comprising a brewing container, supply means for supplying the liquid and air pressure to the brewing container, and control for controlling the supply means. wherein the control means releases the pressure inside the extraction container containing the object to be extracted and the liquid to the surrounding atmosphere of the extraction device, thereby reducing the pressure inside the extraction container to a first pressure. to a second atmospheric pressure lower than the first atmospheric pressure, wherein the first atmospheric pressure is an atmospheric pressure at which the liquid at a predetermined temperature does not boil, and the second atmospheric pressure is the first is the pressure at which the liquid that has not boiled at the pressure of 1 is boiled. It is characterized in that the atmospheric pressure is reduced to the second atmospheric pressure.

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the technique which can extract a more deep-tasting beverage can be provided.

The external view of a beverage manufacturing apparatus. FIG. 2 is a partial front view of the beverage manufacturing apparatus of FIG. 1; Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the function of the beverage production apparatus. FIG. 2 is a partially broken perspective view of the separation device; 3 is a perspective view of the drive unit and extraction container; FIG. 6 shows the closed and open states of the brewing container of FIG. 5; FIG. The front view which shows the structure of a part of upper unit and lower unit. FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of FIG. 7; Schematic diagram of the central unit. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control device of the beverage manufacturing apparatus of FIG. 1; 4A and 4B are flowcharts showing an example of control executed by a control device; Schematic diagram of a liquid feeding amount adjusting device. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 12 and a cross-sectional view of another example; FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the operation of preheating; FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining hot water supply operation from steaming to extraction; The figure which shows the change of atmospheric pressure. The figure which shows a display screen.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, the same reference numbers are given to the same components, and the description thereof is omitted.

<1. Overview of Beverage Production Equipment>
FIG. 1 is an external view of a beverage manufacturing apparatus 1. FIG. The beverage production apparatus 1 of this embodiment is an apparatus for automatically producing a coffee beverage from roasted coffee beans and liquid (here, water), and can produce a cup of coffee beverage per one production operation. . Roasted coffee beans as a raw material can be accommodated in the canister 40 . A cup placing portion 110 is provided in the lower portion of the beverage manufacturing apparatus 1, and the manufactured coffee beverage is poured into the cup from the pouring portion 10c.

Beverage production apparatus 1 includes a housing 100 that forms its exterior and encloses internal mechanisms. The housing 100 is roughly divided into a main body portion 101 and a cover portion 102 that covers part of the front surface and part of the side surface of the beverage manufacturing apparatus 1 . An information display device 12 is provided on the cover portion 102 . In the case of this embodiment, the information display device 12 is a touch-panel display, and can display various types of information as well as receive inputs from the administrator of the device and beverage consumers. The information display device 12 is attached to the cover portion 102 via a moving mechanism 12a, and is vertically movable within a certain range by the moving mechanism 12a.

The cover portion 102 is also provided with a bean inlet 103 and a door 103 a for opening and closing the bean inlet 103 . Roasted coffee beans different from the roasted coffee beans stored in the canister 40 can be thrown into the bean inlet 103 by opening the opening/closing door 103 . This makes it possible to provide a special cup to the beverage consumer.

In this embodiment, the cover portion 102 is made of a translucent material such as acrylic or glass, and constitutes a transparent cover whose entirety is a transmissive portion. Therefore, the inner mechanism covered with the cover portion 102 can be visually recognized from the outside. In the case of this embodiment, a portion of the production section that produces coffee beverages is visible through the cover section 102 . In this embodiment, the main body 101 is entirely non-transmissive, making it difficult to see the inside from the outside.

FIG. 2 is a partial front view of the beverage manufacturing apparatus 1, showing a part of the production section visible to the user when the beverage manufacturing apparatus 1 is viewed from the front. The cover part 102 and the information display device 12 are illustrated by imaginary lines.

A housing 100 in the front portion of the beverage manufacturing apparatus 1 has a double structure including a main body portion 101 and a cover portion 102 on the outside (front side) thereof. A part of the mechanism of the manufacturing department is arranged between the main body part 101 and the cover part 12 in the front-rear direction, and can be visually recognized by the user through the cover part 102 .

In the case of this embodiment, part of the mechanisms of the manufacturing department that can be visually recognized by the user through the cover part 102 are the collecting transport part 42, the grinders 5A and 5B, the separation device 6, the extraction container 9, and the like, which will be described later. A rectangular recess 101a recessed inward is formed in the front portion of the main body 101, and the extraction container 9 and the like are positioned in the recess 101a inward.

Since these mechanisms can be visually recognized from the outside through the cover portion 102, it may be easier for the administrator to inspect and confirm the operation. In addition, beverage consumers may be able to enjoy the coffee beverage manufacturing process.

The right end of the cover portion 102 is supported by the main body portion 101 via a hinge 102a so that it can be opened and closed horizontally. An engaging portion 102b is provided at the left end of the cover portion 102 to keep the body portion 101 and the cover portion 102 closed. The engaging portion 102b is, for example, a combination of magnet and iron. By opening the cover section 102, the manager can inspect a part of the above-described manufacturing section inside.

In the case of the present embodiment, the cover portion 102 is of a horizontal opening type, but it may be of a vertical opening type (vertical opening type) or of a sliding type. Also, the cover portion 102 may be configured such that it cannot be opened and closed.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the functions of the beverage production apparatus 1. As shown in FIG. The beverage manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a bean processing apparatus 2 and an extraction apparatus 3 as a coffee beverage manufacturing unit.

The bean processing device 2 produces ground beans from roasted coffee beans. The extraction device 3 extracts coffee liquid from ground beans supplied from the bean processing device 2 . The extraction device 3 includes a fluid supply unit 7, a drive unit 8, an extraction container 9 and a switching unit 10, which will be described later. Ground beans supplied from the bean processing device 2 are put into the extraction container 9 . The fluid supply unit 7 feeds hot water into the extraction container 9 . Coffee liquid is extracted from the ground beans in the extraction container 9 . Hot water containing the extracted coffee liquid is delivered to the cup C as a coffee beverage via the switching unit 10. - 特許庁

<2. Fluid Supply Unit and Switching Unit>
The configurations of the fluid supply unit 7 and the switching unit 10 will be described with reference to FIG. First, the fluid supply unit 7 will be described. The fluid supply unit 7 supplies hot water to the extraction container 9, controls the pressure inside the extraction container 9, and the like. In this document, when atmospheric pressure is indicated by numbers, it means absolute pressure unless otherwise specified, and gauge pressure is atmospheric pressure with atmospheric pressure being 0 atmospheric pressure. Atmospheric pressure refers to the atmospheric pressure around the extraction vessel 9 or the atmospheric pressure of the beverage production apparatus. It is the standard atmospheric pressure (1013.25 hPa) at 0m above sea level of the International Standard Atmosphere (= ``International Standard Atmosphere'' [[abbreviation] ISA]) established in 1976 by the Aviation Organization [[abbreviation] ICAO]).

The fluid supply unit 7 includes pipes L1 to L3. The pipe L1 is a pipe through which air flows, and the pipe L2 is a pipe through which water flows. The pipe L3 is a pipe through which both air and water can flow.

The fluid supply unit 7 includes a compressor 70 as a source of pressurization. Compressor 70 compresses and delivers atmospheric air. The compressor 70 is driven by, for example, a motor (not shown) as a drive source. Compressed air delivered from the compressor 70 is supplied to a reserve tank (accumulator) 71 via a check valve 71a. The air pressure in the reserve tank 71 is monitored by a pressure sensor 71b, and the compressor 70 is driven so as to maintain a predetermined air pressure (7 atmospheres (6 atmospheres in gauge pressure) in this embodiment). The reserve tank 71 is provided with a drain 71c for draining water so that water generated by the compressed air can be drained.

The water tank 72 stores hot water (water) that constitutes the coffee beverage. The water tank 72 is provided with a heater 72a for heating the water in the water tank 72 and a temperature sensor 72b for measuring the temperature of the water. The heater 72a maintains the temperature of the accumulated hot water at a predetermined temperature (120 degrees Celsius in this embodiment) based on the detection result of the temperature sensor 72b. The heater 72a is turned on, for example, when the hot water temperature is 118 degrees Celsius, and turned off when the temperature is 120 degrees Celsius.

The water tank 72 is also provided with a water level sensor 72c. A water level sensor 72 c detects the water level of hot water in the water tank 72 . Water is supplied to the water tank 72 when the water level sensor 72c detects that the water level has fallen below a predetermined level. In the case of this embodiment, water is supplied via a water purifier (not shown). A solenoid valve 72d is provided in the middle of the pipe L2 from the water purifier. When the water level sensor 72c detects a drop in the water level, the solenoid valve 72d is opened to supply water. The valve 72d is closed to shut off the water supply. Thus, the hot water in the water tank 72 is maintained at a constant water level. The water tank 72 may be supplied with water each time the hot water used for making one coffee beverage is discharged.

The water tank 72 is also provided with a pressure sensor 72g. A pressure sensor 72 g detects the air pressure inside the water tank 72 . Air pressure in the reserve tank 71 is supplied to the water tank 72 via a pressure regulating valve 72e and an electromagnetic valve 72f. The pressure regulating valve 72e reduces the pressure supplied from the reserve tank 71 to a predetermined pressure. In the case of this embodiment, the pressure is reduced to 3 atmospheres (2 atmospheres in gauge pressure). The solenoid valve 72f switches between supplying and blocking the air pressure adjusted by the pressure adjusting valve 72e to the water tank 72 . The solenoid valve 72f is controlled to open and close so that the pressure inside the water tank 72 is maintained at 3 atm except when water is being supplied to the water tank 72 . At the time of supplying water to the water tank 72, the pressure in the water tank 72 is set to a pressure lower than the water pressure of the water (for example, 2.0) by the electromagnetic valve 72h so that the water tank 72 is smoothly replenished with water. Reduce the pressure to less than 5 atm). The solenoid valve 72h switches whether to open the water tank 72 to the atmosphere or not, and when the pressure is reduced, the water tank 72 is opened to the atmosphere. Besides, when the pressure inside the water tank 72 exceeds 3 atm, the solenoid valve 72h releases the inside of the water tank 72 to the atmosphere to maintain the inside of the water tank 72 at 3 atm except when water is supplied to the water tank 72. do.

The hot water in the water tank 72 is supplied to the extraction container 9 via the check valve 72j, the solenoid valve 72i and the pipe L3. Hot water is supplied to the extraction container 9 by opening the solenoid valve 72i, and the supply of hot water is cut off by closing the solenoid valve 72i. The amount of hot water supplied to the extraction container 9 can be controlled by the opening time of the solenoid valve 72i. However, the opening and closing of the solenoid valve 72i may be controlled by measuring the supply amount. A temperature sensor 73e for measuring the temperature of the hot water is provided in the pipe L3, and the temperature of the hot water supplied to the extraction vessel 9 is monitored.

The air pressure in the reserve tank 71 is also supplied to the extraction vessel 9 via a pressure regulating valve 73a and an electromagnetic valve 73b. The pressure regulating valve 73a reduces the pressure supplied from the reserve tank 71 to a predetermined pressure. In the case of this embodiment, it is possible to reduce the pressure to 5 atmospheres (4 atmospheres in gauge pressure) or less. The electromagnetic valve 73b switches between supplying and blocking the pressure adjusted by the pressure adjusting valve 73a to the extraction vessel 9. As shown in FIG. The pressure inside the extraction container 9 is detected by a pressure sensor 73d. When the inside of the extraction container 9 is pressurized, the electromagnetic valve 73b is opened based on the detection result of the pressure sensor 73d, and the inside of the extraction container 9 is pressurized to a predetermined atmospheric pressure (in this embodiment, a maximum of 5 atmospheres (4 atmospheres in gauge pressure). )). The pressure inside the extraction container 9 can be reduced by the electromagnetic valve 73c. The electromagnetic valve 73c switches whether to release the inside of the extraction container 9 to the atmosphere, and releases the inside of the extraction container 9 to the atmosphere when the pressure is abnormal (for example, when the inside of the extraction container 9 exceeds 5 atmospheres).

After the production of one coffee beverage is finished, in the case of this embodiment, the inside of the extraction container 9 is washed with water. The electromagnetic valve 73f is opened during cleaning to supply water to the extraction vessel 9. As shown in FIG.

Next, the switching unit 10 will be explained. The switching unit 10 is a unit that switches the delivery destination of the liquid delivered from the extraction container 9 to either the pouring section 10c or the waste tank T. FIG. The switching unit 10 includes a switching valve 10a and a motor 10b that drives the switching valve 10a. The switching valve 10a switches the flow path to the pouring portion 10c when the coffee beverage in the extraction container 9 is delivered. The coffee beverage is poured into the cup C from the pouring portion 10c. When discharging the waste liquid (water) and residue (ground beans) during washing, the flow path is switched to the waste tank T. The switching valve 10a is a 3-port ball valve in this embodiment. Since residue passes through the switching valve 10a during cleaning, the switching valve 10a is preferably a ball valve, and the motor 10b rotates its rotary shaft to switch the flow path.

<3. Bean processing equipment>
The bean processing device 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. The bean processing device 2 includes a storage device 4 and a crushing device 5 .

<3-1. Storage device>
The storage device 4 includes a plurality of canisters 40 in which roasted coffee beans are stored. In this embodiment, three canisters 40 are provided. The canister 40 includes a cylindrical main body 40a for containing roasted coffee beans and a handle 40b provided on the main body 40a, and is detachably attached to the beverage manufacturing apparatus 1. As shown in FIG.

Each canister 40 may contain different types of roasted coffee beans so that the type of roasted coffee beans used to produce the coffee beverage can be selected by operating the information display device 12 . Different kinds of roasted coffee beans are, for example, roasted coffee beans of different coffee bean varieties. The roasted coffee beans of different types are coffee beans of the same variety, but may be roasted coffee beans of different roasting degrees. Moreover, the roasted coffee beans of different types may be roasted coffee beans of different types and degrees of roasting. Also, at least one of the three canisters 40 may contain roasted coffee beans in which roasted coffee beans of a plurality of varieties are mixed. In this case, the roasted coffee beans of each variety may have the same degree of roasting.

In addition, although a plurality of canisters 40 are provided in the present embodiment, a configuration in which only one canister 40 is provided may be employed. Also, when a plurality of canisters 40 are provided, the same kind of roasted coffee beans may be accommodated in all or a plurality of canisters 40 .

Each canister 40 is detachably attached to a weighing and conveying device 41 . The weighing and conveying device 41 is, for example, an electric screw conveyor, and automatically weighs a predetermined amount of roasted coffee beans contained in the canister 40 and delivers them to the downstream side.

Each measuring and conveying device 41 discharges the roasted coffee beans to a collective conveying section 42 on the downstream side. The collective conveying portion 42 is composed of a hollow member, and forms a conveying passage for the roasted coffee beans from each conveyor 41 to the crushing device 5 (particularly the grinder 5A). The roasted coffee beans discharged from each weighing/conveying device 41 move by their own weight inside the collective conveying unit 42 and flow down to the crushing device 5 .

A guide portion 42 a is formed at a position corresponding to the bean input port 103 in the aggregate transport portion 42 . The guide portion 42a forms a passage for guiding the roasted coffee beans introduced from the bean inlet 103 to the grinding device 5 (particularly the grinder 5A). As a result, coffee beverages made from roasted coffee beans fed from the bean feeding port 103 can be produced in addition to the roasted coffee beans housed in the canister 40. - 特許庁

<3-2. Crushing device>
The crushing device 5 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 4. FIG. FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of the separating device 6. FIG. The crushing device 5 includes grinders 5A and 5B and a separation device 6. The grinders 5A and 5B are mechanisms for grinding the roasted coffee beans supplied from the storage device 4. FIG. The roasted coffee beans supplied from the storage device 4 are ground by the grinder 5A, further ground by the grinder 5B into powder, and introduced into the extraction vessel 9 through the discharge pipe 5C.

The grinders 5A and 5B differ in grain size for grinding beans. The grinder 5A is a grinder for coarse grinding, and the grinder 5B is a grinder for fine grinding. Each of the grinders 5A and 5B is an electric grinder, and includes a motor as a driving source and a rotating blade driven by the motor. The size (particle size) of the roasted coffee beans to be pulverized can be changed by changing the rotation speed of the rotary blade.

The separating device 6 is a mechanism for separating unnecessary substances from the ground beans. Separating device 6 includes passage 63a arranged between grinders 5A and 5B. The passage portion 63a is a hollow body forming a separation chamber through which ground beans freely falling from the grinder 5A pass. The passage portion 63a is connected to a passage portion 63b extending in a direction (horizontal direction in this embodiment) that intersects the passing direction of the ground beans (vertical direction in this embodiment). The suction unit 60 is connected to the portion 63b. Light objects such as chaff and fine powder are sucked by the suction unit 60 sucking the air in the passage portion 63a. This allows the unwanted matter to be separated from the ground beans.

The suction unit 60 is a centrifugal mechanism. The suction unit 60 includes an air blowing unit 60A and a collection container 60B. In this embodiment, the blower unit 60A is a fan motor, and exhausts the air in the collection container 60B upward.

Collection container 60B includes an upper portion 61 and a lower portion 62 that are separably engaged. The lower portion 62 has a bottomed cylindrical shape with an open top, forming a space for accumulating unnecessary items. The upper portion 61 constitutes a lid portion that is attached to the opening of the lower portion 62 . The upper portion 61 includes a cylindrical outer peripheral wall 61a and an exhaust pipe 61b formed coaxially therewith. The blower unit 60A is fixed to the upper portion 61 above the exhaust pipe 61b so as to suck the air in the exhaust pipe 61b. A passage portion 63 b is connected to the upper portion 61 . The passage portion 63b opens to the side of the exhaust pipe 61b.

By driving the blower unit 60A, air currents indicated by arrows d1 to d3 in FIG. 4 are generated. Due to this airflow, the air containing unnecessary matter is sucked into the collection container 60B from the passage portion 63a through the passage portion 63b. Since the passage portion 63b is open to the side of the exhaust pipe 61b, the air containing unnecessary substances swirls around the exhaust pipe 61b. The waste D in the air falls by its weight and is collected in a portion of the collection container 60B (deposited on the bottom surface of the lower portion 62). Air is exhausted upward through the inside of the exhaust pipe 61b.

A plurality of fins 61d are integrally formed on the peripheral surface of the exhaust pipe 61b. A plurality of fins 61d are arranged in the circumferential direction of the exhaust pipe 61b. Each fin 61d is obliquely inclined with respect to the axial direction of the exhaust pipe 61b. By providing such fins 61, the swirl of the air containing the unwanted matter D around the exhaust pipe 61b is promoted.

In the case of this embodiment, the lower portion 62 is made of a translucent material such as acrylic or glass, and constitutes a transparent container whose entirety is a transmissive portion. A lower portion 62 is a portion covered with a cover portion 102 (FIG. 2). A manager or a consumer of the beverage can see the unwanted matter D accumulated in the lower portion 62 through the cover portion 102 and the peripheral wall of the lower portion 62 . It may be easier for the administrator to confirm the cleaning timing of the lower portion 62, and for the consumer of the beverage, it is possible to visually confirm that the unnecessary matter D has been removed, which increases expectations for the quality of the coffee beverage being produced. Sometimes.

Thus, in this embodiment, the roasted coffee beans supplied from the storage device 4 are first coarsely ground by the grinder 5A, and when the coarsely ground beans pass through the passage portion 63a, the separation device 6 separates unwanted substances from them. are separated. The coarsely ground beans from which unnecessary matter has been separated are finely ground by the grinder 5B. The wastes separated by the separation device 6 are typically chaff and fine powder. These can reduce the taste of the coffee beverage, and removing chaff and the like from the ground beans can improve the quality of the coffee beverage.

Grinding of roasted coffee beans may be in one grinder (single stage grinding). However, as in the present embodiment, two-stage grinding by the two grinders 5A and 5B makes it easier for the ground beans to have a uniform particle size, and the extraction degree of the coffee liquid can be made constant. During grinding of beans, heat may be generated due to friction between the cutter and the beans. The two-stage pulverization can suppress heat generation due to friction during pulverization and prevent deterioration of the ground beans (for example, loss of flavor).

In addition, by going through the stages of coarse grinding → separation of unnecessary substances → fine grinding, when separating unnecessary substances such as chaff, it is possible to increase the mass difference between the unnecessary substances and the ground beans (required parts). This can improve the separation efficiency of unnecessary substances, and can prevent ground beans (required portions) from being separated as unnecessary substances. In addition, the heat generation of the ground beans can be suppressed by the air cooling by interposing the unnecessary matter separation processing using air suction between the coarse grinding and the fine grinding.

<4. Drive unit and extraction container>
<4-1. Overview>
The drive unit 8 and extraction container 9 of the extraction device 3 will be described with reference to FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the drive unit 8 and the extraction container 9. FIG. Most of the drive unit 8 is surrounded by the body portion 101 .

The drive unit 8 is supported by the frame F. The frame F includes upper and lower beams F1 and F2 and a column F3 that supports the beams F1 and F2. The drive unit 8 is roughly divided into three units: an upper unit 8A, a middle unit 8B and a lower unit 8C. The upper unit 8A is supported by the beam F1. The middle unit 8B is supported by the beam portion F1 and the pillar portion F3 between the beam portion F1 and the beam portion F2. The lower unit 8C is supported by the beam F2.

The extraction container 9 is a chamber containing a container body 90 and a lid unit 91 . The extraction container 9 may be called a chamber. The central unit 8B includes an arm member 820 that detachably holds the container body 90. As shown in FIG. Arm member 820 includes a holding member 820a and a pair of shaft members 820b spaced apart from each other in the left and right direction. The holding member 820a is an elastic member such as resin formed in a C-shaped clip, and holds the container body 90 by its elastic force. The holding member 82a holds the left and right side portions of the container body 90, and the front side of the container body 90 is exposed. This makes it easier to visually recognize the inside of the container body 90 when viewed from the front.

The container main body 90 is attached to and detached from the holding member 820a by manual operation, and the container main body 90 is attached to the holding member 820a by pressing the container main body 90 forward and backward against the holding member 820a. Further, the container main body 90 can be separated from the holding member 820a by pulling the container main body 90 forward from the holding member 820a.

Each of the pair of shaft members 820b is a rod extending in the front-rear direction, and is a member that supports the holding member 820a. Although the number of shaft members 820b is two in this embodiment, the number may be one or three or more. The holding member 820a is fixed to the front ends of the pair of shaft members 820b. The pair of shaft members 82b are moved forward and backward by a mechanism to be described later, whereby the holding member 820a is moved forward and backward, and the container body 90 can be translated forward and backward. The central unit 8B is also capable of rotating the extraction container 9 upside down, as will be described later.

<4-2. Extraction container>
The extraction container 9 will be described with reference to FIG. 6A and 6B are diagrams showing the closed state and the open state of the extraction container 9. FIG. As described above, the extraction vessel 9 is turned upside down by the central unit 8B. The extraction container 9 in FIG. 6 shows a basic posture in which the lid unit 91 is positioned on the upper side. In the following description, when the vertical positional relationship is described, it means the vertical positional relationship in the basic posture unless otherwise specified.

The container body 90 is a container with a bottom and has a bottle shape having a neck portion 90b, a shoulder portion 90d, a body portion 90e and a bottom portion 90f. A flange portion 90c defining an opening 90a communicating with the internal space of the container body 90 is formed at the end of the neck portion 90b (upper end of the container body 90).

Both the neck portion 90b and the body portion 90e have a cylindrical shape. The shoulder portion 90d is a portion between the neck portion 90b and the body portion 90e, and has a tapered shape such that the cross-sectional area of the internal space thereof gradually decreases from the body portion 90e side toward the neck portion 90b side. ing.

The lid unit 91 is a unit that opens and closes the opening 90a. The opening/closing operation (lifting operation) of the lid unit 91 is performed by the upper unit 8A.

Container body 90 includes a body member 900 and a bottom member 901 . The main body member 900 is a cylindrical member that is open at the top and bottom and forms a neck portion 90b, a shoulder portion 90d, and a body portion 90e. The bottom member 901 is a member that forms the bottom portion 90f, and is inserted and fixed to the lower portion of the main body member 900. As shown in FIG. A sealing member 902 is interposed between the body member 900 and the bottom member 901 to improve the airtightness inside the container body 90 .

In the case of this embodiment, the main body member 900 is made of a translucent material such as acrylic or glass, and constitutes a transparent container whose entirety is a transmissive portion. A manager or a consumer of the beverage can see the extraction state of the coffee beverage in the container body 90 through the cover portion 102 and the body member 900 of the container body 90 . For the manager, it may be easy to check the extraction operation, and for the consumer of the beverage, it may be possible to enjoy the extraction situation.

A convex portion 901c is provided in the central portion of the bottom member 901, and the convex portion 901c has a communication hole that communicates the inside of the container body 90 with the outside and a valve (valve 903 in FIG. 8) that opens and closes the communication hole. is provided. The communication hole is used for discharging waste liquid and residue when cleaning the inside of the container body 90 . A sealing member 908 is provided on the convex portion 901c, and the sealing member 908 is a member for maintaining airtightness between the upper unit 8A or the lower unit 8C and the bottom member 901. As shown in FIG.

The lid unit 91 includes a hat-shaped base member 911 . The base member 911 has a convex portion 911d and a flange portion 911c that overlaps the flange portion 90c when closed. The convex portion 911d has the same structure as the convex portion 901c of the container body 90, and is provided with a communication hole for communicating the inside of the container body 90 with the outside and a valve (valve 913 in FIG. 8) for opening and closing the communication hole. It is The communication hole of the projection 911d is mainly used for injecting hot water into the container body 90 and sending out the coffee beverage. A sealing member 918a is provided on the convex portion 911d. The sealing member 918a is a member for maintaining airtightness between the upper unit 8A or the lower unit 8C and the base member 911. As shown in FIG. The lid unit 91 is also provided with a sealing member 919 . The sealing member 919 improves the airtightness between the lid unit 91 and the container body 90 when the lid unit 91 is closed. The lid unit 91 holds a filter for filtration.

<4-3. Upper unit and lower unit>
The upper unit 8A and the lower unit 8C will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. FIG. FIG. 7 is a front view showing the configuration of part of the upper unit 8A and the lower unit 8C, and FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of FIG.

The upper unit 8A includes an operation unit 81A. The operation unit 81A performs opening/closing operation (lifting/lowering) of the lid unit 91 with respect to the container body 90 and opening/closing operation of the valves of the convex portions 901c and 911d. The operation unit 81A includes a support member 800, a holding member 801, an elevation shaft 802 and a probe 803.

The support member 800 is fixed so as not to change its relative position to the frame F, and accommodates the holding member 801 . The support member 800 also includes a communicating portion 800a that allows the inside of the support member 800 to communicate with the pipe L3. Hot water, cold water, and air pressure supplied from the pipe L3 are introduced into the support member 800 through the communicating portion 800a.

The holding member 801 is a member capable of detachably holding the lid unit 91 . The holding member 801 has a cylindrical space into which the protrusion 911d of the lid unit 91 or the protrusion 901c of the bottom member 901 is inserted, and has a mechanism for detachably holding them. This mechanism is, for example, a snap ring mechanism, which engages with a certain pressing force and disengages with a certain separating force. Hot water, cold water, and atmospheric pressure supplied from the pipe L3 can be supplied into the extraction container 9 via the communicating portion 800a and the communicating hole 801a of the holding member 801. FIG.

The holding member 801 is also a movable member that is vertically slidable within the support member 800 . The elevating shaft 802 is provided so that its axial direction is the vertical direction. The elevating shaft 802 penetrates the top portion of the support member 800 in an air-tight manner in the vertical direction, and is provided so as to be vertically movable with respect to the support member 800 .

A top portion of the holding member 801 is fixed to the lower end portion of the lifting shaft 802 . The holding member 801 slides in the vertical direction by raising and lowering the elevating shaft 802, so that the holding member 801 can be attached to and separated from the projections 911d and 901c. Also, the lid unit 91 can be opened and closed with respect to the container body 90 .

A screw 802a that constitutes a lead screw mechanism is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the lifting shaft 802 . A nut 804b is screwed onto the screw 802a. The upper unit 8A has a motor 804a, and the nut 804b is rotated on the spot (without moving up and down) by the driving force of the motor 804a. The elevation shaft 802 is raised and lowered by the rotation of the nut 804b.

The elevating shaft 802 is a tubular shaft having a through hole in its central axis, and the probe 803 is inserted into the through hole so as to be vertically slidable. The probe 803 penetrates the top portion of the holding member 801 in an air-tight manner in the vertical direction, and is vertically movable with respect to the supporting member 800 and the holding member 801 .

The probe 803 is an operator for opening and closing the valves 913 and 903 provided inside the convex portions 911d and 901c. It can be changed from an open state to a closed state (by the action of a return spring, not shown).

A screw 803 a that constitutes a lead screw mechanism is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the probe 803 . A nut 805b is screwed onto the screw 803a. The upper unit 8A has a motor 805a, and the nut 805b is provided so as to rotate on the spot (without moving up and down) by the driving force of the motor 805a. Rotation of the nut 805b moves the probe 803 up and down.

The lower unit 8C includes an operation unit 81C. The operation unit 81C has a configuration in which the operation unit 81A is vertically inverted, and performs opening and closing operations of the valves 913 and 903 provided inside the convex portions 911d and 901c. Although the operation unit 81C is also configured to be able to open and close the lid unit 91, the operation unit 81C is not used for opening and closing the lid unit 91 in this embodiment.

Although the description of the operation unit 81A is substantially the same as the description of the operation unit 81A, the operation unit 81C will be described below. The operation unit 81C includes a support member 810, a holding member 811, an elevation shaft 812 and a probe 813.

The supporting member 810 is fixed so as not to change its relative position to the frame F, and accommodates the holding member 811 . The support member 810 also includes a communicating portion 810a that allows communication between the switching valve 10a of the switching unit 10 and the inside of the support member 810 . The coffee beverage, water, and residue of ground beans in the container main body 90 are introduced into the switching valve 10a through the communicating portion 810a.

The holding member 811 has a cylindrical space into which the projection 911d of the lid unit 91 or the projection 901c of the bottom member 901 is inserted, and has a mechanism for detachably holding them. This mechanism is, for example, a snap ring mechanism, which engages with a certain pressing force and disengages with a certain separating force. The coffee beverage, water, and residue of ground beans in the container body 90 are introduced into the switching valve 10a through the communicating portion 810a and the communicating hole 811a of the holding member 811. As shown in FIG.

The holding member 811 is also a movable member that is vertically slidable within the support member 810 . The elevating shaft 812 is provided so that its axial direction is the vertical direction. The elevating shaft 812 penetrates the bottom of the support member 800 in an air-tight manner in the vertical direction, and is provided to be vertically movable with respect to the support member 810 .

A bottom portion of a holding member 811 is fixed to the lower end portion of the lifting shaft 812 . The holding member 811 slides in the vertical direction by raising and lowering the elevating shaft 812, and the holding member 811 can be attached to and separated from the projections 901c and 911d.

A screw 812 a that constitutes a lead screw mechanism is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the lifting shaft 812 . A nut 814b is screwed onto the screw 812a. The lower unit 8C has a motor 814a, and the nut 814b is rotated on the spot (without moving up and down) by the driving force of the motor 814a. The elevation shaft 812 is raised and lowered by the rotation of the nut 814b.

The elevating shaft 812 is a tubular shaft having a through hole in its central axis, and a probe 813 is inserted into the through hole so as to be vertically slidable. The probe 813 penetrates the bottom of the holding member 811 in an air-tight manner in the vertical direction, and is vertically movable with respect to the supporting member 810 and the holding member 811 .

The probe 813 is an operator for opening and closing the valves 913 and 903 provided inside the convex portions 911d and 901c. It can be changed from an open state to a closed state (by the action of a return spring, not shown).

A screw 813 a that constitutes a lead screw mechanism is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the probe 813 . A nut 815b is screwed onto the screw 813a. The lower unit 8C has a motor 815a, and the nut 815b is provided so as to rotate on the spot (without moving up and down) by the driving force of the motor 815a. Rotation of the nut 815b moves the probe 813 up and down.

<4-4. Chubu Unit>
The central unit 8B will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 9. FIG. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of the central unit 8B. The middle unit 8B includes a support unit 81B that supports the extraction vessel 9. As shown in FIG. The support unit 81B includes a unit body 81B' that supports the lock mechanism 821 in addition to the arm member 820 described above.

The lock mechanism 821 is a mechanism that keeps the lid unit 91 closed with respect to the container body 90 . The locking mechanism 821 includes a pair of gripping members 821a that vertically sandwich the flange portion 911c of the lid unit 91 and the flange portion 90c of the container body 90. As shown in FIG. The pair of gripping members 821a has a C-shaped cross section that is fitted with the collar portion 911c and the flange portion 90c sandwiched therebetween, and is opened and closed in the left-right direction by the driving force of the motor 822 . When the pair of gripping members 821a is in the closed state, each gripping member 821a engages the flange portion 911c and the flange portion 90c so as to vertically sandwich the flange portion 911c and the flange portion 90c, as indicated by solid lines in the enclosing view of FIG. The unit 91 is hermetically locked to the container body 90 . In this locked state, even if the holding member 801 is lifted by the lifting shaft 802 to open the lid unit 91, the lid unit 91 does not move (lock is not released). That is, the locking force of the locking mechanism 821 is set stronger than the force of opening the lid unit 91 using the holding member 801 . As a result, it is possible to prevent the lid unit 91 from being opened with respect to the container body 90 in the event of an abnormality.

When the pair of gripping members 821a are in the open state, the gripping members 821a are separated from the flange portion 911c and the flange portion 90c, as indicated by the broken lines in the encircled view of FIG. is unlocked with

When the holding member 801 is holding the lid unit 91 and when the holding member 801 is raised from the lowered position to the raised position, the lid unit 91 is lifted from the container body 90 when the pair of gripping members 821a is open. separated. Conversely, when the pair of gripping members 821a is closed, the holding member 801 with respect to the lid unit 91 is released, and only the holding member 801 is raised.

The central unit 8B also includes a mechanism for horizontally moving the arm member 820 in the front-rear direction using the motor 823 as a drive source. As a result, the container body 90 supported by the arm member 820 can be moved between the rear extracting position (state ST1) and the front bean throwing position (state ST2). The bean-throwing-in position is a position at which ground beans are thrown into the container body 90, and the ground beans ground by the grinder 5B are thrown into the opening 90a of the container body 90 from which the lid unit 91 is separated from the discharge pipe 5C. In other words, the position of the discharge pipe 5C is above the container body 90 positioned at the bean loading position.

The extraction position is a position where the container body 90 can be operated by the operation units 81A and 81C, is coaxial with the probes 803 and 813, and is a position where coffee liquid is extracted. The extraction position is a position on the back side of the bean-throwing-in position. 5, 7 and 8 all show the container body 90 in the extraction position. In this way, by changing the position of the container body 90 for the input of the ground beans, the extraction of the coffee liquid, and the supply of the water, the steam generated during the extraction of the coffee liquid is discharged from the discharge pipe, which is the supply portion of the ground beans. Adherence to 5C can be prevented.

The central unit 8B also includes a mechanism that rotates the support unit 81B around a longitudinal axis 825 using a motor 824 as a drive source. As a result, the posture of the container body 90 (extraction container 9) can be changed from the upright posture (state ST1) with the neck portion 90b on the upper side to the inverted posture (state ST3) with the neck portion 90b on the lower side. While the extraction container 9 is rotating, the locking mechanism 821 keeps the lid unit 91 locked to the container body 90 . The extraction container 9 is turned upside down between the upright posture and the inverted posture. In the inverted posture, the convex portion 911d is positioned at the position of the convex portion 901c in the upright posture. In addition, the convex portion 901c in the inverted posture is positioned at the position of the convex portion 911d in the erect posture. Therefore, in the inverted posture, the operation unit 81A can perform the opening/closing operation for the valve 903, and the operation unit 81C can perform the opening/closing operation for the valve 913. FIG.

<5. Control device>
The control device 11 of the beverage manufacturing apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 10 . FIG. 10 is a block diagram of the control device 11. As shown in FIG.

The control device 11 controls the beverage manufacturing device 1 as a whole. The control device 11 includes a processing section 11a, a storage section 11b and an I/F (interface) section 11c. The processing unit 11a is, for example, a processor such as a CPU. The storage unit 11b is, for example, RAM or ROM. The I/F unit 11c includes an input/output interface for inputting/outputting signals between an external device and the processing unit 11a. The I/F unit 11c also includes a communication interface capable of data communication with the server 16 via the communication network 15 such as the Internet. The server 16 can communicate with a mobile terminal 17 such as a smartphone via a communication network 15, and can receive, for example, information such as reservations for beverage production and impressions from the mobile terminal 17 of beverage consumers. .

The processing unit 11 a executes a program stored in the storage unit 11 b and controls the actuator group 14 based on instructions from the information display device 12 , detection results from the sensor group 13 , or instructions from the server 16 . The sensor group 13 is various sensors provided in the beverage manufacturing apparatus 1 (for example, a hot water temperature sensor, a mechanism operating position detection sensor, a pressure sensor, etc.). The actuator group 14 is various actuators (for example, a motor, an electromagnetic valve, a heater, etc.) provided in the beverage manufacturing apparatus 1 .

Next, the liquid feeding amount adjusting device for the water tank 72 will be described. In this embodiment, the supply (pouring) of hot water from the water tank 72 to the extraction vessel 9 is performed by a liquid feed amount adjusting device having a water tank 72 as shown in FIG. FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of the liquid feeding amount adjusting device 720, and FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 12 and a cross-sectional view of another example (configuration example EX31). Like the water tank 72, the liquid feed amount adjusting device 720 is a tank that stores hot water (water) that constitutes the coffee beverage, and is a device that has a function of feeding a constant amount of hot water. This sequentially delivers the hot water required for one cup of coffee beverage. Moreover, the amount of hot water for one cup to be delivered can be changed. In the following description, components having the same functions as those related to the water tank 72 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

The liquid feeding amount adjusting device 720 has a tank 720a for accumulating hot water. The outer wall of the tank 720a includes a peripheral wall 721, a top wall 723 joined to the upper end of the peripheral wall 721, and a bottom wall 724 joined to the lower end of the peripheral wall 721, and as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. has a cylindrical shape as a whole. A partition wall 722 is provided in the tank 720a, and the internal space is partitioned by the partition wall 722 into an outer cylindrical space 725 and an inner cylindrical space 726A. In the case of this embodiment, the partition wall 722 is a cylindrical wall body arranged concentrically with the peripheral wall 721, but as shown in the configuration example EX31 of FIG. good.

The space 725 constitutes a storage section that stores hot water. The space 725 is also called a reservoir 725 . A movable member 727c is arranged in the upper part of the space 726A, and the space 726 in the lower part constitutes a storage part for storing hot water. The space 726 is also called a reservoir 726 . By partitioning the storage part 725 and the storage part 726 with the partition wall 722 which is a common wall, the size of the tank 720a can be reduced rather than partitioning with separate walls.

The reservoir 725 is provided with a heater 72a for heating the water in the reservoir 725 and a temperature sensor 72b for measuring the temperature of the water. The heater 72a maintains the temperature of the accumulated hot water at a predetermined temperature (120 degrees Celsius in this embodiment) based on the detection result of the temperature sensor 72b. The heater 72a is turned on, for example, when the hot water temperature is 118 degrees Celsius, and turned off when the temperature is 120 degrees Celsius.

A portion of the upper wall 723 that defines the reservoir 725 is connected to a pipe for supplying the air pressure in the reserve tank 71 (see FIG. 3), and is provided with an electromagnetic valve 72f. The liquid feeding amount adjusting device 720 has a sensor (not shown. For example, a sensor corresponding to the pressure sensor 72g in FIG. 3) for detecting the atmospheric pressure in the reservoir 725, and the electromagnetic valve 72f is a pressure regulating valve 72e (see FIG. 3). It switches between supply and cutoff of the regulated air pressure to the reservoir 725 . The solenoid valve 72f is controlled to open/close so that the pressure inside the reservoir 725 is maintained at a predetermined pressure, for example, 3 atmospheres, except when water is being supplied to the reservoir 725 .

A portion of the upper wall 723 that defines the reservoir 725 is also connected to a pipe that communicates the reservoir 725 with the atmosphere, and an electromagnetic valve 72h is provided here. When water is supplied to reservoir 725, the pressure of reservoir 725 is reduced to less than 2.5 atmospheres by electromagnetic valve 72h so that reservoir 725 is smoothly replenished with tap water. The electromagnetic valve 72h switches whether to release the inside of the water tank 72 to the atmosphere, and releases the inside of the reservoir 725 to the atmosphere when the pressure is reduced. In addition, when the pressure in the reservoir 725 exceeds, for example, 3 atm, the solenoid valve 72h releases the reservoir 725 to the atmosphere to maintain the reservoir 725 at 3 atm except when water is supplied to the reservoir 725. .

A pipe L2 for supplying water to the reservoir 725 is connected to a portion of the bottom wall 724 that defines the reservoir 725, and an electromagnetic valve 72d is provided here. The electromagnetic valve 72d is controlled to open and close based on the detection result of a water level sensor 72c, which will be described later, and controls the water level of the hot water in the reservoir 725. FIG.

A portion of the bottom wall 724 that defines the reservoir 725 is also connected to a pipe L2' for discharging the hot water in the reservoir 725, and is provided with an electromagnetic valve 72d'. The solenoid valve 72d' is opened when the hot water in the reservoir 725 is discarded, and the hot water in the reservoir 725 is discharged to the pipe L2'.

The reservoir 726 is a space whose volume can be changed by moving the movable member 727c. Hot water is supplied to the reservoir 726 from the reservoir 725 via a pipe 728a, an electromagnetic valve 728 and a pipe 728b. A pipe 728 a connects between the portion of the bottom wall 724 that defines the reservoir 725 and the solenoid valve 728 . A pipe 728 b connects between the portion of the bottom wall 724 that defines the reservoir 726 and the solenoid valve 728 .

In this embodiment, the solenoid valve 728 is a three-way valve, and can switch between communication and disconnection between the pipes 728b and 728a and between communication and disconnection between the pipes 728b and 728c. Also, the solenoid valve 728 can cut off any of the pipes. The pipe 728c is a pipe for sending the hot water in the reservoir 726 to the extraction container 9. As shown in FIG.

By switching between communication and disconnection between the pipes 728b and 728a, communication and disconnection between the reservoirs 725 and 726 can be switched. By switching between communication and disconnection between the pipes 728b and 728c, hot water delivery and storage in the storage section 726 can be switched.

When the pipes 728b and 728a are communicated with each other, the electromagnetic valve 728 shuts off the pipes 728b and 728c. Conversely, when the pipes 728b and 728c are in communication, the pipes 728b and 728a are blocked. The arrows shown in the solenoid valve 728 in the drawing indicate the operating state of the solenoid valve 728. In the example of FIG. state.

In this embodiment, the electromagnetic valve 728 is a three-way valve, so that one electromagnetic valve 728 is used to perform these switching. However, a configuration is also adopted in which the pipe 728b is divided into two, and a valve for switching communication and blocking between one pipe 728b and the pipe 728a and a valve for switching communication and blocking between the other pipe 728b and the pipe 728c are provided. It is possible.

The liquid feeding amount adjusting device 720 includes a driving unit 727 . Drive unit 727 is controlled in accordance with the amount of hot water delivered from reservoir 726 to change the volume of reservoir 726 . Depending on the size of the coffee cup, the required amount of hot water for one cup is different. The drive unit 727 adjusts the volume of the reservoir 726 so that an appropriate amount of hot water is delivered from the reservoir 726 according to the size of the coffee cup.

The drive unit 727 of this embodiment is a mechanism that changes the volume of the reservoir 726 by vertically moving the movable member 727c. The movable member 727c is a piston-like member configured to be inserted into the space 726A and slide in the vertical direction. As the bottom surface 727d rises and lowers, the volume of the storage section 726 changes.

Note that the volume of the reservoir 726 is not changed by moving the position of the upper wall as in this embodiment, but is changed by moving the position of the lower or side wall. Configurations are also possible.

The movable member 727c includes a seal member (not shown) that forms a seal with the inner surface of the partition wall 722, and slides on the inner surface of the partition wall 722 in a liquid-tight manner. However, a groove 727e extending in the vertical direction is formed in the peripheral surface of the movable member 727c, and the inner surface of the partition wall 722 and the gap are formed in the groove 727e.

The groove 727e is formed so as to communicate with an opening 722a penetrating the partition wall 722 in the thickness direction. The opening 722a is formed at a position above the highest water level of hot water in the reservoir 725 (the position of a sensor 731b, which will be described later), and is an air communication portion that communicates the reservoir 725 and the space 726A. The air communicates between the reservoir 725 and the reservoir 726 via the opening 722a and the groove 727e, and the air pressure in these spaces becomes the same. In addition, when the storage portions 725 and 726 are always kept at the atmospheric pressure, passages communicating with the atmosphere may be separately provided.

The drive unit 727 includes a motor 727a supported by the upper wall 723 as a drive source, and a screw shaft 727b as a moving mechanism for moving the movable member 727c. The screw shaft 727b extends vertically and is rotated by the driving force of the motor 727a. The movable member 727c has an open screw hole 727f in its upper surface, and the screw shaft 727b is engaged with this screw hole 727f. The movable member 727c is provided with a detent (not shown), and moves vertically as the screw shaft 727b rotates. The anti-rotation may be, for example, vertically extending concave and convex portions provided on the inner surface of the partition wall 722 and the peripheral surface of the movable member 727c.

In this embodiment, a screw mechanism consisting of a screw shaft 727b and a screw hole 727f is used as a moving mechanism for moving the movable member 727c, but this is not the only option, and other mechanisms such as a rack-pinion mechanism can also be used. be.

The water level sensor 72c is a measurement unit that measures the water level of hot water in the reservoir 725 . The water level sensor 72c includes a vertically extending hollow cylindrical reservoir 729, a float 730 provided in the reservoir 729, and a lower sensor 731a and an upper sensor 731b that detect the float 730.

The storage portion 729 communicates with the storage portion 725 at a communication portion 729a located below the sensor 731a, and communicates with the storage portion 725 at a communication portion 729b located above the sensor 731b. The hot water in the reservoir 725 flows into the reservoir 729 through the communicating portion 729a. The communication portion 729b is an air communication portion that communicates the storage portion 725 and the storage portion 729, and air communicates between the storage portions 725 and 729 via the communication portion 729b. Therefore, the water level of hot water in reservoir 729 is equal to the water level of hot water in reservoir 725 .

In the case of this embodiment, the reservoir 729 is made of a transparent member such as glass or acrylic. As a result, the water level of hot water in storage section 729 can be visually recognized from the outside, and as a result, the user can confirm the water level of hot water in storage section 725 . Of course, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which a transparent portion is provided in a part of the peripheral wall (721) of the storage portion 725 so that the water level can be visually recognized.

The float 730 may be of any type as long as it floats on hot water in the reservoir 729 .

The sensors 731 a and 731 b are, for example, optical sensors (photo interrupters), and detect the float 730 from the outside of the reservoir 729 . When the float 730 is detected by the sensor 731a, the electromagnetic valve 72d is opened and water is supplied to the reservoir 725. As shown in FIG. That is, the sensor 731 a monitors the lower limit of the hot water level in the reservoir 725 . The lower limit of the water level is set at a position higher than that of the heater 72a, so that empty heating by the heater 72a can be prevented.

When the float 730 is detected by the sensor 731b, the electromagnetic valve 72d is closed to stop the water supply to the reservoir 725. That is, the sensor 731b monitors the upper limit of the water level of the hot water in the reservoir 725. FIG.

A configuration equivalent to the water level sensor 72c can also be constructed inside the reservoir 725 . However, by constructing the water level sensor 72c outside the reservoir 725 as in this embodiment, it becomes easier to check the water level of the reservoir 725 from the outside.

<6. Operation control example>
An example of control processing of the beverage manufacturing apparatus 1 executed by the processing section 11a will be described with reference to FIGS. 11A(A) and (B), FIGS. FIG. 11A shows a control example related to one coffee beverage production operation. The state of the beverage manufacturing apparatus 1 before the production instruction is given is called a standby state. The state of each mechanism in the standby state is as follows. 14 and 15, the solenoid valve 728 is shown as solenoid valve 728-1 and solenoid valve 728-2 for explanation of the operation. The state in which the pipes 728b and 728a are communicated in FIG. 12 corresponds to the state in which the solenoid valve 728-1 is opened and the solenoid valve 728-2 is closed in FIGS. On the other hand, the state in which the pipes 728b and 728c are communicated in FIG. 12 corresponds to the state in which the solenoid valve 728-1 is closed and the solenoid valve 728-2 is opened in FIGS.

The extractor 3 is in the state of FIG. The extraction container 9 is in an upright posture and positioned at the extraction position. The lock mechanism 821 is closed, and the lid unit 91 closes the opening 90a of the container body 90 . The holding member 801 is in the lowered position and attached to the projection 911d. The holding member 811 is in the raised position and attached to the projection 901c. Valves 903 and 913 are in a closed state. The switching valve 10a communicates the communication portion 810a of the operation unit 8C with the waste tank T. As shown in FIG.

In the standby state, when there is an instruction to produce a coffee beverage, the process of FIG. 11(A) is executed. Preheating is performed in S1. This process is a process of pouring hot water into the container body 90 to heat the container body 90 in advance. First, the valves 903 and 913 are opened. As a result, the pipe L3, the extraction container 9, and the waste tank T are brought into communication.

At this time, the movable member 727c is positioned at a predetermined initial position as shown in FIG. 14(a). Then, the movable member 727c is moved upward as shown in FIG. Then, the electromagnetic valve 728 is switched so that the pipes 728b and 728a are communicated, and a predetermined small amount of hot water for preheating (smaller than the amount of hot water for steaming) is stored in the storage portion 726. Then, as shown in FIG. 14(c), the electromagnetic valve 728 is switched so that the pipes 728b and 728c are communicated, and a small amount of hot water for preheating is injected into the extraction container 9. Then, as shown in FIG.

The pressure in the reserve tank 71 is supplied to the water tank 72 via a pressure regulating valve 72e and an electromagnetic valve 72f, and the pressure regulating valve 72e reduces the pressure supplied from the reserve tank 71 to a predetermined pressure. In the case of this embodiment, the pressure is reduced to 3 atmospheres (2 atmospheres in gauge pressure). In the process of reducing the pressure, as shown in FIG. 14(d), boiling of the water in the water tank 72 is accelerated, and steam is supplied to the extraction container 9 through the opening 722a, the reservoir 726, and the pipe 728c. . At this time, the solenoid valve 728 is controlled so that the pipe 728b and the pipe 728c are communicated for a predetermined period of time. By sending steam from the tank 720a to the extraction container 9, the pressure in the tank 720a is reduced, the hot water in the tank 720a is stirred, and the relatively high-temperature hot water in the upper layer and the relatively low-temperature hot water in the lower layer are mixed. As a result of averaging, if the target temperature is not reached (for example, if the temperature is below 118 degrees Celsius), the heater 72a is turned on to heat the water in the tank 720a. Even after the pipes 728b and 728c are disconnected, boiling in the water tank 72 continues until the pressure is reduced to 3 atm, as shown in FIGS. 14(e) and 14(f).

Then, as shown in FIG. 14(g), the electromagnetic valve 728 is switched so that the pipe 728b and the pipe 728a are communicated, and the hot water for steaming (eg, 30 cc) is stored in the reservoir 726. After that, as shown in FIG. 14(h), the pipe 728b and the pipe 728a are cut off. By the above process, the inside of the brewing container 9 is preheated, and cooling of the hot water can be reduced in the subsequent production of the coffee beverage.

In S2, grind processing is performed. Here, roasted coffee beans are ground and the ground beans are put into the container body 90 . First, the lock mechanism 821 is opened, and the holding member 801 is raised to the raised position. The lid unit 91 is held by the holding member 801 and rises together with the holding member 801 . As a result, the lid unit 91 is separated from the container body 90 . The holding member 811 is lowered to the lowered position. The container main body 90 is moved to the bean-throwing-in position. Subsequently, the storage device 4 and the crushing device 5 are operated. As a result, a cup of roasted coffee beans is supplied from the storage device 4 to the grinder 5A. The roasted coffee beans are ground in two stages by the grinders 5A and 5B, and unwanted substances are separated by the separation device 6. - 特許庁Ground beans are put into the container main body 90 .

Return the container body 90 to the extraction position. The holding member 801 is lowered to the lowered position to attach the lid unit 91 to the container body 90 . The lock mechanism 821 is closed to airtightly lock the lid unit 91 to the container body 90 . The holding member 811 rises to the raised position. Of the valves 903 and 913, the valve 903 is opened and the valve 913 is closed.

Extraction processing is performed in S3. Here, coffee liquid is extracted from the ground beans in the container body 90 . FIG. 11B is a flow chart of the extraction process of S3. In this embodiment, the air pressure in the extraction container 9 is changed in each injection operation of hot water in the extraction process of S3. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing changes in air pressure inside the extraction container 9 during the extraction process of S3. The extraction process of S3 will be described below with reference to FIGS. 15 and 16. FIG.

In S11, in order to steam the ground beans in the extraction container 9, hot water (for example, 30 cc) less than a cup of hot water is poured into the extraction container 9. Here, as shown in FIG. 15(i), the electromagnetic valve 728 is switched so that the piping 728b and the piping 728c are communicated, and hot water for steaming is injected into the extraction container 9. FIG. At that time, the solenoid valve 73b is opened for a predetermined time and then closed. As a result, the air in the extraction container 9 is pressurized from 1 atm to 1.7 atm, for example, as shown in period 1601 in FIG. After that, as shown in FIG. 15(j), the pipe 728b and the pipe 728c are cut off, and as shown in period 1602 in FIG. 16, the process of S11 is finished after waiting for a predetermined time (for example, 15000 ms). This process allows the ground beans to be steamed. By steaming the ground beans, the carbon dioxide gas contained in the ground beans can be released, and the subsequent extraction effect can be enhanced. In FIG. 16, the solid line indicates changes in the atmospheric pressure inside the extraction container 9, and the broken line indicates changes in the amount of hot water in the extraction container 9. As shown in FIG. During period 1601, 30 cc of hot water is supplied along with the change in atmospheric pressure. In time period 1602, the hot water remains at 30cc.

In S12, as shown in FIG. 15(k), the electromagnetic valve 728 is switched so that the pipes 728b and 728c are communicated, and a predetermined amount of hot water (for example, 40 cc) is injected into the extraction container 9 for one cup. Here, the electromagnetic valve 73b is opened for a predetermined time and then closed. As a result, the air in the extraction container 9 is pressurized from 1.7 atmospheres to 3 atmospheres, as shown in period 1603 in FIG.

By the process of S12, the inside of the extraction container 9 can be brought to a temperature exceeding 100 degrees Celsius (for example, about 110 degrees Celsius). In S13, the remaining hot water (for example, 30 cc) of the cup is poured into the extraction container 9 while the pipes 728b and 728c are in communication. Furthermore, in S13, the inside of the extraction container 9 is pressurized. Here, the electromagnetic valve 73b is opened and closed for a predetermined time (for example, 1000 ms), and as shown in period 1604 in FIG. )). The total amount of hot water to be poured for steaming in period 1601, the amount of hot water to be poured in period 1603, and the amount of hot water to be poured in period 1604 in FIG. 16 can be adjusted to a predetermined amount (for example, 100 cc). After that, the pipe 728b and the pipe 728c are cut off, and the valve 903 is closed. FIG. 15(l) corresponds to this time point, and while the state of FIG. 15(l) is maintained, the following processes of S14 and S15 are performed.

Subsequently, in the process of S14, immersion extraction (S141) and chamber pressure reduction (S142) are performed. When the inside of the extraction container 9 is pressurized to, for example, 5 atm in S13, this state is maintained for a predetermined time (for example, 1000 ms) as shown in period 1605 in FIG. decompress quickly. Here, the pressure inside the extraction container 9 is switched to the pressure at which hot water boils. Specifically, the valve 913 is opened, and the electromagnetic valve 73c is opened for a predetermined time (for example, 1000 ms) and then closed, thereby releasing the inside of the extraction container 9 to the atmosphere. After that, the valve 913 is closed again.

The pressure inside the extraction container 9 is rapidly reduced to a pressure lower than the boiling point pressure, and the hot water in the extraction container 9 boils at once. The hot water and ground beans in the extraction container 9 are explosively scattered within the extraction container 9. - 特許庁This allows the water to boil evenly. In addition, destruction of the cell walls of the ground beans can be promoted, and subsequent extraction of the coffee liquid can be further promoted. In addition, the boiling can stir the ground beans and the hot water, thereby promoting the extraction of the coffee liquid. Thus, in this embodiment, the coffee liquid extraction efficiency can be improved. After rapid decompression, this state is maintained for a predetermined time (for example, 3000 ms) as indicated by period 1606 in FIG. After that, the electromagnetic valve 73c is opened for a predetermined time and then closed to further reduce the pressure from 1.5 atmospheres to, for example, 1 atmosphere. Then, as indicated by period 1607 in FIG. 16, this state is maintained for a predetermined time (for example, 1000 ms).

In this embodiment, extraction of the coffee liquid by the immersion method under high temperature and high pressure is performed by the process of S14 as described above. The following effects can be expected from immersion extraction under high temperature and pressure. First, the high pressure makes it easier for the hot water to permeate the inside of the ground beans, thereby promoting the extraction of the coffee liquid. Second, the high temperature promotes the extraction of the coffee liquid. Third, the high temperature lowers the viscosity of the oil contained in the ground beans and promotes the extraction of the oil. This makes it possible to produce a coffee beverage with a high aroma. In addition, since the pressure is reduced in two stages, for example, from 5 atm to 1.5 atm and from 1.5 atm to 1 atm in S14, compared to the one-stage decompression from 5 atm to 1 atm, the extraction container It is possible to suppress pressure fluctuations in the extraction container 9, and there is no need to provide a structure for reducing pressure fluctuations in the extraction container 9, and as a result, it may be possible to prevent the structure from becoming large.

The temperature of the hot water (high-temperature water) should be above 100 degrees Celsius, but a higher temperature is advantageous in extracting the coffee liquid. On the other hand, raising the temperature of the hot water generally results in an increase in cost. Therefore, the temperature of the hot water may be, for example, 105 degrees Celsius or higher, or 110 degrees Celsius or higher, or 115 degrees Celsius or higher, or, for example, 130 degrees Celsius or lower, or 120 degrees Celsius or lower. The atmospheric pressure should be such that hot water does not boil. After maintaining 1 atmospheric pressure for 1 second in S14, the solenoid valve 73b is opened for a prescribed period of time and then closed to pressurize to a prescribed atmospheric pressure (for example, 1.5 atmospheric pressure). Also, during the period 1607 , such pressurization may push a very small amount of liquid (about 5 cc) in the pipe leading to the extraction container 9 into the extraction container 9 .

In S15, the extraction container 9 is reversed from the upright posture to the inverted posture. Here, the holding member 801 is moved to the raised position, and the holding member 811 is moved to the lowered position. Then, the support unit 81B is rotated. After that, the holding member 801 is returned to the lowered position, and the holding member 811 is returned to the raised position. In the inverted extraction container 9, the neck portion 90b and the lid unit 91 are positioned on the lower side. The period of S15 corresponds to period 1608 in FIG. After the extraction container 9 is turned over, the electromagnetic valve 73c is opened for a predetermined time and then closed to reduce the pressure to 1 atm. Then, as indicated by period 1609 in FIG. 16, this state is maintained for a predetermined time (for example, 2000 ms). Further, in the present embodiment, hot water is poured into the extraction container 9 after the extraction container 9 is inverted. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 15(m), the electromagnetic valve 728 is switched so that the pipe 728b and the pipe 728c are communicated, and a predetermined amount of hot water (80 cc, for example) is injected into the extraction vessel 9.

At S16, permeation-type coffee liquid extraction is performed, and the coffee beverage is delivered to the cup C. Here, the switching valve 10a is switched to allow communication between the pouring portion 10c and the passage portion 810a of the operation unit 81C. Also, both the valves 903 and 913 are opened. In this embodiment, in the extraction of coffee liquid in S16, the coffee liquid is delivered by steam and the coffee liquid is delivered by air from the reserve tank 71 . When the coffee liquid is delivered by steam, first, hot water is poured into the extraction container 9 after the extraction container 9 is inverted (FIG. 15(m)), and then water is supplied to the water tank 72 (FIG. 15(n)). After waiting for a predetermined time in period 1609, the water tank 72 is pressurized from 1 atmospheric pressure to 2.0 atmospheric pressure via the pressure regulating valve 72e and the electromagnetic valve 72f. Here, since the pipes 728b and 728c are communicated with each other, when the steam in the water tank 72 is supplied to the extraction container 9, the pressure in the water tank 72 is lowered to promote boiling. As the steam is sent from the tank 720a to the extraction container 9, the pressure in the tank 720a decreases, and if the target temperature is not reached (for example, when the temperature is below 118 degrees Celsius), the heater 72a is turned on and the tank 720a of water will be boiled. At this time, the pressure in the extraction container 9 becomes about 1.6 atmospheres due to the pressure of the steam, and the coffee beverage in which the coffee liquid is dissolved in the hot water passes through the filter provided in the lid unit 91 and is delivered to the cup C. This period corresponds to period 1610 in FIG. The filter regulates the leakage of ground residue. With the above-described configuration, boiling of the water tank 72 stirs the water to make the temperature distribution uniform, and the coffee liquid can sometimes be extracted at a high temperature. Then, as shown in FIG. 15(o), the pipe 728b and the pipe 728c are cut off.

Next, in order to deliver the coffee liquid by supplying pressure from the reserve tank 71, the electromagnetic valve 73b is opened for a predetermined period of time and then closed, thereby increasing the pressure inside the extraction container 9 to a predetermined pressure (for example, 2.0 pressure). pressure. As a result, the coffee beverage in which the coffee liquid is dissolved in the hot water is delivered to the cup C through the filter provided in the lid unit 91 . This period corresponds to period 1611 in FIG. The filter regulates the leakage of ground residue. With the configuration as described above, the coffee beverage is delivered by a plurality of pressure sources. In addition, since the coffee beverage is finally delivered with the highest pressure among the plurality of pressure sources, it may be possible to reduce coffee beverage residue in the delivery structure portion.

In this embodiment, the immersion extraction in S14 and the permeation extraction in S16 are used together to improve extraction efficiency of the coffee liquid. When the extraction container 9 is in an upright position, the ground beans are deposited from the body portion 90e to the bottom portion 90f. On the other hand, when the extraction container 9 is in an inverted position, the ground beans are deposited from the shoulder portion 90d to the neck portion 90b. The cross-sectional area of the body portion 90e is larger than the cross-sectional area of the neck portion 90b, and the ground beans are deposited thicker in the inverted posture than in the upright posture. That is, when the extraction container 9 is in the upright posture, the ground beans are relatively thin and are deposited widely, and when the extraction container 9 is in the inverted posture, they are deposited relatively thick and narrow.

In the case of this embodiment, the immersion extraction in S14 is performed with the extraction vessel 9 in an upright position, so that the hot water and the ground beans can be brought into contact with each other over a wide range, and the extraction efficiency of the coffee liquid can be improved. However, in this case, hot water and ground beans tend to come into partial contact. On the other hand, since the permeation type extraction in S16 is performed with the extraction container 9 in an inverted position, the hot water passes through the accumulated ground beans while coming into contact with more ground beans. The hot water comes into contact with the ground beans more evenly, and the extraction efficiency of the coffee liquid can be further improved.

Returning to FIG. 11A, after the extraction process of S3, the discharge process of S4 is performed. Here, processing related to cleaning the inside of the extraction container 9 is performed. Cleaning of the extraction container 9 is performed by returning the extraction container 9 from the inverted position to the upright position and supplying water (purified water) to the extraction container 9 . Then, the inside of the extraction container 9 is pressurized, and the water in the extraction container 9 is discharged to the disposal tank T together with the residue of the ground beans.

Thus, one coffee beverage manufacturing process is completed. Thereafter, similar processing is repeated for each manufacturing instruction. The time required for making one coffee beverage is, for example, about 60 to 90 seconds.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example of the information shown in FIG. 16 displayed on the information display device 12. As shown in FIG. FIG. 17 shows an example in which the results of actual measurement of the pressure in the extraction container 9 and the amount of hot water during extraction are plotted in real time as the extraction progresses. In FIG. 17, the solid star line indicates the target pressure change in the brewing container 9 when brewing a cup of coffee, and the thin dashed line indicates the target pressure change in the brewing container 9 when brewing a cup of coffee. It shows the change in the amount of hot water. In addition, the thick solid line shows how the pressure change in the extraction container 9 that changes in real time during actual coffee extraction is plotted in real time, and the thick dashed line shows the extraction container that changes in real time during actual coffee extraction. It shows how the change in the amount of hot water in 9 is plotted in real time.

In FIG. 17, periods 1601 to 1605 and halfway through 1606 are plotted, the current extraction process progresses halfway through period 1606, the pressure in the extraction vessel 9 is 1.2 atmospheres, and the amount of hot water in the extraction vessel 9 is 100cc. It shows that In other words, as the extraction process progresses after the middle of the period 1606, the results of actually measuring the pressure and the amount of hot water in the extraction container 9 are plotted and displayed successively. Moreover, FIG. 17 shows that the target pressure and amount of hot water are not actually reached in each period due to malfunctions of various valves, paths of hot water and pressure, leakage in the extraction container 9, and the like. That is, the display in FIG. 17 enables the user to compare the target value and the actual value.

In FIG. 17, target pressure change in the extraction vessel 9, target hot water amount change in the extraction vessel 9, measured pressure change in the extraction vessel 9, measured hot water amount change in the extraction vessel 9, was showing However, the target pressure change in the extraction container 9 and the measured pressure change in the extraction container 9 may be displayed. Alternatively, the target change in the amount of hot water in the extraction container 9 and the measured change in the amount of hot water in the extraction container 9 may be displayed.

Also, in FIG. 17, the length of each period of the periods 1601 to 1611 is shown uniformly, but the graph is displayed on the information display device 12 at intervals corresponding to the actual length of time of each period. can be

In addition, a plurality of patterns of graphs of the pressure in the extraction container 9, the amount of hot water, and the length of each period shown in FIG. A cup of coffee may be extracted by making a selection and controlling the pressure in the extraction container 9, the amount of hot water, and the length of each period so as to achieve the selected pattern.

17, the target pressure change in the extraction vessel 9, the target hot water amount in the extraction vessel 9, the measured pressure change in the extraction vessel 9, and the measured hot water amount in the extraction vessel 9 is displayed over the entire period of extracting a cup of coffee, the target pressure change in the extraction container 9, the target hot water amount change in the extraction container 9, the measured pressure in the extraction container 9 and the measured change in the amount of hot water in the extraction container 9 may be stored in the storage means, and may be displayed again in response to the user's operation on the operation unit such as the information display device 12 .

In the above, the periods 1601 to 1611 are explained as periods, but they may be processes. Rapid depressurization process after (pressurized atmosphere release process 1), rapid depressurization process after standby state (pressurized atmosphere release process 2), standby process 1, container posture change process (container reversal process), standby process 2, beverage delivery Process 1, beverage delivery process 2, and the like may be used.

<Summary of embodiment>
The extraction method of the above embodiment is an extraction method for extracting a beverage from an object to be extracted. a decompression step (S14) of decompressing from a first pressure exceeding the atmospheric pressure to the atmospheric pressure, and an extraction step (S14, S16) of extracting the beverage from the extraction target, The first pressure is a pressure at which the liquid does not boil, the liquid that did not boil at the first pressure boils at the atmospheric pressure reduced in the pressure reduction step, and the pressure reduction step reduces the pressure at which the first is maintained for a predetermined time at a second pressure lower than the first pressure and higher than the atmospheric pressure, and the pressure is reduced from the second pressure to the atmospheric pressure. With such a configuration, it may be possible to reduce the pressure in two stages.

Further, the release to the atmosphere is performed by opening an electromagnetic valve (73b) for releasing the atmospheric pressure in the extraction container to the atmosphere. Also, the release to the atmosphere is performed without changing the volume of the extraction container. With such a configuration, it may be possible to reduce the pressure without changing the structure of the extraction vessel.

The temperature of the liquid in the extraction container is higher than the boiling point of the liquid at the atmospheric pressure immediately after the release to the atmosphere. Further, an injection step of injecting a liquid into the extraction container containing the object to be extracted is included prior to the depressurization step, and the temperature of the liquid in the extraction step is the boiling point of the liquid at the atmospheric pressure. characterized by a temperature higher than With such a configuration, it may be possible to increase the difference between the temperature of the hot water to be extracted and the boiling point at atmospheric pressure.

1 Beverage production device: 9 Extraction vessel: 71 Reserve tank: 72 Water tank: 720 Liquid feeding amount control device: 727 Drive unit: 72f, 72h, 73c, 73b, 728 Solenoid valve

Claims (6)

An extraction method for extracting a beverage from an object to be extracted,
a depressurizing step of decompressing the inside of the extraction container from a first pressure, which is a pressure exceeding the atmospheric pressure, to the atmospheric pressure by releasing the atmospheric pressure in the extraction container containing the extraction object and the liquid to the atmosphere; ,
an extraction step of extracting a beverage from the extraction target,
The first pressure is a pressure at which the liquid does not boil, and the liquid that did not boil at the first pressure boils at the atmospheric pressure reduced in the pressure reducing step,
In the decompression step, from the first atmospheric pressure, a second atmospheric pressure that is lower than the first atmospheric pressure and higher than the atmospheric pressure is held for a predetermined time, and the pressure is reduced from the second atmospheric pressure to the atmospheric pressure.
An extraction method characterized by: 2. The extraction method according to claim 1, wherein said release to the atmosphere is performed by opening an electromagnetic valve for releasing the atmospheric pressure in said extraction container to the atmosphere. 3. The extraction method according to claim 1, wherein said release to the atmosphere is performed without changing the volume of said extraction vessel. 4. The extraction method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the temperature of the liquid in the extraction container is higher than the boiling point of the liquid at the atmospheric pressure immediately after the release to the atmosphere. An injection step of injecting a liquid into the extraction container containing the extraction target before the decompression step,
the temperature of the liquid in the injecting step is higher than the boiling point of the liquid at the atmospheric pressure;
The extraction method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: An extraction device for extracting a beverage from an object to be extracted,
an extraction vessel;
supply means for supplying liquid and air pressure to the extraction vessel;
and a control means for controlling the supply means,
The control means is
By releasing the pressure in the extraction container containing the extraction target and the liquid to the atmosphere surrounding the extraction device, the pressure in the extraction container is reduced from a first pressure to a second pressure lower than the first pressure. Execute decompression control to decompress to the atmospheric pressure of
The first atmospheric pressure is an atmospheric pressure at which the liquid at a predetermined temperature does not boil, the second atmospheric pressure is an atmospheric pressure at which the liquid that did not boil at the first atmospheric pressure boils,
In the pressure reduction control, a third pressure lower than the first pressure and higher than the second pressure is held for a predetermined time, and pressure is reduced from the third pressure to the second pressure.
An extraction device characterized by:

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