JP7468249B2 - Beverage Production Equipment - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a beverage production device, and in particular to a beverage production device equipped with a cleaning unit that cleans the stirring unit with liquid.

Conventionally, beverage production devices are known that include a cleaning unit that cleans the stirring unit with liquid (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

The above-mentioned Patent Document 1 discloses a beverage production device that includes a stirring unit that stirs beverage ingredients in a container and a cleaning unit that cleans the stirring unit. The cleaning unit cleans the stirring unit using hot water supplied from a hot water tank through a hot water supply line.

JP 2019-30610 A

Here, to maintain hygiene, the beverage production device is cleaned by removing the cleaning unit every day by the user. In addition, although this is not disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, a tube is used as the hot water supply path, and it is thought that when removing the cleaning unit, the user removes the tube connecting the hot water tank and the cleaning unit, and then reattaches the tube after cleaning. However, it is time-consuming for the user to attach and detach the tube every time cleaning is performed. Therefore, it is desirable for the user to be able to easily and appropriately connect and disconnect the cleaning unit and the water supply unit.

This invention was made to solve the above problems, and one object of the invention is to provide a beverage production device that allows the user to easily and appropriately connect and disconnect the cleaning unit and the water supply unit.

A beverage manufacturing apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a main body, a stirring unit provided within the main body for stirring beverage ingredients in a container, a cleaning unit provided within the main body for cleaning the stirring unit with liquid, and a water supply unit for supplying liquid to the cleaning unit, the cleaning unit including a cleaning container and a water conducting unit arranged away from the water supply unit for supplying liquid from the water supply unit to the cleaning container, and at least one of the water supply unit or the water conducting unit is configured to move to connect and separate the water conducting unit of the cleaning unit and the water supply unit , the water conducting unit includes a water conducting pipe, and the water supply unit includes a water supply pipe, and is configured to connect and separate an end of the water supply pipe from an end of the water conducting pipe .

In the beverage preparation device according to one aspect of the present invention, as described above, the washing unit includes a washing container and a water guide unit that is disposed away from the water supply unit and supplies liquid from the water supply unit to the washing container, and is configured to connect and separate the water guide unit of the washing unit and the water supply unit by moving at least one of the water supply unit or the water guide unit. As a result, the water supply unit and the washing unit can be separated by moving at least one of the water supply unit or the water guide unit, so that the user can easily separate the water supply unit and the washing unit, unlike the case where the water supply unit and the washing unit are connected via a tube. In addition, the water supply unit and the washing unit can be connected to each other by simply moving at least one of the water supply unit or the water guide unit to their original positions without detaching or attaching a tube, so that the water supply unit and the washing unit can be appropriately connected. As a result, the user can easily and appropriately connect and disconnect the washing unit and the water supply unit. In addition, the liquid can be supplied to the washing container by connecting the water guide pipe and the water supply pipe, and the water supply unit and the washing unit can be separated by separating the water guide pipe and the water supply pipe.

In the beverage production device according to the above aspect, the water supply unit is preferably configured to move downward to connect with the water guide unit of the cleaning unit and move upward to separate from the water guide unit of the cleaning unit. With this configuration, the cleaning unit and the water supply unit can be separated by moving the water supply unit vertically, and since the water supply unit is located above the cleaning unit when removing the cleaning unit, the user can easily remove the cleaning unit by pulling it forward.

In this case, preferably, the device further includes a drive unit that moves the stirring unit and the water supply unit in an up-down direction, and the drive unit is configured to move the water supply unit in an up-down direction to connect and disconnect it from the water conveying unit. With this configuration, the drive unit that moves the stirring unit in an up-down direction can also be used as the drive unit that moves the water supply unit, so that the number of parts can be reduced and the device configuration can be simplified compared to when a separate drive unit is provided to move the stirring unit and water supply unit up-down.

In the beverage production device according to the above aspect, preferably, the device further comprises a holding section that holds the water supply section vertically separated from the cleaning section, and a pushing section that is moved downward by the drive section and presses the water supply section held in the holding section downward. With this configuration, the water supply section and the cleaning section can be held vertically separated by the holding section, so that the cleaning section can be prevented from coming into contact with the water supply section when the cleaning section is removed. This allows the user to easily remove the cleaning section.

In this case, the pushing section preferably includes a biasing member, and is configured such that the biasing force of the biasing member presses the water supply section against the water guide section of the cleaning section with the pushing section in contact with the water supply section. With this configuration, since the pushing section includes a biasing member, the biasing member can mitigate the impact at the time of connection and allow for smooth connection. In addition, the biasing force of the biasing member presses the water supply section against the water guide section of the cleaning section with the pushing section in contact with the water supply section, so that the water supply section and the water guide section of the cleaning section are more closely attached to each other. As a result, a gap is generated between the water supply section and the water guide section, and liquid leakage can be suppressed.

In the beverage production device according to the above aspect, a seal member is preferably provided on the surface of the water supply unit that contacts the water guide unit. With this configuration, the water supply unit and the water guide unit are connected via a seal member, so that the water supply unit and the water guide unit can be more closely attached to each other. As a result, it is possible to effectively prevent liquid from leaking from the connection portion.

In the beverage production device according to the above aspect, preferably, a sensor unit is further provided that detects the presence or absence of liquid in the cleaning container. With this configuration, the sensor unit can detect the presence or absence of liquid in the cleaning container, so that cleaning of the stirring unit can be prevented from being performed in a state where no liquid is being supplied.

In the beverage production device according to the above aspect, preferably, the device further includes a lid that covers the opening of the cleaning container during cleaning, the water guide is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the cleaning container, and the cleaning container is capable of storing liquid supplied from the water supply unit and is configured to clean the stirring unit and the lid while the liquid is stored. With this configuration, the device includes a lid that covers the opening of the cleaning container, so that the liquid supplied during cleaning can be prevented from leaking out. Furthermore, since the cleaning container is configured to clean the stirring unit and the lid while the liquid is stored, residual beverage ingredients adhering to the lid and the stirring unit can be removed by suspending them in the liquid.

As described above, the present invention provides a beverage production device that allows a user to easily and appropriately connect and disconnect the cleaning unit and the water supply unit.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a beverage production apparatus; FIG. 2 is a front view of the beverage production apparatus. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 300-300 in FIG. 2. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the water supply section and the cleaning section are in contact with each other. FIG. 11 is a partially enlarged view showing the state in which the water supply section and the cleaning section are in contact with each other. FIG. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the position of the cleaning unit during cleaning. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the position of the cleaning unit when producing a beverage. 11 is a diagram for explaining the movement of the stirring unit and the cleaning unit when producing a beverage. FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the movement of the water supply section and the cleaning section during cleaning. FIG. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a cleaning vessel according to a second embodiment.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings.

[First embodiment]
The configuration of a beverage production apparatus 100 according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 8. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the beverage production apparatus 100 is an apparatus for producing a beverage (such as a smoothie) by pulverizing beverage ingredients (e.g., frozen vegetables and fruits) that are solid matter in a container 110. In this specification, "smoothie" refers to a beverage produced by mixing vegetables and fruits with a mixer or the like.

The beverage production device 100 is placed in a store such as a convenience store, and is used by users such as customers of the store. The beverage ingredients are frozen, and the container 110 containing the beverage ingredients is stored in a freezer. The container 110 is provided with a packaging material that covers the top. The top of the container 110 is opened by opening the packaging material (lid). The user places the container 110 in the beverage production device 100 with the beverage ingredients contained therein, and performs an operation to start beverage production. When the operation to start beverage production is performed, the beverage production device 100 stirs and crushes the beverage ingredients in the container 110 to produce a beverage. Here, in the beverage production device 100, the side where the user is located is the front side (Y1 side), the opposite side is the rear side (Y2 side), and the front-to-back direction is the Y direction. In addition, the direction perpendicular to the front-to-back direction in the horizontal direction is the left-to-right direction (X direction), and the direction perpendicular to the front-to-back direction and the left-to-right direction is the up-to-down direction (Z direction).

As shown in FIG. 3, the beverage production device 100 includes a main body 1. The beverage production device 100 also includes a stirring unit 2, a cleaning unit 3, a water supply unit 4, a drive unit 5, and a pushing unit 6, which are provided inside the main body 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the main body 1 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape. A door 11 is provided below the front side of the main body 1, and a display unit 12 is provided above it.

The door section 11 is a door that separates the inside and outside of the beverage production device 100, and is provided on the front side (Y1 direction side) of the beverage production device 100. The door section 11 is configured to be rotatable around an axis that is provided on one end side in the left-right direction (X direction) and extends along the up-down direction (Z direction). The door section 11 is configured so that when the door section 11 is open (open state), a user can place a container 110 on the container holding section 7, and when the door section 11 is closed (closed state), a user cannot touch the container 110 placed on the container holding section 7. The door section 11 is made of a transparent material. In addition, the door section 11 is configured so that it is locked and cannot be opened or closed during cooking.

The display unit 12 displays images for the user to operate and images of information related to beverage supply. The display unit 12 is a thin display such as a liquid crystal display or an organic electroluminescence display.

As shown in FIG. 3, the stirring unit 2 is located on the front side (Y1 direction side) inside the main body 1. The stirring unit 2 is located on the upper side (Z1 direction side) inside the main body 1. The stirring unit 2 is arranged below (Z2 direction side) the drive unit 5 and is connected to the drive unit 5. The stirring unit 2 is configured to stir the beverage ingredients in the container 110. Specifically, the stirring unit 2 includes a rotating shaft 21 extending along the vertical direction (Z direction) and a blade portion 22 provided at the tip portion (the end portion on the Z2 direction side) of the rotating shaft 21. The rotating shaft 21 of the stirring unit 2 is rotated around a rotation axis line extending along the vertical direction. The stirring unit 2 moves in the vertical direction by the drive unit 5 and rotates by a rotation drive unit 24 provided inside the stirring unit 2. A lid portion 23 is provided on the tip side of the rotating shaft 21 to cover the upper opening of the container 110 when stirring the beverage ingredients in the container 110. The lid 23 can prevent beverage ingredients from scattering from the container 110 during stirring. In the beverage production device 100, the stirring unit 2 stirs the beverage ingredients in the container 110 to cook the beverage ingredients and create a beverage. The drive unit 5 also allows the stirring unit 2 to move vertically between a stirring position M (lowered position) where the blade 22 is lowered into the container 110, and a retracted position E (upper position) where the blade 22 is raised outside the container 110.

The cleaning section 3 is disposed below the agitation section 2 (on the Z2 direction side). The cleaning section 3 is disposed on the Y2 side of the container holding section 7 for holding the container 110. The cleaning section 3 includes a cleaning container 31 capable of storing liquid, and a water guide section 32 disposed away from the water supply section 4 and for supplying liquid from the water supply section 4 to the cleaning container 31. The cleaning container 31 is provided with a hole (not shown) for discharging waste liquid on the bottom surface. The cleaning container 31 can store liquid by adjusting the amount of water supply and generating centrifugal force by rotating the agitation section 2, resulting in a supply amount greater than the amount of drainage per unit time. The water guide section 32 is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the cleaning container 31 and supplies the liquid supplied from the water supply section 4 to the cleaning container 31. The water guide section 32 has a cylindrical water guide pipe 33. The water guide pipe 33 is connected to a through hole (not shown) provided on the side of the inside of the cleaning container 31, so that the liquid supplied from the water supply unit 4 flows through the inside of the water guide pipe 33 and is supplied to the cleaning container 31. The liquid is, for example, hot water or cold water. The cleaning unit 3 is removably provided in the main body 1. Specifically, the cleaning unit 3 is disposed on the mounting member 8 together with the container holding unit 7, and the mounting member 8 is configured to be detachable from the main body 1.

The water supply unit 4 is disposed above the cleaning unit 3 (Z1 direction side). The water supply unit 4 includes a water supply pipe 41 that supplies liquid to the cleaning unit 3. The water supply pipe 41 is disposed at a position vertically spaced apart from the water guide pipe 33. The water supply pipe 41 is connected to the water supply tank 30 via a tube T. The tube T is, for example, a silicon tube. The water supply pipe 41 is pressed down by the pushing part 6 when the driving unit 5 moves downward. At this time, the tube T also moves downward (Z2 direction side) at the same time. In addition, a return spring member 42 is attached to the water supply pipe 41, and as the driving unit 5 rises, the water supply pipe 41 returns to the position before it was pushed down. As will be described later, in the first embodiment, the tube T connecting the water supply pipe 41 and the water supply tank 30 is always connected without being removed even when the cleaning unit 3 is cleaned.

As shown in FIG. 4, a seal member 43 is attached to the surface of the water supply pipe 41 that is connected to the water conduit 33. The seal member 43 is, for example, a packing made of rubber. The seal member 43 is configured so that the abutment surface 432 of the water conduit 33 bites into the abutment surface 431 of the seal member 43. Specifically, the side wall portion 433 of the water conduit 33 narrows toward the water supply section 4 in a cross-sectional view in the vertical direction (Z direction), and the seal member 43 is made of a material softer than the water conduit 33. In addition, the diameter D1 of the through hole provided in the abutment surface 431 of the water conduit 33 that contacts the seal member 43 is larger than the diameter D2 of the through hole provided in the abutment surface 432 of the water supply pipe 41 that contacts the water conduit 33. The seal member 43 is, for example, made of silicone rubber. In addition, the water conduit 33 is, for example, made of polypropylene. The size D4 of the water conduit 33 that bites into the seal member 43 is designed to be approximately 30% of the vertical thickness D3 of the part of the seal member 43 that contacts the water conduit 33.

As shown in FIG. 3, the water supply unit 4 is attached to the holding unit 44. The holding unit 44 is fixed inside the main body unit 1. Even if the stirring unit 2 and the pushing unit 6 move in the vertical direction (Z direction), the holding unit 44 does not move in the vertical direction (Z direction). The holding unit 44 is configured to hold the water supply unit 4 away from the cleaning unit 3 in the vertical direction (Z direction). The holding unit 44 also has a hole (not shown) through which the drive unit 5 can move in the vertical direction (Z direction).

The drive unit 5 pushes the stirring unit 2 and the pushing unit 6 downward. The drive unit 5 includes a base plate on which the stirring unit 2 and the pushing unit 6 are attached, a motor 63 as a driving source, and a power conversion member that converts the rotational force of the motor 63 into a moving force in the vertical direction. The power conversion member is, for example, a sliding screw. The drive unit 5 also includes a spring member 51. The spring member 51 is, for example, a coil spring. The drive unit 5 is configured so that excessive force is not applied by the spring member 51 contracting. When the stirring unit 2 is pushed down, the lid unit 23 is also pushed down to cover the upper opening of the cleaning container 31. In addition, the drive unit 5 moves downward to move the water supply unit 4 downward via the pushing unit 6.

As shown in FIG. 3, the pushing unit 6 is disposed below the driving unit 5 (Z2 direction side). The pushing unit 6 includes a pushing member 61 for pushing the water supply pipe 41 of the water supply unit 4 downward, and a biasing member 62 that is pushed upward and contracts when the pushing unit 6 comes into contact with the water supply pipe 41. The pushing member 61 is movable in the vertical direction, and after coming into contact with the water supply unit 4, moves upward while contracting the biasing member 62. The biasing member 62 is, for example, a coil spring, and generates a biasing force by contracting. As shown in FIG. 6, the biasing force of the biasing member 62 causes the tip of the water supply pipe 41 of the water supply unit 4 to be pressed against the tip of the water guide pipe 33 of the cleaning unit 3 with the pushing unit 6 abutting against the water supply unit 4.

The container holding unit 7 is positioned in front of the cleaning unit 3 (Y1 direction side). The container 110 (see FIG. 1) is placed in the container holding unit 7. The container holding unit 7 is moved rearward (Y2 direction side) by the moving mechanism 10 during cooking.

As shown in FIG. 3, in the initial position, the cleaning unit 3 is located below the drive unit 5, and the container holding unit 7 is located in a position where the container 110 (see FIG. 1) can be removed. Also, as shown in FIG. 6, during cleaning, similar to the initial position, the cleaning unit 3 is located below the drive unit 5, and the container holding unit 7 is located in a position where the container 110 (see FIG. 1) can be removed. Also, as shown in FIG. 7, during beverage production, the container holding unit 7 is located below the drive unit 5.

As shown in FIG. 3, the attachment member 8 is disposed with the container holding section 7 and the cleaning section 3. The attachment member 8 is a tray provided with a partition member 81 that separates the container holding section 7 and the cleaning section 3. The attachment member 8 is located above the drain pan 9 for distributing waste liquid from the cleaning section 3 to the drain tank 20. The attachment member 8 is moved in the front-rear direction by the moving mechanism 10 to an initial position where the cleaning section 3 is located below the stirring section 2 shown in FIG. 3, and a position during beverage production where the container holding section 7 is located below the stirring section 2 shown in FIG. 7. It moves in the front-rear direction. The attachment member 8 is removably attached to the moving mechanism 10 attached to the side of the drain pan 9. The attachment member 8 is provided with a member that engages with the moving mechanism 10.

The drain pan 9 is a tray for draining waste liquid to the outside. The drain pan 9 has a hole (not shown) on the bottom surface for draining the waste liquid into the drainage tank 20. The drain pan 9 is fixed inside the main body 1.

The moving mechanism 10 is attached to the side of the drain pan 9. Therefore, it moves in the front-to-back direction (Y direction) along the side of the drain pan 9. The moving mechanism 10 moves the container holding unit 7 and the cleaning unit 3 simultaneously in the front-to-back direction (Y direction). The moving mechanism 10 is composed of, for example, a motor and a rack-and-pinion mechanism.

(Production of beverages)
The production of beverages will be described with reference to FIG. 8. Note that FIG. 8 shows a simplified configuration of the apparatus. In the beverage production apparatus 100 before cooking shown in FIG. 8(A), the stirring unit 2 is located above the cleaning unit 3, and the door unit 11 is in a closed state. Here, in the beverage production apparatus 100, beverage production is started by a user's operation. A container 110 containing beverage ingredients in advance is placed in the container holding unit 7 by the user. When an operation to start beverage production is performed, as shown in FIG. 8(B), the mounting member 8 is moved backward by the moving mechanism 10, and the container holding unit 7 is positioned below the stirring unit 2. Next, as shown in FIG. 8(C), hot water from the water supply tank 30 is supplied into the container 110 containing beverage ingredients. Note that the flow path that supplies hot water from the water supply tank 30 to the container 110 is different from the flow path that supplies liquid from the water supply tank 30 to the cleaning unit 3.

As shown in FIG. 8 (D), the stirring unit 2 is moved downward by the drive unit 5 (see FIG. 3) to a stirring position where the stirring unit 2 can cook (stir) and crush the beverage ingredients in the container 110. At this time, the lid unit 23 (see FIG. 7) also moves downward. Next, the rotating shaft 21 and blade unit 22 of the stirring unit 2 are rotated by the rotation drive unit 24 (see FIG. 3) and raised and lowered by the drive unit 5. This stirs and crushes the beverage ingredients in the container 110.

When stirring by the stirring unit 2 is completed, the stirring unit 2 is moved upward by the drive unit 5 as shown in FIG. 8 (E). At this time, the lid unit 23 (see FIG. 7) also moves upward. As shown in FIG. 8 (F), the mounting member 8 is moved forward by the movement mechanism 10 to a position where the container 110 can be removed. When the stirring unit 2 has moved to a position where the container 110 can be removed, it is located above the cleaning unit 3. This allows the user to open the door unit 11 and remove the container 110 containing the produced beverage from the container holding unit 7 arranged on the mounting member 8 as shown in FIG. 8 (G). Cleaning of the stirring unit 2 then begins.

(Cleaning of the stirring part)
The cleaning of the stirring unit 2 will be described with reference to FIG. 9. Note that FIG. 9 shows a simplified device configuration. First, as shown in FIG. 9(A), cooking is completed and the container holding unit 7 moves forward, so that the stirring unit 2 is located above the cleaning unit 3. In this state, the driving unit 5 moves the stirring unit 2 and the pushing unit 6 downward. Then, as shown in FIG. 9(B), the pushing member 61 and the water supply unit 4 come into contact with each other. At this time, the seal member 43 disposed at the tip of the water supply pipe 41 of the water supply unit 4 is not connected to the water guide pipe 33 of the cleaning unit 3. Then, as shown in FIG. 9(C), the driving unit 5 moves further downward, so that the pushing member 61 moves upward, the biasing member 62 contracts, and the spring member 42 contracts, so that the water supply pipe 41 is pushed down, so that the seal member 43 disposed at the tip of the water supply pipe 41 of the water supply unit 4 is connected to the water guide pipe 33 of the cleaning unit 3. At this time, the lid unit 23 covers the upper opening of the cleaning container 31. Warm water is supplied from the water supply tank 30, and the agitator 2 rotates to clean the agitator 2 and the lid 23. The spring constant of the biasing member 62 is greater than the spring constant of the spring member 42. The upper opening is an example of the "opening" described in the claims.

When the cleaning is completed, the drive unit 5 moves upward. At this time, the push-in unit 6 separates from the water supply unit 4, causing the return spring member 42 of the water supply unit 4 to return to its original shape, and the water supply unit 4 separates from the cleaning unit 3. This results in the state shown in Figure 9 (A).

(Cleaning the cleaning section)
As shown in FIG. 3, after cleaning, the cleaning unit 3 is in the initial position below the agitation unit 2, so the user can open the door 11 and take out the attachment member 8 to the Y1 side. The user is, for example, an employee of the store. At this time, the tube T is attached to the water supply unit 4, but the tube T is not connected to the cleaning unit 3, so the user does not need to remove the tube T from the cleaning unit 3. Then, the user can remove the attachment member 8 from the moving mechanism 10 and take it out, thereby taking out the cleaning unit 3 and the container holding unit 7 from the inside of the main body 1 to the outside. Then, the user removes the cleaning unit 3 and the container holding unit 7 from the attachment member 8 and cleans them. After cleaning, the user installs the cleaning unit 3 and the container holding unit 7 on the attachment member 8, and installs the attachment member 8 on the moving mechanism 10 to complete the cleaning. At this time, it is not necessary to attach the tube T to the cleaning unit 3.

(Effects of the First Embodiment)
In the first embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

In the first embodiment, as described above, the beverage production device 100 includes a main body 1, an agitation unit 2 provided in the main body 1 for agitating beverage ingredients in a container 110, a cleaning unit 3 provided in the main body 1 for cleaning the agitation unit 2 with liquid, and a water supply unit 4 for supplying liquid to the cleaning unit 3. The cleaning unit 3 includes a cleaning container 31 and a water guide unit 32 arranged away from the water supply unit 4 for supplying liquid from the water supply unit 4 to the cleaning container 31. At least one of the water supply unit 4 or the water guide unit 32 is moved to connect and separate the water guide unit 32 of the cleaning unit 3 and the water supply unit 4. As a result, the water supply unit 4 and the cleaning unit 3 can be separated by moving at least one of the water supply unit 4 or the water guide unit 32. Therefore, unlike the case where the water supply unit 4 and the cleaning unit 3 are connected via a tube, the user can easily separate the water supply unit 4 and the cleaning unit 3. In addition, the water supply unit 4 and the cleaning unit 3 can be connected to each other simply by moving at least one of the water supply unit 4 and the water guide unit 32 to their original positions without detaching or attaching a tube, so that the water supply unit 4 and the cleaning unit 3 can be appropriately connected to each other. As a result, the user can easily and appropriately connect and disconnect the cleaning unit 3 and the water supply unit 4.

In the first embodiment, as described above, the water supply section 4 is configured to move downward to connect with the water guide section 32 of the cleaning section 3, and to move upward to separate from the water guide section 32 of the cleaning section 3. As a result, the cleaning section 3 and the water supply section 4 can be separated by moving the water supply section 4 in the vertical direction, and since the water supply section 4 is located above the cleaning section 3 when removing the cleaning section 3, the user can easily remove the cleaning section 3 by pulling it forward.

As described above, the first embodiment further includes a drive unit 5 that moves the agitation unit 2 and the water supply unit 4 in the vertical direction, and the drive unit 5 is configured to move the water supply unit 4 in the vertical direction to connect and disconnect it from the water guide unit 32. This allows the drive unit 5 that moves the agitation unit 2 in the vertical direction to also be used as the drive unit 5 that moves the water supply unit 4, making it possible to reduce the number of parts and simplify the device configuration compared to the case where a separate drive unit 5 is provided to move the agitation unit 2 and the water supply unit 4 in the vertical direction.

As described above, the first embodiment further includes a holding unit 40 that holds the water supply unit 4 vertically separated from the cleaning unit 3, and a pushing unit 6 that moves downward by the drive unit 5 and presses the water supply unit 4 held by the holding unit 40 downward. This allows the holding unit 40 to hold the water supply unit 4 and the cleaning unit 3 vertically separated, thereby preventing the cleaning unit 3 from coming into contact with the water supply unit 4 when removing the cleaning unit 3. This allows the user to easily remove the cleaning unit 3.

In the first embodiment, as described above, the push-in portion 6 includes a biasing member 62, and the biasing force of the biasing member 62 is configured to press the water supply portion 4 against the water guide portion 32 of the cleaning portion 3 with the push-in portion 6 abutting against the water supply portion 4. As a result, since the push-in portion 6 includes the biasing member 62, the biasing member 62 can mitigate the impact at the time of connection and make the connection smooth. In addition, the biasing force of the biasing member 62 presses the water supply portion 4 against the water guide portion 32 of the cleaning portion 3 with the push-in portion 6 abutting against the water supply portion 4, so that the water supply portion 4 and the water guide portion 32 of the cleaning portion 3 are more closely attached to each other. As a result, a gap is generated between the water supply portion 4 and the water guide portion 32, and liquid leakage can be suppressed.

In the first embodiment, as described above, the water guide section 32 includes the water guide pipe 33, the water supply section 4 includes the water supply pipe 41, and the tip of the water supply pipe 41 and the tip of the water guide pipe 33 are configured to be connected and separated. As a result, by connecting the water guide pipe 33 and the water supply pipe 41, liquid can be supplied to the cleaning container 31, and by separating the water guide pipe 33 and the water supply pipe 41, the water supply section 4 and the cleaning section 3 can be separated.

In addition, in the first embodiment, as described above, a seal member 43 is provided on the surface of the water supply unit 4 that contacts the water guide unit 32. This allows the water supply unit 4 and the water guide unit 32 to be connected via the seal member 43, making it possible to make the water supply unit 4 and the water guide unit 32 more closely attached to each other. As a result, it is possible to effectively prevent liquid from leaking from the connection portion.

As described above, the first embodiment further includes a lid 23 that covers the opening of the cleaning container 31 during cleaning, and the water guide 32 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the cleaning container 31. The cleaning container 31 is capable of storing liquid supplied from the water supply 4, and is configured to clean the stirring unit 2 and the lid 23 while the liquid is stored. As a result, by including the lid 23 that covers the opening of the cleaning container 31, it is possible to prevent the liquid supplied during cleaning from leaking out to the outside. Furthermore, since the cleaning container 31 is configured to clean the stirring unit 2 and the lid 23 while the liquid is stored, the residue of the beverage ingredients adhering to the lid 23 and the stirring unit 2 can be removed by floating it in the liquid.

[Second embodiment]
Next, a beverage production device 200 according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 10. The beverage production device 200 according to the second embodiment is provided with a sensor unit 50. Note that in the second embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and will not be described.

As shown in FIG. 10, the sensor unit 50 detects the presence or absence of liquid in the cleaning container 31. The sensor unit 50 is a non-contact temperature sensor. Specifically, it is a sensor that measures temperature by detecting infrared rays.

The sensor unit 50 measures the temperature of at least one of the lid 23 or the cleaning container 31. Preferably, the temperature sensor measures the temperature of the lid 23. The lid 23 is also used during cooking, and since the food to be cooked is stored refrigerated or frozen, the temperature of the lid 23 drops to 10 to 20 degrees after cooking. During cleaning, for example, hot water of about 90°C is used, so the lid 23 is quickly heated to about 30°C. Therefore, by detecting whether the temperature of the lid 23 is rising, it is possible to determine whether liquid has been supplied to the cleaning container 31. Preferably, the sensor unit 50 is positioned to detect the upper side of the cleaning container 31 in the vertical direction rather than the center. This allows the sensor unit 50 to detect not only a state in which no liquid is supplied to the cleaning container 31, but also a state in which only a small amount of liquid has been supplied.

If the sensor unit 50 detects an abnormality, for example, an error message is displayed on the display unit 12. This allows the user to stop using the beverage production device 200 and perform maintenance.

The other configurations of the second embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment.

(Effects of the Second Embodiment)
In the second embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

In the second embodiment, as described above, the beverage production device 200 includes a main body 1, an agitation unit 2 provided in the main body 1 for agitating beverage ingredients in a container 110, a cleaning unit 3 provided in the main body 1 for cleaning the agitation unit 2 with liquid, and a water supply unit 4 for supplying liquid to the cleaning unit 3. The cleaning unit 3 includes a cleaning container 31 and a water guide unit 32 arranged away from the water supply unit 4 for supplying liquid from the water supply unit 4 to the cleaning container 31. At least one of the water supply unit 4 or the water guide unit 32 is moved to connect and separate the water guide unit 32 of the cleaning unit 3 and the water supply unit 4. As a result, the water supply unit 4 and the cleaning unit 3 can be separated by moving at least one of the water supply unit 4 or the water guide unit 32. Therefore, unlike the case where the water supply unit 4 and the cleaning unit 3 are connected via a tube, the user can easily separate the water supply unit 4 and the cleaning unit 3. In addition, the water supply unit 4 and the cleaning unit 3 can be connected to each other simply by moving at least one of the water supply unit 4 and the water guide unit 32 to their original positions without detaching or attaching a tube, so that the water supply unit 4 and the cleaning unit 3 can be appropriately connected to each other. As a result, the user can easily and appropriately connect and disconnect the cleaning unit 3 and the water supply unit 4.

As described above, the second embodiment further includes a sensor unit 50 that detects the presence or absence of liquid in the cleaning container 31. This allows the sensor unit 50 to detect the presence or absence of liquid in the cleaning container 31, making it possible to prevent the stirring unit 2 from being cleaned in a state where no liquid is being supplied.

The other effects of the second embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[Modification]
It should be noted that the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims, not by the description of the embodiments above, and further includes all modifications (variations) within the meaning and scope of the claims.

For example, in the first and second embodiments described above, an example was shown in which the water supply unit moves in the up-down direction, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the water supply unit may also move in the left-right direction.

In the above first and second embodiments, the water guide section includes a water guide pipe, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the water guide section may be configured not to include a water guide pipe.

In addition, in the above first and second embodiments, an example was shown in which a pushing section was provided, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, a configuration in which a pushing section is not provided and the water supply section is connected to the drive section may also be used.

In addition, in the above first and second embodiments, an example was shown in which the pushing portion includes a biasing member, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the pushing portion may be configured not to include a biasing member.

In the above first and second embodiments, the pushing unit and the stirring unit are moved downward by the same drive unit, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the pushing unit and the stirring unit may be moved downward by different drive units.

In the above first and second embodiments, the moving mechanism uses a rack and pinion, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the moving mechanism may use, for example, a pulley.

In the above first and second embodiments, an example was shown in which a sealing member was provided on the surface of the water supply section that contacts the water guide section, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, a sealing member does not have to be provided on the surface of the water supply section that contacts the water guide section. Also, a sealing member may be provided on the surface of the water guide section that contacts the water supply section.

In addition, in the above first and second embodiments, an example was shown in which the liquid was hot water, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the liquid may be cold water.

In the above first and second embodiments, an example was shown in which the water supply section moves to connect and separate the water conveying section and the water supply section, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the water conveying section may move to connect and separate the water supply section and the water supply section. In this case, the water conveying section may move so as to extend upward, or the water conveying section may move upward together with the cleaning container.

In the second embodiment, the temperature sensor measures the temperature of at least one of the lid and the cleaning container, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the temperature sensor may be configured to measure the temperatures of both the lid and the cleaning container and calculate the difference.

In the second embodiment, the sensor is a temperature sensor, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the sensor may be a water level sensor. A water level sensor is particularly effective when the liquid is cold water rather than hot water.

In the second embodiment, the sensor is a non-contact type that measures temperature using infrared rays, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the sensor may be a contact type, and may measure temperature using, for example, the electrical resistance value of a metal.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Main body 2 Stirring section 3 Cleaning section 4 Water supply section 5 Driving section 6 Pushing section 31 Cleaning container 32 Water guide section 33 Water guide pipe 40 Holding section 41 Water supply pipe 43 Sealing member 44 Holding section 50 Sensor section 62 Pressing member 100, 200 Beverage production device 110 Container

Claims (8)

A main body portion,
a stirring unit provided in the main body for stirring the beverage ingredients in the container;
a cleaning unit provided in the main body and configured to clean the stirring unit with a liquid;
a water supply unit for supplying the liquid to the cleaning unit,
the cleaning unit includes a cleaning container and a water guide unit that is disposed apart from the water supply unit and that supplies the liquid from the water supply unit to the cleaning container;
At least one of the water supply section and the water guide section is configured to move to connect and disconnect the water guide section and the water supply section of the cleaning section ,
The water guide portion includes a water guide pipe,
The water supply unit includes a water supply pipe,
The beverage production device is configured so that an end of the water supply pipe and an end of the water guide pipe can be connected and disconnected . The beverage production device according to claim 1, wherein the water supply unit is configured to move downward to connect with the water guide unit of the cleaning unit and to move upward to separate from the water guide unit of the cleaning unit. Further, a drive unit is provided to move the stirring unit and the water supply unit in a vertical direction,
The beverage production device according to claim 2 , wherein the drive unit is configured to move the water supply unit in a vertical direction to connect and disconnect the water supply unit to and from the water conveying unit. a holding section that holds the water supply section in a vertically spaced relationship from the cleaning section;
The beverage production device according to claim 3 , further comprising a pushing portion that is moved downward by the driving portion and presses downward the water supply portion held in the holding portion. The pushing portion includes a biasing member,
The beverage preparation device according to claim 4 , wherein the water supply portion is pressed against the water guide portion of the cleaning portion by the biasing force of the biasing member with the pushing portion in contact with the water supply portion. The beverage production device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein a seal member is provided on a surface of the water supply section that contacts the water conveying section. The beverage production apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a sensor unit that detects the presence or absence of the liquid in the cleaning container. Further, a lid portion for covering the opening of the cleaning container during cleaning is provided.
The water guide portion is disposed on an outer circumferential surface of the cleaning container,
The beverage production apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the cleaning container is configured to store the liquid supplied from the water supply unit and to clean the stirring unit and the lid unit while the liquid is stored therein.

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