JP7489870B2 - Dispenser - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a dispenser that dispenses liquid, such as a beverage, from a dispensing part in a liquid-containing bag.

Patent Document 1 discloses a water server (dispenser) that replaceably stores drinking water bags (liquid storage bags) in a bag storage chamber, each of which has a water inlet tap (dispensing section) that can be opened and closed on a bag body that contains drinking water. This water server has a cooling chamber between the bag storage chamber that replaceably stores the drinking water bags and the server stand that supports the storage chamber, and the cooling chamber is equipped with a heat exchanger as a cooling means. The water inlet tap of the drinking water bag is exposed to the outside from a tap outlet provided at the bottom of the front wall of the bag storage chamber, and the drinking water in the drinking water bag is cooled by the heat exchanger in the cooling chamber before being poured from the water inlet tap into an external container such as a cup.

JP 2013-163539 A

In the water server of the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, a water inlet tap is provided at the bottom of the drinking water bag to pour out the drinking water in the bag body, and the water inlet tap of the drinking water bag is exposed to the outside from a tap outlet provided at the bottom of the front wall inside the bag storage chamber. In addition, the water inlet tap is attached at a position slightly higher than the bottom end position of the drinking water bag, and when the drinking water in the drinking water bag reaches a water level below the water inlet tap, the water is not poured from the outlet tap. If the drinking water bag is not stored in the bag storage chamber, the drinking water bag can be tilted forward to pour out the drinking water at a water level below the water inlet tap in the drinking water bag. However, since the drinking water bag is stored in the bag storage chamber, the drinking water bag cannot be tilted forward, and drinking water remains at the bottom of the drinking water bag. The present invention aims to make it difficult for liquid to remain at the bottom of the liquid storage bag in a dispenser that pours liquid from a liquid storage bag.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a dispenser for liquid having a bag storage section capable of storing a liquid containing bag from which liquid stored in an internal storage space can be poured out from a pouring section provided at the bottom of the front, wherein the bag storage section is provided with a plate for moving the liquid in the liquid containing bag towards the pouring section and a biasing member for biasing the plate in a direction moving the liquid in the liquid containing bag towards the pouring section, a bag storage box having a plate and a biasing member attached to the bottom and capable of storing a liquid containing bag is removably attached to the bag storage section, the bag storage box is provided with a locking mechanism for locking the plate so that it does not move in a position where the liquid in the liquid containing bag is not moved towards the pouring section, and the bag storage section is provided with an unlocking mechanism for releasing the locking mechanism when the bag storage box is attached .

In the dispenser configured as described above, the bag storage section is provided with a plate for moving the liquid in the liquid containing bag toward the pouring section and a biasing member for biasing the plate in a direction moving the liquid in the liquid containing bag toward the pouring section, so that even if the liquid in the liquid containing bag decreases, the liquid in the liquid containing bag is moved toward the pouring section by the plate biased toward the pouring section by the biasing member, so that the liquid is less likely to remain in the lower part of the liquid containing bag. In addition, by locking the plate with a locking mechanism so that the liquid in the liquid containing bag does not move to a position where it is not moved toward the pouring section, the liquid containing bag can be easily stored in the bag storage box without being blocked by the plate. Furthermore, when the bag storage box containing the liquid containing bag is stored in the bag storage section, the locking mechanism is released by the lock release mechanism, so that the plate can be biased by the biasing member so that the liquid in the liquid containing bag is moved toward the pouring section by simply storing the bag storage box in the bag storage section in the housing, so that the replacement work of the liquid containing bag can be made less time-consuming.

In the dispenser configured as described above, the front part of the plate is supported so that it can rotate about a horizontal axis so that the rear part can move up and down, and the biasing member may bias the rear part of the plate upward in accordance with the weight of the liquid containing bag. When this is done, the plate rotates to the front side, which is the pouring part side, when the liquid in the liquid containing bag decreases and the liquid containing bag becomes lighter, and the liquid in the liquid containing bag is drawn to the pouring part side by the plate rotating to the pouring part side, making it difficult for liquid to remain in the lower part of the liquid containing bag.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the dispenser according to the present invention, seen obliquely from the front. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the state shown in FIG. 1 with the front cover open. FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the liquid containing bag. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the bag storage box taken along the front-rear direction with the liquid containing bag stored in the bag storage box; FIG. 3 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 2 with the bag storage box, the receiving tray, and the drain pan removed. FIG. 5A is a vertical cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 4 when the amount of beverage in the liquid containing bag has decreased with the locking mechanism released, and FIG. 5B is a vertical cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 4 when the amount of beverage in the liquid containing bag has further decreased and the liquid containing bag has become empty. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along the front-rear direction at a position where a valve mechanism operating unit is disposed. FIG. 5A is a front view of the valve mechanism operating unit, FIG. 5B is an AA cross-sectional view, FIG. 5C is a BB cross-sectional view, and FIG. 5D is an AA cross-sectional view showing a state in which the operating lever has been moved to an open position by the drive mechanism unit. 1A is an oblique view of the mounting portion seen from the front, FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the mounting portion cut along the front-to-back direction, and FIG. 1C is a cross-sectional view of the mounting portion cut along the front-to-back direction with the receiving tray portion removed. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control device. 1 is a flowchart of an automatic pouring program.

An embodiment of the dispenser of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The dispenser 10 of this embodiment automatically dispenses a beverage (liquid) such as wine from a dispensing cock 21 into a beverage container (liquid receptacle) such as a glass or a decanter. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the dispenser 10 has a bag storage section 12 for storing a liquid-containing bag 20 in a housing 11, and the bag storage section 12 is closed so as to be freely opened and closed by a front cover 13 provided at the upper end of the front surface of the housing 11 so as to be rotatable about a horizontal axis. The bag storage section 12 of this embodiment is large enough to store two liquid-containing bags 20 side by side. In addition, a refrigeration device 14 is provided at the bottom of the housing 11 (shown in Fig. 7), and the bag storage section 12 is cooled by the refrigeration device 14. The bag storage section 12 may be cooled using a Peltier element or a cooling material instead of the refrigeration device 14. As shown in FIG. 2, a mounting plate 15 for mounting the spout faucet 21 of the liquid-containing bag 20 is fixed to the lower front part of the bag storage section 12, and a U-shaped engagement recess 15a is formed in the mounting plate 15 for mounting the spout faucet 21.

As shown in FIG. 3, the liquid containing bag 20 stores the beverage (liquid) to be dispensed by the dispenser 10, and is a container made of a flexible resin material that can be deformed. The liquid containing bag 20 in this embodiment is a film bag in which the four peripheral parts (periphery) of two rectangular films having 2 to 3 layers are heat-sealed (bonded) by a heat sealing method or an impulse sealing method to form a sealed (sealed) storage space inside. The peripheral parts of the liquid containing bag 20 are formed with heat-sealed parts 20a that weld the film. Note that the liquid containing bag 20 is not limited to the above-mentioned film type, and may be a molded type container-shaped bag molded into a shape such as a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape so that a storage space is formed inside.

In this embodiment, a spouting cock (spouting part) 21 for spouting liquid is welded by heat welding to the lower corner of the liquid containing bag 20. The spouting cock 21 pours the liquid in the liquid containing bag 20 to the outside by opening a built-in valve mechanism part (not shown). The spouting cock 21 is provided with a lever 21a, and the valve mechanism part is opened by moving the lever 21a upward. The lever 21a is biased downward by a spring member (not shown) built into the spouting cock 21 so as to close the valve mechanism part. The spouting cock 21 is heat welded (fixed) near the lower right corner to reduce the remaining amount of beverage in the liquid containing bag 20 as much as possible, and the spouting cock 21 has a welding flange part 21b for heat welding to the liquid containing bag 20. The welding flange part 21b of the spouting cock 21 needs to be welded away from the heat welding part 20a at the lower edge of the liquid containing bag 20, and is welded to the lower edge of the liquid containing bag 20 with a gap therebetween. Similarly, the pouring tap 21 needs to be welded away from the heat-sealed portion 20a on the right edge of the liquid containing bag 20, and is welded to the right edge of the liquid containing bag 20 with a gap between them.

4, the binder 22 is attached to the lower part of the liquid containing bag 20 with a beverage passage formed behind the spout cock 21, and the binder 22 lifts the part of the liquid containing bag 20 below the spout cock 21 so that a storage space for the liquid containing bag 20 is not formed below the spout cock 21 at the lower part of the liquid containing bag 20. The binder 22 has a ring shape with an inner diameter larger than the beverage inlet of the spout cock 21, and the lower part of the liquid containing bag 20 binds the peripheral part of the spout cock 21 of the liquid containing bag 20 with a beverage passage to the spout cock 21 formed by the binder 22. The binder 22 may be a flexible C-shaped clamp that connects the open ends on both sides of the clamp to form a ring shape, or a flexible cable tie that forms a cable tie into a ring shape. Furthermore, the fastener 22 may be cylindrical and extend behind the pouring tap 21. When the fastener 22 is cylindrical, a long passage for guiding the beverage can be formed behind the pouring tap 21.

2 and 5, the liquid-containing bag 20 is stored in the bag storage section 12 of the housing 11 by the bag storage box 30 so that it can be freely inserted and removed, and the bag storage box 30 is attached to the bag storage section 12 of the housing 11 in a removable manner. FIG. 2 shows the state in which the liquid-containing bag 20 is stored in the bag storage section 12 of the housing 11 via the bag storage box 30, and FIG. 5 shows the state in which the bag storage box 30 storing the liquid-containing bag 20 is removed from the bag storage section 12. As shown in FIG. 2 and 4, the bag storage box 30 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape with an open top, and can store the liquid-containing bag 20 inside. An opening 30a is formed in the lower part of the front wall of the bag storage box 30, and the pouring cock 21 of the liquid-containing bag 20 can be exposed to the front side from the opening 30a. The pouring cock 21 is exposed from the opening 30a and is attached by engaging with the engagement recess 15a of the mounting plate 15.

As shown in FIG. 4, a plate 31 is provided at the bottom of the bag storage box 30 below the liquid storage bag 20 to move the beverage in the liquid storage bag 20 toward the front pouring cock 21. The front of the plate 31 is supported so that it can rotate about a horizontal axis so that the rear can move up and down. A spring member (biasing means) 32 is provided at the front of the plate 31 at the front of the bag storage box 30, and the rear of the plate 31 is biased upward by the spring member 32 according to the weight of the liquid storage bag 20. The spring member 32 is not able to rotate the plate 31 upward when there is a lot of beverage in the liquid storage bag 20 (full), and as shown in FIG. 6(a), it is set to rotate the plate 31 upward little by little as the beverage in the liquid storage bag 20 decreases, and as shown in FIG. 6(b), it is set to rotate the plate 31 vertically or forward of the vertical when the liquid in the liquid storage bag 20 is empty.

As shown in Figures 4 to 7, a locking mechanism 33 is provided at the bottom of the bag storage box 30 to lock the rear of the plate 31 from rotating (moving) upward, and the bag storage section 12 of the housing 11 is provided with an unlocking mechanism 36 that unlocks the locking mechanism 33 when the bag storage box 30 is stored in the bag storage section 12. The locking mechanism 33 locks the rear of the plate 31 to not rotate (move) at the bottom position of the bag storage box 30, where the plate 31 is not in a position to move the beverage in the liquid storage bag 20 toward the pouring tap 21.

As shown in FIG. 4, the locking mechanism 33 includes a locking pin 34 that is movable back and forth at the rear end of the plate 31, a coil spring 35 that biases the locking pin 34 rearward, and an engagement hole 30b formed in the lower part of the rear wall of the bag storage box 30 with which the locking pin 34 can engage. When the rear part of the plate 31 is positioned at the lower part of the bag storage box 30 and the locking pin 34 is biased rearward by the biasing force of the coil spring 35, the locking pin 34 engages with the engagement hole 30b in the lower part of the rear wall of the bag storage box 30, and the plate 31 is locked so that it cannot move in a position where the beverage in the liquid storage bag 20 is not close to the pouring tap 21.

As shown in Figures 5 and 7, the unlocking mechanism 36 has a protrusion 37 that protrudes forward at the rear of the bag storage section 12. When the bag storage box 30 is stored in the bag storage section 12, the protrusion 37 is inserted into the engagement hole 30b in the lower part of the rear wall of the bag storage box 30, disengaging the lock pin 34 from the state where it is engaged with the engagement hole 30b.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the bag storage box 30 is not stored in the bag storage section 12 in the housing 11 and the rear of the plate 31 is positioned at the bottom inside the bag storage box 30, the lock pin 34 is urged rearward by the urging force of the coil spring 35 and engages with the engagement hole 30b of the bag storage box 30, and the rear of the plate 31 is locked by the lock mechanism 33 so that it cannot rotate upward. Therefore, the beverage in the liquid containing bag 20 stored inside the bag storage box 30 is not pushed toward the pouring tap 21 by the plate 31.

As shown in FIG. 7, when the bag storage box 30 is stored in the bag storage section 12 in the housing 11 with the lock pin 34 of the lock mechanism 33 engaged with the engagement hole 30b of the bag storage box 30, the protrusion 37 constituting the lock release mechanism 36 is inserted into the engagement hole 30b of the bag storage box 30, the lock pin 34 is returned to the front side from the state where it is engaged with the engagement hole 30b against the biasing force of the coil spring 35, and the plate 31 is released from the locked state by the lock mechanism 33 by the lock release mechanism 36. When the lock mechanism 33 is released by the lock release mechanism 36, the rear part of the plate 31 is biased upward by the spring member 32, and the plate 31 is biased by the spring member 32 so as to move the liquid in the liquid storage bag 20 toward the pouring cock 21.

As shown in FIG. 7, a platform scale structure 40 is provided at the bottom of the bag storage section 12. The platform scale structure 40 includes a base 41 that supports the bag storage box 30, and a first weight sensor 42 that detects the load on the base 41. The first weight sensor 42 uses a load cell, and detects the weight of the beverage in the liquid storage bag 20 including the bag storage box 30 on the base 41 by detecting the strain caused by the downward displacement of the base 41.

As shown in Figures 1 and 7, a valve mechanism operation unit 50 is provided at the bottom of the front cover 13 in front of the pouring cock 21 engaged with the engagement recess 15a of the mounting plate 15, and the valve mechanism operation unit 50 operates the lever 21a of the pouring cock 21 of the liquid containing bag 20 to open and close the valve mechanism of the pouring cock 21. The valve mechanism operation unit 50 includes a casing 51 provided at the bottom of the front surface of the front cover 13, an operation lever 52 supported on the casing 51 so as to be rotatable about a horizontal axis, and a drive mechanism unit 54 that rotates the operation lever 52. The valve mechanism operation unit 50 can automatically operate the operation lever 52 by the drive mechanism unit 54, and can also manually operate the operation lever 52.

As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the operating lever 52 is supported rotatably around a horizontal axis at a portion slightly rearward of the center portion extending in the front-rear direction within the casing 51, and the front and rear portions of the operating lever 52 protrude forward and rearward from the front and rear walls of the casing 51. The front portion of the operating lever 52 protrudes forward from the front wall of the casing 51 and serves as an operating portion 52a that can be operated by the user. The rear portion of the operating lever 52 protrudes from the rear wall of the casing 51 below the lever 21a of the pouring tap 21 and serves as an acting portion 52b that moves the lever 21a upward.

8(b), a spring member 53 is provided inside the casing 51 for biasing the operating portion 52a at the front of the operating lever 52 upward, and the spring member 53 biases the operating portion 52a at the front of the operating lever 52 upward and the action portion 52b at the rear of the operating lever 52 downward to the closed position. When a force is applied to move the operating portion 52a of the operating lever 52 downward, the action portion 52b of the operating lever 52 moves to the upper open position against the biasing force of the spring member 53. The lever 21a of the spouting faucet 21 is pushed upward by the action portion 52b of the operating lever 52 moving to the open position, and the valve mechanism of the spouting faucet 21 is opened. When the force exerted on the operating part 52a of the operating lever 52 to move it downward is removed, the acting part 52b of the operating lever 52 moves to the lower closed position by the biasing force of the spring member 53, and the lever 21a of the pouring faucet 21 is returned to the lower side, closing the valve mechanism of the pouring faucet 21.

The drive mechanism 54 includes a cam roller 55 that moves the operating lever 52 up and down, and a gear motor 56 that rotates the cam roller 55. The cam roller 55 is attached to the rotating shaft 56e of the driven gear 56d of the gear motor 56 on the upper side of the operating lever 52. When the gear motor 56 is driven to rotate the cam roller 55 from the position shown in FIG. 8(b) to the lower position shown in FIG. 8(d), the operating part 52a at the front of the operating lever 52 moves downward and the acting part 52b at the rear moves upward, and the lever 21a of the dispensing faucet 21 is pushed upward, opening the valve mechanism of the dispensing faucet 21.

The gear motor 56 includes a drive motor 56a, a drive gear 56c fixed to a drive shaft 56b of the drive motor 56a, a driven gear 56d meshing with the drive gear 56c, and a rotating shaft 56e of the driven gear 56d. As shown in FIG. 8(c), a sensor plate 56f is fixed to the rotating shaft 56e of the driven gear 56d, and two photosensors 56g and 56h are provided which receive or block light depending on the rotation angle of the sensor plate 56f. The photosensor 56g detects the rotation angle of the sensor plate 56f, thereby detecting that the cam roller 55 has been rotated downward to move the operating part 52b at the rear of the operating lever 52 upward, and thus detecting that the valve mechanism of the pouring cock 21 has been opened. The photosensor 56h detects the rotation angle of the sensor plate 56f, detecting that the cam roller 55 has been rotated upward, moving the action part 52b at the rear of the operating lever 52 to the lower closed position, and thus detecting that the valve mechanism of the pouring tap 21 has been put into the closed state.

As shown in Figures 1, 7 and 8, a pouring switch 57 is provided on the front of the casing 51, and the pouring switch 57 outputs a control signal that executes an automatic pouring program described below, causing the pouring tap 21 to pour a predetermined amount of beverage into a beverage container such as a glass or decanter placed on the placement section 60. The pouring switch 57 also has a built-in indicator lamp 57a, which indicates the remaining amount of beverage in the liquid storage bag 20, the pouring status into the beverage container, etc., depending on the lighting state (lighting or flashing) or display color of the indicator lamp 57a.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the lower front of the housing 11 is a mounting recess 11a that has a horizontal cross-sectional shape that is concave inward and open to the front. The front of the mounting recess 11a is provided with a mounting section 60 for placing a beverage container such as a glass or decanter that receives the beverage poured from the pouring tap 21, and a drain pan 70 for receiving the overflowing beverage under the receiving dish 62 of the mounting section 60. As shown in Figs. 7 and 9, the mounting section 60 is provided with a base section 61 fixed to the lower part inside the housing 11, and a receiving dish 62 that is detachably supported by the base section 61 and for placing a beverage container. The base section 61 is provided with a bracket section 61a for mounting the receiving dish 62, and the bracket section 61a is provided with two shafts 61b and 61c that are parallel to each other in the front and rear.

A pair of left and right arm parts 63 for mounting to the base part 61 extend rearward from the receiving part 62. A U-shaped groove 63a that opens upward and can be engaged from below with the rear shaft 61b is formed at the upper rear end of the arm part 63, and a U-shaped groove 63b that opens downward and can be engaged from above with the front shaft 61c is formed in a position forward of the U-shaped groove 63a at the upper rear end of the arm part 63. The rear U-shaped groove 63a of the arm part 63 engages with the rear shaft 61b from below, and the front U-shaped groove 63b of the arm part 63 engages with the front shaft 61c from above, and the receiving part 62 is detachably supported by the arm part 63 on the base part 61.

As shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 9, when attaching the receiving tray 62 to the base 61 in the housing 11, the arm 63 is inserted into the insertion hole 11b formed in the lower part of the front wall of the housing 11, the rear U-shaped groove 63a of the arm 63 is engaged with the rear shaft 61b from below, and the front U-shaped groove 63b of the arm 63 is engaged with the front shaft 61c from above, so that the receiving tray 62 is supported by the base 61 so as to be located at the front side of the front wall of the housing 11. When removing the receiving tray 62 from the base 61 in the housing 11, the receiving tray 62 is lifted diagonally upward, the rear U-shaped groove 63a of the arm 63 is disengaged downward from the rear shaft 61b, and the front U-shaped groove 63b of the arm 63 is disengaged upward from the front shaft 61c, and the receiving tray 62 is pulled forward and removed.

As shown in Figures 7 and 9, the base 61 is provided with a second weight sensor 64 that detects the weight of the receiving tray 62 via the arm 63. The second weight sensor 64 uses a load cell, and detects the weight of the beverage dispensed from the dispensing faucet 21, including beverage containers such as glasses and decanters placed on the receiving tray 62, by detecting the strain caused by the downward displacement of the receiving tray 62 transmitted via the arm 63.

1 and 5, the drain pan 70 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and is disposed below the receiving tray 62 of the mounting portion 60. A substantially circular hole 71 is formed below the receiving tray 62 on the upper surface of the drain pan 70, and the hole 71 allows the receiving tray 62 to move downward. An L-shaped groove 72 is formed on both the left and right sides of the drain pan 70, in which a horizontal groove extending from the rear end to the front side and a vertical groove extending upward from the front end of the horizontal groove are continuously formed. An engagement protrusion 11c is provided on the side of the mounting recess 11a at the lower front side of the housing 11, and the engagement protrusion 11c can be engaged with the L-shaped groove 72 of the drain pan 70. With the back surface of the drain pan 70 abutting against the front surface of the mounting recess 11a of the housing 11, the engagement protrusion 11c engages with the upper end of the vertical groove of the L-shaped groove 72, so that the drain pan 70 is detachably attached to the mounting recess 11a of the housing 11.

As shown in FIG. 10, the dispenser 10 is equipped with a control device 80 that controls the dispensing of beverages into beverage containers such as glasses and decanters. The control device 80 is connected to the first weight sensor 42, the gear motor 56, the dispensing switch 57, and the second weight sensor 64. The control device 80 has a microcomputer (not shown), which has a CPU, RAM, ROM, and a timer (all not shown) connected to each other via a bus.

An automatic dispensing program for automatically dispensing a beverage is stored in the memory of the control device 80, and the automatic dispensing program controls the gear motor 56 of the valve mechanism operating unit 50 based on the weight detected by the first and second weight sensors 42, 64, so as to automatically dispense the beverage into a beverage container such as a glass or decanter placed on the receiving tray 62.

In this dispenser 10, the gear motor 56 of the valve mechanism operating unit 50 is started to operate based on the weight detected by the second weight sensor 64 so as to move the operating lever 52 from the open position to the closed position, and the valve mechanism of the pouring cock 21 is closed from the open state. However, due to the sensitivity of the second weight sensor 64, etc., there is a delay in the detection of the weight, and it takes a short time from the start of operation of the gear motor 56 of the valve mechanism operating unit 50 until the valve mechanism of the pouring cock 21 is closed from the open state. Therefore, even if a set amount of beverage is poured into a beverage container placed on the receiving tray 62 and the second weight sensor 64 detects the predetermined weight and then attempts to stop the beverage from the pouring cock 21, a small amount of beverage will still be poured from the pouring cock 21.

In addition, this dispenser 10 is designed to dispense the beverage in the liquid containing bag 20 by sending it out through the lower outlet tap 21 using its own weight, and it is known that the flow rate (dispensing speed: v) of the beverage dispensed from the outlet tap 21 varies depending on the remaining amount of beverage (liquid) in the liquid containing bag 20 (height of the liquid) according to Torricelli's theorem shown below.
v = √(2 × g × h)
g: weight h: liquid height (liquid surface height)
Thus, in this dispenser 10, when there is a lot of beverage in the liquid containing bag 20 (the liquid level is high), the flow rate of the beverage dispensed from the dispensing tap 21 is high (the dispensing speed is fast), and when the amount of beverage in the liquid containing bag 20 decreases (the liquid level becomes lower), the flow rate of the beverage dispensed from the dispensing tap 21 also decreases (the dispensing speed becomes slower).

As described above, even if the beverage from the pouring tap 21 is stopped after the second weight sensor 64 detects a predetermined weight, a small amount of beverage is still poured from the pouring tap 21, and the flow rate of the beverage poured from the pouring tap 21 varies depending on the amount of beverage (liquid) remaining in the liquid containing bag 20 (the height of the liquid). Therefore, the amount of beverage poured from the pouring tap 21 after the second weight sensor 64 detects a predetermined weight will vary depending on the amount of beverage (liquid) remaining in the liquid containing bag 20.

Therefore, the control device 80 calculates the flow rate of the beverage to be dispensed from the dispensing cock 21 based on the weight of the beverage in the liquid containing bag 20 detected by the first weight sensor 42 before executing the dispensing control by the automatic dispensing program. It calculates the amount of beverage dispensed after the start of the closing operation, which is the amount of beverage, multiplied by the calculated flow rate of the beverage and the time required from the start of the operation to close the valve mechanism operation unit 50 until the valve mechanism unit of the dispensing cock 21 completes closing, and calculates the closing start set weight, which is the weight obtained by subtracting the amount of dispensed after the start of the closing operation from the set dispensing amount to be dispensed into a beverage container such as a glass or a decanter, when executing the dispensing control by the automatic dispensing program. The control device 80 controls the gear motor 56 of the valve mechanism operation unit 50 to start operating and start closing the valve mechanism unit of the dispensing cock 21 when the second weight sensor 64 detects the closing start set weight as the weight increased from the weight of the beverage container when executing the dispensing control by the automatic dispensing program.

In addition, this dispenser 10 is capable of dispensing beverages into beverage containers of various capacities placed on the tray 62 of the placement unit 60, and the dispensing amount according to the capacity of the beverage container is set as the set dispensing amount. For example, when the beverage container is a glass, the set dispensing amount is set to 180 ml, when the beverage container is a small decanter, the set dispensing amount is set to 300 ml, and when the beverage container is a large decanter, the set dispensing amount is set to 500 ml. The control device 80 determines the capacity of the beverage container placed on the tray 62 based on the detected weight detected by the second weight sensor 64 before executing the dispensing control of the automatic dispensing program, and determines the set dispensing amount when executing the dispensing control of the automatic dispensing program according to the determined capacity of the beverage container.

In addition, in this dispenser 10, the control device 80 controls the display lamp 57a of the dispensing switch 57 to display (report) the storage status of the bag storage box 30, the remaining amount of beverage in the liquid storage bag 20, the dispensing status of the beverage container placed on the receiving tray 62, etc., based on the detected weight of at least one of the first and second weight sensors 42, 64.

In more detail, when the bag storage box 30 is not stored in the bag storage section 12 of the housing 11, the indicator lamp 57a of the pouring switch 57 is lit in orange based on the first weight sensor 42 not detecting the weight of the bag storage box 30 or more, and the color indicates (informs) that the bag storage box 30 including the liquid storage bag 20 is not stored in the bag storage section 12 of the housing 11. On the other hand, when the bag storage box 30 is stored in the bag storage section 12 of the housing 11, the indicator lamp 57a of the pouring switch 57 is lit in pink based on the first weight sensor 42 detecting the weight of the bag storage box 30 or more, and the color indicates (informs) that the bag storage box 30 including the liquid storage bag 20 is stored in the bag storage section 12 of the housing 11 and is in a standby state waiting for the beverage to be poured.

When a beverage container such as a glass or decanter is placed on the tray 62, the control device 80 detects that a beverage container has been placed on the tray 62 using the second weight sensor 64, and before executing the automatic pouring program, the indicator lamp 57a of the pouring switch 57 lights up blue to indicate (notify) that pouring is possible using that color.

When the dispense switch 57 is operated to cause the control device 80 to execute the automatic dispense program, the indicator lamp 57a of the dispense switch 57 flashes blue to indicate (inform) that the dispenser is in the dispensed state. When the second weight sensor 64 detects that the closing start set weight is an increase from the weight of the beverage container while the automatic dispense program is being executed, the automatic dispense program is terminated and the indicator lamp 57a of the dispense switch 57 lights blue to indicate (inform) that the dispenser has been completed. When the beverage container is lifted from the receiving tray 62, the control device 80 detects that the beverage container has been lifted from the receiving tray 62 by the second weight sensor 64 and lights the indicator lamp 57a of the dispense switch 57 pink to indicate (inform) that the beverage container is in the standby state waiting for the beverage to be dispensed by color.

Furthermore, when the automatic dispensing program is executed to dispense the beverage, the beverage in the liquid containing bag 20 is gradually reduced as it is dispensed from the dispensing cock 21. When the automatic dispensing program is executed by operating the dispensing switch 57, the remaining amount of beverage in the liquid containing bag 20 falls below a set lower limit weight set as a predetermined lower limit, which is the weight when the time to replace the liquid containing bag 20 is approaching due to a decrease in the remaining amount, and the first weight sensor 42 detects a weight below the set lower limit weight, the control device 80 causes the indicator lamp 57a of the dispensing switch 57 to flash orange instead of blue, thereby indicating (notifying) by flashing that the remaining amount of beverage in the liquid containing bag 20 is getting low while the beverage is being dispensed. When the automatic pouring program is being executed while the remaining amount of beverage in the liquid containing bag 20 is low, if the second weight sensor 64 detects the above-mentioned closing start set weight as an increase from the weight of the beverage container, the automatic pouring program is terminated and the indicator lamp 57a of the pouring switch 57 is turned on in blue to indicate (notify) that pouring has been completed.

In contrast, when the automatic pouring program is being executed with a low remaining amount of beverage in the liquid containing bag 20, if the second weight sensor 64 does not detect the increased weight to be equal to the closing start set weight described above, the automatic pouring program is not terminated, and the indicator lamp 57a of the pouring switch 57 continues to flash orange, and the color and flashing state of the indicator lamp 57a indicates (notifies) that pouring is not complete. If the beverage container is lifted from the receiving tray 62 when pouring is not complete due to a lack of beverage in the liquid containing bag 20, the control device 80 detects that the beverage container has been lifted onto the receiving tray 62 by the second weight sensor 64, controls the gear motor 56 of the valve mechanism operating unit 50 to move the operating portion 52b of the operating lever 52 to the lower closed position, closes the valve mechanism of the pouring cock 21, and turns on the indicator lamp 57a of the pouring switch 57 in pink, indicating (notifying) that the device is in a standby state by color.

Next, the procedure for storing the liquid containing bag 20 in the bag storage section 12 and the automatic beverage dispensing program in this dispenser 10 will be explained. In order to minimize the amount of beverage remaining in the liquid containing bag 20, a fastener 22 is attached in advance to the rear of the dispensing tap 21 at the bottom of the liquid containing bag 20. The portion of the liquid containing bag 20 below the dispensing tap 21 is lifted behind the dispensing tap 21 by the fastener 22, making it difficult for a beverage storage space to be formed below the dispensing tap 21 in the liquid containing bag 20.

The liquid-containing bag 20 is stored in the bag storage box 30 with the rear side of the spout tap 21 tied with the tie 22, and the bag storage box 30 containing the liquid-containing bag 20 is stored in the bag storage section 12 in the housing 11, so that the liquid-containing bag 20 is stored in the bag storage section 12 in the housing 11 via the bag storage box 30. When storing the liquid-containing bag 20 in the bag storage box 30, as shown in FIG. 4, the rear part of the plate 31 at the bottom of the bag storage box 30 is rotated downward, and the lock pin 34 is urged rearward by the urging force of the coil spring 35 to engage with the engagement hole 30b at the bottom of the rear wall of the bag storage box 30, and the rear part of the plate 31 is locked by the lock mechanism 33 so that it is not urged upward by the spring member 32. With the plate 31 locked by the locking mechanism 33, the liquid-containing bag 20 is stored in the bag storage box 30 above the plate 31 so that the dispensing cock 21 is exposed from the opening 30a at the bottom of the front wall of the bag storage box 30, and the front cover 13 of the housing 11 is opened, and the bag storage box 30 containing the liquid-containing bag 20 is stored in the bag storage section 12 inside the housing 11.

When the bag storage box 30 is stored in the bag storage section 12 in the housing 11, the protrusion 37 at the rear of the bag storage section 12 constituting the unlocking mechanism 36 is inserted into the engagement hole 30b at the bottom of the rear wall of the bag storage box 30, the lock pin 34 is returned inward from the engagement hole 30b by the protrusion 37 against the biasing force of the coil spring 35, and the locking mechanism 33 is released by the unlocking mechanism 36. When the locking mechanism 33 is released by the unlocking mechanism 36, the rear of the plate 31 is biased upward by the spring member 32. In addition, the pouring faucet 21 is engaged with the engagement recess 15a of the mounting plate 15 so that the welding flange portion 21b is positioned rearward of the mounting plate 15, and the front cover 13 of the housing 11 is closed, allowing the pouring faucet 21 to be in a state in which beverages can be poured.

Next, the automatic dispensing program using the dispenser 10 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 11. The control device 80 repeatedly executes the automatic dispensing program starting from step 101, and in step 101, it determines whether the weight detected by the first weight sensor 42 is equal to or greater than the bag storage box 30, and determines whether the bag storage box 30 is stored in the bag storage section 12. As described above, if the bag storage box 30 containing the liquid-containing bag 20 is not stored in the bag storage section 12 in the housing 11, the beverage cannot be dispensed from the dispensing cock 21. If the bag storage box 30 is not stored in the bag storage section 12 in the housing 11 and the weight of the bag storage box 30 or greater is not detected by the first weight sensor 42, the control device 80 determines NO in step 101 and proceeds to step 102. In step 102, the control device 80 turns on the indicator lamp 57a in orange to indicate that the bag storage box 30, including the liquid containing bag 20, is not stored in the bag storage section 12 of the housing 11, ends the program, and executes the process again from step 101.

In contrast, if the bag storage box 30 is stored in the bag storage section 12 in the housing 11 and the first weight sensor 42 detects a weight equal to or greater than the bag storage box 30, the control device 80 determines YES in step 101 and proceeds to step 103. In step 103, the control device 80 turns on the indicator lamp 57a in pink, thereby indicating that the bag storage box 30, including the liquid containing bag 20, is stored in the bag storage section 12 of the housing 11 and is in a standby state waiting for the dispensing of a beverage.

In step 104, the control device 80 determines whether the second weight sensor 64 has detected a load equivalent to the weight of a beverage container, and determines whether a beverage container such as a glass or decanter has been placed on the tray 62. If no beverage container has been placed on the tray 62 and the second weight sensor 64 has not detected a load equivalent to the weight of a beverage container, the control device 80 determines NO in step 104, ends the program, and executes the process from step 101 again.

When the user places a beverage container such as a glass or decanter on the tray 62 while waiting for a beverage container to be placed on the tray 62 while executing the YES determination process in step 101, the process in step 103, and the NO determination process in step 104, the second weight sensor 64 detects a load equivalent to the weight of the beverage container, and the control device 80 determines YES in step 104 and proceeds to step 105. In step 105, the control device 80 determines the type of beverage container placed on the tray 62 from the detected weight of the second weight sensor 64, sets a set pouring amount according to the capacity of the beverage container, calculates a closing start set weight that starts the operation of the valve mechanism operation unit 50, and turns on the pouring switch 57 by turning on the indicator lamp 57a in blue to indicate that pouring is possible.

In calculating the closing start set weight in step 105, the control device 80 calculates a flow rate corresponding to the amount of beverage in the liquid containing bag 20 (estimated beverage height) from the detected weight of the first weight sensor 42, based on graph data stored in memory showing the correlation between the amount of beverage in the liquid containing bag 20 (estimated beverage height) and the flow rate of the beverage dispensed from the dispensing tap 21, calculates from the calculated flow rate of the beverage the amount of pouring after the closing operation starts, which is poured from the start of the operation to close the valve mechanism operating unit 50 until the valve mechanism unit of the dispensing tap 21 completes closing, and calculates the closing start set weight, which is the weight obtained by subtracting the amount of pouring after the closing operation starts from the set pouring amount, which is set according to the capacity, which varies depending on the type of beverage container. When the second weight sensor 64 detects this closing start set weight as the weight that is greater than the weight of the beverage container, the gear motor 56 of the valve mechanism operating unit 50 is started to operate so that the valve mechanism of the pouring cock 21 is closed, and the set pouring amount of beverage, including the amount poured after the closing operation begins, is poured into the beverage container in the receiving tray 62.

In step 106, the control device 80 determines whether the pouring switch 57 has been turned on, and if the pouring switch 57 has not been turned on, returns to step 104. Also, if the pouring switch 57 has not been turned on and the beverage container is lifted from the receiving tray 62, the control device 80 determines NO in step 104, terminates this program, and executes the process from step 101 again. With the beverage container placed on the receiving tray 62, the control device 80 repeatedly executes the YES determination process in step 104, the process in step 105, and the NO determination process in step 106, and waits for the pouring switch 57 to be turned on. When the pouring switch 57 is turned on, the control device 80 determines YES in step 106 and proceeds to step 107. In step 107, the control device 80 starts operating the gear motor 56 of the valve mechanism operating unit 50 so that the valve mechanism of the pouring tap 21 is opened, and the beverage is poured from the pouring tap 21 into a beverage container placed on the receiving tray 62. The control device 80 also changes the indicator lamp 57a from a lit blue color to a flashing light, thereby indicating that the pouring tap 21 is in the pouring state.

After the control device 80 operates the valve mechanism operation unit 50 to open in step 107, the control device 80 determines in step 108 whether the first weight sensor 42 has detected a set lower limit weight, which is a remaining amount of beverage in the liquid containing bag 20 that is less than a predetermined amount. This set lower limit weight is the weight when the remaining amount of beverage in the liquid containing bag 20 becomes small, for example, when the amount of beverage in the liquid containing bag 20 becomes about one glass (not limited to this, but may be about one to two glasses), and is the weight when it is near the time to replace the liquid containing bag 20. If the first weight sensor 42 has not detected that the remaining amount of beverage in the liquid containing bag 20 is the set lower limit weight, the control device 80 determines NO in step 108 and proceeds to step 110.

In step 110, the control device 80 determines whether the second weight sensor 64 has detected a load equal to or greater than the weight of the beverage container, and determines whether the beverage container has been lifted from the receiving tray 62. If the beverage container that receives the beverage dispensed from the dispensing cock 21 is still placed on the receiving tray 62 and the second weight sensor 64 has detected a load equal to or greater than the weight of the beverage container, the control device 80 determines YES in step 110 and proceeds to step 111. In step 111, the control device 80 determines whether the second weight sensor 64 has detected the above-mentioned closing start set weight as an increased weight, and if the closing start set weight of the beverage has not been dispensed into the beverage container in the receiving tray 62, the control device 80 determines NO in step 111 and returns to step 108.

If a user accidentally lifts the beverage container from the receiving tray 62 while pouring a beverage from the pouring tap 21 into the beverage container in the receiving tray 62, the second weight sensor 64 will no longer detect a load equal to or greater than the weight of the beverage container, and the control device 80 will determine NO in step 110, and in step 114 will start operating the gear motor 56 of the valve mechanism operating unit 50 so that the valve mechanism of the pouring tap 21 is closed, and the operating lever 52 will move to the closed position. In this way, even if the beverage container is accidentally lifted from the receiving tray 62, beverage will not continue to be poured from the pouring tap 21.

In addition, when a beverage is being poured from the pouring tap 21 into the beverage container in the receiving tray 62, if the closing start set weight of the beverage is poured into the beverage container in the receiving tray 62, the second weight sensor 64 detects the closing start set weight as an increase from the weight of the beverage container, and the control device 80 judges YES in step 111 and proceeds to step 112. In step 112, the control device 80 starts operating the gear motor 56 of the valve mechanism operating unit 50 so that the valve mechanism of the pouring tap 21 is closed, so that the beverage is not poured from the pouring tap 21 into the beverage container in the receiving tray 62. In addition, the control device 80 indicates that the beverage has been poured from the pouring tap 21 into the beverage container in the receiving tray 62 by changing the indicator lamp 57a from flashing to a solid blue light. The amount of beverage dispensed after the operation to close the dispenser 21 begins varies depending on the amount of beverage in the liquid storage bag 20, but a constant set amount of beverage is always dispensed into the beverage container in the receiving tray 62, regardless of the amount of beverage in the liquid storage bag 20.

In step 113, the control device 80 determines whether the second weight sensor 64 has detected a load equal to or greater than the weight of the beverage container, and determines whether the beverage container has been lifted from the receiving tray 62. If the beverage container has not been lifted from the receiving tray 62, the second weight sensor 64 detects a load equal to or greater than the weight of the beverage container, and the control device 80 determines YES in step 113 and repeats the process of step 113. In contrast, if the beverage container is lifted from the receiving tray 62, the second weight sensor 64 no longer detects a load equal to or greater than the weight of the beverage container, and the control device 80 determines NO in step 113, ends the program, and re-executes the process from step 101.

When the automatic pouring program repeatedly executes the process from step 101 described above, the beverage in the liquid containing bag 20 is poured from the pouring cock 21 into the beverage container in the receiving tray 62, and the beverage in the liquid containing bag 20 gradually decreases. When there is a lot of beverage in the liquid containing bag 20 (full), as shown in FIG. 7, the rear part of the plate 31 in the bag storage box 30 is located at the bottom of the bag storage box 30 against the biasing force of the spring member 32 due to the weight of the liquid containing bag 20. When the beverage in the liquid containing bag 20 gradually decreases, as shown in FIG. 6, the rear part of the plate 31 in the bag storage box 30 rises due to the biasing force of the spring member 32 as the liquid containing bag 20 becomes lighter due to the decrease in the beverage, and the beverage in the liquid containing bag 20 is moved toward the front pouring cock 21. Therefore, even if the remaining amount of beverage in the liquid containing bag 20 decreases, the beverage in the liquid containing bag 20 is less likely to remain at the bottom of the bag storage box 30, and it is possible to pour out as little of the beverage in the liquid containing bag 20 as possible.

In addition, a fastener 22 is provided at the bottom of the liquid containing bag 20 to fasten the periphery of the pouring tap 21 of the liquid containing bag 20 with a beverage passage formed behind the pouring tap 21. As a result, the bottom part of the liquid containing bag 20 below the pouring tap 21 is lifted behind the pouring tap 21 by the fastener 22, so that even if the amount of beverage in the liquid containing bag 20 decreases, the beverage is less likely to remain below the pouring tap 21 at the bottom of the liquid containing bag 20, and as little of the beverage as possible can be poured out of the liquid containing bag 20.

When the beverage in the liquid containing bag 20 is repeatedly poured from the pouring tap 21, the amount of beverage in the liquid containing bag 20 decreases. When the beverage in the liquid containing bag 20 is being poured from the pouring tap 21 into the beverage container in the receiving tray 62, the beverage in the liquid containing bag 20 decreases to the set lower limit weight described above and the set lower limit weight is detected by the first weight sensor 42, the control device 80 judges YES in step 108 and proceeds to step 109. In step 109, the control device 80 changes the indicator lamp 57a from flashing blue to flashing orange, thereby indicating that the beverage remaining in the liquid containing bag 20 is in a low level and is being poured.

Even when the beverage in the liquid storage bag 20 has decreased to the set lower limit weight, the beverage can be dispensed into the beverage container in the receiving tray 62 at the set closing start weight (the set amount to be dispensed after the valve mechanism is closed). When the second weight sensor 64 detects the increased weight as the set closing start weight, the control device 80 judges YES in step 111, and in step 112 starts operating the gear motor 56 of the valve mechanism operating unit 50 so that the valve mechanism of the dispensing tap 21 is closed, and the indicator lamp 57a changes from flashing pink to a solid blue light, indicating that the beverage has been dispensed from the dispensing tap 21.

In contrast, when the beverage in the liquid containing bag 20 has decreased to the set lower limit weight and it is not possible to dispense the set closing start weight of the beverage into the beverage container in the receiving tray 62, the control device 80 repeatedly executes the processes of steps 108 to 111, and even if the beverage is no longer being dispensed from the dispensing cock 21, the operating lever 52 of the valve mechanism operating unit 50 is in the open position, and the indicator lamp 57a flashes orange to indicate that the beverage is being dispensed with a small amount of remaining beverage. Therefore, the user can know that the beverage has not been completely dispensed into the beverage container in the receiving tray 62 because the beverage in the liquid containing bag 20 has run out, and can also know the need to replace the liquid containing bag 20 with a new one filled with beverage.

In this state, when the beverage container on the receiving tray 62 is lifted, the second weight sensor 64 no longer detects a load equal to or greater than the weight of the beverage container, so that the control device 80 judges NO in step 110, and in step 114 starts operation of the gear motor 56 of the valve mechanism operating unit 50 so that the valve mechanism of the pouring cock 21 is closed, and moves the operating lever 52 to the closed position. After the beverage container on the receiving tray 62 is lifted, the process from step 101 described above is executed again, and the indicator lamp 57a lights up pink to indicate that the device is in standby mode. After replacing the liquid containing bag 20 with a new one, the missing beverage can be poured into the beverage container placed on the receiving tray 62 by manually operating the operating unit 52a of the operating lever 52.

The dispenser 10 configured as described above includes a bag storage section 12 capable of storing a liquid-containing bag 20 from which beverage (liquid) stored in an internal storage space is poured out from a pouring tap (pour-out section) 21 provided at the bottom front. The bag storage section 12 is provided with a plate 31 for moving the beverage in the liquid-containing bag 20 toward the pouring tap 21, and a spring member (biasing member) 32 for biasing the plate 31 in a direction that moves the beverage in the liquid-containing bag 20 toward the pouring tap 21.

In this embodiment, the liquid containing bag 20 is stored in the bag storage section 12 in the housing 11 via the bag storage box 30, and the plate 31 and spring member 32 are provided at the bottom of the bag storage section 12 while being attached to the bottom of the bag storage box 30. The front part of the plate 31 is supported so that it can rotate about a horizontal axis so that the rear part can move up and down, and the spring member 32 urges the rear part of the plate 31 upward according to the weight of the liquid containing bag 20. When the beverage in the liquid containing bag 20 decreases and the liquid containing bag 20 becomes lighter, the plate 31 rotates to the front side which is the pouring tap 21 side, and the beverage in the liquid containing bag 20 is moved toward the pouring tap 21 side by the plate 31 rotating toward the pouring tap 21 side, making it difficult for the beverage to remain at the bottom of the liquid containing bag.

In this embodiment of the dispenser 10, the plate 31 and the spring member 32 are provided at the bottom of the bag storage box 30, and the bag storage box 30 is stored in the bag storage section 12 within the housing 11, thereby providing the plate 31 and the spring member 32 in the bag storage section 12. However, the plate 31 and the spring member 32 may also be provided directly in the bag storage section 12 within the housing 11. The plate 31 is supported at its front so that it can rotate about a horizontal axis so that its rear can move up and down, and the spring member 32 urges the rear of the plate 31 upward in accordance with the weight of the liquid-containing bag 20, but this is not limited to the above. The plate 31 may be supported in the bag storage box 30 or in the bag storage section 12 so that it can move back and forth and stand vertically or tilted so that the upper part of the plate 31 is at the rear, and the plate 31 may be urged forward by the spring member 32 provided at the rear of the plate 31, and the beverage in the liquid-containing bag 20 may be urged by the plate 31 toward the pouring tap 21.

In this dispenser 10, a bag storage box 30 is removably attached to the bag storage section 12, with a plate 31 and a spring member 32 attached to the lower part, and capable of storing a liquid-containing bag 20. The bag storage box 30 is provided with a locking mechanism 33 that locks the plate 31 so that the beverage in the liquid-containing bag 20 does not move in a position that is not close to the pouring tap 21 side, and the bag storage section 12 of the housing 11 is provided with a lock release mechanism 36 that releases the locking mechanism 33 when the bag storage box 30 is attached.

By locking the plate 31 with the locking mechanism 33 so that the beverage in the liquid containing bag 20 does not move in a position that is not close to the pouring tap 21, the liquid containing bag 20 can be easily stored in the bag storage box 30 without being blocked by the plate 31. In addition, when the bag storage box 30 containing the liquid containing bag 20 is stored in the bag storage section 12 in the housing 11, the locking mechanism 33 is released by the lock release mechanism 36. Therefore, simply by storing the bag storage box 30 in the bag storage section 12 in the housing 11, the plate 31 can be biased by the spring member 32 so that the liquid in the liquid containing bag 20 moves closer to the pouring tap 21, and the replacement work of the liquid containing bag 20 can be made less time-consuming.

The dispenser 10 in the above embodiment dispenses beverages such as wine, but is not limited to this, and may dispense beverages other than wine such as water or juice, as well as hot or cold liquids such as miso soup or soup, detergents, medicines, and other liquids.

10... dispenser, 11... housing, 12... bag storage section, 20... liquid storage bag, 21... dispensing section (dispensing cock), 30... bag storage box, 31... plate, 32... biasing member (spring member), 33... locking mechanism, 36... unlocking mechanism.

Claims (2)

A dispenser for liquid, comprising a bag storage section capable of storing a liquid storage bag from which liquid stored in an internal storage space is poured out from a pouring section provided at the lower front part,
a plate for moving the liquid in the liquid containing bag toward the pouring portion, and a biasing member for biasing the plate in a direction to move the liquid in the liquid containing bag toward the pouring portion ,
a bag storage box having the plate and the biasing member attached to a lower portion thereof and capable of storing the liquid containing bag is detachably attached to the bag storage section;
a locking mechanism is provided in the bag storage box to lock the plate so that the liquid in the liquid storage bag does not move to a position where the plate is not close to the pouring portion,
The dispenser is characterized in that the bag storage section is provided with an unlocking mechanism that unlocks the locking mechanism when the bag storage box is attached . 2. The dispenser of claim 1,
The plate is supported at its front portion so as to be rotatable about a horizontal axis so that its rear portion can move up and down.
The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the biasing member biases the rear portion of the plate upward in accordance with the weight of the liquid containing bag.

Images