JPH0319022Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Field of industrial application] This invention relates to a fresh brew coffee extractor for coffee vending machines that uses regular coffee powder as a raw material and adds hot water to extract coffee. .

[Conventional technology]

The coffee extractor used in the above-mentioned coffee vending machine adds hot water to a predetermined amount of regular coffee powder to swell the coffee powder, and then pressurizes it to extract and filter coffee through a filter. Pressurized extraction methods are widely used.

Next, FIG. 2 shows the conventional structure of the above-mentioned coffee extractor. In the figure, 1 is a pressurizing piston 2
The pressurizing piston 2 is a cylinder with an open bottom end built in, and the pressurizing piston 2 is moved up and down by a drive mechanism (not shown) in accordance with the coffee extraction operation. The cylinder 1 is also equipped with a gutter-shaped raw material mixing tray 3 that extends sideways from its upper end with a gentle slope, and these trays 3 are lined up in order from the upstream side and receive hot water from a hot water tank 4. A hot water supply nozzle 5 and a coffee powder input hopper 7 facing a coffee powder outlet 6 of, for example, a coffee mill are open and arranged. On the other hand, a filter block 8 is arranged opposite to and below the cylinder 1. This filter block 8 has a dish-shaped base 10 with a coffee spout 9 opened at the center bottom, and a base 10.
The filter 11 installed on the top surface of the cylinder 1
It consists of a gasket 12 attached around the filter 11 facing the lower end line of the filter.

The coffee extraction operation with the above configuration is performed as follows. That is, when a vending machine is given a sales command, coffee powder 13 for one cup of coffee begins to be dropped onto the tray 3 through the coffee powder input hopper 7, and at the same time hot water is poured through the hot water supply nozzle 5. As a result, coffee powder and hot water flow into the cylinder 1 together. The piston 2 then begins to descend from the position shown, pressurizing the hot water and coffee powder introduced into the cylinder. As a result, the coffee powder swells with hot water, and the coffee is extracted and filtered to the base side through the filter 11 by pressurization of the piston, and from there, it is injected into the beverage cup carried out to the bending stage of the vending machine through the spout 9. be done. Incidentally, the coffee grounds remaining on the upper surface of the filter 11 are scraped off laterally by a scraper (not shown) after the cylinder 1 and the filter block 8 are separated from each other.

[The problem that the idea aims to solve]

By the way, as mentioned above, in the conventional extractor, the coffee powder input hopper 7 is connected to the coffee powder outlet 6.
It is arranged in a substantially vertical position so as to guide the coffee powder 13 to be carried out directly downward as shown by arrow A. On the other hand, regular coffee, which is used as a raw material for this type of fresh brew coffee, has a high oil and fat content, making it difficult to mix with hot water. Therefore, the coffee powder that is discharged from the hot water supply nozzle 5 and lands on the top surface of the tray 3 along the flow of hot water as shown by arrow B, is
As shown in the figure, most of the water floats on the water surface and flows with the hot water. At this time, the coffee powder floating on the water surface spreads over the entire flow path in the tray 3 and comes into contact with the left and right walls of the tray 3, and even after entering the cylinder 1, It spreads out on the water surface and part of it is cylinder 1.
comes into contact with the inner wall surface of the For this reason, the coffee powder that comes into contact with the left and right walls of the tray 3 or the inner wall of the cylinder 1 while flowing down into the cylinder often adheres to each wall due to the surface tension of the water. . Moreover, if this condition is left unattended and the sales operation is repeated,
The coffee powder added during the next sale will accumulate on the coffee powder that adhered to the wall surface from the previous sale operation.
The amount of accumulation gradually increases. Such a state not only interferes with the stable supply of coffee powder to the cylinder, but is also unfavorable from a sanitary standpoint. For this reason, in the past, cleaning had to be performed frequently.

This invention was developed in consideration of the above points, and promotes stirring and mixing of the coffee powder and hot water that are introduced onto the tray through the coffee powder input hopper to prevent the coffee powder from floating on the water surface. This prevents coffee powder from adhering to the walls of the flow path during the process of flowing down into the cylinder, allowing for a stable supply of coffee powder and solving hygiene issues. The purpose is to provide an extractor.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, this invention places a cylinder with a piston on top of a filter block equipped with a filter on the top surface, and a trough-like raw material mixer that extends from the top of this cylinder to the side with a gentle slope. From upstream toward the tray, the hot water pipe nozzle,
Coffee powder input hoppers are lined up and open, and regular coffee powder and hot water are supplied into the cylinder via the tray, and the piston is pressurized to extract and filter coffee through the filter. In the fresh brew coffee extractor, the coffee powder input hopper is provided with a powder guide shoot surface that is inclined toward the upstream side of the hot water flowing on the tray.

[Effect]

According to the above means, the angle between the chute surface of the coffee powder input hopper and the water surface of the hot water flowing on the tray forms an obtuse angle, and the coffee powder input onto the tray through the coffee powder input hopper flows into the hot water. It is thrown against the. Therefore, the coffee powder dropped from the coffee powder input hopper collides with the hot water flowing down the tray in the direction opposite to the flow of the hot water and lands on the water, causing the flow of hot water to ripple and stirring and mixing the coffee powder and hot water. is promoted. Therefore, the coffee powder is prevented from floating on the water surface, and is smoothly introduced into the cylinder without adhering to the tray or the cylinder wall along the way.

[Embodiment] FIG. 1 shows the configuration of this invention, and the same members as in FIG. 2 are given the same reference numerals. As is clear from the illustrated structure, with this invention, the coffee powder input hopper 7 has a shoot surface 7a whose angle θ with respect to the surface of the raw material mixing tray 3 is an obtuse angle, and whose tip is inclined toward the upstream side of the tray surface. The coffee powder outlet 6 is configured to be open above the chute surface 7a and opposite to the chute surface 7a.

With this configuration, the coffee powder 13 dropped and carried out from the coffee powder outlet 6 based on the sales instruction slides down along the chute surface 7a as shown by the arrow C, and the flow of hot water flowing down the tray 3. As if going against the flow, it collides with the hot water at the P section and lands on the water. As a result, the flow of hot water is rippled in the P section, and stirring and mixing of coffee powder and hot water is promoted. Therefore, the coffee powder no longer flows in a suspended state on the water surface of the hot water as in the past, and instead flows into the cylinder 1 while being sufficiently mixed with the hot water without adhering to the wall of the tray 3 or the cylinder 1. It will flow down smoothly.

[Effects of the invention] As described above, according to this invention, by forming the coffee powder input hopper with a chute surface that is inclined toward the upstream side of the flow of hot water flowing on the raw material mixing tray, It promotes stirring and mixing of the coffee powder and hot water, which are fed onto the tray via the coffee powder feeding hopper, to prevent the coffee powder from floating on the water surface, thereby preventing the coffee powder from reaching the inside of the cylinder. It is possible to effectively prevent the coffee powder from being deposited on the wall surfaces of the tray and cylinder during the flow path of the coffee extractor, thereby achieving a stable supply of coffee powder in the coffee extractor and improving hygiene.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the main part of an embodiment of this invention.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a conventional fresh brew coffee extractor. In the figure, 1... cylinder, 2... pressurizing piston, 3... raw material mixing tray, 5... hot water supply nozzle, 7... coffee powder charging hopper, 7a... chute surface, 8... filter block, 11... ...Filter for coffee filtration.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A cylinder with a piston is placed on top of a filter block equipped with a filter on the top surface, and a hot water pipe nozzle, coffee pipe, etc. Powder input hoppers are lined up and open, and regular coffee powder and hot water are supplied into the cylinder via the tray, and the piston is pressurized to extract and filter coffee through the filter. A fresh brew coffee extractor, characterized in that the coffee powder input hopper is provided with a powder guide shoot surface that is inclined toward the upstream side of the hot water flowing on the tray. extractor.