JPH0339112A - Coffee maker - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To keep the dripping rate of water drops nearly constant regardless of the water level for shortening the coffee brewing time period by a method wherein the water level in a water container is detected, and the opening of a flow control valve is controlled according to the detected information. CONSTITUTION:A water level detector 13 equipped with a piezoelectric element using a strain gauge or with a diaphragm is mounted on the bottom of a water container 2, and a flow control valve 4 is equipped with a driving means 14 such as a stepping motor, etc. The opening of the flow control valve is controlled with the deflection angle of the driving means 14 to regulate the dripping rate of water drops. The information from the water level detector 13 is processed by a water level detecting circuit 15 and transmitted to a driving means control circuit 16 which controls the driving means 14. The driving means 14 is operated according to the signal that is processed by the driving means control circuit 16 so as to regulate the opening of the flow control valve 4. As the flow control valve 4 is throttle when the water level is high and the opening of the flow control valve 4 is widened when the water level drops, a nearly constant water dripping rate can be achieved regardless of the water level.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a cold brew coffee extractor for extracting coffee using cold water or the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Conventionally, this type of cold brew coffee extractor has generally been shown, for example, in FIG. 4, and its configuration is as follows.

That is, water is poured into the water container 21, and the regulating valve 22 is adjusted to drip the water little by little into the coffee powder 24 housed in the filtration chamber 23. The dropped water passes through the coffee grounds 24 over a long period of time, extracts coffee components, and then becomes coffee liquid and drops into the coffee container 25.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, this configuration has the following problems.

In other words, since the adjustment of the regulating valve is constant, the water pressure on the regulating valve is large at the initial water level, and the amount of water dripping is large. However, as the dripping progresses and the water level decreases, the water pressure also decreases and the amount of dripping water decreases. In other words, when water is poured into a water container, it starts out quickly, but it slows down towards the end, and it takes a very long time to drip all the water.

The present invention solves these conventional problems, and is designed to drip water at an approximately constant amount regardless of the water level in the water container.

Means for Solving the Problems and In order to achieve the above objects, the present invention provides a water container containing water, a flow rate regulating valve for controlling the dripping flow rate of water in the water container, and a filtration chamber containing coffee powder. and a water level detecting means for detecting the water level in the water container, and a driving means for controlling the opening degree of the flow rate control valve in response to information from the water level detecting means.

action The effect of this technical means is as follows.

In other words, if the flow rate control valve is throttled when the water level in the water container is high, and the opening degree of the flow rate control valve is increased in response to a drop in the water level, a nearly constant drip flow rate can be obtained regardless of the water level. This makes it possible to significantly shorten coffee extraction time.

EXAMPLE Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described based on the accompanying drawings.

In Figures 1 to 3, water in a water container 2 provided above the extractor body 1 is sent from a water supply passage 3 at the bottom to a flow rate control valve 4 that controls the dripping flow rate of water. A filtration chamber 7 contains coffee powder 6 which is squeezed and drips from the discharge port 5.
sent to.

The water dropped onto the coffee powder 6 passes through the coffee powder over time, extracts coffee components, becomes coffee liquid, drops from the outlet 8, and is stored in the coffee container 9.

The flow control valve 4 has a shaft shape with a valve hole 10 formed therein. The valve hole 10 is arranged so as to intersect with the water supply passage 3, and the flow rate is large when the intersection angle α is small as shown in Fig. 2a, and conversely, the valve flow rate is such that α becomes large as shown in Fig. 2. becomes less.

Numeral 11 is a seal for watertightly fitting the flow rate control valve 4 and the water supply passage 3, and 12 is a knob provided on the flow rate control valve 4, which is used when manually controlling the dripping flow rate.

The bottom of the water container 2 is equipped with a water level detection means 13 such as a piezoelectric element using a strain gauge or a diaphragm. Further, the flow rate control valve 4 is provided with a driving means 14 such as a stepping motor, and by changing the displacement angle of this driving means 14, the opening degree of the flow rate control valve 4 can be controlled and the dripping temperature of water can be adjusted.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the relationship between the water level detecting means 13 and the driving means 14. Information from the water level detecting means 13 is processed by a water level detecting circuit 15, and the driving means controls the driving means 14. The signal is sent to circuit 16. The drive means 14 rotates (and controls the opening degree of the flow rate control valve 4) based on the signal processed by the drive means control 16.

In the above configuration, when a large amount of water is poured into the water container 2 and the water pressure increases, the drive means 14 is rotated based on information from the water level detection means 13 so that the opening degree of the flow rate control valve 4 becomes smaller.

On the other hand, as water continues to drip and the water level in the water container 2 decreases, the driving means 14 rotates to increase the opening degree of the flow rate control valve 4.

In other words, when the water level is high, the flow rate control valve 4 is throttled, and when the water level is low, the opening degree of the flow rate control valve 4 is increased, achieving a nearly constant water dripping rate regardless of the height of the water level. can.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the present invention detects the water level and controls the opening degree of the dripping adjustment valve according to the water level, so that the water dripping speed is set to be almost constant regardless of the water level. This can shorten coffee extraction time.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of essential parts of a coffee extractor showing an embodiment of the present invention, Figs. 2a and b are explanatory diagrams of the operation of the flow rate regulating valve of the coffee extractor, and Fig. 3 is an illustration of the coffee extractor. FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a conventional example. 2...Water container, 4...Flow rate control valve, 7
...filtration chamber, 13...water pressure detection means,
14... Drive means.

Claims (1)

[Claims] a water container that contains water, a flow control valve that controls the dripping flow rate of water in the water container, and a filtration chamber that contains coffee powder;
A coffee brewer comprising: a water level detecting means for detecting the water level in the water container; and a driving means for controlling the opening degree of the flow rate control valve in response to information from the water level detecting means.