JPH06125838A - Percolator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a malfunction by constituting a coffee extractor used in a household, etc., so that while water in a water vessel is allowed to circulate to a heating unit and heated, its operating state is displayed so that a user know it. CONSTITUTION:The percolator is constituted by providing a discharge detecting means 13 for detecting a discharge start by receiving an output of a temperature sensing element provided in a discharge tube 7, an electric conduction control means 14 for controlling the electric conduction to a heating unit 4, an ON/OFF detecting means 15 for detecting the electric conduction to the heating unit 4, and a display means 16 for displaying a heating circulation operating state until water in a water vessel 1 rises to a prescribed temperature after heating is started and is fed to the discharge tube 7, and by this constitution, it can be displayed that water in the water vessel is being heated and extraction of a coffee liquid is being prepared.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a coffee brewer used at home.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a display device has been provided in a coffee brewing machine so that the operating state of the coffee brewing machine can be confirmed from the outside (see, for example, JP-A-3-212237).

A conventional coffee brewer will be described below. As shown in FIG. 4, the water in the water container 1 is introduced into the water pipe 3a of the heating device 4 through the check valve 2 arranged at the bottom, and the heated hot water passes through the water pipe 3b and the water passage switching valve. 5
And is sent to either the water container 1 from the valve port 6 or the discharge pipe 7 to the extraction chamber 8.

The heating device 4 heats the water in the water pipe 3a,
The thermostat 10 provided in the heating device 4 has a function of keeping the temperature of the glass container 9 containing the extracted coffee liquid, and is connected in series with the start switch 11.

The water channel switching valve 5 is controlled by a shape memory alloy 5a disposed in the water container 1.

The operation of the coffee brewer configured as described above will be described below.

When an appropriate amount of coffee is put in the brewing chamber 8 and the start switch 11 is turned on, the water introduced into the water pipe 3a is heated by the heating device 4, and the vapor pressure thereof pushes the check valve 2 upward to raise the water. The passage with the container 1 is closed, and the vapor pressure thereof pushes the inside of the water pipe 3b upward, so that the water passage switching valve 5
Is sent to the valve opening 6 and returns to the water container 1. When the water in the water pipe 3b runs out, water is newly introduced from the water container 1 via the check valve 2 that has descended downward. The water channel switching valve 5 is controlled by the shape memory alloy 5a, and the water in the water container 1 is circulated from the valve port 6 to the water container 1 until the temperature reaches about 70 ° C. When the water in the water container 1 exceeds approximately 70 ° C., the water channel switching valve 5 is switched to be sent to the discharge pipe 7 and dropped into the extraction chamber 8 to extract the coffee liquid. The extracted coffee liquid is previously heated by the heating device 4
It is housed in the glass container 9 placed on top. After all the water in the water container 1 has been discharged into the extraction chamber 8 through the discharge pipe 7, the temperature of the thermostat 10 rapidly rises, and the power supply to the heating device 4 is turned off. After that, the heating device 4 is on / off controlled by the thermostat 10 to keep the glass container 9 warm.

[0008]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional structure, until the water is heated to a predetermined temperature,
Since it is circulated to the water container 1 side by the water channel switching valve 5,
The extraction chamber 8 is operated for a while after the start switch 11 is operated.
Since there is no sound of hot water sent to the user, it is difficult for the user to know whether or not the operation is proceeding normally, and the user mistakenly judges that it is out of order and removes the glass container 9, and the coffee liquid is heated. It had a problem of falling on the device 4.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a coffee brewer that displays the heating and circulating operation state so that the user does not make an erroneous operation.

[0010]

In order to achieve this object, a coffee brewing machine of the present invention comprises a discharge detecting means for detecting the start of discharge by receiving the output of a temperature sensitive element arranged in a discharge pipe, and a heating device. An energization control unit that controls energization to the device, an on / off detection unit that detects energization to the heating device, and a discharge pipe disposed above the extraction chamber after the heating of the water in the water container has risen to a predetermined temperature. It has a structure provided with a display means for displaying the heating and circulating operation state until being sent to.

[0011]

In this configuration, when the energization control means is operated, it is displayed that the heated water is circulated between the water container and the heating device until it reaches a predetermined temperature, and the preparation for extracting the coffee liquid is made. The Rukoto.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the same components as those described in the above-mentioned conventional example are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

(Embodiment 1) As shown in FIG. 1, the feature of this embodiment is that the temperature sensing element 12 disposed in the discharge pipe 7 in the above-mentioned conventional structure, the discharge detecting means 13, and the energization. The control means 14, the on / off detection means 15, and the display means 16 are added.

The temperature sensitive element 12 is an element that is heated when hot water passes through the discharge pipe 7 and its resistance value decreases, and the discharge detection means 13 outputs a change in the resistance value of the temperature sensitive element 12 as a signal change. To do. The energization control unit 14 turns on / off energization to the heating device 4 by using a relay or the like. The on / off detection means 15 detects whether the thermostat 10 and the energization control means 14 are both turned on. The display means 16 is
An LCD (liquid crystal display element) or the like is used to receive the outputs of the on / off detection means 15 and the ejection detection means 13 for display.

The operation of the coffee brewer having the above structure will be described below. As shown in FIG. 2, when the energization control means 14 is turned on in (a) and the on / off detection means 15 detects that the heating device 4 is energized,
Based on the output, the display means 16 displays "BOIL" to inform that the water is heated and circulated. Next, when the temperature of the water in the water container 1 is raised to a temperature of about 70 ° C., the shape memory alloy 5a operates, the water channel switching valve 5 switches the water channel, and the hot water is discharged to the discharge pipe 7. The temperature sensitive element 12 is warmed by the hot water passing through the discharge pipe 7, and the resistance value of the temperature sensitive element 12 decreases. When the resistance value decreases to a predetermined value, the ejection detection unit 13 turns on the output in (a) and notifies the display unit 16. The display means 16 receives the output of the ejection detection means 13 and turns off the display of "BOIL" in (a). When all the water in the water container 1 is heated by the heating device 4 and has passed through the discharge pipe 7, the temperature of the thermostat 10 rapidly rises, and the power supply to the heating device 4 is turned off by (C). When the heating device 4 is de-energized, the output of the on / off detecting means is turned off at (c), and thereafter, the on / off detecting means turns on / off the heating device 4 in conjunction with on / off of the thermostat 10.
Maintain a constant heat retention.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the characteristic of the device is the heating and circulation of water which is one step of coffee extraction, but it is difficult for the user to understand the progress of the operation in the conventional example. It is possible to inform the user by displaying the state during the circulation operation and prevent the user from erroneous operation.

(Second Embodiment) A second embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

The present embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the display means 16 is configured to be capable of displaying "BOIL" display and "BREW" display. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, in addition to the operation of the first embodiment, when it is detected that the heating circulation has ended and the extraction of the coffee liquid has started by the output of the discharge detection means 13, the display means is displayed. In 16 (a), the display of "BOIL" is erased and the display of "BREW" is displayed to inform that extraction is being performed.

When all the water in the water container 1 is heated by the heating device 4 and passes through the discharge pipe 7, the thermostat 1
When the temperature of 0 suddenly rises and the power supply to the heating means 4 is turned off, the on / off detection means 15 turns off the output at (c),
The display means 16 erases the display of "BREW" and informs the user that the coffee brewing is completed.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the first
In addition to the effect of the above embodiment, since either the heating circulation operation state or the extraction operation state is displayed, the usability is further improved for the user.

[0022]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the discharge detection means for detecting the discharge start by receiving the output of the temperature sensitive element arranged in the discharge pipe, and controlling the energization to the heating device. Control means for turning on and off, an on / off detection means for detecting the turning on of electricity to the heating device, and heating from the start of heating of the water container until the temperature rises to a predetermined temperature and is sent to the discharge pipe arranged above the extraction chamber. With the configuration provided with the display means for displaying the circulation operation state, it is possible to realize an excellent coffee brewer capable of preventing an erroneous operation by the user.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an essential part showing the concept of the configuration of a coffee brewing machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[Fig. 2] Operation chart of the coffee brewer

FIG. 3 is an operation chart of a coffee brewer according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of an essential part showing the concept of the configuration of a conventional coffee brewer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Water Container 2 Check Valves 3a, 3b Water Pipe 4 Heating Device 5 Water Channel Switching Valve 6 Valve Port 7 Discharge Pipe 8 Extraction Chamber 12 Temperature Sensing Element 13 Discharge Detection Means 14 Energization Control Means 15 On / Off Detection Means 16 Display Means

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A water container for containing water, a water pipe communicating with a bottom portion of the water container, a heating device for heating water introduced from the water container to the water pipe through a check valve, and the water pipe. An extraction chamber that extracts coffee liquid with hot water supplied from
A water channel switching valve that circulates between the water container and the heating device until the water in the water container reaches a predetermined temperature,
A valve port connected to the water channel switching valve and opened to the water container, a discharge pipe connected to the water channel switching valve and disposed above the extraction chamber, and a temperature sensing element disposed in the discharge pipe. When,
Discharge detection means for receiving the output of the temperature sensitive element to detect the start of discharge, energization control means for controlling energization to the heating device, on / off detection means for detecting energization to the heating device, and an operation state A coffee brewing machine comprising a display means for displaying, wherein the display means displays a heating and circulation operation state from the start of heating of the water in the water container until the temperature rises to a predetermined temperature and is sent to the discharge pipe. 2. The coffee brewer according to claim 1, wherein the display means displays one of a heating and circulating operation state and a brewing operation state from the start of the extraction of the coffee liquid to the completion of the extraction.