JPH0642313Y2 - Cartridge supply mechanism in beverage extraction device - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the device] [The purpose of the device]

(Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a cartridge supply mechanism of an apparatus for extracting a beverage using a flat cartridge filled with an object to be extracted, which is a source of a favorite beverage such as coffee or tea. (Prior Art) The present inventors have previously devised an extraction device using a flat cartridge filled with an object to be extracted, which is a source of a favorite beverage such as coffee or tea. This extracting device includes a supply mechanism (hopper) for supplying a flat cartridge to a cartridge receiving position provided inside the device, a conveying mechanism (conveying disc) for moving the flat cartridge from the cartridge receiving position to the extracting position, and a cover in the flat cartridge. And an extraction mechanism for extracting the extract with hot water. The hopper accommodates ten or more of the cartridges in a stacked state, and the cartridges accommodated in the hopper are dropped one by one from the lower opening of the hopper to the cartridge receiving position by the own weight of the cartridge, and are conveyed by the transport disc. The mechanism is such that the cartridge is conveyed horizontally to the extraction position, and after the extraction is completed, the ejected cartridge is further conveyed horizontally and discarded at a predetermined discharge position. In this way, if the dozens of cartridges are put together in the hopper, different people have different tastes, let alone a coffee with a variety of varieties, the coffee that suits the taste is extracted. I can't. Therefore, although a means for setting the cartridges one by one in the hopper has already been taken, it is relatively large-scaled and is a bottleneck for promoting cost reduction. (Problems to be solved by the invention) As described above, in the conventional brewing apparatus, when many users brew coffee that suits their tastes, the operation is troublesome, and as described above, it is low. There is a problem that the cartridge supply device cannot be produced at a cost. (Purpose of the Invention) The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and allows many users to easily supply their favorite extract cartridges to the extraction device.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to make it possible to quickly and easily extract a beverage of your choice.

[Constitution of device]

(Means for Solving the Problem) The present invention is directed to a transport mechanism for horizontally transporting a flat cartridge from which upper and lower surfaces can pass an extract to an extraction position.
In a beverage extraction device comprising an extraction mechanism for extracting an object to be extracted filled in the flat cartridge at the extraction position, a cover that covers these mechanisms has a cartridge receiving position of a transport mechanism of the flat cartridge. And the cartridge insertion opening is formed laterally closer to the reception position, and a downward slope is formed in the space from the cartridge insertion opening to the cartridge reception position toward the cartridge reception position. A guide slope is formed by opening just above the cartridge receiving position in conformity with the planar shape of the cartridge.Furthermore, a flat cartridge that slides down the guide slope is formed at the back of the guide receiving position. Means for solving the problem is provided by means having a cartridge positioning portion that is stopped above. . (Operation) When the flat cartridge is supplied to the device for extracting a favorite beverage such as coffee or tea, the flat cartridge of the present invention inserts the flat cartridge into the cartridge insertion opening in a substantially horizontal direction. This cartridge slides down the guide slope, and when the slide is stopped by the cartridge positioning part, the guide slope is opened just above the cartridge receiving position according to the planar shape of the cartridge. It will not be affected by, and will turn to the horizontal direction, fall to the cartridge receiving position, and be set at the same position. In this way, the set cartridge is then transported horizontally toward the extraction position installed on the same plane as the cartridge receiving position and extracted in the extraction mechanism. (Embodiment) FIGS. 1 to 4 show an embodiment of the present invention, in which a flat cartridge 80 used is an annular outer frame made of a hard synthetic resin as shown in FIG. The upper and lower openings 81a, 81b of the body 81 are closed by filter media 82, 82 such as a paper filter and a cross filter that allow the extract to pass therethrough so as to form a flat space inside, and coffee is ground in the flat space. The product 83 is filled with a substance to be extracted 83 that is a source of a favorite beverage such as powder. The extraction device 1 shown in the figure comprises a device body 2 having a box shape and having a front opening 2b between approximately 2/3 of the top of the front surface 2a, and a substantially semi-cylindrical cover 3 covering the front opening 2b. A hopper 20 for guiding the flat cartridge 80 to a cartridge receiving position 10 described later in an internal space formed by covering the front opening 2b of the apparatus main body 2 with the cover 3, and an extraction also described later from the cartridge receiving position 10. A transport mechanism 30 that horizontally transports the flat cartridge 80 to the position 15,
And an extraction mechanism 50 for extracting the extraction liquid at the extraction position 15. The apparatus main body 2 has a front opening 2b which is almost vertically separated by two.
A shelf 2c is provided at the dividing position, and a support column 4 extending downward is provided in the approximate center of the shelf 2c and near the cylindrical center position of the cover 3. A fan-shaped cartridge support plate 7 is provided at the lower end of the column 4. The cartridge support plate 7 is located on the front side in FIG. 1, protrudes into the cover 3 from the front opening 2b, and its radial center is fixed to the lower end of the support column 4. The peripheral portion of the portion located inside is along the inner periphery of the cover 3. The cartridge receiving position 10 is installed on the peripheral edge of the cartridge supporting plate 7, and the extracting position 15 is adjacent to the cartridge supporting plate 7 with a space of about 90 ° in the counterclockwise direction from the cartridge receiving position 10. is set up. The cover 3 is removably attached to the apparatus main body 2, and the curved surface portion 3a has a rectangular cartridge insertion opening 3b.
Is formed horizontally. This cartridge insertion slot 3b
Is at a position very close to the cartridge receiving position 10 and the vertical distance is also described later.
Is determined in consideration of the gradient of. The size of the frontage of the cartridge insertion opening 3b is slightly larger than the diameter of the flat cartridge 80, and is set so that one cartridge 80 can be inserted horizontally. An opening / closing door 5 is provided at the cartridge insertion port 3b. The opening / closing door 5 is attached so as to rotate inside the cover 3 around a hinge 5a provided above the cartridge insertion port 3b, and one end of the hinge 5a is locked to the cover 3 side. ,
By providing the torsion coil spring 5b whose other end is locked to the opening / closing door 5 side, a force is always applied to the opening / closing door 5 in the direction of closing the cartridge insertion port 3b, and the cartridge 80
When the cartridge is not inserted, the cartridge insertion opening 3b is closed to prevent dust and the like from entering the inside of the extraction device through the cartridge insertion opening 3b. A slight space between the cartridge insertion port 3b and the cartridge receiving position 10 constitutes a hopper 20, which is close to the cartridge insertion port 3b of the cover 3 and has a downward slope toward the cartridge receiving position 10. 20a and guide wall portions 2 provided on both sides of the guide slope portion 20a and facing each other.
0b, 20b, and three parts of a cartridge positioning part 20c for stopping the flat cartridge 80 which is inserted from the cartridge insertion port 3b and slides down the guide slope part 20a, just above the cartridge receiving position 10. Part 20a
Has an opening 20e at a position directly above the cartridge receiving position 10. The opening 20e is formed in conformity with the flat shape of the flat cartridge 80, and the flat cartridge 80 stopped right above the cartridge receiving position 10 by the cartridge positioning portion 20c is guided to the cartridge receiving position 10 in a horizontal state. It has become. Also, the guide slope 20a near the cartridge insertion port 3b
The width of the and the space between the opposing guide walls 20b, 20b is
Each of them is set to have substantially the same dimension as the front dimension of the cartridge insertion port 3b, and the width dimension of the guide slope portion 20a and the interval between the opposing guide wall portions 20b and 20b are set to the cartridge positioning portion 20c.
It becomes narrower as it approaches. Therefore, even when the flat cartridge 80 is inserted while being laterally offset with respect to the cartridge insertion opening 3b, the cartridge 80 can be reliably placed in the cartridge positioning portion 20c by the guide slope portion 20a and the opposing guide wall portions 20b, 20b. It can be guided, and at this time, the flat cartridge 80 sliding down the guide slope portion 20a does not get caught on the way. Further, the cartridge positioning portion 20c has a ring shape, and has an inner diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the flat cartridge 80. This hopper 20 is provided with a substantially L-shaped arm portion 20d extending upward in the back side of the cartridge positioning portion 20c (on the side opposite to the guide slope portion 20a). The hopper 20 has an arm portion 20d. It is fixed by attaching the tip of the bent portion of the to the shelf 2c with screws 21 and 21. A flat cartridge 80 is provided between the lower end of the cartridge positioning portion 20c and the upper surface of the cartridge support plate 7.
An interval d is provided that is larger than the thickness dimension of. Further, although not shown in the figure, a light source and a photoelectric conversion light receiving cell forming an optical sensor are provided at symmetrical positions on the circumference of the cartridge positioning portion 20c that differ by 180 °, and the flat cartridge 80 is attached to the cartridge positioning portion 20c. It is possible to detect whether the vehicle is correctly positioned in the horizontal direction. The cartridge positioning portion 20c of the hopper 20, that is, the transport mechanism 30 that horizontally transports the flat cartridge 80 guided to the cartridge receiving position 10 toward the extraction position 15 is rotatably supported by the lower end of the column 4. Transport disc
31 and a motor 32 for rotating the carrying disk 31 which can rotate in forward and reverse directions. The transport disk
The reference numeral 31 is adapted to rotate above the cartridge support plate 7 and between the cartridge support plate 7 and the lower end of the cartridge positioning portion 20c of the hopper 20. Has a notch 31a for fitting the cartridge 80 in a horizontal state with a slight margin. Prior to the extraction, the flat cartridge 80 filled with the desired ground coffee powder 83 is made horizontal and aligned with the cartridge insertion opening 3b, and the opening / closing door 5 is pushed into the inside of the cover 3 and inserted. The flat cartridge 80 slides down the guide slope portion 20a while the lateral movement of the guide wall portions 20b, 20b of the hopper 20 is restricted, and the cartridge positioning portion 2 is immediately moved.
The downhill is stopped by 0c. At this time, since the guide slope portion 20a has the opening 20e corresponding to the planar shape of the cartridge 80 just above the cartridge receiving position 10, the cartridge 80 that has stopped sliding down has the opening 20e.
While passing through, make the orientation horizontal and reach the cartridge receiving position 10
It fits horizontally in 31a. Whether or not the cartridge 80 is properly transferred onto the carrying disc 31 is detected by an optical sensor provided at the cartridge receiving position 10. When a correct fitting state is detected, the carrying disc 31 is operated counterclockwise by the operation of the motor 32. Rotating in the rotating direction, the cartridge 80 is conveyed horizontally toward the cartridge extraction position 15.

[Effect of device]

As described above, according to the present invention, the flat cartridge that is inserted horizontally in the state where the hopper mainly including the guide slope is provided between the cartridge insertion port and the cartridge receiving position at the close position is immediately conveyed to the cartridge. Since it is supplied to the mechanism, the mechanism that causes the trouble such as cartridge clogging can be omitted, and the intended purpose can be achieved with an extremely simple mechanism. Therefore,
Since the user can set the flattened cartridge filled with the substance to be extracted into the extraction device by simply inserting it, the extract suitable for the taste can be obtained quickly and easily,
This also has the effect of facilitating maintenance of the extraction device.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an apparatus for extracting a favorite beverage such as coffee or tea according to an embodiment of the present invention with a main body and a part of a cover cut away, and FIG. 2 shows a flat cartridge at a cartridge insertion port. Partially enlarged view showing the state when inserting,
3 and 4 are an enlarged horizontal sectional view and a vertical sectional view showing an example of the cartridge supply mechanism of the present invention. 1 ... Extraction device for favorite beverages such as coffee and tea, 3 ... Cover, 3b ... Cartridge insertion port, 10 ... Cartridge receiving position, 15 ... Extraction position, 20a ... Guide slope, 20c ... Cartridge Positioning part, 20e ... Opening, 30 ... Conveying mechanism, 50 ... Extracting mechanism, 80 ... Flat cartridge, 83 ... Extracted object.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (72) Masanori Nishikori 2-9-4 Nakaikeike, Ota-ku, Tokyo Nitto Koki Co., Ltd. (72) Nobuyuki Nozawa 2-9-4 Nakaikeue, Ota-ku, Tokyo No. Nitto Kohki Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Shin Kin Saito 2-34, Nishishinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo Inside Kimura Coffee Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A 64-9594 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A transport mechanism for horizontally transporting a flat cartridge from which upper and lower surfaces can pass an extract liquid to an extraction position,
In a beverage extraction device comprising an extraction mechanism for extracting an object to be extracted filled in the flat cartridge at the extraction position, a cover that covers these mechanisms has a cartridge receiving position of a transport mechanism of the flat cartridge. And the cartridge insertion opening is formed laterally closer to the reception position, and a downward slope is formed in the space from the cartridge insertion opening to the cartridge reception position toward the cartridge reception position. A guide slope is formed by opening the position just above the cartridge receiving position in conformity with the plane shape of the cartridge, and a flat cartridge sliding down the guide slope is provided directly above the cartridge receiving position in the inner part of the guide slope. In a beverage brewing device, characterized in that it has a cartridge positioning part to be stopped at Supply mechanism of the cartridges.