JPH0676156A - Beverage supply device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the beverage supply device capable of preventing the excessive cooling of water and preparing the beverage without fail. CONSTITUTION:The cooling water of a cooling water tub 7 arranging a beverage sirup tank 8, sirup cooling tube 10, and water cooling tube 11 or the like is cooled down by a cooler being a part of the cooling device and the temperature of the cooling water is detected by a temperature detection means. When a control section judges that the temperature of the cooling water is below 0 degree and a prescribed time has elapsed based on temperature information by the temperature detection means, it temporarily stops the operation of the cooling device and the excessive cooling state of the water is warned by a warning means. When judging that the temperature of the cooling water is higher than 0 degree, it restarts the operation of the cooling device.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a beverage supply device for cooling a beverage syrup or water for diluting a beverage syrup by arranging a syrup cooling pipe, a water cooling pipe and the like in a cooling water tank.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional beverage supply device, the actual beverage is shoko 5
As shown in 8-22557, a cooling water tank provided in the main body was provided with a syrup tank for storing beverage syrup (hereinafter referred to as syrup) and a carbonator for producing and storing carbonated water for syrup dilution. There is something.

Further, in this cooling water tank, a coil-shaped syrup cooling pipe for cooling the syrup once sucked by the syrup pump from the syrup tank before pouring it into the cup placed at the beverage outlet ( Hereinafter, a syrup cooling coil) and a coil-shaped water cooling pipe (hereinafter referred to as water cooling coil) for cooling water for syrup dilution (hereinafter referred to as dilution water) are also arranged. In addition, a part of this dilution water is supplied to the carbonator, and it becomes carbonated water containing carbon dioxide gas in this carbonator.

Further, a cooling device (evaporator), which is a part of the cooling device, is arranged in the cooling water tank, and the cooling device is operated to make ice around the cooling device to cool the cooling water in the cooling water tank. After cooling, the cooling water is stirred and circulated by a stirrer to cool the syrup tank, the syrup cooling coil, and the like.

In this cooler, two opposing electrodes are arranged in a cooling water tank, and the electric conductivity between these electrodes is measured to detect the presence or absence of ice formation around the cooler. An ice detector is provided. Then, the sales control device controls the operation of the cooling device in response to the signal from the ice detector.

[0006]

However, in such a conventional beverage supply apparatus, when the syrup is added to the syrup tank or the powder raw material is added,
These syrups and powdered raw materials may spill into the cooling water tank to contaminate the cooling water, or if the cooling water is not replaced for a long period of time, the cooling water may spoil.

In such a case, the electric resistance of the cooling water is lowered, so that even if ice is formed around the cooler, the amount of current flowing between the electrodes of the sensor is not reduced so much. Even if the ice is formed, the ice detector determines that the ice is not formed, so that the cooling device continues to operate, resulting in a supercooled state and freezing of the cooling water.

Further, when the freezing point temperature of the cooling water is lowered due to dirt or decay of the cooling water and the freezing point temperature becomes, for example, minus 2 degrees, the cooling water becomes a supercooled state,
There is a problem that the dilution water flowing in the water cooling coil freezes before the cooling water freezes, so that the dilution water cannot be poured into the cup and the beverage cannot be prepared.

[0009] It is an object of the present invention to provide a beverage supply device capable of preventing cooling water from being overcooled and surely preparing a beverage.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a beverage syrup tank in a cooling water tank having a cooler as a part of a cooling device, and a syrup cooling pipe for cooling the beverage syrup derived from the beverage syrup tank. And a beverage supply device having a water cooling pipe or the like for cooling the water for diluting the beverage syrup, a temperature detection device for detecting the temperature of the cooling water in the cooling water tank, and based on temperature information by the temperature detection device. When it is determined that the cooling water temperature is less than 0 degree and the predetermined time has elapsed, the operation of the cooling device is temporarily stopped, and a warning means warns that the cooling water is in a supercooled state, and the cooling water temperature is 0. And a control unit for restarting the operation of the cooling device when it is determined that the temperature is equal to or higher than the frequency.

[0011]

With this configuration, the cooling water in the cooling water tank in which the beverage syrup tank, the syrup cooling pipe, and the water cooling pipe are arranged is cooled by the cooler which is a part of the cooling device, and the temperature of the cooling water is controlled to the temperature. It can be detected by a detection device.
When the control unit determines that the cooling water temperature is less than 0 degrees and the predetermined time has elapsed based on the temperature information from the temperature detection device, the operation of the cooling device is temporarily stopped and the cooling water is in a supercooled state. Is given by the warning means, and when it is determined that the cooling water temperature has reached 0 ° C. or higher, the operation of the cooling device can be restarted.

[0012]

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

FIG. 1 is a piping system diagram of a cup type vending machine as a beverage supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of a cooling water tank thereof.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is a cistern tank for storing water from tap water, and the water in this cistern tank 1 is supplied to an ice maker 2 for making ice for cooling a prepared beverage. On the other hand, after being sucked up by the dilution water pump 3 to a predetermined pressure, it is poured as dilution water into the cup 6 placed in the beverage outlet 5 formed on the front face of the carbonator 4 and the vending machine as described later. It is designed to peel off.

Reference numeral 7 denotes a cooling water tank. The cooling water tank 7 is provided with a syrup tank 8 and a carbonator 4.
The syrup stored in the syrup tank 8 is sucked by the syrup pump 9 to be pressurized, and then cooled by passing through the syrup cooling coil 10 arranged in the cooling water tank 7 to be transferred from the syrup nozzle 10a to the cup 6. It is pourable.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a water cooling coil arranged in the cooling water tank 7. The pressure-increased water from the dilution water pump 3 is cooled by passing through the water cooling coil 11, and then partially. Is supplied to the carbonator 4 to become carbonated water from the carbonated water nozzle 4a, and the rest is poured as dilution water into the cup 6 from the dilution water nozzle 11a.

Reference numeral 12 is a carbon dioxide gas cylinder for supplying high-pressure carbon dioxide gas to the carbonator 4, and 6a is a cup dispenser for successively dropping the cup 6 into the beverage outlet 5. Further, in the figure, arrow A shows a state where ice is conveyed from the ice chute 2a of the ice maker 2 to the beverage outlet 5, and arrow B shows from the cup dispenser 6a to the cup 6.
Are each conveyed to the beverage outlet 5.

On the other hand, in FIG. 2, 13 is a cooler which is a part of the cooling device arranged in the cooling water tank 7, and in FIG. 2, the surface of this cooler 13 is covered with ice 14.

Further, above the syrup tank 8, there is provided a temperature detecting sensor 15 which is a temperature detecting device for detecting the temperature of the cooling water in the cooling water tank 7. Here, as shown in FIG. 3, the temperature detection sensor 15 is a sales control device 1 which is a control unit provided at a predetermined position of the vending machine.
6 for outputting cooling water temperature information (hereinafter referred to as temperature information).

The sales controller 16 controls the beverage preparation operation for preparing the beverage in accordance with the sales instruction, and the cooling device 17 in accordance with the temperature information from the temperature detection sensor 15.
It is for controlling the operation of.

Here, the cooling water in the cooling water tank 7 usually freezes after the water temperature falls below 0 ° C. for a predetermined time t1 below the freezing point as shown by the solid line in FIG. 4, and the freezing starts. And the water temperature becomes 0 degrees. In this case, the water temperature becomes below the freezing point, and the supercooling time t1 until freezing starts is almost constant.

However, when the cooling water becomes dirty or decomposes, the supercooling time t2 of the cooling water becomes longer as shown by the broken line in the figure, and the freezing point becomes lower than 0 degree. Then, when this cooling water becomes 0 degrees or less and the supercooled state is maintained for a predetermined time t3 (t1 <t3 <t2), for example, 30 minutes, the dilution water passing through the water cooling coil 11 before the cooling water freezes. It will freeze.

Therefore, the sales control device 16 determines that the supercooling time t3 is 30 based on the temperature information from the temperature detection sensor 15.
When it is determined that the time has been exceeded, the operation of the cooling device 17 is stopped.

Further, the sales control device 16 turns on a warning lamp 18 which is a warning means arranged on the front surface of the vending machine, and the cooling water is in a supercooled state due to contamination or the like, and replacement is required. I try to warn you that it is necessary.

The sales control device 16 is a cooling device 1.
After the operation of No. 7 is stopped, when it is judged from the temperature information that the cooling water has exceeded 0 degrees, the operation of the cooling device 17 is restarted and the syrup tank 8 and the carbonator 4 are cooled.

Next, the cooling operation of the syrup and the like of the beverage supply device thus constructed will be described.

Normally, when the sales control device 16 judges from the temperature information from the temperature detection sensor 15 that the temperature of the cooling water has exceeded 0 degrees, the cooling device 17 is operated to allow cool air to flow through the cooler 13 and the cooling water tank 7 inside. To cool the cooling water.

Eventually, the temperature of the cooling water decreases, and as shown by the solid line in FIG. 4, when the cooling water temperature falls below 0 degrees and a constant supercooling time t1 elapses, freezing starts around the cooler 13. As a result, the surface of the cooler 13 is covered with the ice 14, and the ice 14 keeps the temperature of the cooling water at zero.
To be kept in degrees.

The cooling water kept at 0 degrees cools the carbonator 4 and the syrup tank 8 as well as the syrup cooling coil 10 and the water cooling coil 11.

As a result, the syrup sucked from the syrup tank 8 by the syrup pump 9 is cooled by passing through the syrup cooling coil 10 and then poured into the cup 6 from the syrup nozzle 10a.

Further, the water sucked out from the stern tank 1 by the dilution water pump 3 is cooled by passing through the water cooling coil 11, and a part thereof becomes carbonated water in the carbonator 4 from the carbonated water nozzle 4a. The rest is poured as it is into the cup 6 from the dilution water nozzle 11a as dilution water. Then, in the cup 6, the syrup is diluted with dilution water or carbonated water to prepare a beverage.

If the cooling water is dirty or spoiled, the sales control device 16 determines from the temperature information from the temperature detection sensor 15 that the cooling water temperature has exceeded 0 degrees, and the cooling device 17 is operated. However, as shown by the broken line in FIG. 4, even if the water temperature falls below 0 degrees and the predetermined supercooling time t1 elapses, no icing occurs.

For this reason, the sales control device 16 continues to operate the cooling device 17 to cool the cooling water, but no ice formation occurs even after the supercooling time t3 of 30 minutes has passed, and the temperature detection sensor 15 detects If it is determined from the temperature information that no freezing has occurred, the cooling device 17 is stopped and the warning lamp 18 is turned on.

As a result, it is possible to prevent the supercooled state from continuing for 30 minutes or longer, and to prevent the dilution water passing through the water cooling coil 11 from freezing. In addition, the warning lamp 18
By turning on, it is possible to prompt replacement of dirty cooling water.

The sales control device 16 is a cooling device 1.
When the temperature detection sensor 15 determines that the cooling water has exceeded 0 degrees after stopping the operation of 7, the operation of the cooling device 17 is restarted and the syrup tank 8 and the carbonator 4 are cooled. Therefore, the syrup and carbonated water are kept in an appropriate state.

Further, when the dirty cooling water is replaced, the sales control device 16 detects that the temperature detection sensor 15 has started the freezing of the cooling water after the lapse of a certain supercooling time t1. The warning lamp 18 is turned off when it is determined that the warning lamp 18 has been replaced. After replacing the cooling water, the warning lamp 1
You may make it turn off 8.

As described above, when the temperature of the cooling water is detected by the temperature detecting sensor 15 and the supercooling time t2 exceeds a predetermined time, the operation of the cooling device 17 is stopped to cause the water cooling coil 11 to operate. It is possible to prevent freezing of the dilution water passing through.

Further, the warning lamp 1 indicates that the cooling water is dirty.
A warning can be given by 8 and the replacement of cooling water can be prompted.

[0039]

As described above, according to the present invention, the temperature of the cooling water can be detected by the temperature detecting sensor, and the operation of the cooling device can be stopped when the cooling water becomes supercooled. Supercooling of the cooling water can be prevented, and the beverage can be prepared with certainty.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a piping system diagram of a cup-type vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of a cooling water tank of the cup type vending machine.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a sales control device of the cup type vending machine.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a temperature change when the cooling water in the cooling water tank freezes.

[Explanation of symbols]

 7 Cooling Water Tank 11 Water Cooling Coil 15 Temperature Detection Sensor 16 Sales Control Device 17 Cooling Device 18 Warning Lamp

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A beverage syrup tank, a syrup cooling pipe for cooling the beverage syrup derived from the beverage syrup tank, and a syrup cooling pipe for diluting the beverage syrup in a cooling water tank provided with a cooler which is a part of a cooling device. In a beverage supply device provided with a water cooling pipe or the like for cooling water, a temperature detection device that detects the temperature of the cooling water in the cooling water tank, and the cooling water temperature is less than 0 degrees based on temperature information by the temperature detection device. When it is determined that the predetermined time has elapsed, the operation of the cooling device is temporarily stopped and the warning means warns that the cooling water is in a supercooled state, and when it is determined that the cooling water temperature becomes 0 degree or more, A beverage supply device, comprising: a controller that restarts the operation of the cooling device.