JPH07249172A - Cup-type vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a cup-type dispenser generating no deviation in the timing of cooking owing to the large resistance of a pipe line where hot water flows in sales just after a sales standby state continues long. CONSTITUTION:A control part repeatedly executes the routine of #1, #7 and #8 during sales standby. In this routine, the passing of time during standby is counted so as to pour hot water into a pipe line at #9 of detecting the passing of a prescribed time at #8. When the pipe line is dry, this hot water wets the pipe line. But, when the pipe line is not dry, hot water is discharged to a cup station to which a cup is not discharged.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cup type vending machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A cup type vending machine for selling powdered beverages or regular beverages is constructed as shown in FIGS. In addition to a cup dispenser (not shown) for dispensing the cup 2 to the cup station 1 facing the outlet, a brewer unit 3, a mixing ball 4, a hot water tank 5 are provided in the vending machine. Etc. are provided.

In the case of powder drink sales in which the raw materials are melted in hot water and dispensed as a beverage, the powdery coffee raw material 6 and, if necessary, sugar 7 or cream 8 are dispensed to the mixing ball 4. At the same time, one cup of hot water is poured into the mixing ball 4. This hot water is supplied from the hot water tank 5 to the valve 9a and the pipe 10a.
And through the valve 11 into the mixing ball 4 as indicated by the arrow 12. The powder drink melted with hot water with the mixing ball 4 is poured into the cup 2 of the cup station 1 through the pipe 13.

In the case of regular beverage sales in which a mixture of raw material and hot water is filtered and cooked, the raw material 14 obtained by grinding coffee beans with a mill device and the hot water are extracted from the extraction chamber 15 of the brewer unit 3.
Be thrown into. At the time of this insertion, the valve element 16 is pushed down to the imaginary line position and is inserted from the upper opening 17 which is in an open state. Hot water is supplied from the hot water tank 5 to the valve 9b and the pipe 10b.
Poured through. After charging the raw material 14 and hot water, the valve body 16
Moves to the solid line position to close the upper opening 17, and the air pump 18 pressurizes the extraction chamber 15. Raw material 14
The mixed solution 19 of hot water and hot water is forcibly filtered by the paper filter 20 due to the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the extraction chamber 15, the extract solution in which the extract is dissolved is pushed out to the filter receiver 21, and coffee grounds are left on the paper filter 20. Remain. The extract passing through the paper filter 20 is pushed out to the mixing ball 4 via the conduit 10c and the valve 11 as shown by an arrow 22. The mixing ball 4 mixes with the auxiliary raw materials of sugar and cream as needed, and the regular drink is poured into the cup 2 of the cup station 1 through the pipe 13. Reference numeral 23 is a drain bucket for receiving drinks and the like spilled at the cup station 1.

Each device is operated by the control unit 24 configured as shown in FIG. 4, and the powder drink sale or the regular drink sale is executed as described above. In # 1, it is determined that one of the sales switches, which is the product selection switch, has been operated. When it is determined that the sales switch has been operated in # 1, the change is calculated and the amount of the raw material to be paid out is calculated in # 2. In # 3, the cup dispenser is instructed to dispense the cup 2 to the cup station 1. When the completion of the sales preparation is detected in # 4, the powder drink sale or the regular drink sale described above is executed in # 5 based on the operation of the sale switch, and the process returns to # 1 to enter the sale standby state.

In FIG. 5, 25 is a storage tank for coffee beans, 26 is a storage tank for powdered coffee raw materials,
27 is a storage tank for auxiliary raw materials.

[0007]

The actual length of the conduits 10a and 10b is relatively long as shown in FIG. When the sales standby state becomes long, the water accumulated in the pipelines 10a and 10b gradually evaporates and dryness occurs. Pipeline 10
When a and 10b dry, the resistance when the hot water discharged from the hot water tank 5 flows in the next # 5 increases, and it takes time for the hot water to reach the mixing ball 4 and the brewer unit 3. Will be delayed. Therefore, mixing of the auxiliary raw material in the mixing ball 4 may become insufficient, or the brewer unit 3 may not be able to completely flow the raw material 14 into the extraction chamber 15.

In particular, the pipeline 10b for selling regular drinks
Is configured so that it is always warmed by the heater 28 and the hot water temperature does not drop during the heating, so the evaporation amount in the pipeline 10b in the standby state for sale is larger than that in the pipeline 10a for powder drink sale.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a cup-type vending machine in which the resistance when hot water flows is large and the timing of cooking does not shift.

[0010]

The cup-type vending machine according to the present invention is sold in a cup-type vending machine which dispenses a beverage prepared by using hot water supplied from a hot water tank through a pipe into a cup. It is characterized in that a control unit is provided for instructing to flow hot water or water to the pipe at regular intervals during standby.

[0011]

According to this structure, the control section causes hot water (or water) to flow into the pipe at regular intervals during standby for sale. If the piping is dry, use this hot water (or water) to eliminate the dryness of the pipeline. If the piping is not dry, hot water (or water) is discharged to the cup station where the cup has not been dispensed.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. It should be noted that components having the same functions as those of the conventional example shown in FIGS.

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment. In this embodiment, a part of the control unit 24 composed of a microcomputer is modified, and the routine executed during the standby for sale in # 1 of the flow chart shown in FIG. 4 includes # 7 to # 10.
Is installed.

The control unit 24 determines in # 1 that any of the sales switches, which are the product selection switches, has been operated. If it is determined that the sales switch has been operated in # 1, #
In 2, the change is calculated and the amount of the raw material to be paid out is calculated. In # 3, the cup dispenser is instructed to dispense the cup 2 to the cup station 1. When the completion of the sales preparation is detected in # 4, the powder drink sale or the regular drink sale is executed in # 5 based on the operation of the sale switch.

When it is determined that the sales switch is not operated in # 1, the content of the specific register is incremented by 1 in # 7.
Then, the elapsed time is counted. In # 8, it is determined whether or not the contents of the register incremented by 1 in # 7 have reached the specified value.
If it is determined in # 8 that the specified value is not reached, # 1
Return to. # 7 and # 8 are repeatedly executed while waiting for sale, and when it is determined that the content of the register has reached the specified value in # 8, the valves 9a and 9b are opened in # 9 and the pipeline 10 is opened.
A little hot water of about 5 cc to 10 cc is poured on each of a and 10b. Then, in # 10, the contents of the specific register, which has been incremented by 1 in # 7, are reset and the process returns to # 1.

While executing the routines # 1, # 7 and # 8,
When it is determined that the sale switch has been operated in # 1, and the sale is completed in # 5, the contents of the specific register that has been incremented by 1 in # 7 are reset in # 6, and the process returns to # 7.

As described above, during the sales standby, since a small amount of hot water is poured into the pipelines 10a and 10b at the regular time # 9, the sales standby period is long and the pipelines 10a and 10b are dry. Even in this case, the dryness is eliminated by the hot water flown in # 9, and the resistance of the pipelines 10a and 10b can be maintained reliably low. When the water is washed away, there is no timing delay in the hot water and the mixing ball 4 or brewer unit 3
It can be flowed into and the normal cooking can be realized.

FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment. In the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, in # 9, the valves 9a and 9b were opened to allow a small amount of hot water to flow into the pipelines 10a and 10b. However, as shown in FIG. The same effect can be expected even if a slight amount of water is made to flow through the conduits 10a and 10b via the valves 31a and 31b.

In each of the above-described embodiments, the conduit 10 is provided at # 9.
Although hot water or water was made to flow to both a and 10b, improvement can also be expected by making a small amount of hot water or water to flow only to the conduit 10b that has been warmed by the heater 28.

In each of the above-described embodiments, the conduit 10 is provided at # 9.
Although hot water or water is caused to flow to both a and 10b, or a small amount of hot water or water is caused to flow only to the conduit 10b that has been heated by the heater 28, in # 9, a small amount of hot water or water is applied to the conduit 10b. The same effect can be expected by making a small amount of water flow in the conduit 10a as well as flowing it.

[0021]

As described above, according to the present invention, in a cup-type vending machine that dispenses a beverage prepared by using hot water supplied from a hot water tank through a pipe into a cup, a specified time is waited for sale. Since a control unit that directs hot water or water to flow to each pipe is provided for each, when the pipe is dry, the dryness of the pipeline is eliminated by this hot water or water, and immediately after the sales standby state continues for a long time. Even in sales, the resistance of the pipeline does not increase when flowing the prescribed amount of hot water required for one sale, and the delay in the timing of hot water supply can be eliminated and normal cooking can be realized. .

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a control unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a control unit according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a conventional cup-type vending machine.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a control unit of the conventional example.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the inside of the cup-type vending machine of the conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Cup Station 2 Cup 3 Brewer Unit 4 Mixing Ball 5 Hot Water Tank 10a, 10b Pipeline 24 Control Unit 29 Reservoir Tank 31a, 31b Valve

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A cup-type vending machine that dispenses a beverage prepared by using hot water supplied from a hot water tank through a pipe into a cup, the hot water or water being supplied to the pipe at regular intervals during standby for sale. A cup-type vending machine equipped with a control unit that directs it to flow. 2. A regular beverage sale in which a mixed liquid of raw material and hot water supplied from the hot water tank through the first pipe is filtered for cooking, or hot water is supplied from the hot water tank through the second pipe. In a cup-type vending machine that sells powdered beverages that melt in hot water and cooks them, and dispenses the cooked beverages into cups
A cup-type vending machine provided with a controller for instructing hot water or water to flow into the first pipe of the specific pipe and the second pipe. 3. A regular beverage sale in which a mixed liquid of raw material and hot water supplied from the hot water tank through the first pipe is filtered for cooking, or hot water is supplied from the hot water tank through the second pipe. In a cup-type vending machine that sells powdered beverages that melt in hot water and cooks them, and dispenses the cooked beverages into cups
A cup-type vending machine provided with a control unit for instructing to flow hot water to the second pipe and water to the second pipe.