JPS6080414A - Coffee brewer - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a coffee brewer that can automatically extract delicious coffee liquid by dropping boiling water onto coffee grounds.

Conventional structure and its problems Conventionally, the method of obtaining coffee liquid by dripping hot water onto coffee grounds was to introduce water from the bottom of a water tank into a heating pipe and heat it, using steam generated by nucleate boiling. The so-called drip type, in which the water is raised and hot water is dripped onto the coffee grounds for about 10 minutes, or the bimetal type, in which the coffee grounds are placed below the water tank. There was a type of drip hot water supply system in which the temperature release valve was generally turned on and hot water was dripped onto the coffee grounds.

However, these devices have the disadvantage that it is difficult to eliminate variations in temperature sensing accuracy, and the hot water supply temperature is not constant and becomes low. The condition of "complete extraction in 3 to 4 minutes while sufficiently swelling the coffee powder by dropping it onto the coffee powder" could not be satisfied. For this reason, delicious coffee liquid could not be obtained.

Purpose of the Invention The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems.The hot water supplied to the coffee grounds must be boiled;
The purpose is to provide a coffee boiler that makes the temperature at which it contacts the coffee powder higher than the initial temperature, completes the extraction time in 3 to 4 minutes, produces delicious coffee liquid, and is easy to operate. do.

Structure of the Invention In order to achieve the above object, the coffee boiler L5 of the present invention has the following features:
A filter case for storing coffee powder, a water tank having a heating element, a switch element for supplying power to the heating element, and a shape memory alloy that operates by detecting steam generated when the water in the water tank is heated to boiling. and a hot water supply valve that supplies water from the water tank to the filter case in conjunction with the operation of the steam detection member. According to this configuration, the water in the water tank is A steam detection member made of a shape memory alloy detects the rapid temperature rise of steam generated by heating and boiling, and operates the hot water supply valve, so there is no variation in sensing and there is no need for complicated electrical wiring. With a simple configuration, the opening operation of the hot water supply valve can be performed reliably, and delicious coffee with rich aroma can be extracted.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In FIGS. 1 and 2, 1 is a machine body, and this machine body 1 includes a base 2 in the shape of a flat cylindrical container, a container part 3 located above the base 2, and a container part 3. 3
and a column 4 connecting the side surfaces of the base 2, and a substantially U-shaped storage section 5 is formed below, surrounded by the body 1 and having an open left side surface.

The container part 3 has a cylindrical stainless steel water tank 7 on the top with a heating element 6 attached to the bottom, and a filter case 8 on the bottom part, which can be attached and removed from the storage part 5 side below. A water heater 1o that has a recessed mounting surface 9 for mounting and that inwardly guides water from a water tank 7 above a filter case 8.
A container frame 11 is provided in which electric parts and the like are arranged. The filter case 8 has an upper protruding mounting surface 12 and an extraction port 1 at the bottom of the lower surface in order to be mounted on the recessed mounting surface 9 using a bayonet connection or a sliding rail.
3 and a handle 14 at the top of the side wall, and houses a paper filter 15 for putting coffee powder inside. Reference numeral 16 denotes a glass cup located below the filter case 8 and whose lower surface is freely mounted on the cup mounting portion 17 on the upper surface of the base 2. This cup 16 covers the upper opening surface and A cup lid 19 having a socket 18 facing the filter case extraction port 13, and an annular concave surface 2 of the cup 16.
0 and a pusher 22 for fitting and attaching the mounting piece 21 using the elasticity of resin or the like.

23 is a heat-retaining heater for keeping the cup warm provided in the base 2 of the cup placement part 17; 24 is a thermostat for controlling the temperature; -25 is a magnet switch 26 provided below the support 4 of the base 20; It is a bezel material.

Reference numeral 27 denotes a lid that is removably attached to the water tank rod inlet 28 by engaging the concave and convex portions.
It is composed of an integrated system.

Here, the hot water supply device 1o includes a hot water supply port 31 provided at the bottom of the water tank 7, and a waterproof gasket 32 attached to the hot water supply port 31.
A valve case 33 is installed so that a part thereof protrudes into the water tank γ through the valve case 33, a hot water supply pipe 34 that guides the hot water from the valve case 33 to the upper part of the filter case 8, and a removable pipe that evenly distributes the hot water to the coffee grounds. It has a flexible diffuser 35 made of stainless steel.

Reference numeral 36 denotes an I-valve spring configured to bias the valve 38 attached to the vertically movable valve stem 37 from above so that the valve 38 always closes the opening, and 39 holds the lower part of the valve stem 37 at the center. The diaphragm 39 is made of silicone rubber and is movable up and down, and its mounting portion is kept watertight.

Reference numeral 41 denotes a valve lever that is attached to a pair of support pieces 42 that protrude from the valve case 33 and rotates about the portion 43 as a fulcrum. The protruding piece 45 which switches the normally closed contact 44, which is a switch element for supplying power to the heating element 6, and the locking lever 47 biased by a spring 46 are brought into contact with each other and the other end on the right side is locked. It has a section 48.

Reference numeral 49 denotes a stainless steel steam detection tube that is arranged in parallel with the water tank 7 and protrudes above the support column 4, and has a cylindrical shape. T i -N is located inside the upper part between the upper surface of the vapor detection tube 49 and the flange portion 51 of the sliding rod 60 and is treated so as to expand to the original state stored at a constant temperature of 100° C. or less.
A vapor detection member 52 made of a shape memory alloy in the shape of a coiled spring made of an alloy of 1, or an alloy such as Cu-Zn is provided inside. The steam detection tube 49 located outside the steam detection member 52 is provided with a steam hole 53 that communicates between the inside and outside, and one of the steam holes 63 has one end above the specified water level of the water tank 5. The other end opening 65 of the steam pipe 54, which is caulked and whose middle part is raised above the upper surface of the water tank 5, is located opposite to it. The sliding rod 50 is supported on the inside and is arranged to be watertightly isolated from the inside of the column 4 by a movable vertically movable water seal 56. Only the actuating piece 57 at the lower end of the rod 50 is opposed to the upper surface of the locking part 48 of the valve valve/<-41 in the column 4.

Reference numerals 58 and 59 indicate a power button protruding from the upper surface of the support column 4 and a 9 button for canceling the stoppage of the operation progress;
An engagement piece 62 that engages with the switch lever 61 biased by a spring 60 is formed at the lower end of the switch, and a protrusion 64 that closes the lower power switch 63 when engaged. When the button 58 is released, it returns to one direction due to the force of a spring.Button 59 is also an automatic return type operation button that is always urged upward by a spring (not shown). At the lower end thereof, release pieces 65 and 66 are provided which are close to the switch lever 61 and the locking lever 47 for operating the valve and act to release the locked state thereof.

FIG. 3 shows an electric circuit, and 71 and 72 are power terminals connected to a 1 ooV power source, for example, and correspond to the magnet switch 26 in FIG. 1. 63 is the power switch,
This power switch 63 has a series circuit of a heat retention heater 23 and a thermostat 24 for temperature control connected to the power supply terminal 72, and a heating element 6 for boiling water via a normally closed contact 44.
A series circuit with a safety thermostat (67 in FIG. 1) for preventing dry firing is connected via common connection points 74 and 75.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be explained. First, the filter case 8 containing coffee powder and the paper filter 15 is attached to the recessed receiving surface 9, and a predetermined amount of water (usually enough water for four people) is supplied to the water tank 7, and the lid 27 is filled with water. be coated with. Then, when the cup 16 is placed on the cup placement part 17 in the storage part 5 - the socket 18 of the cassop lid 19 faces the extraction port 13 of the filter case 8 ○ and the magnetic plug 2
When the power switch 6 is connected to the frame 25 of the base 2 and the power button 58 is pushed in, the power switch 63 is closed and the heat retaining heater 23 and the heating element 6 for boiling water are energized.

Then, the water in the water tank γ is heated by the heating element 6 and its temperature rises, and at around 100°C, steam is just generated from the water surface, but as the heating progresses further and reaches the boiling point of 100'C. It becomes steam, and it is generated continuously. The force is so strong that the steam is forced out even from the small gap in the water tank Y. Of course,
This steam passes through a steam pipe 54 provided at the top of the water tank 7 and is ejected with force from an opening 55.
This ejected steam is instantaneously ejected from a steam hole 53 provided in the vapor detection tube 49 to a coiled spring-shaped vapor detection member 52 formed of a shape memory alloy.

As a result, the temperature of the vapor detection member 52 undergoes a rapid temperature rise from the ambient temperature of around 30"C to 100°C, and the coil spring-shaped vapor detection member 52, which has been memorized and set at a temperature below 100°C, for example around 80°C, The member 62 quickly expands with a large restoring force.

This movement of the vapor detection member 52 pushes the sliding rod 6o downward, and the actuating piece 57 at the lower end pushes the upper surface of the locking part 48 of the valve lever 41, and the force is applied to the valve spring 36 and the spring 4.
The locking portion 48 is moved to the locking lever 47 by a force that resists the urging force of 6.
Rotate and lock it on the hook and use it. At this time, the protruding piece 45 of the valve lever 41 pushes down the movable piece of the normally closed contact 44, which is the power supply switch to the heating element 6, to open it, cutting off the electricity to the heating element 6, and preventing further heating of the water. At the same time, this movement causes the left end of the valve lever 41 to push up the valve stem 3 through the vertically movable diaphragm 39, thereby opening the valve 38.

When the valve 38 is opened, the hot water in the water tank Y passes through the valve case 33 and the hot water pipe 34 through the opening hole 68 provided in the valve case 33, and the filter case 8
The hot water is dispersed and poured evenly over the coffee powder through the small holes of the diffuser 35 located above the coffee powder. And this hot water
Efficiently extracts the components of coffee powder and uses a paper filter.
The coffee liquid is filtered through 15 to become a finished coffee liquid, and passes through the extraction port 13 on the bottom bottom of the filter case 8 and the socket 18 of the cup lid 19 facing downward into the cup 16.
contained within. On the other hand, the coffee liquid in the power knob 16 is kept at an appropriate temperature by controlling the heat insulating heater 23 by the thermostat 24. Since the locking state is released against the springs 60 and 46 of the switch 61 and the locking lever 47, the power button 58 and the 9 button 59 are automatically returned upward by the spring force. The normally closed contact 44 opens the circuit from the open state. At the same time, the power switch 63 is turned off, so that the electricity to the heating element 6 and the heat-retaining heater 23 is opened and cut off.

In response to the return of the nine button 59, the force of the valve spring 38 is applied to the steam detection member 52 via the valve stem 37, valve lever 41, and sliding rod 50, but the steam injection has already stopped and the shape memory effect has disappeared. Therefore, the vapor sensing member 52 is easily returned from the expanded coil spring shape to the original compressed shape to close the valve 38, so that water will not drip even if water is poured again. Furthermore, if you wish to interrupt the operation at any time during heating or hot water supply, the power switch 63 will be opened and the latch opening that keeps the valve 38 open will be released. - It has a release function that can stop or cancel the so-called operation.

In order to ensure that this release function is performed, in one embodiment of the present invention, the memory temperature and the steam detection tube 49 are adjusted so that the shape memory effect of the steam detection member 52 is quickly eliminated, especially when hot water is supplied immediately after steam detection. The shape and the number of holes of the steam holes 53 on the outside of the provided steam detection member 52 are effectively set.

The time from pouring the hot water from the water tank 7 to the coffee powder to extracting the coffee liquid is set to about 3 to 4 minutes based on the diameter of the hot water pipe 34 and the displacement dimension of the valve 38. Therefore, the temperature of the hot water poured into the coffee grounds is once boiled and then the heating is stopped before hot water is supplied, so even if there is heat loss in the hot water supply route etc. during the process, the hot water is poured at a temperature of 96℃ from the beginning. Although the temperature gradually decreases, the ideal extraction temperature of 90°C or higher can be maintained even when the extraction is complete.

As described above, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the airframe 1 includes a filter case 8 and a water tank 7 located above the filter case 7 and having a heating element 6, and water from this water tank 7 is supplied to the filter case 8. A water heater 1o is provided, and which water heater 1Q has a steam detection member 5 which operates by detecting the steam generated when the water in the water tank 7 is heated and boiled, and which operates in conjunction with the movement of the shape memory alloy. , a configuration that supplies hot water and extracts coffee liquid! In order to achieve ~, the secret method for extracting delicious coffee liquid is to drop boiling, high-temperature water onto the coffee grounds, allowing the grounds to swell sufficiently and completing the extraction in 3 to 4 minutes. This is very satisfying, as coffee components can be efficiently extracted under ideal extraction conditions, and a truly aromatic and delicious coffee liquid can be extracted.

The extraction temperature is determined by detecting the boiling point and then starting the hot water supply, so you can enjoy a stable and delicious coffee flavor at any time without any variation depending on the number of kettles used. and additional voltage variations, as well as sensing discrepancies between the sensing part and the switch part in conventional examples that use a thermostat as the water temperature sensing member,
It completely eliminates variations in sensitivity due to mounting position and can always supply hot water after boiling, providing a high level of quality and reliability, which dramatically increases the product value.

In addition, since a shape memory alloy is used as the vapor detection member 52, it can serve the dual functions of vapor detection and operation at the same time.As a result, not only can the configuration be simplified, but there is no deviation in operation. Small, lightweight and inexpensive. in addition,
Its use in steam detection is to sense the temperature difference between room temperature and boiling point, which allows for a wider range of shape memory temperature settings and eliminates sensing errors caused by variations, making it possible to further reduce reliability and manufacturing costs. .

Furthermore, if the steam detection is performed outside the water tank 7 as in one embodiment of the present invention, the stainless steel water tank 7 can be used, and even if the structure does not allow sufficient confirmation of the extraction process, one process of coffee extraction can be performed using steam. This can enhance the sense of value of the product as it can be visually confirmed and enjoyed as it is erupting. As a result, the adoption of the stainless steel water tank 7 allows the use of high-temperature hot water close to 100°C, whereas conventional resin tanks can only be used with water. The bad influence of odor on coffee extraction is also eliminated.

The switch element 44 that closes the circuit of the heating element 6 is opened in conjunction with the movement of the steam detection member to cut off the power, so that the water tank 7 is not heated when the water supply is completed. Prevention is possible, and the operation can be performed automatically, resulting in excellent safety and operability.

In the above embodiment, the vapor detection member 52 made of a shape memory alloy is formed into a coil shape, and the vapor detection member 52 is erected outside the water tank 7. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. Rather, its shape and mounting position may be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the invention, such as making it linear and placing it inside a water tank.

Of course you can get it.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the valve lever 41 is locked to the locking lever 47 so that the locking can be performed continuously. It may be provided with a timer element that continues locking (about 4 minutes) and then returns to release.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the release of the operation is performed using the cutting portion 59.
I explained what was going on, but
Alternatively, the valve may be released in conjunction with the mounting operation of the lid 27 or the filter case 8 to close the valve.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the present invention includes a filter case for storing coffee powder, a water tank having a heating element, and a shape that operates by detecting the steam generated when the water in the water tank is heated and boiled. The structure includes a vapor detection member made of a memory alloy, and a hot water supply valve that supplies water from the water tank into the filter case in conjunction with the operation of the vapor detection member, so that high temperature Hot water is dripped onto the coffee powder, and the coffee powder is sufficiently swollen and extracted in 3 to 4 minutes to extract a delicious, fragrant coffee liquid, and the vapor can be visually confirmed. It is possible to provide a convenient coffee brewing device with improved operability, such as the ability to enjoy brewing.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1 to 3 show a coffee boiler according to an embodiment of the present invention, with Figure 1 being a longitudinal sectional view thereof, Figure 2 being a partial city view including a switch section and a steam detection tube, and Figure 3 is an electrical circuit diagram. 6...Heating element, 7...Water tank, 8.
...Filter case, 33.Old...Valve case, 3
4...Hot water supply vibrator, 38...Valve, 39...
...Diaphragm, 41...Valve lever, 44
...Normally closed contact (switch element), 47...
・Latching lever, 49...Steam detection tube, 5°...
... Sliding rod, 62 ... Steam detection member, 54
・・・・・・Steam pipe.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A filter case that holds coffee powder, a water tank that has a heating element, a switch element that supplies power to the heating element, and a device that operates by detecting the steam generated when the water in the water tank is heated to boiling. A coffee boiler comprising a steam detection member made of a shape memory alloy, and a hot water supply valve that supplies water from a water tank into the filter case in conjunction with the operation of the steam detection member. (2) The coffee brewer according to claim 1, wherein the switch element for supplying power to the heating element opens a circuit of the switch element in conjunction with the steam detection member.