JPS6185907A - 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 involves introducing water into a heating pipe from the bottom of a water tank, heating it, and producing steam due to partial nucleate boiling of the water. A drip type system that utilizes generation to raise water and drip it onto the coffee grounds for about 10 minutes.The coffee grounds are placed below a water tank with a heating element, and a bimetallic temperature release valve is installed to drip hot water onto the coffee grounds. There was a drip hot water type.

However, with these systems, it is difficult to resolve the temperature characteristics and the variations in temperature sensing accuracy, such that the hot water temperature is initially discharged while containing cold water, and then the temperature gradually rises to below 86 degrees Celsius at the time of completion of hot water supply. There were problems in that the temperature was not constant and the hot water supply temperature was low. This is said to be the secret to extracting a rich, fragrant, and delicious coffee liquid.The hot water that has been carefully heated is supplied from the beginning to fully swell the coffee powder and complete the extraction in a short time (3 to 4 minutes). It was not possible to satisfy the condition that

Purpose of the Invention The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems.The hot water supplied to the coffee powder must be boiled once, the temperature at which it contacts the coffee powder is higher than the initial temperature, and the time required to extract the coffee liquid is also reduced. It can be completed in a short time (3 to 4 minutes), and the hot water supply configuration is simplified by heating a water tank and detecting the steam generated to control the hot water supply valve, and the operation of the hot water supply valve is simplified. The present invention aims to provide a coffee boiler that can be checked from the outside and has significantly improved operability.

Structure of the Invention In order to achieve the above object, the coffee boiler of the present invention has the following features:
A filter case for storing coffee powder, a water tank with a heating element, a steam detection member that operates by detecting the steam generated from the water in the water tank, and a hot water valve that opens and closes in conjunction with the operation of the steam detection member. A hot water supply pipe that supplies water from the water tank to the filter case by the operation of the hot water supply valve, a power supply switch that controls energization of the heating element in conjunction with the operation of the steam detection member, and the steam It is equipped with a determination means that allows the operation of the detection member to be confirmed from the outside.

According to the above configuration, since the timing of opening and closing of the hot water supply valve can be confirmed by the means for determining the operation of the steam detection member, the usability is improved without inconveniences such as erroneous water injection. In addition, since the hot water valve is opened by the steam from the water in the water tank, the hot water that is poured over the coffee grounds is always boiled and heated from the beginning, allowing the coffee grounds to swell for a short period of time. The extraction can be completed in (3-4 minutes).

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

In FIGS. 1 to 3, ■ is a container body, and this container body 1 includes a base 2 shaped like a flat, substantially cylindrical container, a container part 3 located above this base 2, and this container part. 3 and a support 4 connecting the side surfaces of the base 2, and this vessel body 1
A storage section 5 is formed which is surrounded by a substantially mouth-shaped storage section 5 and is open with a space on the right side in the drawing. Reference numeral 6 denotes a water tank made of stainless steel, which is attached to the upper part of the container part 3, and has a heating element 7 in a stepped section at the bottom, and a hot water supply valve 8 installed at a position apart from the stepped heating element 7. 9 is the water inlet.

10 is a lid. Reference numeral 11 denotes a steam port, which is provided on the side wall of the water tank 6 above the specified water level.

The hot water supply valve 8 has a valve stem 12 that can be raised and lowered, and a valve body 13 attached to the stem, which is normally biased by a valve spring 14 to be closed. When the valve stem 12 operates against the force of the valve spring 14, it opens. ,
The water in the water tank 6 is supplied to the storage section 5 via the hot water pipe 15.
The hot water is led out to a hot water supply port 16 which is opened above.

Reference numeral 17 denotes a hot water diffuser, which is detachably attached to the hot water supply port 18 together with the hot water supply Robakkin 18. There are grooves on the surface of this hot water diffuser, and when the valve is opened, the hot water pressurized at the hot water supply port 1B is guided and dispersed by the grooves.

The hot water supply device supplies water from a wooden tank 6 to a filter case using a hot water supply valve 8, a hot water supply pipe 15, and a hot water supply port 1B.

Reference numeral 19 denotes a filter case, which is disposed opposite to the hot water diffuser 17 and placed on the upper surface of the cup 20. An extraction port 21 is formed on the bottom surface of this filter case, and a filter 2 that stores raw materials such as coffee powder inside.
2, and a case lid 24 with a pouring port 23 formed on the top.
is covered with.

The cup 20 has a handle 25 and is detachably mounted on a cup mounting portion 26 formed on the base 2.

Reference numeral 27 is a heat-retaining heater for keeping the coffee liquid warm, and reference numeral 28 is a thermostat for temperature control, which is attached to the base 2 of the cup mounting section 26.

Reference numeral 29 denotes a vector frame, which is provided below the pillar 4 of the base 2 and can be connected to the magnetic plug 30. Reference numeral 31 denotes a steam detection tube, which has a substantially cylindrical shape that protrudes upward from the upper surface of the column 4 on the steam port ll side of the water tank 6 and is installed in parallel with the water tank 6. Openings 32 are formed facing each other.

A vapor detection member 33 is disposed in the upper part of the vapor detection tube 31 where the opening 32 is located. This vapor detection member 33 is normally easily deformed and compressed by the spring force of the bias spring 34 disposed below, but at a certain temperature below 100°C, it returns to its original state after memory treatment. For example, Ti-Ni system, which has the property of elongating with restoring force.
Alternatively, it is made of a shape memory alloy obtained by processing a Cu-Zn alloy into a coil spring shape.

The extension operation of the steam detection member 33 is caused by a sliding rod 3 that is in contact with the lower end surface and is movable up and down on the inner surface of the steam detection tube 31.
5 to one side of the lower rotatable valve lever 36.

The sliding rod 35 also has a sensing portion 38 that guides the steam detection member 33 and projects upward through a guide hole 37 on the steam detection tube 31 1tjJ. Note that this sliding rod has a waterproof structure with a packing 38 and the like. The sensing portion 39 is arranged so as to appear within a discrimination dome 40 made of glass or transparent synthetic resin and fitted onto the upper surface of the vapor detection tube 31.

Reference numeral 41 denotes a waterproof gasket, which is located at the lower part of the steam detection tube 31 and whose peripheral edge is fixed to keep the sliding rod 35 airtight inward, thereby airtightly connecting the inside of the steam detection tube 31 and the inside of the vessel body 1. It's blocked.

The valve lever 3B has a protruding piece 43 on the negative side that is rotated by the downward movement of the sliding rod 35 to open the power supply switch 42, which is a normally closed contact that energizes the heating element 7, and the other end is a fulcrum. The valve rod 12 is in contact with the lower end surface of the valve rod 12 which protrudes from the hot water supply valve 8 through the diaphragm 44 .

45 is a locking lever, and the valve lever 3G is rotated to close the hot water supply valve 8.
is open and the normally closed contact 42 is open, the valve lever 3B
Spring biased to lock.

Reference numeral 46 indicates a power button, and reference numeral 47 indicates a power button, which is provided at the top of the support column 4 and is designed to return to its original state by itself. When the power button 48 is pushed down, it is locked by a spring-biased locking plate 48 and has a protruding piece 50 at its lower end that closes the power switch 49. At the beginning of the month 47, the locking plate 48 and the locking lever 45 are operated by pressing down, and the power button 4B is turned on.
and a release piece 51.5 for releasing the locked state of the valve lever 38.
It has 2. 53 is a safety thermostat that prevents the heating element 7 from burning out.

FIG. 4 shows an electric circuit diagram, and reference numerals 54 and 55 are power supply terminals, which are connected to a 100V power source, for example, and are used to re-inspect the magnetic plug 300 in FIG. 1.

48 is a power switch, and between this power switch 49 and the power terminal 55, a heat insulating heater 27 and a thermostat 2 are connected.
8, a series circuit of the temperature fuse 56 for preventing excessive temperature rise, a series circuit of the heating element 7 via the power supply switch 42 which is a normally closed contact, a safety thermostat for preventing vacancy (53 in Fig. 1), and the temperature fuse 57. are connected via common contacts 58 and 59.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

First, place the filter case 19 containing coffee powder onto the filter 22 onto the cup 2o, and make this cup! 4! Place it on the placing section 26.

Pour water into the water tank 6 and close the lid. When the magnetic plug 30 with one end inserted into an outlet is connected to the plug frame 29 and the power button 4B is pushed in, the power switch 48 closes.
Electricity is supplied to the heating element 7 for boiling water and the heater 27 for keeping warm. This state is maintained by locking the power button 4B downward by the locking plate 48. The water in the water tank 6 is heated by the heating element 7 and its temperature rises, and at around 100°C, steam is just generated from the water surface, but the heating progresses further.
io.

When it reaches the boiling point of ℃, it becomes steam and is continuously generated.

In addition, the force is so strong that it can jump out even from a small gap, and is ejected from the steam port 11 above the side wall of the water tank 6. The ejected steam enters through the opening 32 at the top of the steam detection tube 31 facing the steam port 11 and reaches the steam detection member 33 disposed inwardly. Instantly changes from atmospheric temperature to 100℃
Due to the physical properties of the shape memory alloy in the form of a compressed coil spring, it is treated so that it can fully elongate at a certain temperature below 100°C, so it instantly elongates with a large restoring force. (see figure).

The movement overcomes the heat output bias spring 34 and expands,
The sliding rod 35 is pushed down and the 8-36 is rotated to the left. Then, the other end of the valve lever 36 pushes up the valve stem 12 against the valve spring 14, opening the valve, and the boiling high-temperature water in the water tank 6 flows through the hot water supply vibrator 15 and the hot water supply port 16 to the hot water diffusion plate 17. The molten metal is dispersed and poured into the filter case 19.

At the same time, the valve lever 36 rotates to lock the power supply switch 42 in the open state as the protruding piece 43 opens, and the t-knee 4
5 to stop further heating of the water tank 6 by the heating element 7.

Further, the hot water supply time into the filter case 19, that is, the coffee brewing time, is determined by appropriately setting the opening dimension of the hot water supply valve 8, the diameter of the hot water supply pipe 15, and the shape and size of the hot water distribution channel by the hot water diffuser 17 in the hot water supply 116. The structure is such that pouring can be completed in 3 to 4 minutes.

Since this setting is a drip method, it was an extremely difficult task with the conventional drip method, but with this configuration it can be done relatively easily.

Therefore, the hot water that is poured into the coffee powder can be poured from the beginning with high-temperature hot water that has already been boiled, and the coffee can be extracted for a short time of 3 to 4 minutes, which is not possible with conventional methods. It is possible to extract rich and aromatic coffee that fully satisfies the extraction conditions for delicious coffee that have not been previously achieved.

Then, the extracted coffee liquid in the cup 20 is kept warm at a temperature suitable for drinking by a heat-retaining heater 27 and a thermostat 28.

On the other hand, the elongated steam detection member 33 detects that the steam inlet 1
The steam ejected from No. 1 gathers and is cooled by the atmosphere. Then, the bias spring 34, which does not lose its restoring force to the extended state, returns to the original compressed tight spring state (see Figure 1 or $
Figure 2).

However, the valve lever 36 is locked by the locking lever 45 and remains open regardless of the return movement of the steam detection member 33. The transformation point temperature of the steam detection member 33, which loses its restoring force, is set between the atmospheric temperature and 100°C, and the temperature from the start of hot water supply until it falls to this transformation point temperature depends on the number of cups and variations in power consumption. different. Depending on the amount of steam ejected, the shape of the opening 32 of the steam detection tube 31, and the operating environment temperature, the cooling curve of the steam detection member 33 changes irregularly and is not constant. Therefore, in this configuration, coffee cannot be continuously made. If you want to make this vapor detection member 33
It is designed to judge the movement of the robot and use it.

That is, above the air detection tube 31, there is a transparent discrimination dome 4.
The upper end of a sliding rod 35 that is linked to the movement of the steam detection member 33 is arranged as a colored sensing portion 38 inside the 0. When the steam detection member 33 does not receive steam, that is, when hot water is not being supplied, the discrimination dome 40 is disposed. A sensing part 39 protrudes inside (see Fig. 2), but when the temperature of the steam receiver increases and it expands, the sensing part 38 moves down and becomes invisible. When it is further cooled and the temperature drops and the restoring force disappears, it is compressed by the bias spring 34 and rises again, which can be confirmed (see Fig. 2).

If this sensing part 39 does not exist, even if the brewer 47 is pressed once and the release piece 51 is used to release the lock between the power button 4B and the valve lever 36 in order to continue brewing coffee, the power will be cut off due to the opening of the power switch 48. However, if the operation timing is too early, the steam detection member 33 will remain extended and the valve 8-36 will not return. That is, when the valve is open and +If water is injected into the water tank 6, water is injected into the filter case 19 to wet the coffee powder, and the filter case 19,
If the cup 20 or the like is not attached to the cup placement section 26, there will be an inconvenience that the water droplets will drip and wet the container body and floor.However, in this configuration, the sensing section 38 is configured to prevent such inconvenience from occurring. This can be determined and prevented by checking.

Furthermore, the up-and-down movement of the sensing section 38 of this configuration allows the coffee extraction process to be confirmed from the outside, and has the effect of significantly increasing the added value of the product by providing visual enjoyment to the user.

Furthermore, the movement of the sensing section 39 toward the discrimination dome 40 is supported in a watertight manner by a gasket 38 or the like through the guide hole 37 on the upper surface of the steam detection tube 31, so that steam cannot enter into the dome 4θ and cloud the dome 40. In addition, after use, if the power button 46 and the valve lever 36 are released from the lock by operating the spring 47 and the power button 46 and the valve lever 36 are reset automatically, the heating element 7 and Heat retention heater 27
Power is cut off. Further, when the valve valve /<-38 is rotated back to the right, the hot water supply valve 8 is closed and the power supply switch 42 is closed.

Since the coffee boiler of the wooden example has the above-mentioned configuration, the hot water poured onto the coffee grounds must be boiled once, the temperature in contact with the coffee grounds should be higher than the initial temperature, and Extraction can be completed in ~4 minutes, which is a condition for extracting rich and aromatic coffee liquid.
To drink delicious coffee liquid with satisfaction by supplying boiling high-temperature water from the beginning to sufficiently swell coffee powder and completing extraction in a short time (3 to 4 minutes).

In addition, the hot water supply configuration uses a so-called steam sensor that operates by detecting the steam generated from the water tank 6 with a steam detection member 33 processed into a coil spring shape, and a driving force that opens and closes the hot water supply valve 8 at the same time. It is made of a flexible shape memory alloy, so there is no need to arrange electrical parts such as internal wires.
Further, since the shape is a spring shape, it is very simple, small and lightweight, and can be arranged to simplify the structure and reduce the weight.

In addition, since the coffee is extracted with boiling hot water, even hard water is softened, allowing the use of delicious water, which is the key to extracting good-tasting coffee liquid, and it also removes the smell of limescale, which can interfere with the taste of coffee. There's nothing to do.

In addition, since a sensing part 39 is provided that can confirm the operation of the steam detection member 33, when brewing coffee continuously, the timing of refilling the water can be easily determined based on the movement of the sensing part 39, so that coffee powder can be accidentally removed. The ease of use is improved by preventing the inconvenience of pouring cold water into the container and getting the container body and floor wet.

In addition, a transparent dome 40 is used to detect the movement of the vapor detection member 33.
By visually confirming the movement of the sensing part 39 up and down through the sensor, it is possible to visually enjoy the fun of coffee extraction.

In the two-legged embodiment, the vapor detection member 33 is made of a shape memory alloy, but a liquid expansion member that utilizes the expansion action of liquid may also be used.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the present invention, and the differences from the previous embodiment will be described below.

That is, 60 is a display plate, which is attached to one side of the vapor detection tube 31 on the front side of the main body by integrally molding or press-fitting a transparent synthetic resin. Through this display board BO, the movement of the internal sliding rod 35 can be visually observed and the state can be determined. On the other hand, on the sliding rod 35 on the display panel 60 side, an annular seven-rung surface 61 shaped along the inner surface of the vapor detection tube 31 is integrally molded with the sliding rod 35 main body.

When the sliding rod 35 is lowered, a "drip" display appears on the flange surface 61, for example, when coffee is being extracted, and conversely, when the sliding rod 35 is not in use, or when the vapor detection member 33 is pushed back due to dripping. When it is compressed and rising, a display such as "OFF" or "Water injection" appears, so that it is possible to determine the timing at which water injection is possible, as in the previous embodiment. Even with this configuration, the movement of the vapor detection member 33 can be determined from the outside, so it is possible to obtain the same effect as in the embodiment described above.

Further, these discriminating means are not limited to the vapor detection tube 31, but may be placed at the same location as the operation display near the operation switch section 2 source button 46 and 47) via an intervening member.

Effects of the Invention Since the present invention has the above-described configuration, the hot water supplied to the coffee powder must be boiled, and the temperature at which it comes into contact with the coffee powder is also higher than the initial temperature, so that the coffee powder can be sufficiently absorbed. Since extraction is completed in 3 to 4 minutes while swelling, a rich, aromatic and delicious coffee liquid can be extracted.

In addition, the vapor detection member is smaller and lighter, and the structure of the container body can be greatly simplified and downsized.

In addition, since it has a discrimination means that allows the movement of the steam detection member to be confirmed from the outside, it is possible to visually appeal to the fun of coffee extraction and enjoy it, as well as to eliminate inconveniences such as incorrect water injection and improve usability. It is possible to provide a coffee boiler that has many effects.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing one embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 2 and 3 are enlarged sectional views showing the operation of the vapor detection member, FIG. 4 is an electric circuit diagram, and FIG. A front view of a vapor detection member showing another embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a sectional view thereof. 6... Water tank 7... Heating element 8... Hot water supply valve 15... Hot water supply pipe 19... Filter case 33... Steam detection member 38... Sensing section 40.
...Discrimination dome 42...Power switch agent
Patent Attorney Oshima-ko Figure 2 Figure 31-1 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) A filter case for storing coffee grounds, a water tank with a heating element, a steam detection member that detects the steam generated from the water in this water tank and operates, and opens and closes in conjunction with the operation of this steam detection member. a hot water supply valve that supplies water from the water tank to the filter case according to the operation of the hot water supply valve; and a power supply switch that controls energization of the heating element in conjunction with the operation of the steam detection member. . A coffee boiler comprising: a determining means that allows the operation of the steam detecting member to be confirmed from the outside. (2) The coffee brewer according to claim 1, wherein a shape memory alloy is used as the vapor detection member. (3) The coffee brewer according to claim 1, wherein the upper end sensing portion of the sliding rod interlocked with the steam detecting member can be seen through as the determining means. (4) The coffee brewer according to claim 1, wherein the discriminating means is a discriminating dome that allows the movement of the sliding rod interlocking with the steam detecting member to be visually observed through the steam detecting tube housing the steam detecting member.