JPS6345816B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a beverage extractor that can automatically extract delicious coffee liquid or the like by dropping boiling water onto raw materials such as coffee powder.

Conventional structure and its problems Conventional beverage brewers of this type have a method of supplying hot water to coffee grounds by introducing water into a heating pipe from the bottom of the water tank, heating it, and generating steam due to nucleate boiling. Use it to raise water and add hot water to coffee grounds.
There are so-called drip type systems that drip water over a period of about 10 minutes, or coffee grounds are placed below a water tank, a heating device is installed in the water tank, and a bimetallic temperature release valve is installed to pour hot water into coffee grounds. There was a type of water heater that dripped water.

However, these devices have the disadvantage that it is difficult to eliminate variations in temperature sensing accuracy, and therefore the water supply temperature is not constant and the water temperature becomes low. It is not possible to satisfy the condition of ``Dripping hot water onto coffee grounds and completing the extraction in 3 to 4 minutes while sufficiently swelling the grounds''. The condition of "soaking for 4 minutes and then extracting" could not be satisfied, and as a result, it was not possible to obtain a richly aromatic beverage such as coffee liquid or tea without bitterness or astringency.

Purpose of the Invention The present invention was made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances.The hot water supplied to raw materials such as coffee powder is always boiled, so that the temperature at which it comes into contact with raw materials such as coffee powder is higher than the initial temperature, and To provide a beverage extractor which can complete the extraction time in 3 to 4 minutes to obtain a delicious beverage, has a configuration that efficiently heats hot water, and is easy to operate.

Structure of the Invention In order to achieve the above object, the beverage extractor of the present invention includes a filter case for storing raw materials such as coffee powder, a water tank, and a heating element having a power supply switch in a container body. a circulating water channel that is heated and returns to the water tank; a steam detection member that detects steam generated from the water tank; and a hot water supply valve for supplying hot water to the filter case,
According to this configuration, hot water is always supplied to raw materials such as coffee powder after boiling, so the water reaches a high temperature from the beginning of pouring, making it possible to extract a delicious and fragrant beverage. Since the water inside the tank is circulated, the water can be heated effectively due to the circulating action of the water, improving heating efficiency, and since the water tank does not come into direct contact with the heating element, the material of the water tank can be heated to a temperature of several hundred degrees. It is not limited to expensive metal containers that can withstand the temperature of the heating surface; it can also be made of various materials that can withstand hot water up to 100°C, and the temperature sensing element can also be used with a variety of excellent materials whose sensing accuracy is sufficient for boiling temperatures. It is effective.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a vessel body, which is composed of a base 2 and a support 4 having a substantially inverted L-shaped eave portion 3 and standing on this base 2. A heating element 5 is installed inside the eaves part 3, and a sheathed heater 6 and a heating pipe 7 are included in the heating element 5. Further, both ends of the heating pipe 7 are connected to an inlet 9 provided on the lower surface of the concave water tank mounting portion 8 above the eaves portion 3 and to another circulation port 10 .

The inlet 9 includes an annular body 12 having a protruding piece 11;
Connection tube 1 with a check valve 13 installed below it
4 and the introduction side of the heating pipe 7, and the other circulation port 10 is constructed by connecting the connecting tube 18 with an annular body 17 having upper and lower protruding pieces 15, 16 therein, and the heating pipe 7. 7 and a T-shaped pipe 19 connected to the discharge side of the pipe 7 in a watertight manner.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a water tank that is detachably attached to the water tank storage section 8. This water tank 20 is formed with an inlet 21 and a backflow port 22 that protrude downward, and when the water tank 20 is attached to a predetermined position. , the inlet 21 and the backflow inlet 22 are connected to the connection tubes 14 and 18 on the upper surface of the water tank mounting part 8, and the inlet 21 of the water tank 20, the inlet 9 of the eaves part 3, the heating pipe 7, and the T-shaped pipe. 19 circulation port 10, water tank 20
A circulation waterway 23 is formed by the backflow port 22 .
Water stop valves 24 and 25 are installed inside the injection port 21 and the backflow port 22, and the upper surface is covered with filter covers 26 and 2.
Covered by 7. Further, the water tank 20 has a protrusion 28 on the lower outer peripheral surface engaged with an inner recess 30 of the outer peripheral rising flange portion 29 of the water tank mounting portion 8, and the other recessed surface 31 is biased by a spring 33 from a flange hole 32. By engaging the protruding fitting pieces 34,
It will be installed.

When the detachment lever 35 provided on the upper surface of the support column 4 is moved to the left, the fitting piece 34 is retracted from the flange hole 32, and the fitting piece 34 is inserted into the water tank 2.
The engagement with the concave surface 31 of 0 is released. As a result, the water tank 20 can be attached to and detached from the container body 1 by operating the detachment lever 35.

36 is a hot water supply valve, and this hot water supply valve 36 is connected to the circulation port 10.
In the T-shaped pipe 19 on the side, a valve 38 which is normally closed by being biased by a spring 37 at one end of the lower part of the annular body 17
, a diaphragm 39 located directly below this valve 38 that can rise and fall freely, and the valve 38 and the diaphragm 3
9 constitutes a hot water supply pipe 40 that leads to the inside of the eaves part 3 from the side. The other end open portion 41 of the hot water supply pipe 40 is disposed opposite to a diffuser 42 attached to the lower surface of the eaves 3 via a watertight packing 43. The diffuser 42 is located approximately at the center of a storage section 43 formed by the lower base 2 and the side supports 4, and has a filter member 44 located below for storing raw materials such as coffee powder. Filter case 45
Then, further place this filter case 45,
A cup 48 having a handle 47 whose lower surface can be freely attached to the cup mounting portion 46 of the base 2 is located.

49 is a filter case lid that is attached to the top surface of the filter case 45. The cup mounting portion 46 is provided with a heat-retaining heater 50 for warming the cup 48 inside the base 2, and a thermostat 51 for controlling the heat-retaining temperature.

Reference numeral 52 denotes a steam detection section that projects above the support column 4 and is installed in parallel with the water tank 20, and a sliding rod 53 that can be raised and lowered is installed inside the steam detection section and is always urged upward by a bias spring 54. . Further, a coil spring-shaped vapor detection member 55 made of a shape memory alloy is installed in the upper part of the sliding rod 53 between the flange portion 56 and the inner upper end surface of the vapor detection portion 52.
And the steam detection part 5 outside this steam detection member 55
2 is provided with a plurality of holes 57. A steam hole 58 is provided on the side surface of the water tank 20 above the specified water level, and corresponds to the hole 57 of the steam detection section 52. 59 is a water tank lid.

The lower end surface of the sliding rod 53 is located close to the other end surface of a rotatable valve lever 60 whose one end is close to the lower surface of the diaphragm 39 of the hot water supply valve 36 . Reference numeral 61 designates an operating lever that is attached via a lower end fulcrum 64 to a lever 63 that is built into a base plate 62 and is movable up and down, and has a knob 65 protruding outside the device. The operation lever 61 is always urged upward by a spring (not shown), and the knob 65
When pushed down, the lever 63 is locked by the locking lever 66 and stopped at the bottom. On the other hand, the knob part 6
5 is pushed up, the upper end of the operating lever 61 pushes the locking lever 66 due to the rotation of the operating lever 61 around the fulcrum 64, thereby releasing the locked state. Further, the lowering of the operation lever 61 is controlled by the power switch 6 provided on the board 62.
Close 7. Reference numeral 68 denotes a power supply switch for the heating element 5, and its movable piece is brought close to the protruding piece 69 of the valve lever 60.

Reference numeral 70 denotes a locking member that locks when the valve lever 60 rotates clockwise, and this locking member 70 is such that when the other piece of the locking member 70 is pushed up and rotated by the operating lever 61, this locking is released by the lever 71 or the like. It's built in. Reference numeral 72 denotes a waterproof gasket that blocks the vapor detection section 52 from the inside of the vessel body 1.

Here, the shape memory alloy of the vapor detection member 55 is
It is made of various alloys such as Ti-Ni alloy and Cu-Zn, and when heated, it has the property of generating restoring force and returning to the original state after memory treatment; There are unidirectional types that simply return to their original shape, and bidirectional types that can shrink when cooled. In this embodiment, the unidirectional one made of Ti-Ni is used, and when it cools and loses its generated force, it returns to the original contracted state set by the bias spring 53. In this case, the bidirectional one is used. Of course, if used, the arrangement of the bias spring 53 becomes unnecessary.

Next, the electric circuit shown in FIG. 2 will be explained. 7
3 and 74 are power terminals connected to a 100V power supply, for example, and are the connection terminals 7 of the magnetic plug in Figure 1.
It corresponds to 2,72'. The power supply terminal 73 is connected to a power supply switch 68 via a power switch 67, a water heating circuit including a sheathed heater 6, a safety thermostat 75, and a temperature fuse 76, and a heat retention circuit including a heat retention heater 50 and a thermostat 51 for controlling the heat retention temperature. It is connected between the power supply terminal 74 of

The operation of this embodiment in the above configuration will be explained. First, coffee powder is placed in the filter case 45 and placed in the storage section 43 together with the cup 48. Next, the detachment lever 35 is operated to the right to take out the water tank 20 from the storage section 8, fill it with the required amount of water, and then attach it to the water tank mounting section 8 again. When carrying the water tank 20, the water does not leak due to the water stop valves 24 and 25 provided at the water inlet 21 and backflow port 22, and the concave part 30 of the rising flange part 29 of the water tank mounting part 8 and the other The water tank 20 is reliably fixed to the container body 1 by fitting the protrusion 28 and the recess 31 at the bottom of the water tank 20 into the fitting valve 34, respectively. With this fixation, the water stop valves 24 and 25 are connected to the protruding piece 11 of the inflow port 9 and the upper protruding piece 1 of the circulation port 10.
Water tank 2 is pushed upward by 5.
0 and the circulation waterway 23 communicate with each other. At this time, the communication to the hot water supply valve 36 is closed by the valve 38 and the spring 37.

Next, when the knob 65 is pushed down, it is locked at the bottom and the power switch 67 is closed.
The sheathed heater 6 and the heat retention heater 50 are energized. The heating element 5 is heated by the heat generated by the sheathed heater 6.
heats the water in the heating pipe 7 and pushes the water in the heating pipe 7 up into the water tank 20 by boiling vapor pressure. Then, the water in the water tank 20 is introduced through the inlet 9, heated and boiled again, and heated and boiled water is sent into the water tank 20 through the circulation port 10 and the backflow port 22. This operation is sequentially repeated in the circulation waterway 23, which is a one-way waterway, by the check valve 13, and the temperature of the water in the water tank 20 is increased. This heating method forcibly circulates the water, and compared to simply heating from the bottom of the water tank 20, heat is transferred more reliably through the heating pipe 7 and does not boil. By pushing up and heating the cold water again, heating efficiency can be effectively increased in terms of time and heat conduction efficiency.

When the water in the water tank 20 is heated and boiled, steam is generated. This steam comes to blow out from the steam hole 58 with force. Then, the steam is ejected from the hole 57 corresponding to the steam hole 58 to the steam detecting member 55 of the steam detecting section 52, and at this moment, the temperature of the steam detecting member 55 is 100 degrees higher than the ambient temperature of 30 to 40 degrees Celsius.
For example, if the temperature at which the shape memory alloy of the vapor detection member 55 starts to recover is set at around 70 degrees Celsius, the sudden elongation action will generate a large restoring force due to the temperature difference. It is also carried out. With this action, the sliding rod 53 is pushed down and the valve lever 60 is rotated clockwise. Then, the other part of the valve lever 60 pushes up the diaphragm 39 and the valve 38 against the force of the spring 37, so the hot water supply valve 36 is opened. and water tank 2
The water in the water is discharged from the opening 41 of the hot water supply pipe 40 of the hot water supply valve 36, dispersed by the diffuser 41, and supplied into the filter case 45. When hot water is supplied to the coffee grounds, the components of the coffee grounds are extracted, and the coffee liquid filtered by the filter 44 is collected in the lower cup 48. Cup 4
The coffee liquid in the cup 8 is kept warm by a heat-retaining heater 50 and a thermostat 51 at a temperature suitable for drinking.

When the valve lever 60 rotates, the locking member 70 keeps the hot water supply valve 36 open, and at the same time, the protruding piece 69 pushes down the movable piece of the power supply switch 68, which is a normally closed contact, so that the power is supplied. The switch 68 is opened, and as a result, the power to the sheathed heater 6 is cut off, and the water tank 20 is cut off.
Stop heating the water inside.

When the steam detection member 55 stops energizing the sheathed heater 6 and stops blowing out steam from the steam hole 58 of the water tank 20, the temperature decreases and when it loses its restoring force, the bias spring 54 causes the sliding rod 53 to stop. As it rises, it shrinks back to its original compressed state. However, the valve lever 60 is locked as described above and is therefore not linked to the above operation. Further, even after the power supply switch 68 is opened, the heat retention heater 50 is energized, and when the knob 65 is pushed up after use, the knob 65 is lifted upward along with the lever 63 due to the movement of the operating lever 61, and the power switch 67 is turned on. Open. This movement also causes the lever 71 to move the locking member 70 and lock the valve lever 60.
is released, the hot water supply valve 36 is closed again, and the power supply switch 68 is also closed as the protruding piece 69 rises.

As described above, in this embodiment, the filter case 45 for storing raw materials such as coffee powder is placed in the container body 1.
, a water tank 20 , a heating element 5 having a power supply switch 68 , a circulation waterway 23 that is heated by the heating element 5 and returns to the water tank 20 , and the water tank 2
Steam detection member 55 that detects steam generated from 0
The water tank 2 is provided in the middle of the circulation waterway 23 and operates in conjunction with the operation of the steam detection member 55.
0 to the filter case 45, the heating element 5
Since the water in the water tank 20 is forcedly circulated through the circulation waterway 23 by the vapor pressure of the heated boiling water and efficiently transmitted, the water in the water tank 20 can be uniformly heated.

In addition, this heating method does not require the heating element 5 to be attached directly to the water tank 20, so it can be used with materials that can withstand temperatures of 100°C, and it can be used not only with metal but also with synthetic resin. 20, it can also exhibit effects such as improved water injection performance and visual confirmation of the amount of remaining water. In addition, since hot water can be supplied to raw materials such as coffee powder at a high temperature that has already been boiled from the initial stage, it is possible to remove the dullness of the water by boiling, and it is also possible to soften the water used, making it possible to extract from raw materials. In addition to supplying high-quality water that does not inhibit the ingredients, it is also possible to extract the ingredients at a high temperature from the initial stage, so that the coffee powder etc. can swell sufficiently, extracting the coffee ingredients efficiently, and extracting a richly aromatic coffee liquid. .

Furthermore, since the hot water supply valve 36 is provided in the circulation waterway 23, there is no need to provide an extra waterway configuration compared to one provided below the water tank 20, and the configuration is simplified. Remaining water is also eliminated, allowing effective hot water supply and sanitary conditions inside the vessel 1 due to the elimination of residual water.

In addition, since only boiling steam is always ejected, the temperature accuracy of the steam detection member 55 is sufficient if it can detect steam temperature.Currently, the temperature accuracy variation of shape memory alloy is ±5°C, which is considered unsuitable for water temperature sensing, which requires accuracy. However, this vapor detection method has the advantage of being able to fully absorb the accuracy tolerances and can be adopted, and is also effective in ensuring the quality of the device by functioning satisfactorily even if the sensitivity deteriorates due to long-term use. It also has This vapor detection method is not limited to this shape memory alloy, and the same effect can be achieved using thermistors, thermostats, etc.

In addition, the hot water supply time can be freely set by the opening/closing stroke of the valve 38 or the hot water supply pipe 40, so unlike the conventional drip type, the hot water supply time can be set freely regardless of the amount of power of the heating element.
The extraction time is ~4 minutes, which is much shorter than the conventional 20 minutes due to the limitations of heating element life and power consumption, and is ideal because it prevents the extraction of defective components that cause bitterness and astringency over time. This makes it possible to perform extraction in a short period of 3 to 4 minutes, which is said to be the ideal time, and as a result, it is possible to provide a rich and delicious extracted beverage without bitterness or astringency. In addition, this hot water supply temperature satisfies the black tea extraction condition of ``extracting for 3 to 4 minutes using boiling water'', so it can also be used to extract tea leaves and make delicious beverages. Moreover, the water tank 20 is
Since the water tank 20 is detachably provided, water injection operations and residual water treatment can be easily performed by attaching and detaching only the water tank 20, and cleanup etc. are simplified. Further, a power supply switch 68 to the heating element 5 is connected to the vapor detection member 5.
The circuit to the heating element 5 is opened in conjunction with the operation of the heating element 5, thereby stopping further excessive heating and eliminating the need to prevent the heating element 5 from drying out, thereby improving the life of the heater.

Furthermore, by employing a shape memory alloy for the steam detection member 55, one component can serve the two functions of steam detection and pushing up the valve 38 by the hot water supply valve 36, making the device more compact. Since no electrical wiring parts are required, assembly is easy and inexpensive.

In the above embodiment, a coiled spring-like shape memory alloy is used as the vapor detection member 55, but the method is not limited to this method. For example, the vapor detection member 55
Alternatively, a thermistor or the like may be disposed in the steam detection section 52 facing the steam sensor 8, and the valve 38 may be opened by sensing a change in resistance due to a temperature rise due to steam, or the hot water supply valve 36 may be opened by sensing a temperature rise using a thermostat. good. In addition, the method of attaching and detaching the water tank 20 may also be implemented in other configurations, such as a bayonet connection other than the one shown in this embodiment, or a simple configuration in which the outer circumferential surface of the lower part of the water tank 20 is guided and held by the outer periphery rising flange 29 shown in this figure. It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the example shown in the drawings, and may be modified and implemented as appropriate, including application to drip type, siphon type, etc., without departing from the gist.

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, the container body includes a filter case for storing raw materials such as coffee powder, a water tank, a heating element having a power supply switch, and a water tank heated by the heating element. a circulation waterway that returns to the water tank; a steam detection member that detects steam generated from the water tank; and a steam detection member that is provided in the circulation waterway and that supplies water from the water tank to the filter case in conjunction with the operation of the vapor detection member. The structure includes a hot water supply valve, so the water in the water tank can be heated efficiently and uniformly, and since hot water is supplied after boiling, the hot water supplied to the raw materials is higher than the initial temperature at the beginning of pouring, resulting in delicious coffee. By satisfying the extraction conditions of ``using boiling hot water to complete the extraction in 3 to 4 minutes,'' you can effectively extract and drink a rich, fragrant coffee liquid with little bitterness or astringency. It is something. Furthermore, the hot water supply valve can be opened automatically and can be operated reliably, making it easy to use.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a beverage extractor showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an electrical circuit diagram thereof. 1... vessel body, 5... heating element, 20... water tank, 23... circulation waterway, 36... hot water supply valve, 45...
... Filter case, 55 ... Steam detection member, 6
8...Power supply switch.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A filter case for storing raw materials such as coffee powder in a container body, a water tank, a heating element having a power supply switch, and a circulation waterway that is heated by the heating element and returns to the water tank; A steam detection member that detects steam generated from the water tank; and a hot water supply valve that is provided in the middle of the circulation waterway and that supplies water from the water tank to the filter case in conjunction with the operation of the steam detection member. A beverage extractor equipped with 2. The beverage extractor according to claim 1, wherein the water tank is detachably installed in the container body. 3. According to claim 1 or 2, the power supply switch to the heating element opens a circuit to the heating element in conjunction with the steam detection operation of the steam detection member.
Beverage extractor as described in section. 4. The beverage extractor according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the vapor detection member detects vapor using the shape memory effect of a shape memory alloy.