KR101891919B1 - Coffee vending machines - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a coffee vending machine which is installed at an arbitrary place to produce coffee that can be drunk by a user by adding water or steam to beverage ingredients such as liquid, viscous liquid, or powder, particularly, a capsule in which a coffee material is embedded. The coffee vending machine includes a vertical grid type capsule stacker for vertically stacking a plurality of capsules, a capsule transfer unit which is formed on the lower side of the capsule stacker and quantitatively supplies the capsule, a coffee extracting unit for extracting the coffee that can be drunk by the user by supplying the water to the capsule placed by the capsule transfer unit, and a cup output unit for transferring a cup with the extracted coffee to an opening side connected to the outside. Accordingly, the present invention can efficiently manufacture blended coffee.

Description

COFFEE VENDING MACHINES

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a coffee dispenser that directly supplies coffee, which can be consumed by a user, by adding water or steam to capsules containing raw materials for drinking coffee.

A vending machine is a machine that sells goods automatically without a person. It inserts a coin, a bill or a card, selects a desired item, or makes a settlement through a mobile. A vending machine is also simply referred to as a vending machine. Such vending machines can be found in many countries, and according to a survey by the Japan Vending Machine Industry Association, the number of vending machines in Japan is as high as 5,094,000 units by 2013, and sales products are also very popular.

BACKGROUND ART [0002] In general, various kinds of capsules are disclosed in which a powdery, liquid, or spot food can be stored for a long time. For example, as shown in Fig. 19, a coffee bean capsule plate CP (hereinafter referred to as "capsule") of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 10-2004-0021918 is a representative example of the coffee beans.

The conventional capsule CP is formed with a storage hole BW in which coffee bean powder (not shown) is stored. The capsule CP is stored in the upper surface of the sheet of paper SH and the lower surface of the capsule CP, And a cutout groove CH is formed in the periphery of the hole BW. The cutting grooves CH facilitate the cutting of the capsule CP in which the bean coffee powder (not shown) is stored in the respective storage holes BW into a desired number of sets, and at the same time, .

However, in the case of such a capsule, there is a problem that a salesperson is required to wait for a sales person, which leads to waste of manpower. In addition, there is a problem in that coffee is produced by pouring the capsule separately and pouring water, which is inefficient and takes a long time to manufacture the coffee.

On the other hand, when a beverage is to be sold using a vending machine, a user can use a beverage in a plastic, a can, a glass, or a beverage in a cup by mixing a powder or a liquid raw material with water.

Recently, as the popularity of coffee as a drink has increased, various coffee vending machines have been supplied. In addition, users are pursuing a variety of coffee blends according to their individuality. According to the market atmosphere of such coffee beverages, suppliers who manufacture or supply coffee vending machines or coffee vending machines face the needs of consumers who must provide a variety of blended coffee deliciously.

Published Patent Application No. 10-2004-0021918 (March 11, 2004) Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-2016-0015430 (Feb.

Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem [8] Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a disposable diaper comprising a liquid, a viscous or powdered coffee material, And to provide a coffee vending machine that manufactures and sells a blend coffee that can be consumed directly on the spot.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a coffee machine that can improve user convenience and manage a vending machine by wireless communication.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a coffee machine using a capsule containing coffee bean material and a management method thereof.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a coffee machine having a plurality of capsules stacked in a vertical grid shape so as to vertically embed a plurality of capsules. A capsule supplying unit provided at a lower center of the capsule packing cylinder for quantitatively supplying the capsule; A water supply unit for supplying water to the capsules supplied from the capsule supply unit to dilute the capsules so that the capsules can be consumed by the user; And a cup supplying portion for receiving the diluted coffee in the water supplying portion and supplying the cup containing the coffee to the outside of the vending machine for the user to use.

In one embodiment, the capsule packing box is provided at least one row or more in the vertical direction in the automatic vending machine by four sets of grid-shaped pieces above the capsule supplying portion.

In one embodiment, the capsule supply unit is provided at a lower center of the capsule mounting cylinder, which is provided in a group of four lattice type, and is rotated by a predetermined angle by a driving device combined with a driving shaft, A first plate for discharging the first plate; And a second plate member spaced a predetermined distance above the first plate member and supporting one end of the shaft to be axially coupled to the drive shaft and the other end to prevent the capsules from being discharged from the upper portion of the capsule discharged through the discharge port of the first plate member .

In one embodiment, the other end of the second plate is pivotally inserted into the cut-off hole formed at the lower end of the capsule stacker.

In one embodiment, the capsule feeder includes: a third plate, which is axially coupled to the drive shaft on an upper side of the second plate and has a radial protrusion formed by the number of the capsule stackers; And sensing means for controlling the first and second plates to be intermittently rotated at a predetermined angle as the projection of the third plate is pivotally inserted at a predetermined angle.

In one embodiment, the capsule feeder further includes a capsule conveying device provided on a lower side of the third plate for vertically moving and discharging the capsule, which is disposed in a vertical direction.

In one embodiment, the capsule conveying device includes: a first conveying unit for conveying the capsules discharged from the third plate in a horizontal direction; And a second conveyance unit provided in a direction perpendicular to one side of the first conveyance unit to discharge the capsules supplied from the first conveyance unit to the outside of the vending machine.

In one embodiment, the first conveying portion includes a first frame having a rectangular outer shape, a first driving portion provided in a longitudinal direction of one side of the first frame, and a second driving portion provided at one side of the first driving portion, A first conveyance lane provided in the first conveyance lane and a second conveyance lane provided in a direction perpendicular to the first conveyance lane so as to push and convey the capsule provided in each first conveyance lane to one side, Conveying port.

In one embodiment, the first driving unit may include a driving pulley symmetrically disposed in a longitudinal direction of the first frame, an endless pulley coupled to the driving pulley and the first pulley, And a connecting member.

In one embodiment, the first driving unit may include a guide rail provided at an upper side of the connecting member in the middle longitudinal direction, and a hexahedron block shape having one side connected to the connecting member so as to be movable forward and backward along the guide rail And further includes a transfer block having an external shape.

In one embodiment, the second transfer unit may include a second frame disposed in a direction perpendicular to the first drive unit of the first transfer unit, a drive, a driven pulley symmetrically provided at both ends of the first frame, And a coupling member coupled to the pulleys in an endless track manner and coupled with a second capsule delivery port.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a coffee vending machine using a capsule containing a coffee material for drip coffee. The coffee vending machine includes a capsule for accommodating a plurality of vertically stacked capsules, A capsule feeding portion provided at a lower portion of the capsule loading portion for dropping the capsule selectively in the capsule loading portion, a feeding portion for feeding the capsule dropped on the channel by the capsule feeding portion, a cup loading portion arranged in parallel with the capsule loading portion, A cup feeding part provided below the cup loading part and selectively dropping the cup of the cup loading part from the distal end of the transferring part, an aligning part aligning the cup and the capsule, a capsule positioning part arranged by the conveying part, A coffee extracting part for extracting coffee by injecting steam into the cup, and a cup containing the coffee extracted by the coffee extracting part to a predetermined position And a cup withdrawing portion for moving the cup. Here, drip coffee refers to a drinkable coffee prepared by roasting and using ground coffee beans.

In one embodiment, the coffee machine may further comprise a vending machine body and a vending machine front panel.

In one embodiment, the coffee machine may further include a touch panel installed on the vending machine front panel.

In one embodiment, the coffee machine may further comprise a settlement unit installed in the vending machine front panel.

In one embodiment, the coffee machine may further comprise a controller for controlling the operation of the machine. The control device may include a processor, a memory, and a communication unit. The memory may include a software module for managing or controlling the vending machine in wireless communication. The software module may include a failure diagnostic module, a sales volume calculation module and a capsule inventory calculation module.

In the case of using the coffee vending machine according to the present embodiment as described above, water or steam is supplied to a capsule containing liquid coffee, powdered or powdered coffee material without wasting labor, The present invention has the effect of allowing the user to feel the taste and the aroma of his or her favorite coffee while efficiently producing a blend coffee corresponding to the coffee bean anywhere a vending machine can be installed.

In addition, there is an effect of optimizing the structure and arrangement of the capsule loading-passage capsule feeding part, the coffee extracting part, the cup feeding part and the ice supplying part, and minimizing the installation area of the vending machine by a plurality of capsule-

In addition, according to the present embodiment, an advantage of being able to quickly and reliably perform real-time processing such as failure, calculation of sales volume, calculation of capsule stock, and the like can be achieved by managing a vending machine through card communication, have.

1 is a perspective view of a coffee machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a front side block diagram for explaining the arrangement relationship of the main components of the coffee machine of FIG. 1; FIG.
Fig. 3 is a plan side block diagram for explaining the arrangement relationship of the main components of the coffee machine of Fig. 1; Fig.
FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a main operation of the touch panel of the coffee machine of FIG. 1. FIG.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating another exemplary screen for explaining a main operation process of the touch panel of the coffee machine of FIG. 1. FIG.
6 is a partial front view of a front portion of a coffee machine according to another embodiment of the present invention.
7 is an exploded perspective view showing a capsule supplying unit and a capsule conveying device which can be employed in a coffee machine of a coffee machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a partial bottom view for explaining the operation principle of the capsule supply unit installed in the lower portion of the capsule packing box of the coffee machine of FIG. 7;
FIG. 9 is an enlarged plan view of the third plate of the capsule supply portion of FIG. 8; FIG.
10 is a perspective view of a capsule supply unit that can be employed in a coffee machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a capsule delivery system that can be employed in a coffee machine of a coffee machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 12 is a view for explaining the main operation principle of the capsule conveyance of FIG. 11; FIG.
FIGS. 13 to 16 are views for explaining the operating process of the coffee machine according to the embodiment of the present invention.
17 is a block diagram of electrical components that can be employed in a coffee machine according to another embodiment of the present invention.
18 is a schematic block diagram of a software module that can be employed in the electrical component of Fig.
19 is a perspective view showing a capsule form of the prior art.

While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments, but includes all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention. Like reference numerals are used for like elements in describing each drawing.

The terms first, second, A, B, etc. may be used to describe various elements, but the elements should not be limited by the terms. The terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, the first component may be referred to as a second component, and similarly, the second component may also be referred to as a first component. And / or < / RTI > includes any combination of a plurality of related listed items or any of a plurality of related listed items.

It is to be understood that when an element is referred to as being "connected" or "connected" to another element, it may be directly connected or connected to the other element, . On the other hand, when an element is referred to as being "directly connected" or "directly connected" to another element, it should be understood that there are no other elements in between.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. The singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In this specification, terms related to "comprising "," having ", and the like are intended to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, parts, or combinations thereof, But do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof.

Unless otherwise defined herein, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted in a manner consistent with the contextual meaning of the related art, and are not to be construed as ideal or overly formal, unless explicitly defined herein.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a perspective view of a coffee machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front side block diagram for explaining the arrangement relationship of the main components of the coffee machine of FIG. 1; FIG. Fig. 3 is a plan side block diagram for explaining the arrangement relationship of the main components of the coffee machine of Fig. 1; Fig. FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a main operation of the touch panel of the coffee machine of FIG. 1. FIG. And FIG. 5 is another exemplary screen view illustrating a main operation process of the touch panel of the coffee machine of FIG.

Referring to FIG. 1, a coffee machine 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention uses capsules containing various kinds of coffee beans, so that a brand coffee desired by a consumer can be sent directly or indirectly to a place where a vending machine is installed, It is a device that can be manufactured quickly. To this end, the coffee machine 10 includes a vending machine body 20, a vending machine front panel 30, a touch panel 40, a mobile settlement unit 50, a card settlement unit 52, a cup drawer 60, Device 70 as shown in FIG.

The vending machine body 20 and vending machine front panel 30 can be made in the form of a square box with metal, plastic or a combination thereof.

The touch panel 40 may employ a capacitive type, in particular a projected capacitive touch (PCT), but is not limited thereto. The touch panel 40 is manufactured by using a surface capacitive touch (SCT), a resistive film type, a surface acoustic wave (SAW) type, an infrared (IR) type, Can be used.

The mobile settlement unit 50 and the card settlement unit 52 themselves can use a settlement module which is existing or coming to be commercialized. However, the settlement unit may be connected to the control device 70 of this embodiment and controlled by the control device 70. [

2 and 3, the coffee machine 10 includes a capsule mounting portion mounted in the vending machine body 20, a capsule sending portion (simply, a feeding portion), a capsule arranging portion (simply, an aligning portion) A cup feeding part (including a cup loading part), a water supplying part, a coffee extracting part, an ice supplying part, a coffee taking-out part, a speaker, and the like. The coffee machine 10 according to the present embodiment can minimize the arrangement space by optimizing the structure and arrangement of the components such as the capsule mounting part, the feeding part, the cup feeding part, and the coffee extracting part.

The above-described coffee machine 10 can be referred to simply as a coffee machine or vending machine as a coffee machine. The capsule dispensing portion may correspond to the capsule dispensing receptacle, the capsule dispensing portion may include the capsule dispensing portion, the capsule aligning portion may be referred to as the capsule seating portion, the ice dispensing portion may correspond to the ice supply portion or the ice portion, It may correspond to the cup draw-out portion.

Referring again to FIG. 1, a touch panel 40 is disposed at an upper portion of a front surface of the vending machine front panel 30, thereby providing advertisements, a coffee menu, and a coffee making process guide to consumers outside the vending machine 10. A locking device 32 for closing the front panel 30 of the vending machine so as to cover the front opening of the vending machine body 20 may be provided on an intermediate one side of the vending machine front panel 30.

The vending machine 10 can prepare coffee beans of several to several dozen kinds in the form of capsules, and produce and deliver coffee on the spot according to the purchase of the consumer. At this time, the consumer can perform mobile settlement through a predetermined payment site or a payment application using a user terminal such as a mobile phone or a smart phone equipped with the mobile payment means. In addition, the consumer can perform mobile settlement by bringing the mobile payment unit 50 into proximity with or touching the wireless settleable user terminal. In addition, the consumer can insert a card-shaped payment means such as a debit card, a check card, or a credit card into the card settlement unit 52 to perform settlement of the purchased coffee beans. When the settlement is completed, the vending machine 10 can manufacture the coffee bean selected by the consumer in a short time in about one minute and provide it to the consumer through the cup-out portion 60.

The control device 70 can control the overall operation of the vending machine 10 such as the operation of the touch panel 40, the signal processing of the payment units, the capsule transfer, the coffee extraction, the coffee withdrawal, the water supply, the cup supply, . The control device 70 allows the control or management of the vending machine 10 via the network and collects the data from the sensors installed in the vending machine 10 and provides the collected sensing data to the manager terminal or the data center of the server side can do.

Before the consumer orders coffee beans, the vending machine 10 can output the advertisement image on the screen of the touch panel 40 as shown in FIG. The advertisement image may be an introduction to a capsule containing beans or a video of a celebrity enjoying such capsule coffee. Further, the advertisement image may be an arbitrary advertisement preset by a contract with another advertiser.

According to the setting of the vending machine 10, the consumer can touch the touch panel 40 to activate the coffee beans coffee menu screen on the advertisement image screen. The vending machine 10 can display brand coffee menus A to F using various coffee beans on the screen of the touch panel 40 as shown in Fig.

The coffee menu may include coffee made using espresso, americano, cafe latte and the like. The coffee menu may include coffee or similar coffee referred to as espresso, espero, espresso makiato, espresso con pana, cappuccino, cafe mocha, caramel macchiato, frappuccino, hazelnut, cafe bribe, flat white and the like.

6 is a partial front view of a front portion of a coffee machine according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6, the coffee machine according to the present embodiment may include various payment units. The settlement unit may include a mobile settlement unit 50, a card settlement unit 52, a bill settlement unit 54, and a coin settlement unit 56. The card settlement unit 52 has a card input port, the bill settlement unit 54 has a bill input port, and the coin settlement unit 56 can have a coin input port. Although not shown in the drawing, when the consumer presses the button 58, the vending machine 10 can be configured so that the balance is returned through a predetermined return port (not shown). Of course, the vending machine 10 may be configured to allow only mobile payment and card payment as shown in FIG.

When the consumer clicks the payment approval icon on the payment guidance screen displayed on the touch panel 40, the vending machine can perform payment processing of the consumer through interlocking with a card company, a mobile payment server, or the like that manages or approves the payment have. The payment guidance screen may include information on the type of payment, the payment method, and the payment amount.

7 is an exploded perspective view showing a capsule supplying unit and a capsule conveying device which can be employed in a coffee machine of a coffee machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a partial bottom view for explaining the operation principle of the capsule supply unit installed in the lower portion of the capsule packing box of the coffee machine of FIG. 7; FIG. 9 is an enlarged plan view of the third plate of the capsule supply portion of FIG. 8; FIG. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a capsule supply unit that can be employed in a coffee machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a capsule delivery system that can be employed in a coffee machine of a coffee machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. And FIG. 12 is a view for explaining the main operation principle of the capsule conveyance of FIG.

7 to 12, a coffee machine 10 (hereinafter referred to as a "vending machine") according to the present embodiment includes a capsule mounting cylinder 100, a capsule supplying unit 200, a water supplying unit (not shown) And a cup supply unit (not shown). The vending machine may further include a card terminal in addition to the bill insertion slot and the coin slot.

Hereinafter, the external configuration of the vending machine 10, that is, the coin input port, the bill input port, the button and the outlet configuration, and the water supply portion 300 and the cup supply portion 400 are well known.

The capsules stacking cylinder 100 has a hexagonal tube shape in cross section so as to facilitate the drawing of the capsules 5 provided in the upward and downward directions and to prevent the flow of the capsules 5. In the vending machine not shown, Direction.

An opening (not shown) is formed at the lower end of the capsule stacking cylinder 100 to facilitate withdrawal of the capsule 5, and an upper opening A hole 101 is formed.

The blocking hole 101 may be formed so as to pivot and block so as to prevent the discharge of the capsule 5 provided immediately above the capsule 5 from which the second plate material 230 to be described later is discharged.

The capsule feeder 200 is provided at the lower portion of the capsule stacking vessel 100, that is, at the bottom of four sets. The capsule supplying unit 200 includes first, second and third plates 210, 230 and 250 and a sensing unit 260.

The first plate member 210 is provided at the lower end of the capsule mounting cylinder 100 and is formed in a frame formed in a circular plate shape for facilitating rotation at a predetermined angle by the driving device 201. In the following description, 5 are easily discharged.

10, the output shaft 201a of the driving device 201 may be directly connected to the upper end of the driving shaft 210a. have.

The driving device 201 may be a DC motor or a stepping motor in order to control precise turning of a predetermined angle.

A second plate member 230 having a rectangular plate shape is provided at a predetermined distance apart from the first plate member 210. The second plate member 230 has one end 231 and the other end 233.

One end 231 is axially coupled to the driving shaft 210a, and the other end 233 is provided at a portion opposed to the one end 231.

And the other end 233 of the capillary tube 100 is connected to the lower end of the capsule mounting cylinder 100 so as to prevent the capsules 5 provided on the capsule 5 discharged through the discharge port 211 of the first plate 210 from being discharged. And it is preferably formed in an arc shape so as to be easily inserted into the hole 101. [

The third plate 250 is provided above the second plate 230 having the above-described structure.

The third plate 250 is provided at the upper end of the driving shaft 210a and includes a plurality of projections 251 radially in the number of the capsule mounting cylinder 100. [

The plurality of protrusions 251 serve to facilitate the detection of the next protrusion 251 by the detection signal of the sensing means 260, which is a kind of sensor provided at one side.

As shown in FIG. 3, the plurality of protrusions 251 have angles? 1 and? 2 of protrusions of 70 degrees and 110 degrees, respectively, corresponding to the lower ends of four sets of the capsule- It is preferable to form it at an angle.

Further, the capsule supplying unit 200 according to the present invention further includes a capsule conveying device 270.

11, the capsule conveying device 270 is configured to move the capsule 5, which is provided below the third plate 250 of the capsule supplying unit 200 and is vertically disposed, in the horizontal direction And the first and second conveyance units 271 and 276 can be moved and discharged.

The first transfer part 271 is configured to transfer the capsules 5 discharged from the capsule supplying part 200 in one horizontal direction and includes a first frame 272 and a first driving part 273, (274) and a first capsule delivery port (275).

The first frame 272 has a quadrangular outer shape as shown and a first driving portion 273 is provided in the longitudinal direction of one side of the first frame 272.

Driven pulleys 273a and 273b are provided symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal direction of one side of the first frame 272. The driving and driven pulleys 273a and 273b And a connecting member 273c is coupled to the outer periphery in an endless track manner.

The connecting member 273c may be a timing belt or a V-belt or a chain.

As shown in Fig. 12, the drive pulley 273a rotates to one side or the other side by a drive device 202 provided at the lower side.

A conveying block 273e having an outer shape of a hexahedron block is coupled to one side of the connecting member 273c. The conveying block 273e includes a connecting member 273c that moves in the horizontal direction by the rotation of the driving pulley 273a To move forward and backward.

The guide block 273e penetrates through the guide rail 273d provided on the upper side in the intermediate longitudinal direction of the connecting member 273c to facilitate the movement in the forward and backward directions along the guide rail 273d.

The first conveyance lane 274 is provided with at least one or more rows of the first conveyance lanes 274 so as to facilitate the conveyance of the capsule 5 drawn out to one side of the first driving portion 273. The first conveyance lane 274 is provided at a side of the capsule 5 And is provided with a plurality of rows in a straight line so as to support both sides of the upper part.

Meanwhile, the first capsule conveying passage 275 is provided in the horizontal direction of one side of the conveying block 213e to facilitate the movement of the capsule 5 seated on the first conveyance lane 215.

The first capsule feeder 275 is provided with a vertical support portion 275a in the lower vertical direction for each section of the first feed lane 274 to facilitate movement of the capsule 5 in one direction.

The second transfer part 276 is provided in a direction perpendicular to one side of the first transfer part 271 constructed as described above.

The second transfer part 276 is provided in a direction perpendicular to the first driving part 273 and includes a second frame 276a in a direction perpendicular to the first driving part 273, Driving and driven pulleys 276c and 276c are provided symmetrically on both ends of the frame 276a and the connecting member 276d is coupled to the driving pulleys 276b and 276c in an endless track manner. A second capsule feed port 276da is coupled to one side of the connecting member 276d. A driving device 277 is directly connected to the lower side of the driving pulley 276b in the vertical direction.

Since the configuration of the second transfer part 276 is substantially the same as that of the first transfer part 271 except for one row, detailed description of the second transfer part 276 will be omitted.

Hereinafter, the operation principle of the coffee machine 10 according to the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 13 to 16. FIG.

FIGS. 13 to 16 are views for explaining the operating process of the coffee machine according to the embodiment of the present invention.

First, when a user slides a card on a coin input slot or a bill insertion slot or a card terminal provided in an automatic vending machine (not shown) and presses a button, the drive shaft 201 of the capsule feeder 200 is rotated The first, second, and third plate members 210, 230, and 250 that are axially coupled to the first and second plates 201a and 201a rotate by a predetermined angle.

8, when the protrusion 251 provided on the third plate 250 is sensed by the sensing means 260, the rotation of the protrusion 251 is stopped at the outlet 211 of the first plate 210 ) At which the capsule 5 is discharged.

When the discharge of the capsule 5 is completed, the second plate 230 is inserted into the blocking hole 101 provided at the lower end of the other side of the capsule stacking cylinder 100, and the other capsule 5 is discharged . This operation is organically linked, and each time the button (not shown) is pressed, it is pivoted and the capsule 5 is discharged as described above.

The capsules 5 discharged from the capsule stacking container 100 are seated at any one of the first transfer lanes 274 of the first transfer section 271 of the capsule conveyance device 270. [

At the same time, the connecting member 273c connected to the driving and driven pulleys 273a and 273b is driven and moved in one direction by the rotation of the driven pulleys 273a and 273b, The capsule 5 placed at one of the first conveyance lanes 274 is conveyed to one end by the first capsule conveyance passage 275 having one end coupled to the combined conveyance block 273e.

The transferred capsule 5 is mounted on the second frame 276a of the second transfer part 276 and at the same time is driven by the driving device 277 provided in the second frame 276a to drive the driven pulleys 276b and 276c The rotation of the connecting member 276d causes the capsule 5 to be pushed to one side by the second capsule feed port 276da coupled to the connecting member 276d, And transported to the device (PE).

Then, the coffee beans are pressed in one direction while pressing the coffee bean powder 5b provided inside the capsule 5 by the above-described pressurizing device (PE) through a controller (not shown).

The compressed part PA compresses the ground coffee powder 5a and the nozzle 5 penetrates the cover of the capsule 5 and supplies high pressure water to the ground coffee powder 5a provided inside the capsule 5, And the coffee having the unique flavor and taste of the coffee bean is made as it is diluted. The process of supplying high-pressure water to the capsule 5 through the nozzles to produce the coffee is a well-known technique, so that detailed description thereof will be omitted here.

As described above, the produced coffee is contained in a cup (CP) supplied from a cup supplying part (not shown) and discharged to an outlet (not shown) so that the user can easily drink it.

17 is a block diagram of electrical components that can be employed in a coffee machine according to another embodiment of the present invention. 18 is a schematic block diagram of a software module that can be employed in the electrical component of Fig.

17, the coffee machine according to the present embodiment may include a touch panel 40, a settlement unit 50, a sensor 78, and a control device 70. [ The touch panel 40, the settlement unit 50 and the sensor 78 are connected to the control device 70 and can transmit, receive, or transmit signals and data.

The settlement unit 50 includes a mobile settlement unit, but is not limited thereto. The settlement unit 50 may further include or be replaced with a card settlement unit, a banknote settlement unit, a coin settlement unit, or a combination thereof.

The sensor 78 includes a first sensor for capturing the capsule stock, a second sensor for monitoring the sales volume installed in the cup drawer, and a third sensor for monitoring the operation state of the transfer unit or the coffee extracting unit, Sensors, and the like. The sensor 78 can transmit, receive, or transmit / receive a predetermined signal level or signal waveform to the control device 70 in addition to the sensing data. The sensor 78 may include a motion detection sensor, a camera, and the like.

The control device 70 may include a communication unit 72, a processor 74, and a memory 76. [ Depending on the implementation, the communication unit 72 may be manufactured integrally with the processor 74, but is not limited thereto and may be installed as a separate device separate from the processor 74 or the controller 70, May be coupled to the processor (74).

The communication unit 72 may be connected to a vending machine administrator terminal or a vending machine administrator server through a network. The communication unit 72 may support a communication protocol for a wired network or a wireless network. The communication unit 72 may include one or more wired and / or wireless communication subsystems that support one or more communication protocols. A wireless communication system may include a radio frequency (RF) receiver, an RF transmitter, an RF transceiver, an optical (e.g., infrared) receiver, an optical transmitter, an optical transceiver, or a combination thereof.

The wired network may include a public switched telephone network (PSTN), an asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL), a very high-data rate digital subscriber line (VDSL), a PSTN (PSTN Emulation Service)

The wireless network may be a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), W-Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA), Long Term Evolution (LTE) (LET-Advanced), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA), WiMax, Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi), Bluetooth and the like.

The processor 74 may include at least one central processing unit or core and the central processing unit (CPU) may be an SOC (microcontroller), in which microcontrol units (MCUs) and peripheral devices (integrated circuits for external expansion devices) system on chip, but is not limited thereto. The central processing unit includes a register for storing instructions to be processed, an arithmetic logical unit (ALU) for performing comparison, determination, and operation, and an internal control unit for internally controlling the CPU And an internal bus for connecting the control unit and the control unit.

In addition, processor 74 may include, but is not limited to, one or more data processors, image processors, or codecs (CODECs). The processor may have a peripheral interface and a memory interface. The peripheral device interface connects the processor 74 to the input / output system and various other peripheral devices, and the memory interface can couple the processor 74 and the memory 76.

The above-described processor 74 can execute a software module or a program to control the vending machine to perform a preset operation. The processor 74 may execute a specific software module (instruction set) stored in the memory 76 to perform a specific function corresponding to the module.

The memory 76 may include a failure diagnostic module 762, a sales volume calculation module 764 and a capsule inventory calculation module 766 as shown in FIG.

The failure diagnostic module 762, when being executed by the processor 74, may be configured to compare the camera image with a previously stored image to determine normal operation and failure of the vending machine component. Further, in another embodiment, the failure diagnostic module 762 may be implemented to detect a signal or an output waveform occurring in the electrical component part of the vending machine component and to compare it with a reference signal to determine the failure.

The sales amount calculation module 764 may be configured to count the number of cups selected or paid out from the coffee menu or to count the number of cups drawn through the cup drawer when being executed by the processor 74, Counting < / RTI >

Capsule inventory calculation module 766 may be implemented to calculate the capsule inventory via a sensor that counts the number of capsules delivered to the delivery through the capsule supply in the initial capsule inventory. Further, depending on the implementation, the capsule inventory calculation module 766 may be implemented to calculate the capsule inventory based on the stack height via sensors installed in the capsule stacker.

In addition, the memory 76 may store software, a program, a set of instructions or a combination thereof for operation of the vending machine, communication with the outside, data transmission / reception, and the like, and may further store an operating system, a schedule operation policy, and the like.

The components of the software may include an operating system module, a graphics module, a user interface module, a moving picture experts group (MPEG) module, a communication module, a camera module, an application module, and the like. A module is a set of instructions that can be represented as an instruction set or program.

The operating system can include embedded operating systems such as MS WINDOWS, LINUX, Darwin, RTXC, UNIX, OS X, iOS, MacOS, VxWorks, Google OS, Android, Sea (Samsung OS) have. The operating system may also have a function of performing communication between various hardware (devices) and software components (modules).

The memory 76 described above may include a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), a non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM), a hard disk drive (HDD), or a combination thereof. Further, the memory 76 may include at least one selected from an optical storage device, a flash memory, and the like.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY As described above, according to the present embodiment, a coffee bean having a flavor and taste suited to the taste of a consumer can be quickly and efficiently used in a field where a vending machine is installed by using a capsule containing a liquid coffee bean, There is an advantage that can be provided.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific exemplary embodiments described above and that various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. And such modified embodiments are within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

10: Coffee vending machine 100: Capsule container
101: Blocking ball 200: Capsule supply part
201: driving device 210, 230: first and second plates
210a: drive shaft 231:
250: Third plate 251:
260: sensing means 270: capsule transport device
271, 276: first and second feeding parts 272: first frame
273: first drive part 273a, 273b: drive, driven pulley
273c: connecting member 273d: guide rail
273e: Feed block 274: First feed lane
275: first capsule feed port 276a: second frame
276b, 276c: driving, driven pulley 276d: connecting member
276da: Second capsule delivery port 300: Water supply part
400: cup supply part

Claims (11)

A capsule stacker provided in a vertical lattice shape to embed a plurality of capsules in a vertical direction;
A capsule supplying unit provided at a lower center of the capsule packing cylinder and quantitatively supplying the capsule;
A coffee extracting unit for extracting coffee that the user can drink by supplying water to the capsules supplied from the capsule supplying unit; And
And a cup withdrawing portion for taking out the cup containing the coffee,
Wherein the capsule packing box is provided in at least one row in the vertical direction in the coffee machine at a set of four lattice-
The capsule supply unit includes a first plate which is provided at a lower center of the capsule mounting cylinder and is rotated by a predetermined angle by a driving device coupled to a drive shaft and discharges the capsules through an outlet provided in a rim, Wow; And a second plate member spaced a predetermined distance above the first plate member and supporting one end of the capsule shaft to be coupled to the drive shaft and the other end to prevent the capsules from being discharged from the upper portion of the capsule discharged through the outlet of the first plate member under,
The capsule feeder includes: a third plate that is axially coupled to the driving shaft on an upper side of the second plate and has a radial protrusion formed by the number of the capsule stacking compartments; Further comprising sensing means for controlling the first and second plates so that they can intermittently rotate at a predetermined angle as the projection of the third plate is pivotally inserted at a predetermined angle,
Further comprising a capsule transferring unit disposed below the capsule supplying unit for horizontally moving and discharging the capsules, which are provided at a lower side of the third plate and discharged in a vertical direction,
The capsule conveying device may include a first conveying unit for conveying the capsules discharged from the third plate in a horizontal direction; And a second conveyance unit provided in a direction perpendicular to one side of the first conveyance unit so as to discharge the capsules supplied from the first conveyance unit to the outside of the coffee machine,
The first conveying portion may include a first frame having a rectangular outer shape, a first driving portion provided in a longitudinal direction of one side of the first frame, and a second driving portion provided on at least one row of the first driving portion, A first conveyance lane and a first conveyance port provided at a first direction perpendicular to the first conveyance lane and having one end coupled to the first drive unit for pushing and conveying a capsule provided in each first conveyance lane to one side,
Coffee Vending Machine. delete delete The method according to claim 1,
And the other end of the second plate is pivotally inserted into the cut-off hole formed at the lower end of the capsule stacker. delete delete delete delete The method according to claim 1,
The first driving unit may include a driving member, a driven pulley, and a driven pulley, which are symmetrically disposed in a longitudinal direction of the first frame, and are connected to the driven pulley in an endless track manner. Coffee vending machine provided. 10. The method of claim 9,
Wherein the first driving unit includes:
A guide rail provided on the upper side in the intermediate longitudinal direction of the connecting member,
And a conveying block having an outer shape of a hexahedral block shape whose one side is connected to the connecting member so as to be able to move forward and backward along the guide rail. The method according to claim 1,
The second conveying portion includes a second frame provided in a direction perpendicular to the first driving portion of the first conveying portion, a driving and driven pulley symmetrically provided at both ends of the first frame, And the second capsule conveying port is combined with the connecting member.

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