KR102572067B1 - Separate drip device for automatically controlling spiral movement direction of water supply unit - Google Patents

Abstract

A coffee drip device is disclosed. The present coffee drip device includes a water supply unit for supplying water to a dripper containing ground coffee beans, a driving unit for adjusting the position of at least a portion of the water supply unit so that the water supply point of the water supply unit is changed, and photographing at least some of the coffee beans accommodated in the dripper. It includes a camera and a control unit for The control unit supplies water to the dripper through the water supply unit to perform the muffin forming step of forming muffins composed of coffee beans and air bubbles containing moisture. In addition, the control unit identifies the size of the muffin photographed through the camera. In the muffin forming step, the control unit spirally changes the water supply point of the water supply unit from the center to the periphery through the driving unit until the size of the muffin reaches the preset maximum water supply radius for the muffin forming step, while water is supplied to the dripper through the water supply unit. supply

Description

Coffee drip device that automatically controls the spiral movement direction of the water supply unit { SEPARATE DRIP DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLING SPIRAL MOVEMENT DIRECTION OF WATER SUPPLY UNIT }

The present disclosure relates to a coffee drip device that extracts coffee by automatically performing coffee drip, and more particularly, to set the water supply amount and water supply point based on the size and shape of a muffin, which means a form in which wet coffee powder is inflated. It relates to a coffee drip device.

The three processes that must go through in coffee extraction are the process of infiltration, dissolution, and separation. The solvent water (hot water or cold water) permeates into the properly ground coffee particles and permeates into the coffee, and then the soluble component among the coffee particles is dissolved in the solvent water to form a solution, and eventually the insoluble coffee particles and the solution are extracted separately from each other.

Coffee extraction methods include espresso, siphon, moka pot, French press, Turkish coffee extraction, Dutch coffee, and hand drip. Depending on the extraction method, the taste and aroma of coffee have many differences.

Among the methods that are receiving good reviews from consumers, hand drip is the best. Since hand drip is extracted through a filter paper, it has less unpleasant taste and can greatly reduce components that increase cholesterol levels such as cafestol contained in coffee.

This hand drip can be further divided into an immersion type method and a permeation type method, and the permeation type method is slightly less flavorful and miscellaneous than the immersion type hand drip method.

In this way, coffee extracted by permeation type hand drip is mixed with more than 98% of water and less than 2% of dissolved solids. There are ingredients that give a proper body and good aftertaste, and negative tastes and aromas include bitterness, astringency, burnt smell, tobacco flavor such as cigarette ash, and sour and astringent taste.

Although the good taste and aroma of coffee is determined by ensuring that components with positive flavors are extracted well, it is considered more important that extraction of components with negative flavors is minimized.

In particular, caffeine contained in coffee has beneficial effects on our body, such as awakening effect, prevention of cancer, etc., promotion of metabolic activity, and help in blood circulation. Side effects such as triggering, insomnia, heart palpitations, and gastritis symptoms for those with a weak stomach may occur. Therefore, it is necessary to extract excellent coffee that is beneficial to health with low components that cause side effects while maintaining the taste and aroma.

Registered Patent Publication No. 10-2385680 (Method of sequentially extracting separated drip coffee and coffee undiluted solution)

The present disclosure provides a coffee drip device for extracting coffee by supplying water to coffee bean powder.

The present disclosure provides a coffee drip device that adjusts a water supply point and/or water supply amount according to the size and/or shape of a muffin to produce an optimal coffee taste based on the separate drip theory.

The objects of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned objects, and other objects and advantages of the present disclosure not mentioned above can be understood by the following description and will be more clearly understood by the embodiments of the present disclosure. Further, it will be readily apparent that the objects and advantages of the present disclosure may be realized by means of the instrumentalities and combinations indicated in the claims.

A coffee drip device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a water supply unit for supplying water to a dripper containing ground coffee beans; a driving unit for adjusting a position of at least a part of the water supply unit to change a water supply point of the water supply unit; and the dripper. It includes a camera for photographing at least some of the coffee beans accommodated in the water supply unit, the driving unit, and a control unit connected to the camera. The control unit performs a muffin forming step of supplying water to the dripper through the water supply unit to form muffins composed of coffee beans and air bubbles containing moisture, and identifying the size of the muffin photographed by the camera. . In the muffin forming step, the control unit spirally changes the water supply point of the water supply unit from the center to the periphery through the driving unit until the size of the muffin reaches the maximum water supply radius in the muffin forming step, while changing the water supply unit to the water supply unit. Water is supplied to the dripper through the

In the muffin forming step, the control unit spirally changes the water supply point of the water supply unit from the center to the periphery through the driving unit until the size of the muffin reaches the preset maximum water supply radius for the muffin forming step. Water is supplied to the dripper through the water supply unit, and the water supply point of the water supply unit spirally moves from the outer edge to the center through the driving unit until the size of the muffin reaches the preset minimum water supply radius for the muffin forming step. While changing, water may be supplied to the dripper through the water supply unit.

The coffee drip device may include a distance sensor for measuring the height of the muffin. In addition, the control unit may perform a steaming step of securing a rest time for supplying water to the formed muffins after the muffin forming step. The control unit may supply water to the dripper through the water supply unit after a predetermined time has elapsed from the point at which the water supply in the muffin forming step is completed or the point at which the height of the muffin is the highest in the steaming step.

At this time, in the steaming step, based on the shape of the muffin photographed by the camera, the control unit sets a path through which water falls sequentially, and the water supply point of the water supply unit is set on the set path through the driving unit. While changing accordingly, water may be supplied to the dripper through the water supply unit.

In addition, the coffee drip device may include a weight sensor for measuring the weight of a server accommodating the coffee solution extracted from the dripper. At this time, the control unit, based on the measured weight of the server, can identify the amount of coffee solution accommodated in the server. In addition, in the steaming step, when the amount of coffee solution accommodated in the server increases by more than a predetermined pre-extraction limit according to the first water supply, the control unit performs the final standby of the steaming step, and the first water supply When the amount of the coffee solution accommodated in the server increases to less than the predetermined pre-extraction limit according to the above, a second water supply is performed after waiting for a certain time, and the amount of the coffee solution accommodated in the server according to the second water supply is the above If the increase is greater than the predetermined pre-extraction limit, the final standby of the steaming step may be performed.

In addition, the control unit may perform an extraction step for extracting a coffee solution after the steaming step. At this time, the control unit, in the extraction step, when a certain time after the water supply of the steaming step ends or when the height of the muffins starts to decrease after the steaming step, through the water supply unit Water can be supplied to the dripper.

In this case, the control unit may set the maximum water supply radius and the minimum water supply radius of the extraction step based on the size of the muffin after the steaming step. In the extraction step, the control unit spirally changes the water supply point of the water supply unit from the center to the periphery through the driving unit until the size of the muffin reaches the maximum water supply radius of the extraction step, while changing the water supply unit to the water supply unit. water is supplied to the dripper through the water supply unit, and the water supply point of the water supply unit is spirally changed from the periphery to the center through the drive unit until the size of the muffin reaches the minimum water supply radius of the extraction step. Water can be supplied to the dripper.

In this case, in the extraction step, when the water supply amount of the water supply unit reaches a preset water supply amount, the control unit may stop supplying water.

Meanwhile, the coffee drip device may include a weight sensor for measuring the weight of a server accommodating the coffee solution extracted from the dripper. At this time, the control unit, based on the measured weight of the server, can identify the amount of coffee solution accommodated in the server. And, in the extraction step, when the amount of the coffee solution accommodated in the server reaches the extraction limit, the control unit may stop supplying water.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a water supply unit for supplying water to a dripper accommodating ground coffee beans, a driving unit for adjusting the position of at least a part of the water supply unit so that a water supply point of the water supply unit is changed, and coffee beans accommodated in the dripper. A method for controlling a coffee drip device, including a camera for photographing at least a portion of the coffee drip device, wherein the coffee drip device supplies water to the dripper through the water supply unit to form muffins composed of coffee beans and air bubbles containing moisture, It includes a muffin forming step, a steaming step in which the coffee drip device secures a rest period for supplying water to the formed muffin, and an extraction step for extracting a coffee solution after the steaming step. In the muffin forming step, the size of the muffin photographed by the camera is identified, and water is supplied to the water supply unit through the drive unit until the size of the muffin reaches the preset maximum water supply radius for the muffin forming step. Water is supplied to the dripper through the water supply unit while changing a point spirally from the center to the outside.

The coffee drip device according to the present disclosure measures the size and shape of a muffin, which means a form in which wet coffee powder is inflated, and performs effective separation drip reflecting the real-time state of the material, thereby automatically extracting excellent coffee without the help of a skilled expert. It can carry out delicate drip work.

1A is a view for explaining an external configuration of a coffee drip device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
1B is a block diagram for explaining an electronic configuration of a coffee drip device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
2 is a flowchart for explaining the overall coffee drip process of the coffee drip device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
3 is an algorithm for explaining a muffin forming step performed by a coffee drip device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
4 is an algorithm for explaining a brewing step performed by a coffee drip device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
5 is an algorithm for explaining an extraction step performed by a coffee drip device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and
6 is a block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of a coffee drip device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Prior to a detailed description of the present disclosure, the method of describing the present specification and drawings will be described.

First, terms used in the present specification and claims are general terms in consideration of functions in various embodiments of the present disclosure. However, these terms may vary depending on the intention of a technician working in the art, legal or technical interpretation, and the emergence of new technologies. In addition, some terms are arbitrarily selected by the applicant. These terms may be interpreted as the meanings defined in this specification, and if there is no specific term definition, they may be interpreted based on the overall content of this specification and common technical knowledge in the art.

In addition, the same reference numerals or numerals in each drawing attached to this specification indicate parts or components that perform substantially the same function. For convenience of description and understanding, the same reference numerals or symbols are used in different embodiments. That is, even if all components having the same reference numerals are shown in a plurality of drawings, the plurality of drawings do not mean one embodiment.

Also, in the present specification and claims, terms including ordinal numbers such as “first” and “second” may be used to distinguish between elements. These ordinal numbers are used to distinguish the same or similar components from each other, and the meaning of the term should not be construed as being limited due to the use of these ordinal numbers. For example, the order of use or arrangement of elements associated with such ordinal numbers should not be limited by the number. If necessary, each ordinal number may be used interchangeably.

In this specification, singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In this application, the terms "comprise" or "consist of" are intended to designate that there is a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification, but one or more other It should be understood that the presence or addition of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof is not precluded.

In the embodiments of the present disclosure, terms such as “module,” “unit,” and “part” are terms used to refer to components that perform at least one function or operation, and these components are hardware or software. It may be implemented or implemented as a combination of hardware and software. In addition, a plurality of "modules", "units", "parts", etc. are integrated into at least one module or chip, except for cases where each of them needs to be implemented with separate specific hardware, so that at least one processor can be implemented as

Also, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, when a part is said to be connected to another part, this includes not only a direct connection but also an indirect connection through another medium. In addition, the meaning that a certain part includes a certain component means that it may further include other components without excluding other components unless otherwise stated.

1A is a view for explaining an external configuration of a coffee drip device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 1A, a coffee drip device 100 includes a dripper 10 for accommodating ground coffee bean powder, a body 20, and a support for mounting a server 30 for containing an extracted coffee solution ( 40), etc.

Here, the server 30 may be detachable as a part included in the coffee drip device 100 or may correspond to a separate product not included in the coffee drip device 100 .

The dripper 10 may also be detachable as a part included in the coffee drip device 100, or may correspond to a separate product not included in the coffee drip device 100. In this case, the coffee drip device 100 may include at least one fixing member for fixing the dripper. Like a general dripper, the dripper 10 of the present disclosure may have a circular cross section, but may have a shape in which the radius of the circle becomes narrower as it goes down vertically (eg, truncated cone, cone, etc.).

In addition, the coffee drip device 100 may include a water supply unit 110 disposed above the dripper 10 to supply water to the dripper 10 . The water supply unit 110 may include at least one drainage member and a pump. In addition, a water tank for supplying water to the water supply unit 110 may be provided in the body 20 . The body 20 may include at least one heating means for increasing the temperature of the water in the water tank or the water provided from the water tank to the water supply unit 110 .

1B is a block diagram for explaining an electronic configuration of a coffee drip device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 1B , the coffee drip device 100 may include a water supply unit 110, a driving unit 120, a camera 130, a controller 140, and the like.

The water supply unit 110 is a component for dropping water into the dripper, and may include at least one mechanical component for drawing water, such as a pump.

The driving unit 120 is a component for adjusting the position of at least a part of the water supply unit 110 so that the water supply point is changed. The driving unit 120 may include a motor, a compressor, a pump, and the like, but is not limited thereto. Specifically, the drive unit 120 may change the position of the outlet of the water supply unit 110 by applying a pulling force, a pushing force, or a turning force to at least a portion of the water supply unit 110 . To this end, the water supply unit 110 may include at least one arm connected to the discharge port, a rotating member, a gear, etc., but is not limited thereto.

The camera 130 is configured to photograph the inside of the dripper 10 and may include at least one image sensor. The camera 130 may include, but is not limited to, an RGB camera, a depth camera, a Time of Flight (ToF) camera, a stereo camera, and the like.

As an embodiment, the camera 130 may be attached to the water supply unit 110 of FIG. 1 in order to photograph the inside of the dripper from above. can However, it may be fixed at a specific position regardless of the movement of the outlet in the water supply unit 110 .

Alternatively, the camera 130 may be attached to the top of the body or a section between the body and the water supply unit 110 to take pictures of the inside of the dripper 10 .

The controller 140 is a component for controlling the coffee drip device 100 as a whole. The controller 140 may include at least one control circuit or processor. The processor may include a general-purpose processor such as a CPU, an AP, or a digital signal processor (DSP), a graphics-only processor such as a GPU or a vision processing unit (VPU), or an artificial intelligence-only processor such as an NPU. The processor may control the operation of the separate drip device 100 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure by being connected to a memory included in the separate drip device 100 and executing at least one instruction stored in the memory.

2 is a flowchart illustrating an overall coffee drip process of a coffee drip device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Meanwhile, before performing the processes of FIG. 2 , the controller 140 may perform various operations related to initial setting. The following operations may be activated, for example, when a user input requesting an initial setting is received after ground coffee beans are accommodated in the dripper.

Specifically, the controller 140 may identify the central position of the dripper 10 photographed through the camera 130, and read the size (outer rim, radius, etc.) of the ground coffee beans accommodated in the dripper 10. can do.

When at least one weight sensor for measuring the weight of the coffee beans accommodated in the dripper 10 is provided, the controller 140 can identify the weight of the coffee beans accommodated.

At this time, the controller 140 may set the amount of water supplied according to the weight of the coffee beans accommodated in the dripper 10 . For example, the total amount of water supplied, the amount of water supplied in the muffin forming step, the amount of water supplied in the steaming step, and the amount of water supplied in the extraction step may be respectively set. As a specific example, based on 95g of coffee beans, the amount of water supplied in the muffin formation step is 25-40g, the amount of water supplied in the steaming step is 10-20g per water supply (ex. Water can be supplied before or after 5 times), and the amount of water supplied in the extraction step is 1 time When water is supplied, it may be set to 35 to 60 g (ex. extraction possible before and after 2 times), but is not limited thereto.

Here, as the weight of the coffee beans increases, the amount of water supplied in each step may be set to increase, and as the weight of the coffee beans decreases, the amount of water supplied in each step may be decreased. .

In addition, when at least one distance sensor for measuring the height of the coffee bean powder accommodated in the dripper 10 is provided, the controller 140 can identify the height of the coffee bean powder according to the measured distance.

Here, when the coffee drip device 100 includes at least one height adjuster for adjusting the height of the dripper, the control unit 140 controls the dripper so that the distance between the identified height and the outlet of the water supply unit 110 is a preset distance. The height of (10) can be adjusted. For example, the height adjusting unit is connected to the dripper 10 and can drive a vertical movement member attached to the body to move up and down with respect to the body, including various driving means (ex. motor, compressor, etc.) for this purpose. can do.

In addition, the control unit 140 determines the muffin initial size (ex. radius, outer rim, etc.), the maximum water supply radius of the muffin formation step, the minimum water supply radius of the muffin formation step, the waiting time between the muffin formation step and the steaming step (rest time ), etc. can be set. Here, the initial muffin size, the maximum water supply radius/minimum water supply radius, etc. in the muffin forming step may be newly set each time according to the weight of the coffee beans.

In addition, the control unit 140 determines the waiting time between each water supply constituting the steaming step, the maximum number of water supply within the steaming step, the waiting time from the type of the steaming step to the start of the extraction step, the steaming step You can set the end waiting time, the pre-extraction limit of the steaming stage, and the maximum water supply radius of the steaming stage.

In addition, the controller 140 may set a minimum radius of water supply in the extraction step, a maximum radius of water supply in the extraction step, and an extraction limit in the extraction step.

Each of the above items may be set according to a user input, may be preset, or may be automatically set according to the weight (amount) of coffee beans in the dripper 10 photographed.

Referring to FIG. 2 , the coffee drip device 100 may sequentially perform a muffin forming step (S210), a steaming step (S220), and an extracting step (S230). If a process in which water continuously drips is defined as one water supply, the coffee drip device 100 may supply water one or more times for each step.

In the muffin forming step (S210), the coffee drip device 100 supplies water to the dripper 10 through the water supply unit to form muffins composed of (ground) coffee beans and bubbles containing moisture.

In this case, the coffee drip device 100 may identify the size of the muffin photographed through the camera 130 . At this time, the controller 140 may analyze the captured image in real time to identify an area in the image including the muffins, and identify the size (outer rim, radius, etc.) and shape of the identified area. Specifically, the controller 140 may identify the size by extracting the area including the muffin based on the color. At this time, at least one of the distance between the camera 130 and the dripper 10 or the distance between the camera 130 and the coffee beans may be applied to the size of the area of the muffin in the image to calculate the actual size. To this end, a preset distance value or a distance sensor may be utilized.

In relation to this, FIG. 3 is an algorithm for explaining a muffin forming step performed by a coffee drip device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 3 , the coffee drip device 100 controls the water supply point of the water supply unit 110 through the driving unit 120 until the muffin size reaches the maximum water supply radius in the muffin forming step (S320 - Y). Water may be supplied to the dripper 10 through the water supply unit 110 while spirally changing from the center to the outside (S310). The maximum radius of water supply means the maximum radius of a muffin in which water supply can be continued, and may have a predetermined value.

Subsequently, the coffee drip device 100 moves the water supply point of the water supply unit 110 from the outer edge to the center through the driving unit 120 until the size of the muffin reaches the minimum water supply radius in the muffin forming step (S340 - Y). Water may be supplied to the dripper 10 through the water supply unit 110 while changing in a spiral manner (S330). The minimum radius of water supply means the minimum radius of a muffin in which water supply can be continued.

In the method of FIG. 3 described above, the coffee drip device 100 may supply water while going back and forth between the center and the outer edge of the dripper until a preset water supply amount is reached for the muffin forming step.

Then, the coffee drip device 100 may perform a steaming step to secure a rest time for supplying water to the formed muffins (S220 of FIG. 2). A waiting period may be given between the muffin forming step and the steaming step.

Specifically, the coffee drip device 100 may supply water to the dripper 10 through the water supply unit 110 after a certain amount of time has elapsed from the time when the water supply in the muffin forming step is finished or the time when the muffin height is the highest. can Here, the height of the muffin may be detected through a distance sensor.

At this time, the coffee drip device 100 may set the starting position of water supply according to the shape of the muffin. Basically, the control unit 140 may set the starting position of water supply as the central point of the dripper 10 . However, the starting position of water supply may vary depending on the center of gravity of the muffin. For example, the controller 140 may identify the center of gravity of the muffin based on the location (ex. coordinates) of each pixel constituting the area of the muffin, and compare the center of gravity of the muffin with the center point of the dripper 10. may be If the distance between the center point of the dripper 10 and the center of gravity of the muffin is less than the critical distance, the controller 140 may set the water supply start position as the center point of the dripper 10. However, when the center of gravity of the muffin is farther than the critical distance from the center point of the dripper 10, the controller 140 sets at least one point in a straight line from the center point of the dripper 10 to the center of gravity of the muffin to the start position of water supply. can be set to As a specific example, a point corresponding to half of a straight line connecting the center point of the dripper 10 and the center of gravity of the muffin may be set as the starting point of water supply, but is not limited thereto. Meanwhile, in subsequent steps (eg S220 to S240), the starting point of water supply can be flexibly set according to the real-time difference in location between the center of gravity of the muffin and the center point of the dripper 10.

In addition, the coffee drip device 100 may sequentially set a dripping path based on the shape of the muffin photographed by the camera 130 . In addition, the coffee drip device 100 may supply water to the dripper 10 through the water supply unit 110 while changing the water supply point of the water supply unit 110 according to the set path through the drive unit 120 .

Specifically, the controller 140 may set the water supply path so that the water supply position is changed within a radius that does not deviate from the outer rim of the muffin.

In this regard, the controller 140 may identify whether the shape of the muffin is circular. Here, whether the shape of the muffin is circular may be identified as the controller 140 analyzes an image including the area of the muffin. Specifically, the controller 140 may select a plurality of points constituting the outer edge (outer area) of the muffin region in the image. At this time, the plurality of points may correspond to points equally distributed on the curve constituting the outer rim of the muffin (eg, the distance (on the curve) between each other connected according to the curve is constant). Here, the controller 140 can identify the shape of the muffin according to the deviation of the distance from the center point of the dripper 10 to each point constituting the outer edge of the muffin. For example, if the deviation of the distance to each point is less than a certain deviation, the shape of the muffin may be identified as circular. On the other hand, if the deviation of the distance to each point is more than a certain deviation, the controller 140 may identify that the shape of the muffin is not circular.

For example, when the shape of the muffin is circular, the controller 140 calculates an average distance from the center point of the dripper 10 to a plurality of points constituting the outer rim of the muffin, and a certain distance (ex. A first target radius as short as 1 cm) may be set. As a result, the control unit 140 performs water supply while spirally changing the water supply point from the center to the periphery, but from the time the position of the water supply point reaches the first target radius, the water supply point is no longer moved from the center of the dripper 10. Water supply may be continued only within the first target radius so as not to be further away.

In addition, it may occur when the shape of the muffin is not circular. This is the case when one side of the muffin is dented, the water line on one side is broken and the filter paper is wet, or the border (outer rim) of the muffin is jagged. As such, when it is identified that the shape of the muffin is not circular, the control unit 140 selects a certain number of points that are the closest in distance from the center point of the dripper 10 among a plurality of points constituting the outer rim of the muffin, and The average distance from the center point of (10) to the selected points can be calculated. Here, the controller 140 may set a second target radius shorter than the calculated average distance by a predetermined distance (eg 1 cm). As a result, the control unit 140 performs water supply while spirally changing the water supply point from the center to the periphery, but from the time the position of the water supply point reaches the second target radius, the water supply point is no longer moved from the center of the dripper 10. Water supply may be continued only within the second target radius so as not to be further away. As a result, the shape of the previously non-circular muffin can be gradually corrected to a circular shape. As a specific example, as a result of water supply proceeding only within a radius narrower than the radius of the minor axis of the oval shape, the muffins that were close to the oval shape may gradually approach the circular shape.

At this time, the controller 140 may identify the shape of the muffin in real time, and the second target radius may be continuously updated until the shape of the muffin approaches a circular shape (eg, as the shape of the muffin approaches a circular shape) Gradually, the water supply radius (water supply path) can become slightly larger towards the outskirts). And, when it is finally identified that the shape of the muffin is circular, the first target radius may be finally set according to the above-described method, and water supply may proceed within the first target radius.

In relation to this, FIG. 4 is an algorithm for explaining a brewing step performed by a coffee drip device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 4 , the coffee drip device 100 is used when the waiting time (ex. 30 seconds) has elapsed (S410-Y) or the muffin height starts to decrease (S420-Y ), the first water supply can be started from the point of time (S430).

Specifically, the coffee drip device 100 may spirally supply water from the center to the outside like the muffin forming step (eg, it may be performed within the first / second target radius described above), and the steaming step When the maximum radius of water supply is reached, water supply can be performed spirally from the outer edge to the center. Water supply of the coffee drip device 100 may end at the center of the muffin or the center of the dripper 10 .

After the first water supply, additional water supply may be performed from the time when the waiting time passes (S410 - Y) or the muffin height starts to decrease (S420 - Y).

Specifically, when the amount of the coffee solution extracted as a result of the first water supply is less than the predetermined pre-extraction limit (S460 - N), the second water supply is performed (S470). The amount of extracted coffee solution can be obtained by measuring the weight of the server 40 . To this end, the coffee drip device 100 may include a weight sensor for measuring a change in weight of the server 40 .

However, if the amount of coffee solution extracted as a result of the previous first water supply is greater than the predetermined pre-extraction limit (S460 - Y), the first water supply becomes the final water supply and the final steaming proceeds according to the final standby (S480) can

If the second water supply is performed, similarly, the amount of coffee solution extracted as a result of up to the second water supply can be compared again with the pre-extraction limit, and if the amount of coffee solution extracted up to this time is more than the pre-extraction limit (S460 - Y) If the steaming step ends after the final standby (S480) without additional water supply and is still less than the pre-extraction limit (S460-N), additional water supply (third water supply) may be performed (S470).

As such, in the steaming step, water supply may be performed with a certain waiting time (ex. 20 seconds) in between until the extracted coffee solution is extracted beyond the pre-extraction limit, and the extracted coffee solution exceeds the pre-extraction limit. Upon crossing, the steaming stage ends.

On the other hand, if there is an extracted coffee solution such that the weight of the server 40 changes according to the first water supply in the steaming step, the waiting time between water supply in the steaming step or the amount of water supplied each time can be reset. Since the coffee solution is extracted immediately according to the first water supply, the pre-extraction of the coffee solution is a little faster. In this case, the waiting time between water supplies may be longer or the water supply amount may be reduced, but is not limited thereto.

After the steaming step, the coffee drip device 100 may perform an extraction step (S230) for extracting the coffee solution.

Specifically, when a certain time has elapsed from the time when the water supply of the steaming step ends or when the height of the muffins starts to decrease after the steaming step, the coffee drip device 100 is a dripper through the water supply unit 110 ( 10) can be supplied with water.

In this case, when the water supply amount of the water supply unit 110 reaches the preset water supply amount in the extraction step, the coffee drip device 100 may stop supplying water.

In addition, when the amount of the coffee solution accommodated in the server 40 reaches the extraction limit in the extraction step, water supply may also be stopped.

In relation to this, FIG. 5 is an algorithm for explaining an extraction step performed by a coffee drip device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 5, the coffee drip device 100 performs primary extraction from the time when the waiting time passes from the end of water supply in the steaming step (S510-Y) or the muffin height starts to descend (S520-Y). You can start watering for

At this time, the coffee drip device 100 may set the water supply radius of the extraction step based on the size of the muffin after the steaming step (S530). Specifically, the maximum water supply radius and the minimum water supply radius of the extraction step may be set.

Then, water supply for primary extraction may be started (S540). At this time, the coffee drip device 100 supplies water to the dripper 10 while spirally changing the water supply point from the center to the periphery until the size of the muffin reaches the maximum water supply radius in the extraction step, and then, Water may be supplied to the dripper 10 while changing the water supply point spirally from the periphery to the center until the size reaches the minimum water supply radius of the extraction step.

However, if the water supply amount in the extraction step did not reach the preset water supply amount (S550 - N) and the amount of the extracted coffee solution did not reach the extraction limit (S560 - N), additional water supply (: 2nd water supply) Secondary extraction may proceed according to Here, a certain waiting time may be secured between the water supply for the first extraction and the water supply for the second extraction (the same applies between the second and third water supply if there is a third water supply).

This process may be repeated until the total water supply amount in the extraction step reaches the predetermined water supply amount (S550 - Y) or the amount of the extracted coffee solution reaches the predetermined extraction limit (S560 - Y), S550 and When at least one condition of S560 is satisfied, water supply is stopped (S570), and the extraction step may be terminated.

Meanwhile, FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of a coffee drip device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 6 , the coffee drip device 100 may include a sensor unit 150, a user input unit 160, and the like in addition to a water supply unit 110, a driving unit 120, a camera 130, and a control unit 140. there is.

The sensor unit 150 is a component for obtaining various information related to ground coffee powder accommodated in the dripper 10 and a coffee solution accommodated in the server 40 .

The sensor unit 150 may include a distance sensor 151, a weight sensor 152, and the like.

The distance sensor 151 measures the distance between the outlet of the water supply unit 110 and the ground coffee powder in the dripper 10 to identify the height of the coffee grounds. The distance sensor 151 may be configured as a Time of Flight (ToF) sensor that outputs light and measures a distance based on an arrival point of the reflected light, but is not limited thereto.

The weight sensor 152 is a component for detecting the weight of ground coffee powder accommodated in the dripper 10, the weight of the server 40, and the like. To this end, the weight sensor 152 may be installed in at least one structure supporting the dripper 10 and may also be installed on the support 40 supporting the server 40 . For example, the controller 140 may detect a change in weight of the server 40 to calculate the weight of the extracted coffee solution.

The user input unit 160 is a component for receiving various user inputs/commands. The user input unit 160 may include one or more buttons, a touch pad, a microphone, a camera, and other levers. Specifically, the coffee drip device 100 may perform initial setting before performing the process of FIG. 2 according to a user command. In addition, the coffee drip device 100 may perform the process of FIG. 2 according to a user command requesting drip.

Meanwhile, the various embodiments described above may be implemented by combining two or more embodiments as long as they do not conflict or contradict each other.

Meanwhile, various embodiments described above may be implemented in a recording medium readable by a computer or a similar device using software, hardware, or a combination thereof.

According to the hardware implementation, the embodiments described in this disclosure are application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), and field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). ), processors, controllers, micro-controllers, microprocessors, and electrical units for performing other functions.

In some cases, the embodiments described herein may be implemented by a processor itself. According to software implementation, embodiments such as procedures and functions described in this specification may be implemented as separate software modules. Each of the software modules described above may perform one or more functions and operations described herein.

On the other hand, computer instructions or computer programs for performing processing operations in electronic devices such as robots and servers according to various embodiments of the present disclosure described above are provided on a non-transitory computer-readable medium ) can be stored in Computer instructions or computer programs stored in such a non-transitory computer readable medium, when executed by a processor of a specific device, directly or indirectly ( Ex. Perform communication with coffee drip device and transmit control command).

A non-transitory computer readable medium is a medium that stores data semi-permanently and is readable by a device, not a medium that stores data for a short moment, such as a register, cache, or memory. Specific examples of the non-transitory computer readable media may include CD, DVD, hard disk, Blu-ray disk, USB, memory card, ROM, and the like.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and is common in the technical field belonging to the present disclosure without departing from the gist of the present disclosure claimed in the claims. Of course, various modifications and implementations are possible by those with knowledge of, and these modifications should not be individually understood from the technical spirit or perspective of the present disclosure.

100: coffee drip device

Claims (1)

In the coffee drip device,
a water supply unit supplying water to the dripper containing ground coffee beans;
a driving unit that adjusts a position of at least a portion of the water supply unit so that a water supply point of the water supply unit is changed;
a camera for photographing at least some of the coffee beans accommodated in the dripper; and
Including; a control unit connected to the water supply unit, the driving unit, and the camera;
The control unit,
Performing a muffin forming step of supplying water to the dripper through the water supply unit to form muffins composed of coffee beans and air bubbles containing moisture;
Identifying the size of the muffin photographed through the camera;
The control unit, in the muffin forming step,
Supplying water to the dripper through the water supply unit while spirally changing the water supply point of the water supply unit from the center to the periphery through the drive unit until the size of the muffin reaches the maximum water supply radius in the muffin forming step,
The coffee drip device,
A distance sensor for measuring the height of the muffin; includes,
The control unit,
After the muffin forming step, a steaming step is performed to secure a rest time for supplying water to the formed muffins,
The control unit, in the steaming step,
Supplying water to the dripper through the water supply unit after a predetermined time has elapsed from the time when the water supply in the muffin forming step is completed or the time when the muffin has the highest height,
The control unit,
After the steaming step, an extraction step for extracting a coffee solution is performed,
The control unit, in the extraction step,
Supplying water to the dripper through the water supply unit when a certain time has passed from the time when the water supply of the steaming step ends or when the height of the muffins starts to decrease after the steaming step,
The control unit,
Based on the size of the muffin after the steaming step, the maximum water supply radius and the minimum water supply radius of the extraction step are set,
The control unit, in the extraction step,
Until the size of the muffin reaches the maximum water supply radius of the extraction step, water is supplied to the dripper through the water supply unit while changing the water supply point of the water supply unit spirally from the center to the periphery through the driving unit,
Coffee drip, which supplies water to the dripper through the water supply unit while spirally changing the water supply point of the water supply unit from the periphery to the center through the drive unit until the size of the muffin reaches the minimum water supply radius of the extraction step. Device.