WO2016155216A1

WO2016155216A1 - Liquid supply system for coffee machine and control method thereof, coffee machine

Info

Publication number: WO2016155216A1
Application number: PCT/CN2015/088119
Authority: WO
Inventors: 罗剑华; 邝坚; 丁奕昌
Original assignee: 广东美的生活电器制造有限公司; 美的集团股份有限公司
Priority date: 2015-03-30
Filing date: 2015-08-26
Publication date: 2016-10-06

Abstract

A liquid supply system for a coffee machine and a control method thereof, and a coffee machine. The liquid supply system for the coffee machine comprises: a liquid tank (1), a heating device (2), a check valve (3) and a switch (4), the liquid tank (1) is formed with a liquid inlet (11) and a liquid outlet (12); the heating device (2) is arranged on the liquid tank (1) so as to heat the liquid inside the liquid tank (1); the check valve (3) is arranged at the liquid inlet (11) and configured to allow the outer liquid to flow into the liquid tank (1) unidirectionally; and the switch (4) is arranged at the liquid outlet (12)。

Description

Liquid supply system for coffee machine and control method therefor, coffee machine

Technical field

The invention relates to the technical field of coffee machine manufacturing, in particular to a liquid supply system for a coffee machine, a control method thereof and a coffee machine.

Background technique

According to the related art, the coffee machine generally uses a water pump or an air pump to supply water, and the coffee machine has a residue after the coffee is finished, so that dripping coffee may occur.

Summary of the invention

The present invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid supply system for a coffee machine that is low in cost.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a coffee maker having the above-described liquid supply system.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a control method for a liquid supply system for a coffee machine.

A liquid supply system for a coffee machine according to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention includes: a liquid tank having a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet formed thereon; a heating device, wherein the heating device is disposed in the liquid Heating the liquid in the liquid tank on the tank; a one-way valve, the one-way valve is disposed at the liquid inlet, the one-way valve is configured to unidirectionally pass external liquid into Inside the liquid tank; and a switch, the switch is disposed at the liquid outlet.

According to the liquid supply system for a coffee machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, by providing a one-way valve at the liquid inlet of the liquid tank and providing a switch at the liquid outlet, it is not necessary to provide a water pump or a gas pump, and the air is heated and expanded. The pressure can press the heated liquid out, saving costs.

According to an example of the present invention, a liquid supply line is provided at the liquid outlet, wherein the switch is disposed on the liquid supply line.

According to an example of the present invention, the liquid supply system further includes: a safety valve disposed on the liquid supply line and located between the liquid outlet and the switch.

According to an example of the present invention, the one-way valve includes a valve plate and a valve post, the valve plate being coupled to an end of the valve post that extends into the liquid tank, the valve post being movably disposed at the Said at the inlet.

According to an example of the present invention, the liquid tank is provided with a liquid level sensor, one end of the liquid level sensor extending into the liquid tank and disposed adjacent to a bottom wall of the liquid tank.

According to an example of the invention, the liquid tank is provided with a temperature sensor.

According to an example of the invention, the heating device comprises a heating tube provided at the bottom of the tank.

According to an example of the invention, the switch is a solenoid valve.

A coffee machine according to an embodiment of the second aspect of the present invention comprises a liquid supply system for a coffee machine according to the above-described first aspect of the present invention.

A control method for a liquid supply system for a coffee machine according to an embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention, the liquid supply system comprising a liquid tank having a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet, a heating device provided on the liquid tank, a check valve provided at the liquid inlet, a switch provided at the liquid outlet, a controller, and a liquid level sensor and a temperature sensor connected to the controller, the check valve being used for a single The external liquid is introduced into the liquid tank to the ground, and the heating device is connected to the controller. The control method includes the following steps: S1. The temperature sensor detects the temperature of the liquid in the liquid tank. S2, the temperature sensor transmits the detected temperature signal to the controller, the controller determines whether the temperature signal reaches a temperature predetermined threshold; S3, when the determination result in the step S2 is YES, Controlling the switch to be turned on; S4, when the determination result in the step S2 is NO, returning to the step S1 to continue the detection; S5, the liquid level sensor detecting the liquid level of the liquid in the liquid tank; S6 The liquid level sensor will detect The liquid level signal is transmitted to the controller, and the controller determines whether the liquid level signal falls to a liquid level predetermined threshold; S7, when the determination result in the step S6 is YES, the heating device is stopped. Working; S8. When the result of the determination in the step S6 is NO, the process returns to the step S5 to continue the detection; S9, the switch is controlled to be turned off.

Optionally, the predetermined temperature threshold is between 86 ° C and 96 ° C.

The additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows.

DRAWINGS

The above and/or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily understood from

1 is a schematic illustration of a brewing system for a coffee machine and a brewing chamber for a coffee machine in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Reference mark:

1: liquid tank; 11: liquid inlet; 12: liquid outlet; 121: liquid supply pipeline;

2: heating device; 3: check valve;

31: valve plate; 32: spool; 33: bonnet;

4: switch; 5: safety valve; 6: liquid level sensor; 7: temperature sensor;

8: liquid supply tank; 9: brewing chamber.

detailed description

The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, and the examples of the embodiments are illustrated in the drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals are used to refer to the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are intended to be illustrative of the invention and are not to be construed as limiting.

In the description of the present invention, it is to be understood that the terms "center", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", " The orientation or positional relationship of the indications of "upright", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc. is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, only for the convenience of describing the present invention and The simplification of the description is not intended to limit or imply that the device or component that is referred to has a particular orientation, is constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and thus is not to be construed as limiting. Further, in the description of the present invention, the meaning of "a plurality" is two or more unless otherwise specified.

In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "installation", "connected", and "connected" are to be understood broadly, and may be fixed or detachable, for example, unless otherwise explicitly defined and defined. Connected, or integrally connected; can be mechanical or electrical; can be directly connected, or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, can be the internal communication of the two components. The specific meaning of the above terms in the present invention can be understood in a specific case by those skilled in the art.

A liquid supply system for a coffee machine (not shown) according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, a liquid supply system for a coffee machine according to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention includes a liquid tank 1, a heating device 2, a check valve 3, and a switch 4.

A liquid inlet port 11 and a liquid outlet port 12 are formed in the liquid tank 1. The liquid tank 1 may be formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape or a cylindrical shape, but is not limited thereto. For example, the liquid tank 1 may be formed in an elliptical cylinder shape or a prism shape.

Referring to Fig. 1, a liquid inlet port 11 is formed at the top of the liquid tank 1, and the liquid inlet port 11 can penetrate the top wall of the liquid tank 1 in the up and down direction, and an external liquid such as water or milk can flow into the liquid tank 1 through the liquid inlet port 1 The liquid outlet 12 is formed at the bottom of the liquid tank 1, and the liquid outlet 12 can penetrate the bottom wall of the liquid tank 1 in the vertical direction. The liquid heated in the liquid tank 1 such as water or milk can flow out from the liquid outlet 12. . Of course, the liquid inlet port 11 and the liquid outlet port 12 may also be formed on the side wall of the liquid tank 1 (not shown). It can be understood that the specific position and the like of the liquid inlet 11 and the liquid outlet 12 on the liquid tank 1 can be adaptively changed according to actual requirements, which is not specifically limited in the present invention.

Further, the liquid supply system may further include a liquid supply tank 8. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the liquid supply tank 8 is disposed at the top of the liquid tank 1, and the liquid supply tank 8 is connected to the liquid inlet 11 of the liquid tank 1 to A liquid such as water or milk is supplied to the tank 1.

The heating device 2 is provided on the liquid tank 1 to heat the liquid in the liquid tank 1. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the heating device 2 includes a heating pipe provided at the bottom of the liquid tank 1, and the heating pipe is located outside the liquid tank 1, whereby the mounting side And the cost is low. Of course, the heating device 2 can also be provided on the outer side wall of the liquid tank 1 to improve the heating efficiency. Alternatively, the heating device 2 can also be mounted in the tank 1. It is to be understood that the specific type of the heating device 2 and the arrangement on the liquid tank 1 and the like may be adaptively changed according to actual requirements, and the present invention is not particularly limited thereto.

Alternatively, the heating device 2 can be a power-adjustable heating device 2. For example, during the entire heating of the liquid in the tank 1 by the heating device 2, the heating device 2 can be initially adjusted to a high power to increase the heating efficiency, for example, when the liquid is in the tank 1 When the temperature reaches 86 ° C), the power of the heating device 2 can be adjusted to a temperature so that the temperature of the liquid does not exceed 96 ° C to ensure the taste of the coffee.

The check valve 3 is provided at the inlet port 11, and the check valve 3 is configured to open the external liquid into the tank 1 unidirectionally. At this time, the external fluid can enter the liquid tank 1 through the liquid inlet 11, and the fluid in the liquid tank 1 cannot flow out of the liquid tank 1 through the liquid inlet 11. Here, "fluid" can be understood to include liquid and gas, liquid can be water or milk, etc., and the gas can be air or the like. For example, when water is supplied into the liquid tank 1, the liquid inlet port 11 is opened, and water in the liquid supply tank 8 can flow into the liquid tank 1 through the liquid inlet port 11, and the air in the liquid tank 1 can also be supplied from the liquid inlet port. 11 is discharged to ensure that water can smoothly flow from the liquid inlet 11 into the liquid tank 1; when the water supply to the liquid tank 1 is stopped, the check valve 3 closes the liquid inlet 11, so that water and air in the tank 1 are both It cannot flow out from the liquid inlet 11.

The switch 4 is provided at the liquid outlet 12. Thus, by providing the switch 4 at the liquid outlet 12, during the heating of the liquid such as water in the tank 1 by the heating device 2, for example, the heating tube, the switch 4 is closed, and the inlet port 11 is provided with The check valve 3 does not leak air. At this time, the inside of the liquid tank 1 is a closed space. As the temperature inside the liquid tank 1 gradually rises, the air in the liquid tank 1 is heated and expanded to generate pressure, and the liquid in the water tank For example, when the water is heated to a predetermined temperature threshold, for example, 86 ° C, the switch 4 is opened, and the pressure in the tank 1 pushes the hot water out to the brewing chamber 9 of the coffee machine to make coffee.

Alternatively, the switch 4 is a solenoid valve. Of course, the switch 4 can also be a faucet or the like.

According to the liquid supply system for a coffee machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, by providing the check valve 3 at the liquid inlet port 11 of the liquid tank 1, and providing the switch 4 at the liquid outlet port 12, it is not necessary to provide a water pump or an air pump. By using the pressure generated by the thermal expansion of the air, the heated liquid can be pushed out, saving costs.

In addition, since the switch 4 is provided at the liquid outlet 12, when the liquid supply system is applied to the coffee machine, the liquid in the liquid tank 1 flows out and the switch 4 is turned off, and the coffee machine does not remain after the coffee is finished, thereby There will be no dripping coffee.

According to an embodiment of the invention, a liquid supply line 121 is provided at the liquid outlet 12, wherein the switch 4 is provided on the liquid supply line 121. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, one end of the liquid supply line 121 (for example, the lower end in FIG. 1) is connected to the liquid outlet 12, and the other end of the liquid supply line 121 (for example, the upper end in FIG. 1) Connected to the brewing chamber 9, a switch 4 such as a solenoid valve is mounted on the liquid supply line 121, whereby after the heating device 2 heats the liquid such as water in the liquid tank 1, the switch 4 is opened, for example, a solenoid valve, a liquid tank The liquid in 1 such as water can be heated and expanded in the tank 1 The swelled air pressure is pressed into the brewing chamber 9 through the liquid supply line 121 to be mixed with coffee powder or the like in the brewing chamber 9 to make coffee.

Further, referring to FIG. 1, the liquid supply system further includes: a safety valve 5, the safety valve 5 is disposed on the liquid supply line 121, and the safety valve 5 is located between the liquid outlet 12 and the switch 4, and the safety valve 5 is located at this time The switch 4 is upstream of the solenoid valve, for example, when the pressure in the tank 1 is excessively large, a part of the gas in the tank 1 such as air can be discharged through the safety valve 5 to function as a pressure relief. Here, it should be noted that "upstream" can be understood as upstream of the flow direction of the liquid in the liquid supply line 121. Thus, by providing the safety valve 5, the phenomenon of excessive pressure inside the liquid tank 1 can be prevented, and the normal and safe use of the liquid supply system is ensured.

According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, the check valve 3 includes a valve plate 31 and a valve post 32. The valve piece 31 extends in a horizontal direction, and the valve piece 31 is connected to the liquid tank 1 of the spool 32. One end (for example, the lower end in FIG. 1), the spool 32 is movably disposed at the inlet port 11, and one end of the spool 32 outside the tank 1 (for example, the upper end in FIG. 1) is provided with a valve. The cap 33 has a lateral dimension of the bonnet 33 that is larger than the lateral dimension of the spool 32 to prevent the one-way valve 3 from falling out of the inlet port 11. The inlet port 11 may include a plurality of inlet holes, and the plurality of inlet holes may be disposed along the circumferential interval of the spool 32, and the maximum distance between the inner wall of each inlet hole and the center of the spool 32 is smaller than the valve. The distance between the edge of the sheet 31 and the center of the spool 32.

Thus, when liquid is supplied into the liquid tank 1, an external liquid such as water or the like can push the check valve 3 downward, causing the valve piece 31 to open the liquid inlet port 11, so that an external liquid such as water can pass through the liquid. The port 11 enters the tank 1; after the water supply is completed, the check valve 3 moves upward, so that the valve piece 31 closes the inlet port 11. For example, a return spring (not shown) may be provided at the upper end of the spool 32 so that the check valve 3 can automatically close the inlet port 11. When the heating device 2 heats the liquid in the liquid tank 1, the pressure generated by the thermal expansion of the air causes the valve sheet 31 to be further pressed upward into the liquid inlet port 11, so that the sealing effect is good.

The liquid tank 1 is provided with a liquid level sensor 6 for detecting the liquid level of the liquid in the liquid tank 1. Specifically, referring to FIG. 1, one end of the liquid level sensor 6 (for example, the lower end in FIG. 1) The inside of the liquid tank 1 is inserted, and the one end of the liquid level sensor 6 is disposed adjacent to the bottom wall of the liquid tank 1, and the one end of the liquid level sensor 6 is not in contact with the bottom wall of the liquid tank 1. Thereby, when the liquid level in the liquid tank 1 drops to the liquid level predetermined threshold value, the heating device 2 stops working, and at this time, the remaining liquid in the liquid tank 1 is pushed out by the residual heat of the heating device 2, thereby preventing the heating device 2 from being prevented. The phenomenon of dry burning occurs, prolonging the service life of the heating device 2. It can be understood that the distance between the one end of the liquid level sensor 6 and the bottom wall of the liquid tank 1 can be adaptively changed according to the type of the coffee machine, which is not specifically limited in the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the liquid tank 1 is provided with a temperature sensor 7, which is disposed at a lower portion of the liquid tank 1, and one end of the temperature sensor 7 (for example, the left end in FIG. 1) projects into the liquid tank 1, to The temperature of the liquid in the tank 1 Line detection. The temperature sensor 7 may be an NTC (Negative Temperature Coefficient) temperature sensor 7, but is not limited thereto.

When the coffee machine is in operation, a certain amount of water is first introduced into the liquid tank 1 from the liquid inlet port 11, and during the water addition process, the air can be discharged through the liquid inlet port 11 to ensure that the water can be smoothly fed from the liquid inlet port 11. The heating device 2 is then activated to heat the liquid in the tank 1, during which the switch 4, for example the solenoid valve, is closed and the check valve 3 is not leaking, ensuring that the tank 1 is sealed. When the temperature sensor 7 detects that the temperature of the liquid in the liquid tank 1 reaches a temperature suitable for making coffee (for example, 86 ° C), the switch 4 such as a solenoid valve is opened, and the hot water is pressed out by the pressure generated by the heat expansion of the air in the liquid tank 1 At the beginning, coffee is started. At this time, the heating device 2, for example, the heating tube is heated at a lower power so that the water temperature does not exceed 96 ° C, but the temperature of the air in the tank 1 is constantly increased to ensure the pressure required for the water. When the water level in the liquid tank 1 drops to a predetermined threshold of the liquid level, the heating device 2 stops working, and the switch 4, for example, the solenoid valve is delayed for a set time, to ensure that the hot water in the liquid tank 1 is finished, and the coffee is completed. At this time, the brewing chamber 9 does not have droplets flowing out.

Other configurations and operations of coffee machines in accordance with embodiments of the present invention are known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail herein.

A method of controlling a liquid supply system for a coffee machine according to an embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention. The liquid supply system includes a liquid tank 1 having a liquid inlet 11 and a liquid outlet 12, a heating device 2 disposed on the liquid tank 1, a check valve 3 disposed at the liquid inlet 11, and a discharge port 12 a switch 4, a controller (not shown), and a liquid level sensor 6 and a temperature sensor 7 connected to the controller for unidirectionally introducing external liquid into the tank 1, heating The device 2 is connected to a controller. Here, it should be noted that the liquid tank 1, the heating device 2, the check valve 3, the switch 4, the liquid level sensor 6, and the temperature sensor 7 are all described in detail in the above description of the present application, and are not described herein again.

Wherein, the control method of the liquid supply system comprises the following steps:

S1, the temperature sensor 7 detects the temperature of the liquid in the liquid tank 1;

S2, the temperature sensor 7 transmits the detected temperature signal to the controller, and the controller determines whether the temperature signal reaches a temperature predetermined threshold;

S3. When the determination result in step S2 is YES, the control switch 4 is turned on;

S4. When the determination result in step S2 is NO, return to step S1 to continue the detection;

S5. The liquid level sensor 6 detects the liquid level of the liquid in the liquid tank 1;

S6. The liquid level sensor 6 transmits the detected liquid level signal to the controller, and the controller determines whether the liquid level signal falls to a predetermined threshold of the liquid level;

S7. When the determination result in step S6 is YES, the control heating device 2 stops working;

S8. When the determination result in step S6 is NO, return to step S5 to continue the detection;

S9. The control switch 4 is delayed to be turned off.

For example, a certain amount of water is introduced into the tank 1 from the inlet port 11. The heating device 2 is then activated, during which the switch 4, for example the solenoid valve, is closed and the check valve 3 is not leaking, ensuring that the tank 1 is sealed. The temperature sensor 7 can detect the temperature of the water in the tank 1 in real time, and when the temperature sensor 7 detects that the temperature of the liquid reaches a predetermined temperature threshold, for example, a temperature suitable for making coffee (for example, 86 ° C), the temperature sensor 7 will detect the temperature signal. Transmitted to the controller, the controller determines that the temperature signal reaches a predetermined temperature threshold, and the controller controls the switch 4 to open, for example, the solenoid valve, otherwise the switch 4 remains closed, and the pressure generated by the expansion of the air in the tank 1 after the switch 4 is opened, for example, the solenoid valve The hot water is pushed out, and the liquid level sensor 6 can detect the liquid level of the liquid in the liquid tank 1 in real time. When the water surface in the liquid tank 1 falls to a predetermined threshold of the liquid level, the liquid level sensor 6 will detect the liquid. The bit signal is transmitted to the controller, the controller determines that the liquid level signal drops to a predetermined threshold of the liquid level, the controller controls the heating device 2 to stop working, and the switch 4, for example, the solenoid valve, is turned off for a certain period of time to ensure the hot water in the liquid tank 1 After the flow, make coffee finish.

Optionally, the temperature predetermined threshold is between 86 °C and 96 °C. The specific value thereof can be adaptively changed according to different types of coffee, and the present invention does not specifically limit this.

According to the control method of the liquid supply system for a coffee machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, the brewed coffee has a good mouthfeel.

In the description of the present specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "illustrative embodiment", "example", "specific example", or "some examples", etc. Particular features, structures, materials or features described in the examples or examples are included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In the present specification, the schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily mean the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in a suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

While the embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, the embodiments of the invention may The scope of the invention is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

A liquid supply system for a coffee machine, comprising:

a liquid tank having a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet formed thereon;

a heating device, the heating device being disposed on the liquid tank to heat the liquid in the liquid tank;

a one-way valve, the one-way valve being disposed at the liquid inlet, the one-way valve being configured to unidirectionally pass external liquid into the liquid tank;

a switch, the switch being disposed at the liquid outlet.
The liquid supply system for a coffee machine according to claim 1, wherein a liquid supply line is provided at the liquid outlet, and wherein the switch is disposed on the liquid supply line.
The liquid supply system for a coffee machine according to claim 2, further comprising:

a safety valve, the safety valve being disposed on the liquid supply line and located between the liquid outlet and the switch.
The liquid supply system for a coffee machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the one-way valve comprises a valve piece and a valve post, and the valve piece is connected to the extension of the valve post Entering one end of the tank, the spool is movably disposed at the inlet.
The liquid supply system for a coffee machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the liquid tank is provided with a liquid level sensor, and one end of the liquid level sensor extends into the liquid tank It is disposed inside and adjacent to the bottom wall of the tank.
A liquid supply system for a coffee machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the liquid tank is provided with a temperature sensor.
A liquid supply system for a coffee machine according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the heating means comprises a heating pipe provided at a bottom of the liquid tank.
A liquid supply system for a coffee machine according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the switch is a solenoid valve.
A coffee machine characterized by comprising a liquid supply system for a coffee machine according to any one of claims 1-8.
A method for controlling a liquid supply system for a coffee machine, characterized in that the liquid supply system comprises a liquid tank having a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet, a heating device provided on the liquid tank, and a heating device a check valve at the inlet port, a switch provided at the outlet port, a controller, and a level sensor and a temperature sensor connected to the controller, the check valve being used to unidirectionally An external liquid is introduced into the liquid tank, and the heating device is connected to the controller, and the control method comprises the following steps:

S1. The temperature sensor detects a temperature of a liquid in the liquid tank;

S2, the temperature sensor transmits the detected temperature signal to the controller, and the controller determines whether the temperature signal reaches a temperature predetermined threshold;

S3. When the determination result in the step S2 is YES, the switch is controlled to be turned on;

S4. When the determination result in the step S2 is NO, return to the step S1 to continue the detection;

S5. The liquid level sensor detects a liquid level of the liquid in the liquid tank;

S6. The liquid level sensor transmits the detected liquid level signal to the controller, and the controller determines whether the liquid level signal falls to a predetermined threshold of a liquid level;

S7. When the determination result in the step S6 is YES, the heating device is controlled to stop working;

S8. When the determination result in the step S6 is NO, return to the step S5 to continue the detection;

S9. Control the switch to be turned off.
The method of controlling a liquid supply system for a coffee machine according to claim 10, wherein said predetermined temperature threshold is 86 ° C to 96 ° C.