JP6982819B2 - Beverage extractor - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a beverage extraction device.

Conventionally, a beverage extraction device capable of extracting a beverage such as coffee via a paper filter is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
In this type of beverage extraction device, it is known that air agitation is performed by depositing a raw material on a paper filter and transporting air from under the paper filter to agitate the inside of the cylinder.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-2444848

However, since there are variations in the voids of the paper filter, variation in the agitation and mixing of beverages in the cylinder is likely to occur due to variations in the air ejection only with air agitation that conveys air from under the paper filter. There was still room for improvement.
The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a beverage extraction device capable of suppressing variations in stirring and mixing of beverages in a cylinder.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is connected to a pump that circulates the extracted beverage in a beverage extraction device that puts a beverage raw material and hot water into a cylinder and extracts the beverage through a filter. The first beverage is connected to the beverage providing pipe and the beverage extracted through the filter is re-injected into the cylinder, and the raw material in the cylinder and hot water are stirred and mixed by the re-injected beverage. By operating the stirring and mixing circuit and the pump in the opposite directions, air is conveyed into the cylinder via the beverage providing pipe, and the conveyed air is used to stir and mix the raw material and hot water in the cylinder. It is characterized by being provided with a two-stirring mixing circuit.

According to the present invention, since the raw material in the cylinder and the hot water are stirred and mixed by the recharged beverage, it is possible to provide a beverage extraction device capable of suppressing the variation in the stirring and mixing of the beverage in the cylinder.

Schematic diagram of the beverage extraction device according to the embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the front. Perspective view of the inside of the beverage extractor Schematic diagram of the first stirring and mixing circuit and the second stirring and mixing circuit The figure which showed the state which agitated and mixed a raw material and hot water

The beverage extraction device according to the first invention is a beverage extraction device that puts a beverage raw material and hot water into a cylinder and extracts the beverage through a filter. In the beverage extraction device, a pump that circulates the extracted beverage and a beverage connected to the pump. The first stirring and mixing, in which the serving pipe and the beverage connected to the beverage providing pipe and extracted through the filter are re-injected into the cylinder, and the raw material and hot water in the cylinder are stirred and mixed by the re-injected beverage. By operating the circuit and the pump in the opposite directions, air is conveyed into the cylinder via the beverage providing pipe, and the transferred air is used to stir and mix the raw material and hot water in the cylinder. It is characterized by having a mixing circuit.
According to the present invention, since the raw material in the cylinder and the hot water are agitated and mixed by the recharged beverage and the conveyed air , it is possible to provide a beverage extraction device capable of suppressing the variation in the stirring and mixing of the beverage in the cylinder.

The beverage extraction device according to the second invention is characterized in that, in the first invention, the extracted beverage is re-injected into the central portion of the cylinder in a plan view.
According to the present invention, since the beverage is recharged into the central portion of the cylinder in a plan view, the recharged beverage promotes uniform stirring in the entire cylinder. Further, even when the preset amount of raw material or the preset amount of hot water is changed and the water level in the cylinder changes, stirring and mixing can be performed. This makes it possible to provide a beverage extraction device capable of suppressing variations in the stirring and mixing of beverages in the cylinder.

The beverage extraction device according to the third invention is the beverage extraction device according to the first invention or the second invention, in which a beverage is prepared via the first stirring and mixing circuit and the second stirring and mixing circuit at the time of one extraction. It is characterized by performing stirring and mixing by circulation and stirring and mixing by air.
According to the present invention, the means of stirring can be increased, and an appropriate means can be selected according to the situation when stirring and mixing the raw material in the cylinder and the hot water. This makes it possible to provide a beverage extraction device capable of suppressing variations in the stirring and mixing of beverages in the cylinder.

The beverage extraction device according to the fourth aspect of the invention is the beverage extraction device according to any one of the first to third inventions, characterized in that the circulating flow rate of the beverage and / or the air volume of the air is controlled. do.
According to the present invention, the strength of stirring can be changed and the stirring time can be changed. Therefore, the flavor of the beverage to be extracted can be arbitrarily selected.

The extraction device according to the fifth aspect of the invention is characterized in that, in the beverage extraction device according to the first invention, the extracted beverage is sprayed over the entire cylinder in a plan view. This promotes uniform agitation of the refilled beverage throughout the cylinder.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the present embodiment.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the beverage extraction device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the front. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the inside of the beverage extraction device 1. FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing the first stirring / mixing circuit 150 and the second stirring / mixing circuit 200.
With reference to the front view of the beverage extraction device 1 in FIG. 1, the right side is defined as the right, the left side is defined as the left, the upper side is defined as the upper side, the lower side is defined as the lower side, the back side is defined as the rear side, and the front side is defined as the front side. Further, the front-back direction of the beverage extraction device 1 is the front-back direction, the left-right direction of the beverage extraction device 1 is the left-right direction, and the up-down direction of the beverage extraction device 1 is the height direction.

Hereinafter, the configuration of the beverage extraction device 1 according to the present embodiment will be described.
The beverage extraction device 1 according to the present embodiment is an apparatus for extracting coffee beverages by drip. The beverage extraction device 1 can extract coffee beverages by drip on the filter block 16 via the paper filter 10 (filter) , and the paper filter 10 after extracting the coffee beverages is along the transport path 100 by the transport unit 60. And is stored in the storage unit 30 provided in the lower part of the beverage extraction device 1.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the beverage extraction device 1 includes a paper filter accommodating portion 11 in the upper left portion. The paper filter 10 wound in a roll shape is housed in the paper filter accommodating portion 11. A filter block 16 is provided on the right side of the paper filter accommodating portion 11 and in the central portion of the beverage extraction device 1.

The filter block 16 is provided with a mechanism for raising and lowering up and down.
As shown in FIG. 3, the inside of the filter block 16 is formed with a tapered portion 48 that opens wide upward.
A filter portion 18 is provided at the center of the upper surface of the filter block 16, in other words, the upper end portion of the tapered portion 48. As shown in FIG. 2, packings 17 are provided on the entire circumference of the filter unit 18 in the circumferential direction.
A discharge port 59 is provided at the lower end of the tapered portion 48.

Above the filter block 16, a cylinder 21 having an open bottom is provided.
The cylinder 21 includes a body portion 26, a head portion 28, and a recess 27 provided between the body portion 26 and the head portion 28. The lower end 26a of the body portion 26 comes into close contact with the packing 17 via the paper filter 10 when the filter block 16 is raised. The paper filter 10 surrounded by the lower end 26a of the body portion 26 corresponds to the filter portion 18.
The body portion 26 of the cylinder 21 is supported at two locations on the left and right by the support arm 22. The support arm 22 is fixed to a housing 29 arranged at the rear portion of the beverage extraction device 1.

The head 28 of the cylinder 21 is covered with a cover member 40. The cover member 40 is fixed to a housing 29 arranged at the rear portion of the beverage extraction device 1.
The cover member 40 includes a main cover 41 having a size that covers the entire head portion 28 of the cylinder 21 in a plan view. Further, the cover member 40 includes a sub-cover 49 that is detachable from the main cover 41 and is a separate member. The sub cover 49 is provided between the main cover 41 and the head portion 28 of the cylinder 21, and is slidable and removable along the main cover 41.

The main cover 41 has a raw material input port 43 for charging ground coffee bean powder, which is a raw material 20 for coffee beverages, into the cylinder 21, a hot water input port 44 for charging hot water into the cylinder 21, and a hot water input port 44 in the cylinder 21. It is provided with a steam drawing port 45 for drawing steam, and a circulating stirring inlet 47 used for circulating and stirring the beverage for extracting coffee beverage, for example. An upper pipe 71 is connected to the circulation stirring inlet 47.

The circulation stirring inlet 47 is provided at the center of the cylinder 21 in the plan view of the cylinder 21. Further, the circulation stirring inlet 47 is located above the cylinder 21.
As a result, the extracted coffee beverage is re-injected into the central portion of the cylinder 21 in a plan view by using the circulation stirring described later. Since the extracted beverage is re-injected into the central portion of the cylinder 21, the entire beverage in the cylinder 21 can be efficiently agitated.

In order to deposit the raw material 20 charged into the cylinder 21 through the raw material charging port 43 in the central portion of the cylinder 21, the raw material charging port 43 may be provided with its lower portion toward the central portion of the cylinder 21. ..

The coffee beverage extracted toward the raw material 20 deposited in the cylinder 21 may be refilled. In this case, the direction of the circulation stirring inlet 47 may be arranged toward the place where the raw material 20 is deposited in the cylinder.

As shown in FIG. 3, the other end of the upper pipe 71 is connected to the circulation stirring inlet 47. One end of the upper pipe 71 is connected to the beverage serving pipe 80 described later.
The upper pipe 71 includes a first adjusting means 72. The first adjusting means 72 can open and close the upper pipe 71 and adjust the flow rate. For the first adjusting means 72, for example, a solenoid valve or the like can be used.

The beverage extraction device 1 includes a pump 46. The pump 46 is arranged at the lower right of the beverage extraction device 1 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
As shown in FIG. 3, a beverage serving pipe 80 is connected to the pump 46.
The beverage providing pipe 80 includes a second adjusting means 82. The second adjusting means 82 can open and close the beverage providing pipe 80 and adjust the flow rate. For the second adjusting means 82, for example, a solenoid valve or the like can be used.
In the beverage serving pipe 80, one end of the above-mentioned upper pipe 71 is connected between the pump 46 and the second adjusting means 82.

The other end of the lower pipe 73 is connected to the pump 46. One end of the lower pipe 73 is connected to the discharge port 59.

The beverage extraction device 1 includes a first stirring / mixing circuit 150.
The first stirring / mixing circuit 150 according to the present embodiment includes a cylinder 21, a pump 46 for circulating coffee beverages extracted in the cylinder 21, a beverage providing pipe 80 connected to the pump 46, and a beverage providing pipe at one end. It is composed of an upper pipe 71 connected to 80 and having the other end arranged above the cylinder 21, and a lower pipe 73 having one end connected to the discharge port 59 and the other end connected to the pump 46.

The pump 46 circulates the coffee beverage extracted through the paper filter 10 in the first stirring / mixing circuit 150 in the order of the lower pipe 73, the pump 46, the beverage providing pipe 80, the upper pipe 71, and the cylinder 21.
In this way, the coffee beverage is extracted through the paper filter 10, and the extracted coffee beverage is circulated in the first stirring and mixing circuit 150 to be recharged into the cylinder 21. The recharged coffee beverage is used to recharge the cylinder 21. The method of stirring and mixing the raw materials in the water and hot water is called circulation stirring (stirring and mixing by circulating beverages).
The first stirring / mixing circuit 150 can be used when performing circulation stirring.

The first stirring / mixing circuit 150 according to the present embodiment utilizes the existing beverage providing pipe 80 by connecting one end of the upper pipe 71 to the beverage providing pipe 80.
However, the first stirring / mixing circuit 150 is not necessarily limited to this form, and may be any one in which the extracted coffee beverage is re-injected into the cylinder 21. For example, one end of the upper pipe 71 may be connected to the pump 46.
That is, for example, the first stirring / mixing circuit 150 includes a cylinder 21, a pump 46 for circulating coffee beverages extracted in the cylinder 21, and an upper pipe having one end connected to the pump 46 and the other end arranged above the cylinder 21. It may be composed of 71 and a lower pipe 73 having one end connected to the lower part of the cylinder 21 and the other end connected to the pump 46.

The beverage extraction device 1 includes a second stirring / mixing circuit 200.
The second stirring / mixing circuit 200 includes a cylinder 21, a pump 46 for conveying air, and a lower pipe 73 having one end connected to the discharge port 59 and the other end connected to the pump 46.

The pump 46 conveys air into the cylinder 21 via the lower pipe 73, the discharge port 59, and the filter unit 18.
In this way, a method of transporting air into the cylinder 21 via the lower pipe 73 by the pump 46 and stirring and mixing the raw material in the cylinder 21 and the hot water by the air conveyed in the cylinder 21 is air stirring (stirring by air). (Mixed).
The second stirring / mixing circuit 200 can be used when air stirring is performed.

In the present embodiment, the first stirring / mixing circuit 150 and the second stirring / mixing circuit 200 are realized by the same components. That is, the cylinder 21, the pump 46, and the lower pipe 73 having one end connected to the lower part of the cylinder 21 and the other end connected to the pump 46 used in the second stirring / mixing circuit are also used in the first stirring / mixing circuit 150. ..
As a result, the first stirring and mixing circuit 150 and the second stirring and mixing circuit 200 can be provided in the beverage extracting device 1 without increasing the number of parts of the beverage extracting device 1.
Of course, different parts may be used in the first stirring / mixing circuit 150 and the second stirring / mixing circuit 200.

The beverage extraction device 1 includes a control unit 300 including a CPU and the like as a control configuration. The control unit 300 comprehensively controls each unit of the beverage extraction device 1 by reading and executing a control program installed in advance by the CPU.

The control unit 300 controls the pump 46.
The control unit 300 can change and set the flow rate of the extracted coffee beverage to be recharged into the cylinder 21 by changing the rotation speed of the motor of the pump 46 when performing circulation stirring.
Further, the control unit 300 can change and set the air volume of the air to be conveyed in the cylinder 21 by changing the rotation speed of the motor of the pump 46 when the air is agitated.
The rotation speed of the motors of these pumps 46 can be changed by, for example, PWM control or voltage control.
The control unit 300 adjusts the opening / closing and opening degree of the first adjusting means 72 and the second adjusting means 82.

An example of a step of extracting a coffee beverage in the beverage extraction device 1 is shown.
First, as shown by an arrow in FIG. 4A, the raw material 20 is charged into the cylinder 21 from the raw material input port 43. Further, hot water is poured into the cylinder 21 from the hot water inlet 44.
As a result, the raw material 20 is deposited in the hot water charged in the cylinder 21, and the coffee beverage is extracted in the cylinder 21.
At this time, the control unit 300 opens the first adjusting means 72. Further, the control unit 300 closes the second adjusting means 82.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4B, the control unit 300 operates the pump 46 in the positive direction. At this time, the first adjusting means 72 is opened. Further, the second adjusting means 82 is closed.
The coffee beverage extracted in the cylinder 21 flows from the inside of the cylinder 21 to the lower pipe 73, the pump 46, the beverage providing pipe 80, and the upper pipe 71 by the pump 46, and is again charged into the cylinder 21 from the circulation stirring input port 47. Cylinder.
The step shown in FIG. 4 (B) is circulation stirring.

Next, when the circulation stirring is completed, as shown in FIG. 4C, the control unit 300 reverses the pump 46 so as to return the extracted coffee beverage collected in the upper pipe 71 from the discharge port 59 into the cylinder 21. Operate in the direction. This process is referred to as a return process.
By returning the extracted coffee beverage collected in the upper pipe 71 by the returning step to the cylinder 21, it is possible to prevent the extracted coffee beverage from remaining in the upper pipe 71. This makes it possible to improve hygiene due to the coffee beverage remaining in the upper pipe 71.
At this time, the first adjusting means 72 is opened. Further, the second adjusting means 82 is closed.

Next, when the return step is completed, as shown in FIG. 4D, the control unit 300 operates the pump 46 in the reverse direction, and enters the cylinder 21 via the lower pipe 73, the discharge port 59, and the filter unit 18. Transport air to.
As a result, the raw material 20 and the extracted coffee beverage are sufficiently stirred in the cylinder 21 by circulation stirring, and then the raw material 20 and the extracted coffee beverage are further stirred, so that the place where the raw material 20 is deposited is biased. Even in this case, efficient stirring in the entire cylinder 21 can be promoted.
Further, by performing air stirring after circulation stirring, even if there are void variations in the paper filter 10, the beverage passes through the paper filter 10 once by circulation stirring, so that air can be uniformly ejected into the cylinder 21. .. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the mixing variation between the raw material 20 in the cylinder 21 and the hot water.
At this time, the first adjusting means 72 is opened. Further, the second adjusting means 82 is closed.
The step shown in FIG. 4 (D) is air agitation.

In the present embodiment, in the coffee beverage extraction process, circulation stirring is first performed, then a return step is performed, and then air stirring is performed.
The order and number of times of circulation stirring and air stirring can be appropriately changed.

When the coffee beverage extraction process is completed, the first adjusting means 72 is closed and the second adjusting means 82 is opened, as shown in FIG. 4 (E).
The control unit 300 operates the pump 46 in the forward direction and provides the beverage in the cylinder 21 to the user of the beverage extraction device 1 via the beverage supply pipe 80.

After serving the beverage to the user of the beverage extraction device 1, the filter block 16 descends as shown in FIG. 4 (F). The raw material 20 that has become the extraction residue is conveyed by the conveying unit 60 together with the paper filter 10.

As described above, the beverage extraction device 1 according to the present embodiment is a beverage extraction device 1 in which the beverage raw material 20 and hot water are charged into the cylinder 21 and the beverage is extracted via the paper filter 10. A first stirring and mixing circuit 150 was provided in which the beverage extracted through the cylinder 21 was recharged into the cylinder 21 and the raw material 20 and hot water in the cylinder 21 were stirred and mixed by the recharged beverage.
According to this, since the raw material 20 in the cylinder 21 and the hot water are stirred and mixed by the recharged beverage, it is possible to provide the beverage extraction device 1 capable of suppressing the variation in the stirring and mixing of the beverage in the cylinder 21.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the extracted beverage is recharged into the central portion of the cylinder in a plan view.
According to this, since the beverage is recharged into the central portion of the cylinder 21 in the plan view, the recharged beverage promotes uniform stirring in the entire cylinder 21. Thereby, it is possible to provide the beverage extraction device 1 capable of suppressing the variation in the stirring and mixing of the beverage in the cylinder 21.
According to the present embodiment, the circulation stirring inlet 47 is provided in the central portion of the cylinder 21, but the present invention is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the extracted beverage may be sprayed over the entire cylinder 21 in a plan view. Specifically, the circulation stirring inlet 47 is provided in the peripheral portion of the cylinder 21, and the beverage extracted evenly including the central portion is re-injected by a shower nozzle (not shown) provided in the circulation stirring inlet 47. May be good. This also promotes uniform agitation of the refilled beverage throughout the cylinder 21.

Further, according to the present embodiment, a second stirring / mixing circuit 200 is provided in which air is conveyed into the cylinder 21 and the raw material 20 in the cylinder 21 and hot water are stirred and mixed by the conveyed air.
According to this, in addition to the stirring and mixing of the raw material 20 in the cylinder 21 and the hot water, the recharged beverage can stir and mix the raw material 20 in the cylinder 21 and the hot water by transporting air into the cylinder 21. Therefore, the means of stirring can be increased. Therefore, when stirring and mixing the raw material 20 in the cylinder 21 and the hot water, an appropriate means can be selected according to the situation. Thereby, it is possible to provide the beverage extraction device 1 capable of suppressing the variation in the stirring and mixing of the beverage in the cylinder 21.

Further, according to the present embodiment, at the time of one extraction, stirring and mixing by circulation of the beverage and stirring and mixing by air are performed via the first stirring and mixing circuit 150 and the second stirring and mixing circuit 200. That is, the beverage extraction device 1 performs both stirring mixing and air mixing in one extraction by controlling the pump 46 by the control unit 300.
According to this, the means of stirring can be increased, and an appropriate means can be selected according to the situation when the raw material 20 in the cylinder 21 and the hot water are stirred and mixed. Thereby, it is possible to provide the beverage extraction device 1 capable of suppressing the variation in the stirring and mixing of the beverage in the cylinder 21.
Further, by circulating stirring, air stirring, or a combination thereof, it is possible to set a wide range of taste variations when extracting coffee beverages.
Further, by combining circulation stirring and air stirring, for example, circulation stirring is performed to break the pile of the raw material 20 deposited on the paper filter 10, and then air stirring is performed. The mixing efficiency of the above can be improved. In particular, when the circulation stirring is performed first and then the air stirring is performed, the material variation in the gaps of the paper filter 10 is homogenized by the beverage passing through the paper filter 10 by the circulation stirring, so that the position of the paper filter 10 is It is possible to further improve the mixing efficiency of the raw material 20 in the cylinder 21 and the hot water by suppressing the variation in air agitation due to the air stirring.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the control unit 300 controls the circulation flow rate of the beverage and / or the air volume of the air.
According to this, even when the preset amount of the raw material 20 or the preset amount of hot water is changed and the water level in the cylinder 21 is changed, the stirring and mixing can be performed.

Although the present invention has been described above based on one embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. Since this is merely an example of an embodiment of the present invention, it can be arbitrarily modified and applied without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

1 Beverage extraction device 10 Paper filter 18 Filter part 20 Raw material 21 Cylinder 43 Raw material input port 44 Hot water input port 46 Pump 47 Circulation stirring input port 59 Discharge port 71 Upper piping 72 First adjustment means 73 Lower piping 80 Beverage supply piping 82 Second Adjusting means 150 1st stirring / mixing circuit 200 2nd stirring / mixing circuit 300 Control unit

Claims (5)

In a beverage extraction device that puts beverage raw materials and hot water into a cylinder and extracts beverages through a filter.
A pump that circulates the extracted beverage,
Beverage supply piping connected to the pump and
A first stirring and mixing circuit connected to the beverage providing pipe, the beverage extracted through the filter is re-injected into the cylinder, and the raw material and hot water in the cylinder are agitated and mixed by the re-injected beverage .
By operating the pump in the opposite direction, air is conveyed into the cylinder via the beverage providing pipe, and the transferred air is used to stir and mix the raw material and hot water in the cylinder with the second stirring / mixing circuit. ,
Beverage extraction device characterized by being equipped with. The beverage extraction device according to claim 1, wherein the extracted beverage is re-injected into the central portion of the cylinder in a plan view. The first or second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, at the time of one extraction, stirring and mixing by circulation of a beverage and stirring and mixing by air are performed via the first stirring and mixing circuit and the second stirring and mixing circuit. The beverage extractor according to the description. It is characterized by controlling the circulating flow rate of the beverage and / or the air volume of the air.
The beverage extraction device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The beverage extraction device according to claim 1 , wherein the extracted beverage is sprayed over the entire cylinder in a plan view.

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