JP7607906B2 - Coffee making equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a coffee making device for serving drip coffee in stores.

One recent example of a coffee machine is one with a structure such as that disclosed in Patent Document 1. This coffee machine has a heating system for dynamic heat management, and is of professional specifications that enable it to heat distilled water to the optimum temperature quickly and reliably.

JP 2020-39859 A

The coffee machine disclosed in Patent Document 1 can heat distilled water to the optimum temperature quickly and reliably, so that beverages that require a stable distillation temperature, such as espresso, milk coffee, and cappuccino, can be provided in ideal conditions.

However, to provide drip coffee in an ideal state, it is necessary to change the optimal heating temperature and supply amount of distilled water in response to customer requests, depending on the type of coffee beans and the way the beans are ground. In addition, there are individual differences in preferred types of coffee beans and how the beans are ground, so the optimal heating temperature and supply amount of distilled water that are set as defaults may not necessarily be optimal for the customer.

Therefore, even if the technology of the coffee machine in Patent Document 1 is simply applied, it may not be possible to provide drip coffee in an ideal state for the customer.

The present invention aims to provide a coffee making device that can provide customers with ideal drip coffee.

In order to achieve the above object, the coffee making device according to the present invention includes a supply unit that supplies water from a water source to a first tank, a first water meter that detects the amount of water in the first tank, a first thermometer that detects the water temperature in the first tank, a first heater that heats the water in the first tank, a first pump that supplies the hot water in the first tank to a second tank, a second water meter that detects the amount of water in the second tank, a second thermometer that detects the water temperature in the second tank, a second heater that heats the hot water in the second tank, a second pump that supplies the hot water in the second tank to a drip nozzle, a flow meter that detects the flow rate of the hot water in the drip nozzle, and a coffee dripper that is arranged below the drip nozzle and contains ground coffee, and a coffee server that receives coffee dripped from the coffee dripper, and while the communication is disconnected, the communication is possible. a shutter for preventing coffee dripped from a dripper from dripping into a coffee server, a weight meter for detecting the weight of the coffee server, and a control unit for controlling the operation of the supply unit, the first heater, the first pump, the second heater, the second pump, and the shutter, and controls the operation of the supply unit so that the amount of water in the first tank is maintained within a certain range based on the detection value of the first water meter, controls the operation of the first heater so that the water temperature of the first tank is a first set temperature based on the detection value of the first thermometer, controls the operation of the first pump so that the amount of water in the second tank is maintained within a certain range based on the detection value of the second water meter, controls the operation of the second heater so that the water temperature of the second tank is a second set temperature higher than the first set temperature based on the detection value of the second thermometer, and controls the drip detection value of the flow meter so that the amount of dripping detected by the flow meter is maintained within a certain range based on the detection value of the second thermometer. and controls the operation of the second pump so as to achieve a drip timing and drip amount determined from the flow rate of hot water from the drip nozzle, and controls the operation of the shutter so as to achieve a predetermined operation timing based on the amount of hot water dripped from the drip nozzle detected by the flow meter and the weight of the coffee server detected by the weighing scale . The control unit has a memory unit that stores a coffee recipe for brewing an ideal drip coffee for a customer, the coffee recipe including at least a second set temperature of hot water, the drip timing and drip amount of hot water, and control parameters related to the operation timing of the shutter, taking into consideration the type of coffee beans, roast degree, and grind size, and the control unit reads the control parameters included in the coffee recipe from the memory unit and controls the operation of the second heater using the second thermometer. the control unit controls the temperature of the hot water in the second tank so that it becomes a second set temperature of the control parameter, controls the operation of the second pump so that the drip timing and drip amount of the hot water dripped from the drip nozzle become the drip timing and drip amount of the control parameters based on the flow rate of hot water from the drip nozzle detected by the flow meter, and controls the operation of the shutter so that it becomes the operation timing of the control parameters based on the amount of hot water dripped from the drip nozzle detected by the flow meter and the weight of the coffee server detected by the weighing meter, and when the water temperature of the second tank detected by the second thermometer can no longer be maintained at the second set temperature of the control parameter while the second pump is operating, the control unit controls the operation of the second pump so that the flow rate of hot water supplied to the drip nozzle is reduced.

According to the coffee making device of the present invention, the control unit brews drip coffee based on the detection values of the water meter, thermometer, and weight meter and a coffee recipe for brewing the ideal drip coffee for the customer, thereby providing the ideal drip coffee for the customer.

According to the coffee making device of the present invention, the control unit brews drip coffee based on the detection values of the first water meter, the first thermometer, the second water meter, the second thermometer, the flow meter, and the weight meter and a coffee recipe for brewing the ideal drip coffee for the customer, thereby providing the ideal drip coffee for the customer.

1 is an overall configuration diagram of a coffee making device according to a first embodiment; FIG. 11 is an overall configuration diagram of a coffee making device according to a second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a block diagram of a control system of a coffee making device according to a second embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of a coffee making device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings, divided into embodiment 1 and embodiment 2. FIG.
(Overall configuration of the coffee making device)
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a coffee making device according to a first embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 2, the coffee making device 100 has a supply unit 115, a tank 110, and a control unit 200. The control unit 200 controls the overall operation of the coffee making device 100.

The supply unit 115 supplies water from the water source 105 to the tank 110. The water source 105 is, for example, tap water, well water, or mineral water stored in a tank. If the water source 105 is tap water, a commercial water pipe is directly connected to the supply unit 115. If the water source 105 is well water, a pump that pumps water from the well is connected to the supply unit 115. If the water source 105 is mineral water, a tank that stores the mineral water (if the tank is higher than the tank 110) is directly connected to the supply unit 115, and a pump that pumps water from a tank that stores the mineral water (if the tank is the same height as or lower than the first tank 110) is connected to the supply unit 115.

The supply unit 115 is provided in a water passage that connects the water source 105 and the tank 110. The supply unit 115 is, for example, a solenoid, a flow rate valve, or a pump that can open and close this water passage. The operation of the supply unit 115 is controlled by the control unit 200.

The tank 110 converts room temperature water supplied from the water source 105 into hot water, for example, 80°C to 98°C, and stores it. For this reason, the tank 110 has a water level meter 120 that detects the amount of water in the tank 110, a thermometer 125 that detects the temperature of the water in the tank 110, and a heater 130 that heats the water in the tank 110.

The water meter 120 is a sensor that detects how much water is stored in the tank 110. The water meter 120 may be, for example, a water level sensor that detects the water level in the tank 110, or a flow rate sensor that detects the flow rate of water at the inlet and outlet of the tank 110.

The thermometer 125 is a sensor that detects the temperature of the water in the tank 110, and is a temperature sensor that uses a thermocouple or a thermistor. The heater 130 is an electric heater that is provided in the tank 110 and heats the water in the tank 110.

The amount of water in the tank 110 detected by the water gauge 120 and the water temperature in the tank 110 detected by the thermometer 125 are sent to the control unit 200. In addition, the operation of the heater 130 is controlled by the control unit 200.

The control unit 200 monitors the amount of water in the tank 110 detected by the water level meter 120 and controls the operation of the supply unit 115 so that the amount of water in the tank 110 is maintained within a certain range. The control unit 200 also monitors the water temperature in the tank 110 detected by the thermometer 125 and controls the operation of the heater 130 so that the water temperature in the tank 110 is maintained at a temperature between 80°C and 98°C, which is suitable for brewing coffee.

As shown in FIG. 1, the coffee making device 100 has a pump 135, a drip nozzle 160, a shutter 185, and a weighing scale 190. The pump 135 is provided in a water passage that connects the drip nozzle 160, and supplies hot water from the tank 110 to the drip nozzle 160. The pump 135 can detect the flow rate of hot water flowing to the drip nozzle 160 from parameters of the rotation speed of the pump 135 and the amount of water made up per rotation speed. Therefore, in the first embodiment, a flow meter for detecting the flow rate of hot water flowing to the drip nozzle 160 is not provided. The operation of the pump 135 is controlled by the control unit 200.

The shutter 185 is installed between the coffee dripper 175 and the coffee server 180. The coffee dripper 175 is installed below the drip nozzle 160 and contains coffee ground by a grinder such as a coffee mill. The coffee server 180 is installed below the shutter 185 and receives the coffee dripped from the coffee dripper 175.

The shutter 185 operates to mechanically isolate the coffee dripper 175 from the coffee server 180. Hot water is dripped from the drip nozzle 160 intermittently or continuously based on the customer's coffee recipe. The dripped hot water is poured onto the coffee powder in the coffee dripper 175. If the shutter 185 does not isolate the coffee dripper 175 from the coffee server 180, the coffee dripped from the coffee dripper 175 is collected in the coffee server 180. On the other hand, while the shutter 185 isolates the coffee dripper 175 from the coffee server 180, the coffee dripped from the coffee dripper 175 falls onto the shutter 185. The coffee that falls onto the shutter 185 is discharged through a discharge path not shown.

The shutter 185 is provided to prevent bitter coffee from dripping into the coffee server 180 while the coffee is steaming or just before the coffee extraction is completed. By operating the shutter 185 at an appropriate timing, the taste and flavor of the coffee is not impaired, and it is possible to extract coffee with the ideal taste and flavor for the customer. Since the operation timing of the shutter 185 is important for extracting coffee with the ideal taste and flavor, the control unit 200 controls it based on the coffee recipe.
(Basic operation of coffee making device)
It is assumed that the tank 110 is filled with a certain amount of water from the water source 105 via the supply 115, and that the water is heated to a temperature between 80°C and 98°C.

First, when a customer comes to the store, the store clerk asks the customer about the type of coffee beans, roast level, grind size, etc., prepares coffee powder according to the customer's preferences, and sets it in the coffee dripper 175. Next, the store clerk sets the coffee server 180 under the coffee dripper 175.

When the weighing scale 190 detects the coffee server 180, the control unit 200 reads a default coffee recipe, and the control unit 200 uses the control parameters contained in the coffee recipe to control the operation of the heater 130, the pump 135, and the shutter 185. Note that there are several default coffee recipes provided corresponding to combinations of coffee bean type, roast level, grind size, etc. Each coffee recipe has different control parameters.

When the control unit 200 operates the pump 135, it checks the flow rate of hot water from the drip nozzle 160 based on the rotation speed of the pump 135, and controls the operation of the pump 135 so that the drip timing and drip amount are in accordance with the control parameters.

When brewing drip coffee, a fixed amount of hot water is slowly dripped onto the coffee grounds from the drip nozzle 160, the dripping of hot water is stopped for a short period of time to allow the coffee grounds to steam, and then hot water is dripped onto the coffee grounds again from the drip nozzle 160.

When dripping hot water from the drip nozzle 160 onto the coffee powder, the control unit 200 controls the operation of the pump 135 so that hot water is dripped intermittently or continuously from the drip nozzle 160 based on the drip timing and drip amount of the control parameters.

When the control unit 200 detects that the drip amount of the control parameter has been reached, it operates the shutter 185 to cut off communication between the coffee dripper 175 and the coffee server 180. At this time, the coffee dripped from the coffee dripper 175 falls onto the shutter 185, but the coffee that has fallen onto the shutter 185 is discharged to the outside. The action of the shutter 185 prevents coffee with a bitter or other unpleasant taste from dripping into the coffee server 180 just before the coffee extraction is completed.

The shutter 185 may be operated not only immediately before the coffee extraction is completed, but also while the coffee is steaming. This is because the coffee dripped from the coffee dripper 175 during the coffee steaming may affect the flavor of the coffee dripped into the coffee server 180. In this manner, drip coffee according to the coffee recipe is provided to the customer.
(Overall configuration of the coffee making device)
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a coffee making device according to the second embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 2, the coffee making device 100 has a supply unit 115, a first tank 110, and a control unit 200. The control unit 200 controls the overall operation of the coffee making device 100.

The supply unit 115 supplies water from the water source 105 to the first tank 110. The water source 105 is, for example, tap water, well water, or mineral water stored in a tank. If the water source 105 is tap water, a commercial water pipe is directly connected to the supply unit 115. If the water source 105 is well water, a pump that pumps water from the well is connected to the supply unit 115. If the water source 105 is mineral water, a tank that stores the mineral water (if the tank is higher than the first tank 110) is directly connected to the supply unit 115, and a pump that pumps water from a tank that stores the mineral water (if the tank is the same height as or lower than the first tank 110) is connected to the supply unit 115.

The supply unit 115 is provided in a water passage that connects the water source 105 and the first tank 110. The supply unit 115 is, for example, a solenoid, a flow valve, or a pump that can open and close this water passage. The operation of the supply unit 115 is controlled by the control unit 200.

The first tank 110 converts room temperature water supplied from the water source 105 into hot water, for example, at about 60°C to 70°C (first set temperature), and stores the water. For this reason, the first tank 110 has a first water gauge 120 that detects the amount of water in the first tank 110, a first thermometer 125 that detects the temperature of the water in the first tank 110, and a first heater 130 that heats the water in the first tank 110.

The first water meter 120 is a sensor that detects how much water is stored in the first tank 110. The first water meter 120 may be, for example, a water level sensor that detects the water level in the first tank 110, or a flow rate sensor that detects the flow rate of water at the inlet and outlet of the first tank 110.

The first thermometer 125 is a sensor that detects the water temperature in the first tank 110, and is a temperature sensor that uses a thermocouple or a thermistor. The first heater 130 is an electric heater that is provided in the first tank 110 and heats the water in the first tank 110.

The amount of water in the first tank 110 detected by the first water gauge 120 and the water temperature in the first tank 110 detected by the first thermometer 125 are transmitted to the control unit 200. In addition, the operation of the first heater 130 is controlled by the control unit 200.

The control unit 200 monitors the amount of water in the first tank 110 detected by the first water gauge 120 and controls the operation of the supply unit 115 so that the amount of water in the first tank 110 is maintained within a certain range. The control unit 200 also monitors the water temperature in the first tank 110 detected by the first thermometer 125 and controls the operation of the first heater 130 so that the water temperature in the first tank 110 is maintained at approximately 60°C to 70°C (first set temperature).

As shown in FIG. 2, the coffee making device 100 has a first pump 135 and a second tank 140. The first pump 135 supplies hot water from the first tank 110 to the second tank 140. The first pump 135 is provided in a water passage connecting the first tank 110 and the second tank 140. The operation of the first pump 135 is controlled by the control unit 200.

The second tank 140 converts the hot water supplied from the first pump 135 into hot water of, for example, 80°C to 98°C (second set temperature) and stores the hot water. For this reason, the second tank 140 has a second water gauge 145 that detects the amount of water in the second tank 140, a second thermometer 150 that detects the temperature of the water in the second tank 140, and a second heater 155 that heats the hot water in the second tank 140. The capacity of the second tank 140 is smaller than the capacity of the first tank 110. It is preferable that the amount of heat generated by the second heater 155 is greater than the amount of heat generated by the first heater 130. This is to make it easier to control the temperature of the hot water in the second tank 140.

The second water meter 145 is a sensor that detects how much hot water is stored in the second tank 140. The second water meter 145 may be, for example, a water level sensor that detects the water level in the second tank 140, or a flow rate sensor that detects the flow rate of hot water at the inlet and outlet of the second tank 140.

The second thermometer 150 is a sensor that detects the temperature of the water in the second tank 140, and is a temperature sensor that uses a thermocouple or a thermistor. The second heater 155 is an electric heater that is provided in the second tank 140 and heats the water in the second tank 140.

The amount of water in the second tank 140 detected by the second water gauge 145 and the water temperature in the second tank 140 detected by the second thermometer 150 are transmitted to the control unit 200. In addition, the operation of the second heater 155 is controlled by the control unit 200.

The control unit 200 monitors the amount of water in the second tank 140 detected by the second water gauge 145 and controls the operation of the first pump 135 so that the amount of water in the second tank 140 is maintained within a certain range. The control unit 200 also monitors the water temperature in the second tank 140 detected by the second thermometer 150 and controls the operation of the second heater 155 so that the water temperature in the second tank 140 is maintained between 80°C and 98°C (second set temperature).

As shown in FIG. 2, the coffee making device 100 has a second pump 165, a flowmeter 170, a drip nozzle 160, a shutter 185, and a weight meter 190. The second pump 165 is provided in a water passage connecting the second tank 140 and the drip nozzle 160, and supplies hot water from the second tank 140 to the drip nozzle 160. The flowmeter 170 is provided in a water passage connecting the second pump 165 and the drip nozzle 160, and detects the flow rate of hot water from the drip nozzle 160. In the second embodiment, the second pump 165 is provided on the second tank 140 side and the flowmeter 170 is provided on the drip nozzle 160 side, but the flowmeter 170 may be provided on the second tank 140 side and the second pump 165 on the drip nozzle 160 side. The operation of the second pump 165 is controlled by the control unit 200.

The shutter 185 is installed between the coffee dripper 175 and the coffee server 180. The coffee dripper 175 is installed below the drip nozzle 160 and contains coffee ground by a grinder such as a coffee mill. The coffee server 180 is installed below the shutter 185 and receives the coffee dripped from the coffee dripper 175.

The shutter 185 operates to mechanically isolate the coffee dripper 175 from the coffee server 180. Hot water is dripped from the drip nozzle 160 intermittently or continuously based on the customer's coffee recipe. The dripped hot water is poured onto the coffee powder in the coffee dripper 175. If the shutter 185 does not isolate the coffee dripper 175 from the coffee server 180, the coffee dripped from the coffee dripper 175 is collected in the coffee server 180. On the other hand, while the shutter 185 isolates the coffee dripper 175 from the coffee server 180, the coffee dripped from the coffee dripper 175 falls onto the shutter 185. The coffee that falls onto the shutter 185 is discharged through a discharge path not shown.

The shutter 185 is provided to prevent bitter coffee from dripping into the coffee server 180 while the coffee is steaming or just before the coffee extraction is completed. By operating the shutter 185 at the appropriate time, the taste and flavor of the coffee is not compromised, making it possible to extract coffee with the ideal taste and flavor for the customer. Since the operation timing of the shutter 185 is important for extracting coffee with the ideal taste and flavor, the control unit 200 controls it based on the coffee recipe.

The weighing scale 190 detects the weight of the coffee server 180. In the second embodiment, one drip nozzle 160 is provided, but multiple drip nozzles 160 may be provided to accommodate more customers. When multiple drip nozzles 160 are provided, it is preferable to provide a second pump 165, a flow meter 170, a shutter 185, and a weighing scale 190 for each drip nozzle 160.

The operation of the second pump 165 and the shutter 185 is controlled by the control unit 200. First, when the weighing scale 190 detects that the coffee server 180 has been placed on the machine, the control unit 200 operates the second pump 165. Next, the control unit 200 controls the operation of the second pump 165 and the shutter 185 based on the coffee recipe while monitoring the flow rate of hot water detected by the flowmeter 170.

(Configuration of the control system of the coffee making device)
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control system of the coffee making device of the second embodiment.

The control unit 200 is connected to the first water meter 120, the second water meter 145, the first thermometer 125, the second thermometer 150, the flow meter 170, and the weight meter 190 as an input system. The control unit 200 is connected to the supply unit 115, the first heater 130, the second heater 155, the first pump 135, the second pump 165, and the shutter 185 as an output system. Details of these parts are as described above.

The control unit 200 controls the operation of the supply unit 115, the first heater 130, the first pump 135, the second heater 155, the second pump 165, and the shutter 185 based on the detection values of the first water meter 120, the first thermometer 125, the second water meter 145, the second thermometer 150, the flow meter 170, and the weight meter 190, and on a coffee recipe for brewing the ideal drip coffee for the customer.

Specifically, the control unit 200 controls the operation of the supply unit 115 so that the amount of water in the first tank 110 is maintained within a certain range based on the detection value of the first water gauge 120. The control unit 200 controls the operation of the first heater 130 so that the water temperature in the first tank 110 is a first set temperature of about 60°C to 70°C based on the detection value of the first thermometer 125. The control unit 200 controls the operation of the first pump 135 so that the amount of water in the second tank 140 is maintained within a certain range based on the detection value of the second water gauge 145. The control unit 200 controls the operation of the second heater 155 so that the water temperature in the second tank 140 is a second set temperature of 80°C to 98°C, which is higher than the first set temperature of about 60°C to 70°C, based on the detection value of the second thermometer 150. The control unit 200 controls the operation of the second pump 165 so that the drip timing and drip amount are determined based on the flow rate of hot water in the drip nozzle 160 detected by the flow meter 170. The control unit 200 controls the operation of the shutter 185 so that the operation timing is determined based on the amount of hot water dripped from the drip nozzle 160 detected by the flow meter 170 and the weight of the coffee server 180 detected by the weight meter 190.

The control unit 200 has a memory unit 210, a reading unit 220, a rewriting unit 230, and an output unit 240. The memory unit 210 stores a coffee recipe for brewing an ideal drip coffee for the customer. The coffee recipe includes control parameters related to at least the type of coffee beans, the roast level, and the grind size, the second set temperature of hot water, the timing and amount of hot water dripped, and the operation timing of the shutter 185.

Differences in the type, roast level, and grind size of coffee beans have a significant effect on the taste and flavor of coffee. Even if the type, roast level, and grind size of coffee beans are the same, the taste and flavor of coffee is also significantly affected by the temperature, amount, and manner in which hot water is dripped from the drip nozzle 160. For this reason, in the second embodiment, the memory unit 210 stores a second set temperature as a control parameter for the temperature of hot water in the second tank 140, taking into account the type, roast level, and grind size of coffee beans, and stores the drip timing of hot water, the drip amount of hot water, and the operation timing of the shutter 185 as control parameters for steaming the coffee powder and the coffee extraction speed, taking into account the type, roast level, and grind size of coffee beans.

The reading unit 220 can read a coffee recipe for brewing ideal drip coffee for a general customer, which is stored as a default in the storage unit 210. The reading unit 220 can also read a coffee recipe stored in the storage unit 210 of another coffee making device 100 via the output unit 240 of the other coffee making device 100 connected via a network. Furthermore, the reading unit 220 can read a coffee recipe specific to a customer that is written on a medium such as an RFID tag, a barcode, or a QR code (registered trademark). The reading unit 220 in this case is an RFID reader, a barcode reader, or a QR code reader.

The control unit 200 stores the coffee recipe read by the reading unit 220 in the memory unit 210, and the control unit 200 uses the coffee recipe stored in the memory unit 210 to control the operation of the second heater 155, the second pump 165, and the shutter 185. The rewriting unit 230 rewrites the coffee recipe stored in the memory unit 210. For example, when a customer who visits the store requests that the steaming time of the coffee powder be longer or that the temperature of the hot water be lowered, the request is input by the rewriting unit 230, and the coffee recipe stored in the memory unit 210 is temporarily rewritten. The steaming time of the coffee powder is realized by changing the control parameter of the timing of dripping the hot water, and the temperature of the hot water is realized by changing the control parameter of the second set temperature.

The output unit 240 outputs the coffee recipe stored in the storage unit 210 to the outside. For example, when a plurality of coffee making devices 100 are connected via the Internet, the output unit 240 can output the coffee recipe stored in the storage unit 210 to the reading unit 220 of the other coffee making devices 100. The output unit 240 can also print the coffee recipe stored in the storage unit 210 as a barcode or a QR code. In this case, the output unit 240 is a printer.
(Basic operation of coffee making device)
As a premise, it is assumed that a certain amount of water is stored in the first tank 110 from the water source 105 via the supply unit 115, and that the water is heated to a first set temperature of 60°C to 70°C, and that hot water within a certain range is stored in the second tank 140 from the first tank 110 via the first pump 135, and that the hot water is further heated to a second set temperature of 80°C to 98°C.

First, when a customer comes to the store, the store clerk asks the customer about the type of coffee beans, roast level, grind size, etc., prepares coffee powder according to the customer's preferences, and sets it in the coffee dripper 175. Next, the store clerk sets the coffee server 180 under the coffee dripper 175.

When the weighing scale 190 detects the coffee server 180, the control unit 200 reads a default coffee recipe from the memory unit 210, and the control unit 200 uses the control parameters contained in the coffee recipe to control the operation of the second heater 155, the second pump 165, and the shutter 185. Note that there are several default coffee recipes provided corresponding to combinations of coffee bean type, roast level, grind size, etc. Each coffee recipe has different control parameters.

When the water temperature of the second tank 140 detected by the second thermometer 150 reaches the second set temperature of the control parameters and the weight meter 190 detects the coffee server 180, the control unit 200 operates the second pump 165.

When the control unit 200 operates the second pump 165, it monitors the flow rate of hot water from the drip nozzle 160 detected by the flow meter 170 and controls the operation of the second pump 165 so that the drip timing and drip amount are in accordance with the control parameters.

When brewing drip coffee, a fixed amount of hot water is slowly dripped onto the coffee grounds from the drip nozzle 160, the dripping of hot water is stopped for a short period of time to allow the coffee grounds to steam, and then hot water is dripped onto the coffee grounds again from the drip nozzle 160.

When dripping hot water from the drip nozzle 160 onto the coffee powder, the control unit 200 controls the operation of the second pump 165 so that hot water is dripped intermittently or continuously from the drip nozzle 160 based on the drip timing and drip amount of the control parameters.

When the amount of hot water stored in the second tank 140 decreases while the second pump 165 is operating and hot water from the first tank 110 begins to be supplied via the first pump 135, the control unit 200 detects that the water temperature of the second tank 140 detected by the second thermometer 150 cannot maintain the second set temperature of the control parameter. In such a case, the control unit 200 controls the operation of the second pump 165 so as to reduce the flow rate of hot water supplied to the drip nozzle 160.

When the flowmeter 170 detects that the drip amount from the drip nozzle 160 reaches the control parameter, the control unit 200 operates the shutter 185 to block the connection between the coffee dripper 175 and the coffee server 180. The drip amount of coffee may be detected by multiplying the drive amount and drive time of the second pump 165, rather than by the flowmeter 170. At this time, the coffee dripped from the coffee dripper 175 falls onto the shutter 185, but the coffee that falls onto the shutter 185 is discharged to the outside. The action of the shutter 185 prevents coffee with a peculiar taste, such as bitterness, from dripping into the coffee server 180 just before the coffee extraction is completed. The shutter 185 may be operated not only just before the coffee extraction is completed, but also during the steaming of the coffee. This is because the coffee dripped from the coffee dripper 175 during the steaming of the coffee may also affect the flavor of the coffee dripped into the coffee server 180.

In this manner, drip coffee according to the coffee recipe is provided to the customer. The coffee making device 100 of the second embodiment can respond not only to the default coffee recipe but also to special requests from the customer. In this case, the control unit 200 operates as follows.
(Special operation of the coffee making device)
As a premise, it is assumed that a certain amount of water is stored in the first tank 110 from the water source 105 via the supply unit 115, and that the water is heated to a first set temperature of 60°C to 70°C, and that hot water within a certain range is stored in the second tank 140 from the first tank 110 via the first pump 135, and that the hot water is further heated to a second set temperature of 80°C to 98°C.

First, when a customer comes to the store, the store clerk asks the customer about the type of coffee beans, roast level, grind size, etc., and places the coffee powder according to the customer's preference in the coffee dripper 175. If the customer requests a special coffee recipe that is not included in the default coffee recipes, such as a higher temperature for the hot water dripped onto the coffee powder, a longer steaming time for the coffee powder, or the shutter 185 to operate both when the coffee powder is steaming and just before the coffee is finished being extracted, the store clerk inputs the request through the rewrite unit 230.

The control unit 200 temporarily rewrites the coffee recipe stored in the memory unit 210 based on the customer's request input from the rewriting unit 230. Next, when the weighing scale 190 detects the coffee server 180, the control unit 200 reads the temporarily rewritten coffee recipe from the memory unit 210. The control unit 200 uses the control parameters contained in the rewritten coffee recipe to control the operation of the second heater 155, the second pump 165, and the shutter 185. The subsequent operation of the control unit 200 is as described above.

In the second embodiment, the coffee recipe created by the customer is temporarily stored in the storage unit 210, but it may also be stored in the storage unit 210 together with a unique ID set for the customer. By storing the recipe in this manner, the next time the customer visits the store, drip coffee can be brewed based on the customer's coffee recipe by having the reading unit 220 read the customer's ID.

The output unit 240 is also connected to the reading units 220 of other coffee making devices 100 via the network. Therefore, all coffee recipes stored in the memory unit 210 can be shared among all coffee making devices 100 connected to the network. By reading the customer's ID, a customer can drink drip coffee brewed based on the same coffee recipe at any store.

Furthermore, the customer himself may be able to access the reading unit 220 of the coffee making device 100 from his own personal computer or mobile phone via the network. In this way, the customer can create his favorite coffee recipe outside the store without communicating his request to the store. The coffee recipe created by the customer can be stored in the memory unit 210 of all the coffee making devices 100 together with the customer's ID.
(Other special operations of the coffee making device)
As a premise, it is assumed that a certain amount of water is stored in the first tank 110 from the water source 105 via the supply unit 115, and that the water is heated to a first set temperature of 60°C to 70°C, and that hot water within a certain range is stored in the second tank 140 from the first tank 110 via the first pump 135, and that the hot water is further heated to a second set temperature of 80°C to 98°C.

First, when a customer comes to the store, the store attendant asks whether the customer has a medium such as an RFID tag, a barcode, or a QR code. If the customer has any of the media, the medium is read using a reading unit 220 such as an RFID reader, a barcode reader, or a QR code reader. Since these media have coffee recipes specific to the customer written on them, the control unit 200 brews drip coffee as described above based on the read coffee recipe.

In addition, the output unit 240 can output media such as barcodes and QR codes to the customer's computer or mobile phone via the network, or print them out.

As described above, according to the coffee making device 100 of embodiment 2, the control unit 200 controls the operation of the supply unit 115, first heater 130, first pump 135, second heater 155, second pump 165, and shutter 185 based on the detection values of the first water meter 120, first thermometer 125, second water meter 145, second thermometer 150, flow meter 170, and weight meter 190 and the coffee recipe for brewing the ideal drip coffee for the customer, thereby providing the ideal drip coffee for the customer.

In addition, the coffee making device 100 of embodiment 2 allows customers to store their own coffee recipes in the memory unit 210 and read them into the reading unit 220, so that the ideal drip coffee can be provided to the customer.

Although the first and second embodiments of the coffee making device according to the present invention have been described above, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the matters described in the first and second embodiments above.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 Coffee making device 105 Water source 110 Tank, first tank 115 Supply unit 120 Water meter, first water meter 125 Thermometer, first thermometer 130 Heater, first heater 135 Pump, first pump 140 Second tank 145 Second water meter 150 Second thermometer 155 Second heater 160 Drip nozzle 165 Second pump 170 Flow meter 175 Coffee dripper 180 Coffee server 185 Shutter 190 Weighing scale 200 Control unit 210 Memory unit 220 Reading unit 230 Rewriting unit 240 Output unit

Claims (8)

a supply unit that supplies water from a water source to the first tank;
a first water meter for detecting a water level in the first tank;
a first thermometer for detecting a water temperature of the first tank;
a first heater for heating the water in the first tank;
a first pump that supplies the hot water in the first tank to a second tank;
a second water meter for detecting the amount of water in the second tank;
a second thermometer for detecting a water temperature of the second tank;
a second heater for heating the hot water in the second tank;
a second pump for supplying hot water from the second tank to a drip nozzle;
a flow meter for detecting a flow rate of hot water from the drip nozzle;
a shutter that is arranged under the drip nozzle and operates to mechanically isolate a coffee dripper that contains ground coffee from a coffee server that receives coffee dripped from the coffee dripper, and prevents the coffee dripped from the coffee dripper from dripping into the coffee server while the shutter is in the isolation state;
A weighing scale for detecting the weight of the coffee server;
a control unit that controls operations of the supply unit, the first heater, the first pump, the second heater, the second pump, and the shutter,
controlling an operation of the supply unit so that the water amount of the first tank is maintained within a certain range based on a detection value of the first water meter;
controlling an operation of the first heater based on a detection value of the first thermometer so that the water temperature of the first tank becomes a first set temperature;
controlling the operation of the first pump based on the detection value of the second water gauge so that the water volume of the second tank is maintained within a certain range;
controlling an operation of the second heater based on a detection value of the second thermometer so that the water temperature of the second tank becomes a second set temperature higher than the first set temperature;
Controlling the operation of the second pump so as to achieve a drip timing and drip amount determined based on a flow rate of hot water from the drip nozzle detected by the flow meter;
The operation of the shutter is controlled so as to achieve a predetermined operation timing based on the amount of hot water dripped from the drip nozzle detected by the flow meter and the weight of the coffee server detected by the weight meter ;
The control unit has a memory unit that stores a coffee recipe for brewing an ideal drip coffee for a customer,
the coffee recipe includes at least a second set temperature of the hot water, a dripping timing and amount of the hot water, and control parameters related to the operation timing of the shutter, taking into consideration the type of coffee beans, the roasting degree, and the grind size;
The control unit is
reading control parameters included in a coffee recipe from the storage unit;
Controlling the operation of the second heater so that the temperature of the hot water in the second tank detected by the second thermometer becomes a second set temperature of the control parameter;
Controlling the operation of the second pump based on the flow rate of hot water from the drip nozzle detected by the flow meter so that the drip timing and drip amount of hot water dripped from the drip nozzle are the drip timing and drip amount of the control parameters;
The operation of the shutter is controlled based on the amount of hot water dripped from the drip nozzle detected by the flow meter and the weight of the coffee server detected by the weight meter so that the operation timing is in accordance with the control parameters;
The control unit controls the operation of the second pump so as to reduce the flow rate of hot water supplied to the drip nozzle when the water temperature in the second tank detected by the second thermometer becomes unable to maintain a second set temperature which is a control parameter while the second pump is operating. 2. The coffee making device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit operates the second pump when the water temperature of the second tank detected by the second thermometer reaches a second set temperature of a control parameter and when the weight meter detects the coffee server. The coffee making device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit controls the operation of the second pump so that hot water is dripped from the drip nozzle intermittently or continuously. The control unit has a reading unit that reads a coffee recipe,
2. The coffee making apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit is capable of storing the coffee recipe read by the reading unit in the memory unit, and the control unit controls the operation of the second heater, the second pump, and the shutter using control parameters included in the coffee recipe stored in the memory unit . 5. The coffee making device according to claim 4 , wherein the reading unit is an RFID reader, a barcode reader, or a QR code reader capable of reading a coffee recipe specific to a customer that is written on a medium such as an RFID tag, a barcode, or a QR code. The coffee making device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit has a rewriting unit that rewrites the coffee recipe stored in the memory unit. The coffee making device according to claim 4 , wherein the control unit has an output unit that outputs the coffee recipe stored in the memory unit to an outside. 8. The coffee making apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the reading unit and the output unit of each coffee making apparatus are connected via a network.