JPH0568758B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] This invention involves first putting various powdered raw materials such as coffee, cocoa, and tea into a cup, and then pouring hot water, cold water, ice, etc. into the cup. The present invention is directed to a cup-type beverage vending machine that dispenses hot or cold beverages, and particularly relates to a method for stirring raw materials in a cup for cold beverages.

[Conventional technology]

This type of cup-type beverage vending machine is equipped with a cup supply device, a powder raw material supply device, hot water, a water supply device, a raw material stirring device, an ice maker, and a system that connects each of these devices. The device is equipped with a cup conveyance mechanism installed between the cup conveyance mechanism and the like, which is installed between the cup conveyance mechanism and the like, and is equipped with a cup conveyance mechanism installed between the cup conveyance mechanism and the like. Powdered raw materials are put into a cup, and at the subsequent raw material stirring position, hot water necessary to dissolve the powdered raw materials is poured into the cup, stirred to dissolve the powdered raw materials, and hot water or cold water for dilution and ice are added. For example, Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 190783/1983 proposes a system in which the beverage is mixed by additional supply, and finally the cup containing the beverage is delivered to the product outlet.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

As mentioned above, the beverage vending machine uses an in-cup stirring method to mix cold beverages by putting powdered raw materials into the cup in the first step and then supplying hot water and ice directly into the cup in the subsequent stirring step. In the machine, when stirring the raw materials, it is necessary to first inject hot water and stir the powdered raw materials in order to dissolve them, and then supply diluted cold water and ice to prepare a cold beverage. In this case, like the conventional raw material stirring method described above, hot water is first poured into the cup to dissolve the powdered raw material, and then diluted cold water is poured.
The method of adding ice at the end has the following problems.

In other words, when cold water is supplied to dilute the beverage and ice is supplied to the cup, the ice floats on the liquid surface of the beverage, so the portion of the beverage in the cup that is close to the liquid surface is sufficiently cooled by direct contact with the ice. On the other hand, the bottom part of the cup is only cooled by heat convection, so early cooling cannot be expected, and by the time the beverage is delivered to the product outlet, only the top part of the cup is cold. The bottom part will be sold lukewarm. Moreover, the beverage is diluted by the melted ice at the top of the cup, so if you take a sip of the beverage, it will taste bland at first. For this reason, beverage purchasers shake the cup by hand after removing the cup from the product outlet to equalize the temperature and concentration of the beverage, but this method causes the beverage to overflow from the cup. From this point of view, it is desirable to be able to equalize the temperature and concentration of the beverage in the cup by stirring the raw materials in the machine before selling it.

This invention was developed in consideration of the above points, and provides an in-cup stirring method for raw materials that allows cold beverages to be stirred and mixed in a cup and sold with sufficiently equalized temperature and concentration. The purpose is to provide.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a cup-type beverage vending machine that dispenses cold beverages by directly supplying hot water, water, and ice into a cup into which powdered raw materials are charged, at a raw material stirring position. Injection nozzles connected to pressurized supply lines for hot water and cold water arranged oppositely above the cup, and an ice shunter connected to the ice maker, and the injection nozzles are used to inject hot water onto the powdered raw material deposited at the bottom of the cup. and a nozzle driving means that moves and operates the injection nozzle so as to change the point, and hot water is jetted and injected into the cup through the injection nozzle while moving and operating the injection nozzle with respect to the cup into which the powdered beverage is put. A cold beverage is prepared by sequentially passing through the steps of stirring and dissolving powdered raw materials, introducing ice into a cup through an ice shooter, and injecting diluted cold water into the cup through an injection nozzle.

[Effect]

According to the above means, first, hot water is vigorously injected from the injection nozzle toward the powdered raw material deposited at the bottom of the cup, and the powdered raw material is forcibly stirred and mixed;
Moreover, during this stirring process, the injection nozzle is moved and the injection point of the hot water changes, so the hot water can be evenly sprayed without creating a blind spot for the powdered raw material. Stirring and mixing with hot water is performed effectively without leaving any undissolved material, and a concentrated beverage in which the raw materials are reliably dissolved can be obtained. In addition, following this step, ice is put into the cup, and finally, diluted cold water is injected by the injection nozzle, so the cold water flow that is ejected from the injection nozzle, enveloping the previously added ice, flows into the cup with great force. It will mix with concentrated beverages. Therefore, the temperature difference and concentration unevenness of the beverage between the top and bottom inside the cup are eliminated, and thus the cold beverage can be kept at a constant temperature.
It becomes possible to sell the product in a state where the concentration is sufficiently equalized.

〔Example〕

The following embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. First, the overall structure of a cup-type beverage vending machine equipped with an in-cup stirring device according to the present invention will be explained with reference to FIG. In the figure, 1 is a cabinet of a vending machine, 2 is a product take-out port opened at the front thereof, and inside the cabinet 1 is equipped a cup conveyance mechanism 3, such as a conveyor type, which communicates with the product take-out port 2. Each station A specified on the transport route of this cup transport mechanism 3
~D, station A has a cup feeding device 4, station B has a raw material shuttle 7 of a canister 6 that accommodates powdered raw materials 5 by type,
Station C has hot water for drinking, which dissolves and dilutes the powdered raw material from above into the cup.
Injection nozzle 8 that injects water and ice maker 9
An ice shooter 10, etc., which is pulled out from the ground, is installed. Further, a hot water supply line 12 drawn out from a hot water tank 11 with a built-in heater and a water supply line 14 drawn out from a water reservoir 13 are connected to the injection nozzle 8. Here, the hot water supply line 12 is the hot water supply valve 1
5, a hot water pump 16, and a hot water discharge valve 17, and the water supply line 14 includes a water pump 6, a cooling water tank 19, and a water supply valve 20.

Furthermore, a nozzle drive mechanism 21 having the following configuration is connected to the injection nozzle 8. That is, in this case, the nozzle drive mechanism 21 includes a support arm 23 that swingably supports the main body of the injection nozzle 8, as shown in FIG.
and a crank mechanism 2 whose one end is connected to the nozzle body.
4 and a drive motor 25 for the crank mechanism.
4, the nozzle 8 is oscillated as shown by an arrow P between the solid line and the chain line using the support arm 23 as a fulcrum. This swinging operation causes the nozzle 8 to change the point at which it injects hot water onto the powdered raw material deposited at the bottom of the cup 22. In this case, the nozzle swing range is limited so that the direction of the nozzle tip does not deviate from the opening area of the cup 22.

Next, a description will be given of the beverage sales operation and the stirring operation of the raw materials in the cup according to the above configuration. When a sales command is given from the sales standby state, first, one cup 22 is delivered from the cup supply device 4 to station A in the cup transport mechanism 3. The powder raw material 5 of the specified type is fed into the cup from the canister 6 at station B during the subsequent cup conveyance process, and when the cup 22 containing the powder raw material reaches the raw material stirring position at station C, the details will be described later. A process of melting powdered raw materials, adding ice, and supplying water for dilution are carried out to prepare a hot or cold beverage in the cup, and finally the cup containing the beverage is sent to station D facing the product outlet 2.

Here, we will explain the operation of the above-mentioned raw material stirring process separately for the case where a hot beverage is selected and the case where a cold beverage is selected. First, when a hot beverage is selected, the hot water supply line 1 is opened with the hot water discharge valve 17 closed.
The hot water supply valve 15 of No. 2 is opened, the hot water pump 16 is started, and the hot water supply line 12 is replaced with hot water while circulating hot water between the hot water supply line 12 and the hot water tank 11. Subsequently, the nozzle drive mechanism 21 is started, and the hot water discharge valve 17 is further opened to discharge the amount of hot water necessary to dissolve the powdered raw material. As a result, the hot water that has been pressurized by the hot water pump 16 from the hot water tank 11 is directed into the cup 22 through the injection nozzle 8 and onto the powdered raw material 5 deposited at the bottom of the cup as shown by arrow A in FIG. The water stream is vigorously ejected toward the cup, and the water stream reaches the bottom of the cup and is forcibly mixed with the powder raw material 5 in an inverted manner. Moreover, during this stirring process, the injection nozzle 8 swings as shown in the figure and the injection point of the hot water changes, so the hot water can be evenly jetted against the deposited powder raw material 5 without creating a blind spot. The powdered raw material 5 is effectively stirred and mixed with hot water without leaving any undissolved material, resulting in a concentrated beverage in which the raw material is reliably dissolved. After this raw material stirring step is performed, diluting hot water is then additionally supplied so that a predetermined finished amount of hot beverage is obtained, and the hot beverage is prepared.

On the other hand, when a cold beverage is selected, the injection nozzle 8 is first used to oscillate the amount of hot water necessary to dissolve the powdered raw material 5 in the same manner as in the case of a hot beverage.
The liquid is injected into the cup 22 through the powder to ensure that the powdered raw material is dissolved to prepare a concentrated beverage. After the process of melting the powder raw material is completed, as shown in FIG. 3, a predetermined amount of ice 26 is put into the cup 22 from the ice maker 9 through the ice shooter 10, and then through the injection nozzle 8 in the subsequent diluted cold water supply process. Cold water is squirted into the cup. In this cold water supply step, the nozzle drive mechanism 21 is driven in the same manner as described above, and in this state, the water supply valve 20 of the water supply line 14 is opened, and the cold water cooled in the water cooling tank 19 is force-fed by the water pump 18. As shown in the figure, diluted cold water is injected into the cup in the direction of arrow B through the injection nozzle 8.
As a result, the ice 2 that was put in first in the cup 22
A stream of cold water that is ejected from a nozzle while involving the bottle 6 vigorously stirs together the concentrated beverage in the cup, eliminates the temperature difference between the upper and lower parts of the cup, and makes the beverage temperature and concentration sufficiently uniform. When a predetermined amount of diluted cold water is supplied here, a series of raw material stirring steps is completed and a high-quality cold beverage is prepared. The time chart of the series of raw material stirring steps described above is shown in FIG. 5, and this operation is program-controlled by commands from an operation controller (not shown).

Further, although the nozzle drive mechanism 21 of the above embodiment was shown as one in which the tip of the injection nozzle 8 was swung toward the deposited powder raw material 5 at the inner bottom of the cup 22, another drive mechanism could be used to move the injection nozzle 8 in a circular manner. Something that moves around along a trajectory or an injection nozzle 8
It is possible to adopt a device that moves the object along a movement trajectory that draws a vertical or horizontal cross. Note that such movement can be easily achieved by a combination of a cam and a link.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, in a cup-type beverage vending machine that dispenses cold beverages by directly supplying hot water, water, and ice into a cup into which powdered raw materials are charged, the upper part of the cup is placed at the raw material stirring position. An injection nozzle connected to a pressurized supply line of hot water and cold water arranged opposite to each other, and an ice shunter connected to an ice maker, and the injection point of the hot water to the powdered raw material deposited at the bottom of the cup are changed. The nozzle driving means moves and operates the injection nozzle with respect to the cup into which the powder raw material has been introduced, and jets hot water into the cup through the injection nozzle to inject the powder raw material. By dispensing a cold beverage through the following steps: stirring and melting, pouring ice into the cup through an ice dispenser, and jetting diluted cold water into the cup through a spray nozzle, we are able to prepare a cold beverage that contains no ice. The cold beverage prepared in the cup can be sufficiently stirred, and the beverage can be sold with uniform temperature and concentration.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the overall interior configuration of a cup-type beverage vending machine equipped with an in-cup raw material stirring device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figs. 2, 3, and 4 show the drive mechanism of the injection nozzle and FIG. 5 is a time chart of the raw material stirring process. 2...Product take-out port, 3...In-machine cup conveyance mechanism, 4...Cup supply device, 5...Powder raw material, 6
...Canister for powder raw material, 8...Injection nozzle,
9...Ice maker, 10...Ice shooter, 11...Hot water tank, 12...Hot water supply line, 13...Water reservoir, 14...Water supply line, 21...Nozzle drive mechanism, 22...Cup, 26... ...Ice, A...Hot water jet, B...Cold water jet.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a cup-type beverage vending machine that dispenses cold beverages by directly supplying hot water, water, and ice into a cup containing powdered raw materials, hot water and cold water are placed oppositely above the cup at the raw material stirring position. an injection nozzle connected to a pressure supply line, an ice shooter connected to an ice maker, and a nozzle driving means for moving the injection nozzle so as to change the injection point of hot water to the powdered raw material deposited at the inner bottom of the cup. The process includes a step of stirring and dissolving the powder raw material by moving and operating the spray nozzle using a nozzle driving means and jetting hot water into the cup through the spray nozzle to stir and melt the powder raw material into the cup, into which the powder raw material has been introduced. A method for stirring raw materials in a cup of a cup-type beverage vending machine, which is characterized in that a cold beverage is prepared through a process of pouring ice into the cup and a process of jetting diluted cold water into the cup through a spray nozzle.