JPH0632126B2 - vending machine - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a vending machine having an improved cleaning action.

(Prior Art) A vending machine has a mechanism for preparing a beverage liquid. As this mechanism, for example, a mixing ball provided with an agitator inside is provided, and hot water and raw materials are put into the mixing ball. There is one that makes a beverage by stirring with a stirrer.

In such a vending machine, the inside of the mixing ball is cleaned from the viewpoint of food hygiene. This cleaning technique is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 62-105586, in which the total number of sales when starting cleaning is set in advance, and when the total number of sales reaches the set number, a cleaning command is issued. Hot water is supplied into the mixing ball and the stirring tool is operated to perform cleaning.

The hot water used for this cleaning is discharged from the mixing ball and sent to the drain bucket provided in the vending machine.

From the viewpoint of food hygiene, it is better to carry out such washing as much as possible, but if washing is done too much, the drainage bucket will soon become full of drainage water, and the drink liquid will be sold each time. It must be stopped and the wastewater treated or maintained frequently.

Therefore, in order to reduce the number of times of maintenance, cleaning is performed within a limited time to reduce the amount of hot water used for cleaning.

However, such cleaning may cause the raw material to adhere and remain in the mixing ball.

That is, the stirring tool is arranged so as to face the discharge port formed on the bottom surface of the mixing ball and be adjacent to the discharge port. That is, the gap between the stirring tool and the discharge port of the mixing ball is formed narrow.

With such a structure, the beverage liquid remains due to the surface tension in the gap between the stirring tool and the discharge port of the mixing ball, and the remaining beverage liquid becomes dry and adheres with the passage of time.

Then, the sticking of the beverage liquid acts as a resistance against the rotation of the stirring tool, and the stirring tool rotates at a rotation speed smaller than a predetermined rotation speed. As a result, the brake force is applied at the start of rotation of the stirring tool during cleaning, and the cleaning force is weakened.

In other words, during cleaning, the hot water creates a vortex due to the rotation of the stirring tool,
The water level rises on the inner wall side of the mixing ball,
As a result, the inner wall of the mixing ball is washed, but unless the agitator rotates at a predetermined number of rotations, the water level on the inner wall side of the mixing ball does not rise and the cleaning power on the inner wall of the mixing ball becomes weak.

Therefore, in order to obtain the same cleaning as when the water level rises in such a state where the water level does not rise, the amount of hot water supplied to the mixing ball at the time of washing must be increased.

If this happens, the drainage bucket will soon become full of water due to the washing, and the sale of the beverage must be stopped and maintenance must be performed frequently each time.

(Problems to be solved by the invention) As described above, the beverage liquid adhered to the gap between the agitator and the discharge port of the mixing ball reduces the rotation speed of the agitator in the cleaning and weakens the cleaning power. When the amount of hot water used for washing is increased to prevent it, the drainage bucket immediately becomes full of drainage water, and the drink liquid must be stopped and maintenance must be performed frequently each time.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic vending machine capable of maintaining the cleaning effect without increasing the number of times of cleaning and further minimizing the amount of hot water used during cleaning.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention is directed to the impeller plate of an agitator, which is opposed to and adjacent to a discharge port formed on the bottom surface of a mixing ball, and has hot water inside the mixing ball. In addition, in an automatic vending machine in which the ingredients are charged and mixed to make a beverage, and hot water is supplied into the mixing ball and the stirring tool is rotated to wash the inside of the mixing ball, the stirring tool is driven via a drive shaft. In order to achieve the above object, there is provided a motor connected in parallel, an agitator driving unit for driving the motor, and an idle operation control means for sending an idle operation signal to the agitator driving unit prior to the cleaning operation. It is a vending machine that does.

(Operation) With the provision of such means, for example, the inside of the mixing ball is cleaned after performing the operation of creating the beverage liquid a predetermined number of times or at every predetermined cleaning cycle. The idling operation control means sends an idling operation signal to the agitator driving unit, whereby the motor is driven and the agitator connected thereto is idly operated.

By this idle operation, the adhered substance of the beverage liquid in the gap between the discharge port of the mixing ball and the stirring tool is removed, and the stirring tool is rotated at a predetermined number of rotations at the time of cleaning to clean the inside of the mixing ball.

As a result, the cleaning effect can be maintained without increasing the number of times of cleaning, and the amount of hot water used during cleaning can be minimized.

(Example) Hereinafter, one example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a vending machine. A discharge port 2 is formed on the bottom surface of the mixing ball 1, and an agitator 3 is provided inside the mixing ball 1 so as to face the discharge port 2.

The stirring tool 3 includes a drive shaft 5 that rotates in conjunction with a motor 4.
, And the lower end is rotatably supported via a support shaft 6.

Above the mixing ball 1, a raw material container 7 containing a powder raw material and a hot water tank 8 for boiling and storing hot water are stored.
Is provided. And, on the inner bottom of the raw material container 7,
A discharge coil 10 that rotates in association with a motor 9 is provided. By rotation of the discharge coil 10, a predetermined amount of the raw material container 7 and a predetermined amount of powder raw material are discharged into the mixing ball 1 through the chute 11, and the hot water tank 8 is also electromagnetized. A valve 12 is provided, and when the electromagnetic valve 12 is opened and closed, a predetermined amount of hot water in the hot water tie 8 is discharged into the mixing ball 1 through the pouring pipe 13.

The agitator 3 is composed of an impeller 16 having a plurality of impellers 15 ... Radially provided and a disc 17 integrally provided at the upper end of the impeller 16, and the lower end surface of the impeller 16 is Adjacent to and facing the outlet 2.

The disk 17 is arranged concentrically with the impeller 16 and has a larger diameter than the impeller 16. Further, through holes 18 are formed substantially vertically from the upper surface of the disk 17 to the space between the blade plates 15 of the impeller 16.

20 is a draining plate attached to the upper end of the drive shaft 5, 21 is a discharge pipe connected to the discharge port 2, and a discharge pipe 22 is led out from this discharge pipe 21.

On the other hand, the structure of the control system is as follows.

The microcomputer 30 includes a selection switch group 31, a coin device 32, a hot water supply control unit 33, a raw material feeding drive unit 34, an agitator drive unit 35, a cup unloading device 36,
A full water sensor 37 and a timer 38 are connected.

The selection switch group 31 is provided with respective switches for selecting a beverage liquid, such as instant coffee, regular coffee, sugar-containing, cream-containing, and the like, and the coin device 32 receives coins and then selects the type of coin. It has a mechanism for sorting out and discharging change.

The hot water supply control unit 33 has a function of controlling the opening / closing of the solenoid valve 12 in response to a command from the microcomputer 30, and the raw material feeding drive unit 34 drives the motor 9 in response to a command from the microcomputer 30. Then, it has a function of charging a predetermined amount of powder raw material into the mixing ball 1.

The stirring tool drive unit 35 has a function of driving the motor 4 in response to a command from the microcomputer 30 and rotating the stirring tool 3.

Further, the cup carry-out device 36 is for arranging a cup at a lower portion of a beverage liquid outlet (not shown), that is, a sales outlet, and a full water sensor 37 detects a water level in an outlet bucket for storing hot water discharged during washing. It is a thing.

When the coin insertion signal is input from the coin device 32 and the selection signal is input from the selection switch group 31, the microcomputer 30 inputs the hot water supply control unit 33, the raw material feeding drive unit 34, the stirring tool drive unit 35, and the cup unloading. Each of the devices 36 has a sales operation function of sending an operation command to create a beverage, and a function of performing cleaning at preset intervals. This cleaning is performed by the hot water supply control unit 33 and This is performed by sending a command to each agitator driving unit 35.

Further, the microcomputer 30 has a function as an idle operation control means for making the agitator 3 idle before the cleaning operation.

Specifically, the microcomputer 30 operates the agitator driving unit 35 to idle the agitator 3 for a certain period after the drink liquid is sold by the sale operation function and after a predetermined period elapses, for example, before the raw material is fixed. The operation signal is sent out.

If the selling operation function operates again after the sale of the beverage liquid and before the elapse of the predetermined time T, the agitator driving unit 35 is emptied after the elapse of the predetermined period T from the end of the operation of the later sales operation function. A driving signal is sent out.

Next, the operation of the vending machine configured as described above will be described.

When a coin is inserted into the coin device 32 and the switches of the selection switch group 32 are operated together with it, the microcomputer 30 causes the hot water supply control unit 33, the raw material feeding drive unit 34, and the stirring tool drive unit 35 to operate. The command is transmitted and the command is transmitted to the cup unloading device 36.

As a result, the electromagnetic valve 12 is opened and the hot water is poured into the mixing ball 1, the motor 9 is driven and the powder raw material is charged into the mixing ball 1, and the stirring tool 3 is rotated by the rotation of the motor 4. By this rotation, the hot water and the powder raw material are mixed to form a beverage.

At the same time, the cup unloading device 36 places the cup at the selling port.

When the beverage liquid is prepared in this way, the rotation of the stirring tool 3 is stopped, and the beverage liquid is sequentially discharged from the discharge port 2 and supplied to the cup of the selling port.

On the other hand, the microcomputer 30 receives a signal from the timer 38 from the end of the sale and monitors the elapse of the predetermined period T.

Then, as shown in FIG. 2, when the predetermined period T elapses, the microcomputer 30 sends an idle operation signal to the agitator driving unit 35. With this, the stirring tool 3
Is run idle without hot water and powdered material.

At this time, if the drink liquid is attached between the agitator 3 and the agitator 3 and the mixing ball 1, the drink liquid is scattered by the rotation of the agitator 3. Then, when the beverage liquid is sold again, the idle operation of the stirring tool 3 is performed in the same manner as above when a predetermined period T has elapsed since the end of the selling operation.

Then, at the time of the cleaning operation, the microcomputer 30 sends a command to the hot water supply control unit 33 and the stirring tool drive unit 35, respectively.

By the way, in this case, when the stirring tool 3 is idle, for example, the beverage liquid adhering to the gap between the impeller plate 16 of the stirring tool 3 and the discharge port 2 of the mixing ball 1 scatters.
The stirring tool 3 rotates at a predetermined rotation speed. By the rotation of the agitator 3, the hot water generates a vortex and the hot water level on the inner wall side of the mixing ball 1 rises, whereby the inner wall of the mixing ball 1 is washed.

Therefore, even if the adhered beverage liquid scatters, the inner wall side of the mixing ball 1 can be washed with hot water whose water level has risen in the mixing ball 1, and the adhered beverage liquid can also be washed with it.

Further, since the hot water level rises and is washed on the inner wall side of the mixing ball 1 during the washing by the rotation of the agitator 3, the inner wall of the mixing ball 1 is washed with the minimum required amount of hot water during this washing. be able to. If the agitator 3 does not rotate at a predetermined number of revolutions, the amount of hot water must be increased without raising the water level as described above.

As described above, in the above-described embodiment, the stirring tool 3 is operated after the predetermined period T has elapsed from the selling operation of the beverage liquid and prior to the cleaning operation.
Since it is made to idle, the stirring tool 3 and the beverage liquid adhering between the stirring tool 3 and the mixing ball 1 can be eliminated before sticking.

In this way, since the adhering beverage liquid can be removed by the idle operation, the agitator 3 can rotate at a predetermined number of revolutions to raise the water level on the inner wall side of the mixing ball and maintain the cleaning effect on the inner wall of the mixing ball. it can.

In addition, since the agitator 3 rotates at a predetermined number of revolutions, the amount of hot water used during the washing operation can be the minimum amount of hot water for washing.

Therefore, it is possible to extend the period until the drainage bucket is filled with the drainage water for cleaning, and stop the sale of the beverage liquid to reduce the number of wastewater treatments, that is, maintenance.

Hereinafter, another embodiment in which the agitator 3 is run idle will be described. In this case, the structure of the vending machine is the same as that shown in FIG. 1, and the timing of sending the idling operation signal to the stirring tool drive unit 35 in the microcomputer 30 is different.

First, when the cleaning cycle is set as shown in the operation timing chart of FIG. 3, the idle operation of the stirring tool 3 may be performed before the predetermined period Q during the cleaning operation. Thus, even when the idle operation of the agitator 3 is set, the amount of hot water used during cleaning can be minimized.

Further, even if the stirrer 3 is idled, for example, three times and then washed, the same effect as described above can be obtained.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, a full water sensor 37 may be arranged in the drainage bucket 40 to detect that the drainage bucket 40 is full and to make the agitator 3 idle.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, a temperature detector 41 is provided below the mixing ball 1, and a standby time timer 42 that sends a timer signal when a predetermined period elapses after the timer is operated after the end of the sales operation. The signals output from the temperature detector 41 and the standby time timer 42 may be sent to the microcomputer 30 through the OR gate 43.

With such a configuration, it is possible to operate the agitator 3 from when the temperature of the mixing ball 1 reaches a temperature on the verge of sticking of the drinking liquid and when a predetermined time has elapsed after the end of the selling operation. Become.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned one embodiment, and may be modified within the scope of the invention.

[Effects of the Invention] As described in detail above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vending machine which can maintain the cleaning effect without increasing the number of cleanings and can minimize the amount of hot water used during cleaning. .

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an automatic vending machine according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an operation timing diagram of the same vending machine, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing another idle operation timing, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a modified example. 1 ... Mixing ball, 3 ... Stirrer, 4 ... Motor, 5 ... Drive shaft, 7 ... Raw material container, 8 ... Hot water tank, 30 ... Microcomputer, 31 ... Selection switch, 32 ... Coin device, 33 ... Hot water supply control unit, 34 ... Raw material feeding drive unit, 35 ... Stirring tool drive unit, 36 ... Cup unloading device, 37 ... Full water sensor, 3
8 ... Timer, 40 ... Drainage bucket, 41 ... Temperature detector, 42 ... Standby timer, 43 ... OR gate.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An impeller plate of an agitator is arranged facing and adjacent to a discharge port formed on the bottom surface of a mixing ball, and hot water and raw materials are put into the mixing ball and mixed to prepare a beverage liquid. In the vending machine for supplying hot water into the mixing ball and rotating the stirring tool to wash the inside of the mixing ball, a motor connected to the stirring tool via a drive shaft, An automatic vending machine, comprising: an agitator driving unit that drives the agitator, and an idle operation control unit that sends an idle operation signal to the agitator driver prior to the cleaning operation.