HK1114316A - Method and apparatus for optimizing variable liquid temperatures - Google Patents

Description

Method and apparatus for optimizing variable liquid temperatures

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to on-demand heating of liquids. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods and apparatus related to on-demand heating for beverage dispensing, wherein such heating is dynamically variable.

Background

Within the self-service vending machine industry, there are many machines that prepare hot mixes. A variety of beverages and soups are often repeatedly prepared from the same machine using a single serving package. Each supply package is typically in the form of a capsule containing a measured amount of dry substance. One such capsule is shown in international publication No. WO 03/059778 a2, published by Denisart et al on 24/7/2003.

When a liquid, usually hot water, is introduced into the contents of the capsule, a food liquid, such as a beverage or soup, is formed. Different food liquids have different requirements to produce an optimal drinking experience for a given food liquid. Such requirements include crema/foam volume, texture and temperature in the cup. In addition, the temperature inside the cup is related to the foam volume and texture.

Existing liquid heating techniques often used in such self-service vending machines are typically only capable of delivering hot liquid at a fixed temperature for all products. Most commonly, the heated liquid is filtered or unfiltered water drawn from a public water main (mains), but may also include water drawn from a private water source, such as a well or mini-tank. Heating the water to a fixed temperature for all products limits the possibility to prepare different beverages, each with optimal quality. In addition, such self-service vending machines cool down during idle periods. Thus, the first dispensing of the beverage prepared after the machine has been idle for a period of time will deliver a beverage with a significant drop in temperature in the cup, or the machine will require a long warm-up time for the water to reach the desired in-cup temperature, due to heat losses of the mixing device itself.

On-demand or instant heaters are known for use in beverage systems. Such on-demand or instant heaters are generally defined as heating assemblies capable of providing an accurate water temperature without a warm-up time. Such heaters typically include a series of heating elements such as resistors or cartridges (e.g., Calrods ®), wherein an initial heating element is controlled to heat the water to within a preset temperature range below a desired final preset temperature, and a second heating element is controlled to adjust or trim the water from the first preset temperature to the final preset temperature. There are also other types of instant heaters that are not based on Calrods ® or ceramic insulation type heating elements but are based on thick film technology. Such a heater may be formed from a hollow annular member having a thick film type resistor printed thereon as shown in U.S. patent 6459854 to yoakiim et al, 10/1/2002, or international publication No. WO 2004/006742 to Boussemart et al, published 1/22/2004.

It is therefore desirable to provide a system for dispensing food liquids that overcomes the difficulties associated with existing self-service vending machines. It would be desirable to provide an improved beverage dispensing system that would benefit from incorporating an on-demand heater capable of delivering hot liquid/water at any temperature and desirably dynamically changing such temperature. There is a need for an improved beverage dispensing system optimized for delivering improved crema/foam and in-cup temperature in terms of efficient dissolution of powder/liquid, generation of foam within the capsule and compensation for heat loss during beverage flow into the cup.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate at least one disadvantage of previous brewing machines.

In a first aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for optimizing variable liquid temperatures within a beverage machine, the apparatus comprising: a heating unit for heating the liquid flowing therethrough; a power source for activating the heating unit; an electronic controller for variably controlling the flow of the liquid through the heating unit and/or the input power provided to the heating unit by the power supply; feedback means for providing sensed data to the electronic controller; and wherein said flow rate and/or said input power is varied by said electronic controller in response to said sensed data according to a curve representing a predetermined heating level and/or at a predetermined flow rate.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides a method for optimizing variable liquid temperatures within a beverage machine, the method comprising: initiating a profile associated with a predetermined beverage type, the profile comprising a series of target temperatures and/or target flow rates; obtaining a temperature of the heated liquid heated by the heating unit; optionally obtaining a flow rate of said heated liquid; and correcting the temperature and/or the flow rate over a period of time according to the profile.

In a third aspect, the present invention provides a profile for optimizing the characteristics of a soluble component by variable liquid temperature within a beverage machine, the profile comprising: a first temperature for increasing dissolution of the soluble component to form a beverage product; and a second temperature for brewing the beverage product via the soluble component, the second temperature being lower than the first temperature.

In a fourth aspect, the present invention provides a profile for optimizing the characteristics of a soluble component by variable liquid temperature within a beverage machine, the profile comprising: a first temperature for increasing dissolution of the soluble component to form a beverage product; a second temperature for brewing the beverage product via the soluble component, the second temperature being lower than the first temperature; a third temperature for increasing a desired characteristic of the beverage product, the third temperature being higher than the second temperature; and a fourth temperature for evacuating substantially all of the residue of the soluble component, the fourth temperature being higher than the third temperature.

In a fifth aspect, the present invention provides a profile contained in an electronic memory and used to optimize the characteristics of a soluble component by variable liquid temperature within a beverage machine, the profile comprising: a first temperature for increasing dissolution of the soluble component to form a beverage product; a second temperature for brewing the beverage product via the soluble component, the second temperature being lower than the first temperature; a third temperature for increasing a desired characteristic of the beverage product, the third temperature being higher than the second temperature; and a fourth temperature for evacuating substantially all of the residue of the soluble component, the fourth temperature being higher than the third temperature.

In a sixth aspect, the present invention provides a profile contained in an electronic memory and used to optimize the characteristics of a soluble component by variable liquid temperature within a beverage machine, the profile comprising: a first temperature for increasing dissolution of the soluble component to form a beverage product; and a second temperature for brewing the beverage product via the soluble component, the second temperature being lower than the first temperature.

Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures.

Drawings

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a general schematic view of a heating device according to the present invention together with a brewing unit and a dispensing cup;

figure 2A is a heating profile for a first type of beverage dispensed according to the present invention;

FIG. 2B is a heating profile for a second type of beverage dispensed in accordance with the present invention; and

figure 2C is a heating profile for a third type of beverage dispensed according to the present invention.

Detailed Description

In general, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for dynamically delivering variable liquid temperatures in response to criteria including at least heat loss at start-up, power supply fluctuations, beverage selection and brewing characteristics. The invention will therefore result in improved quality and consumer appeal of the dispensed product.

Referring to fig. 1, a heating device 100 for dispensing variable liquid temperatures is shown along with a brewing unit 200 and a dispensing cup 300. It should be understood that the brewing unit 200 may be any type of self-service vending machine that dispenses soup, coffee, tea, hot cocoa, or any similar hot food liquid. For the sake of illustration, the heating device 100 is shown separate from the brewing unit 200, but it is also within the intended scope of the invention for the heating device to be integral with the brewing unit. It is also evident that interchangeability between brewing units of different manufacturers is enhanced if the heating device 100 is self-contained and separate from the brewing unit 200, whereas cost efficiency and compactness are increased if the heating device 100 and the brewing unit 200 are integrated. It should also be understood that the dispensing cup 300 may be any container that can be used to hold the hot food liquid being dispensed. Accordingly, such a dispensing cup 300 may be reusable, disposable, ceramic, metallic, paper, plastic, or any combination. Such a dispensing cup 300 may be provided by a user or by a container dispenser forming part of an overall self-service vending machine incorporating the present invention. Accordingly, details relating to the brewing unit 200 and the dispensing cup 300 will not be described in detail, as they may vary depending on the given use and application of the associated self-service vending machine. Such implementation details are also within the (knowledge) of the person skilled in the art, and therefore the following description will mainly refer to the heating device 100 and the associated method for optimizing variable liquid temperatures.

With further reference to the heating device 100 as shown in fig. 1, the device is provided with a water tank 110. The water tank 110 is supplied via any known means such as, but not limited to, a private water source (e.g., water chiller) or a municipal tap water system (not shown). The water tank 110 serves as an off-the-shelf supply of cold water that is drawn into the heating unit 160 via the water pump 120. The water pump 120 is powered by a pump power supply 130 controlled via an electronic controller 140. The electronic controller 140 also controls the heating unit 160. There is a feedback control loop between the electronic controller 140 and the water flow meter 150 and temperature sensor 180. The water flow meter 150 is located between the water pump 120 and the heating unit 160. The temperature sensor 180 is located between the heating unit 160 and the brewing unit 200. The brewing unit 200 is used to generate food liquid from hot water provided from the heating device 100 and thereby dispense the food liquid into a cup 300 or similar container in a manner well known to those skilled in the art of self-service vending machines.

The electronic controller 140 is a central feature of the apparatus and method of the present invention. As described above, water flow and temperature are two criteria that are detected and fed back to the electronic controller 140 in order to maintain the proper temperature and water flow. It is recognized that the appropriate temperature(s) and water flow(s) will vary for a particular food liquid being produced. For example, one particular food liquid requires slow brewing at a lower temperature, while a different food liquid requires fast brewing at a higher temperature. This is evident even in the various coffee powders.

As explained above in the background section, prior art heating devices are designed to provide a single temperature without regard to different food liquids or other variables that may affect heating. Rather, the present invention is able to take into account several variables to provide an optimized variable liquid temperature. The cappuccino (cappuccino) preparation according to the present invention can increase the foam volume by 15-25% on average and produce foam with finer bubbles and lighter color compared to the conventional normal temperature preparation. Espresso brewing according to the present invention may result in an increase of 20-30% in average foam volume and an increase in (milk content) creme compared to conventional ambient brewing. Furthermore, the hot chocolate brewing according to the present invention minimizes the residue remaining in the capsule after use, as compared to conventional ambient brewing.

Variables relating to self-service vending machines may include the amount of usage such machines are subjected to and the time period between dispenses. These variables are directly equivalent to the temperature rise of the internal components (inner-workings) of the modulation unit 200. For example, if a given brewing unit 200 is used frequently in the morning for 30 minutes, it is clear that the first use occurs when the brewing unit is in a low temperature state, so that the physical internal components of the brewing unit 200 will absorb heat. After brewing the last cup at the end of thirty minutes, it is evident that the brewing unit 200 is in a hot state, so that the physical internal components of the brewing unit 200 are thermally saturated. Such thermal fluctuations have been found to directly affect the quality of the brewed product. In addition, some types of brewing units 200 may more readily absorb and retain heat transferred from the hot water flowing therethrough, while other types of brewing units may be more diathermal such that the temperature and flow of hot water flowing therethrough is substantially constant.

Other variables also exist including power factors based on the time of day. In fact, it is readily understood that the supply voltage obtained from a wall outlet will vary according to the time of day. Such changes are often caused by load demands on the grid based on usage. During the morning hours before corporate employees begin their workday, computers, printers, and photocopiers have not been working at their maximum load. However, this load demand will increase later in the morning. These (load) demand fluctuations can affect certain electrical devices including devices such as resistance heaters, for example those used in self-service vending machines. The heat capacity of a typical resistance heater decreases when the power supply from the outlet decreases in terms of ready available voltage. Therefore, the thermal capacity provided to a typical brewing type of self-service vending machine varies according to the time of day.

The heating unit 160 is an on-demand heater that is activated via the electronic controller 140 and related feedback to deliver hot liquid/water at any temperature to the brewing unit 200. The temperature of the hot liquid/water can be dynamically adjusted and optimized for preparing the optimal crema/foam and temperature inside the cup. Optimization of the water temperature is achieved for effective dissolution of the powder/liquid, generation of foam within the capsule and compensation of any heat loss during beverage preparation and beverage flow into the cup. Thus, heating unit 160 may dynamically deliver heated liquid at any preset temperature. Furthermore, the entire heating device 100 of the present invention may take into account and compensate for variations in the supply voltage, the liquid flow rate caused by capsule differences, possible heat losses caused by the machine, the type of brewing unit included, and the type of food liquid being brewed.

As described above, the use of the electronic controller 140 not only enables a feedback loop to monitor and maintain a desired flow rate and temperature, but also allows for predetermined changes in flow rate and temperature. The electronic controller 140 of the present invention includes programmable circuitry that controls water flow and temperature. Such circuitry may be in the form of a computer chip (i.e., an integrated circuit or IC) having read-only or read-write electronic memory (not shown), as is well known in the controller art. The IC programs a specific profile into the electronic memory. Each profile includes pre-established heating specifications for a given type of food liquid being brewed, as described in further detail below. The profile may also be adjusted by the electronic controller 140 according to the type of brewing unit 200 accompanying the heating device 100. The curve can be further adapted according to the time of day or directly detected voltage fluctuations of the supply voltage of the heating device 100, in which case an additional voltage sensor (not shown) will be provided in the heating device.

The curves stored by the programmable circuitry of the electronic controller 140 will now be described. For optimal foaming results, the heating device 100 delivers hot water at a higher temperature at the beginning of the brewing process. This ensures that all powder material within the capsule dissolves as quickly as possible. Thereafter, the heating device 100 delivers hot water at a lower temperature to generate a thicker and stable foam within the cup 300. The difference between the high and low temperatures is controlled by the electronic controller 140 so that the in-cup temperature of the final beverage is optimal (e.g., the desired and drinkable temperature) for the beverage consumer.

For example, for cappuccino beverages, the capsule contains a mixture of instant coffee powder and milk powder. Water is injected into the capsule at high temperature to dissolve the powder and create a beverage liquid and a quantity of foam. A profile for brewing such a cappuccino beverage is shown in fig. 2A. The temperature of the hot water will first be preset to 90 ℃ so that the powder inside the capsule dissolves quickly and compensates for heat losses. The 90 ℃ water flow will continue until 50ml of water have been treated. Then, the water temperature was lowered to 75 ℃ for conditioning until another 50ml of water was treated. Followed by brewing at an elevated temperature of 85 c to form a foam until another 50ml of water has been treated. The water is then heated to a temperature higher than 85 ℃ in order to expel the remaining product from the capsule. The preferred discharge temperature is in the range of 85 ℃ to 95 ℃, which is selected so as not to destroy the foam produced.

The same principle can be used to prepare other beverages, including espresso, with optimal taste quality, foam quality and volume. Figure 2B shows a plot of a suitable brewed espresso beverage. In this case, the temperature of the hot water is first preset to 85 ℃. The water flow at 85 ℃ was continued until 25ml of water had been treated. The water temperature was then lowered to 70 ℃ to brew a finely ground espresso material until another 25ml of water had been treated. The temperature was then raised to 80 ℃ to produce crema until another 25ml of water had been treated. Similar to the cappuccino profile, the water is then heated to a temperature above 80 ℃ in order to expel the remaining product from the capsule. The preferred exit temperature of espresso coffee is in the range of 80 to 85 c, which is chosen so as not to destroy the crema produced.

In addition, figure 2C shows a profile for the best extraction results of leaf tea capsules. This profile raises the initial water temperature to 95 c for the initial extraction as the leaf tea absorbs heat. The temperature of the hot liquid is then reduced to 90 c so that too much of the undesirable material is not extracted from the leaf tea to obtain a better tasting beverage. This example of tea dispensing shows that the heating device 100 delivers first 95 deg.c hot water and then 90 deg.c hot water in a set volume.

While three specific examples of profiles for a particular beverage are shown and described above with reference to fig. 2A-2C, it can be readily seen that other beverages can utilize different, unique profiles. Such different curves may be used without departing from the intended scope of the invention.

As can be appreciated from the description of the curves, the heating device 100 may include a thermal function that follows a predetermined program based on the request made by the particular brewing unit beverage type button. However, as described above, the profile itself may be further modified (i.e., optimized) to compensate for time of day, type of brewing unit, usage pattern, or any other variable that may alter the operation or heating characteristics of the heating unit 160. In particular, it should be understood that the above-indicated temperature values are merely examples of dispensing temperatures for the above-described products. These examples should not limit the parameters of these or other products as they may vary depending on a given application. For example, the expected serving temperature for any given beverage (e.g., hot cocoa) in a commercial establishment open to the general public may be different than the expected serving temperature of the same beverage in an elementary school restaurant.

In operation of the present invention, the electronic controller 140 initiates a set of routines to control the hot water temperature according to the product being prepared. This may occur via user input dependent on, for example, which button is pressed on the overall self-service vending machine incorporating the present invention. Alternatively, this may occur via an automatic detection mechanism, wherein the integrated self-service vending machine incorporating the present invention detects which product is used for beverage brewing based on physical, chemical, or electronic sensing. The temperature sensor 180 measures the hot water temperature and sends a signal back to the electronic controller 140. The water flow meter 150 sends a signal to the electronic controller 140 and the electronic controller 140 compares the hot water temperature to the target temperature. The target temperature will of course vary according to the hot water temperature profile for a given beverage. The electronic controller 140 calculates any temperature corrections required based on the water flow and the sensed hot water temperature. The electronic controller 140 may also calculate any temperature corrections that are needed based on the time of day, the type of modulation unit, the detected voltage fluctuations, etc. It should be readily appreciated that other detection devices and additional related feedback loops to the electronic controller 140 may therefore be required. The electronic controller 140 then sends control signals to the heater power supply 170 to instruct the heating unit 160 to increase/decrease the heat energy and/or controls the pump power supply to increase/decrease the water flow to bring the hot water to the target temperature. This control cycle repeats itself several times per second in succession, so as to cause the delivered hot water to follow any preset temperature profile.

As mentioned above, the brewing or dissolution principle of the capsule in the beverage dispenser may involve many variations depending on different capsules and different brewing units. The present invention is suitable for preparing beverages via a brewing unit of the type shown in international publication number WO 02/076270 published by Majer Doglioni on 10.3.2002. Such brewing unit comprises a collecting device with a seat designed to contain the capsule, wherein the piston enters an opening at the bottom of the capsule; water is injected through the top of the capsule, which dissolves the powder inside the capsule and then releases the beverage in a laminar flow between the piston surface and the opening edge. Other brewing units may benefit from the use of the present invention, such as the Nespresso ® capsule system described in European patent No. EP 0512470B1 issued to Olivier et al, 4/24 th 1996, the multi-beverage capsule system described in WO2003/059778, or even a typical powdered beverage dispenser with a conventional tank, dosing means and mixing tank. The use of the present invention in combination with such brewing units results in an advantageous intelligent hot beverage system capable of delivering hot beverages with varying temperatures, which can be self-optimized to deliver hot liquid for best powder reconstitution, dissolution, foaming (or non-foaming) results, taking into account the variations in voltage, flow rate and heat loss within a given self-service vending machine.

The above-described embodiments of the present invention are intended to be examples only. Alterations, modifications and variations may be effected to the particular embodiments by those of skill in the art without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined solely by the claims appended hereto.

Claims (31)

1. An apparatus for optimizing variable liquid temperatures within a beverage machine, the apparatus comprising:

a heating unit for heating the liquid flowing therethrough;

a power source for activating the heating unit;

an electronic controller for variably controlling the input power provided by the power supply to the heating unit;

feedback means for providing sensed data to the electronic controller; and is

Wherein the input power is varied by the electronic controller in response to the detection data according to a curve representing a predetermined heating level.

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein said curves are selectable from a set of different curves, wherein each of said different curves relates to a beverage type.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the beverage type is selected by a user of the beverage machine to thereby determine the profile used by the electronic controller.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the beverage type is determined by the beverage machine to thereby determine the profile used by the electronic controller.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the detection data includes a time of day.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the detection data further comprises a time from a last modulation.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the detection data comprises a fluctuation of a voltage of the power supply.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said electronic controller further variably controls a flow rate of said liquid through said heating unit, wherein said flow rate is further varied by said electronic controller in response to said detection data according to said profile representative of said predetermined level of heating at a predetermined flow rate.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the feedback means comprises:

a flow meter for providing flow feedback data related to the flow of said liquid through said heating unit, and

a temperature sensor for providing temperature feedback data relating to a heating temperature of the liquid flowing from the heating unit.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said feedback means comprises a temperature sensor for providing temperature feedback data related to the heating temperature of said liquid flowing from said heating unit.

11. A method for optimizing variable liquid temperatures within a beverage machine, the method comprising:

initiating a profile associated with a predetermined beverage type, the profile comprising a series of target temperatures;

obtaining a temperature of the heated liquid heated by the heating unit; and

the temperature is corrected over a period of time according to the curve.

12. Method according to claim 11, wherein the step of initiating is performed by a user of the beverage machine and the curve is stored by an electronic controller.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said electronic controller performs said correcting step.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said modifying step further comprises the step of optimizing said temperature in response to fluctuations in a supply voltage to said heating unit.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein said modifying step further comprises the step of optimizing said temperature in response to a determination of a time of day and a time since last modulation.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein said modifying step further comprises the step of optimizing said temperature in response to a determination of a time of day and a time since last modulation.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein said modifying step further comprises the step of optimizing said temperature in response to a determination of a type of modulating machine.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the profile further comprises a series of target flow rates, and the method further comprises:

obtaining a flow rate of said heated liquid, an

The step of modifying includes modifying the flow rate over a period of time according to the profile.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said modifying step further comprises the step of optimizing said temperature and said flow rate in response to fluctuations in a supply voltage to said heating unit.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein said modifying step further comprises the step of optimizing said temperature and said flow rate in response to a time of day and a determination of a time since a last modulation.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein said modifying step further comprises the step of optimizing said temperature and said flow rate in response to a time of day and a determination of a time since a last modulation.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein said modifying step further comprises the step of optimizing said temperature and said flow rate in response to a determination of a modulation machine type.

23. A profile contained in an electronic memory and used to optimize the characteristics of a soluble component through variable liquid temperatures within a beverage machine, the profile comprising:

a first temperature for increasing dissolution of the soluble component to form a beverage product;

a second temperature for brewing the beverage product via the soluble component, the second temperature being lower than the first temperature;

a third temperature for increasing a desired characteristic of the beverage product, the third temperature being higher than the second temperature; and

a fourth temperature for evacuating substantially all residue of the soluble component, the fourth temperature being higher than the third temperature.

24. The profile of claim 23, wherein the first, second, and third temperatures each occur during a predetermined liquid flow rate.

25. The curve of claim 24 wherein the first temperature is 90 ℃, the second temperature is 75 ℃, the third temperature is 85 ℃, and the predetermined liquid flow rate occurring at each temperature is 50 ml.

26. Curve according to claim 25, characterized in that the beverage product is a cappuccino beverage and the desired property is the foam generation of the cappuccino beverage.

27. The curve of claim 24 wherein the first temperature is 85 ℃, the second temperature is 70 ℃, the third temperature is 80 ℃, and the predetermined liquid flow rate occurring at each temperature is 25 ml.

28. The profile of claim 27, wherein the beverage product is an espresso beverage and the desired characteristic is crema production of the espresso beverage.

29. A profile contained in an electronic memory and used to optimize the characteristics of a soluble component through variable liquid temperatures within a beverage machine, the profile comprising:

a first temperature for increasing dissolution of the soluble component to form a beverage product; and

a second temperature for brewing the beverage product via the soluble component, the second temperature being lower than the first temperature.

30. The profile of claim 29, wherein the first temperature is 95 ℃, the second temperature is 90 ℃, and the first temperature and the second temperature both occur during a predetermined liquid flow rate of 75ml per temperature occurrence.

31. A profile according to claim 30, wherein the beverage product is a leaf tea beverage.