JP2002260088A - Cup vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To put a raw material and a diluent such as hot water or water into a cup, insert an impeller of a stirring mechanism and stir, and then raise the impeller used for stirring the beverage. It is an object of the present invention to provide a cup-type vending machine that can dissolve raw materials and a diluent with a simple configuration and can wash an impeller used for cooking when completing the cooking of a beverage. I do. SOLUTION: A nozzle 71 for supplying a diluting liquid to a cup C via a rotating shaft 62, and a control unit 100 for rotating an impeller 61 when supplying the diluting liquid are provided. When stirring the raw material, the diluent is supplied simultaneously with the rotation of the impeller 61, and after a predetermined time has elapsed, the impeller 61 is inserted into the cup C, and when the impeller 61 is raised, the impeller 61 is By supplying the diluent while rotating, the impeller 6 is rotated via the rotating shaft 62.
Wash 1

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cup-type vending machine in which raw materials and a diluent such as hot water or water are put into a cup, and the cup beverage is sold by stirring with a stirring mechanism. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A cup-type automatic vending machine in which an impeller of a stirring mechanism is inserted into a drink composed of a raw material put into a cup and a diluent such as hot water or water and the resulting mixture is stirred to sell a cup drink. Machines are known. In this type of cup-type vending machine, generally, after cooking of the beverage by the stirring mechanism, the impeller of the stirring mechanism is periodically cleaned to wash away the deposits. This washing of the impeller is necessary for hygiene management, and when successively selling different kinds of beverages, for example, coffee and tea, deposits and aromas of the previously sold beverage remain, and later, It is also necessary to avoid a situation where the taste of the beverage to be sold is reduced.

[0003] As such a cup-type vending machine, for example, one described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 62-1000059 is known. In this cup-type vending machine, the hot water is poured into the cup in a plurality of times, and after the initial filling, the impeller of the stirring mechanism is inserted into the cup and stirred, and then the impeller is placed in the cup. Slightly pull up from the surface of the drinking water, apply hot water to the rotating impeller, and slowly raise the impeller to avoid touching the beverage in the cup as the hot water is poured, thereby completing the cooking of the beverage and I try to wash my car.

[0004]

However, in this cup-type vending machine, after a part of the hot water is poured into the cup, the raw material is charged, and after stirring with the impeller of the stirring mechanism, the remaining hot water is removed. Since the washing is carried out by pouring the beverage in the cup into an impeller slightly floated, there is a problem that the raw material concentration of the beverage can be varied. In addition, since the operation of pouring hot water into the impeller while raising it little by little without touching the beverage in the cup is required, the amount and timing of hot water injection and the timing of raising the impeller are required. Must be appropriately matched, and there is also a problem that setting is troublesome.

[0005] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to introduce the impeller used for stirring the beverage after charging the raw material and a diluent such as hot water or water into the cup, inserting the impeller of the stirring mechanism and stirring. Regarding a cup-type vending machine that raises and cooks beverages,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a cup-type vending machine which has a simple configuration, can surely dissolve a raw material and a diluent, and can wash an impeller used for cooking.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an impeller having a rotary shaft for agitating a beverage comprising a raw material and a diluent supplied to a cup. A cup-type vending machine, comprising: a nozzle for outputting a diluting liquid in a cup so that the diluting liquid hits the rotating shaft; and a control means for outputting the diluting liquid from the nozzle and rotating the rotating shaft. It is a feature.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, when the raw material supplied to the cup is agitated, the control means causes the nozzle to output the diluent at the same time as the rotation of the impeller.
The impeller is inserted into the cup.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, when the control means raises the impeller inserted into the cup and agitated the raw material, the diluent is supplied from the nozzle so as to hit the rotating shaft while rotating the impeller. It is characterized by outputting.

The invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that the control means outputs the diluting liquid from the nozzle so as to hit the impeller while rotating the impeller at the most raised position.

The invention according to claim 5 is characterized in that a cup cover for covering the impeller at the most raised position is provided.

The invention according to claim 6 is characterized in that the inner surface of the cup cover has a dome shape without irregularities.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The cup-type vending machine of the present invention is different from the method in which the beverage is cooked (mixed) in the vending machine, and the cooked beverage in the cup cooked in the vending machine is conveyed to the vending machine to the beverage purchaser. The provided beverage cooking method is employed.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a cooking section for cup beverages as an embodiment of the cup-type vending machine of the present invention. The cooking unit 1 includes a transport mechanism 2 extending in a horizontal direction.
And a cup supply device 3 for supplying a cup C, and a cup C
A canister 4a, 4b, 4c for supplying ingredients such as cream, coffee, and sugar therein; a hot water tank 5 for supplying hot water into the cup C; and a stirring mechanism 6 for stirring (cooking) the ingredients and hot water. And an ice maker 7 for making and storing ice used for cooking iced beverages.

The transport mechanism 2 includes a support frame 22 that extends linearly horizontally in the left-right direction (as compared to FIG. 1), and a drive pulley 23 and a driven pulley 24 that are rotatably supported at both ends of the support frame 22, respectively. A main transport unit 21 including an endless transport belt 25 stretched between the two pulleys, a transport motor 26 for operating the drive pulley 23, and a sub-frame 27 provided in parallel with the support frame 22; Is fixed to the transport belt 25, and the other end is
A support frame 31 provided with a drive pulley 29 and a driven pulley 30 rotatably supported at both ends thereof, an endless transport belt 32 stretched between both pulleys, and a drive pulley A transfer motor 33 for operating the transfer frame 29, a roller 34 provided so that the support frame 31 rolls on the surface of the support frame 22 with the operation of the transfer belt 25, and a roller 34 provided for rolling on the surface of the sub-frame 27 And a roller 35 for holding the cup holding mechanism
8 and a cup holding mechanism 36 fixed to the conveyor belt 32 of the cup holding mechanism conveyor 28.

When the conveyor belt 25 is operated, the roller 34 rolls on the support frame 22 and the roller 35 rolls on the respective sub-frames 27, and the cup holding mechanism conveyor 28 moves in the horizontal direction. Will be moved smoothly. The cup holding mechanism 36 is fixed to a predetermined portion of the conveyor belt 32, and a roller 37 is attached to the fixed portion. When the conveyor belt 32 operates, the rollers 37 roll on the surface of the support frame 31, and the cup holding mechanism 36 is smoothly moved in the front-rear direction (as compared to FIG. 1).
The cup holding mechanism transport unit 28 can be moved in the left and right direction by the action of a transport motor 26 operated by a signal from a control unit (not shown).
The cup holding mechanism 36 fixed to the conveyance belt 32 can also be moved in the front-rear direction by the action of the conveyance motor 33 operated by a signal from the control unit. As a result, the cup holding mechanism 36 can move freely in the front, rear, left, and right directions based on a signal from the control unit.

The cup holding mechanism 36 has a cup receiving table 3 for receiving the cup C supplied from the cup supplying device 3.
8 and a cup gripping arm 39 for gripping the body of the cup C
, And are protruded, and the cup receiver 38 is moved by a cup receiver moving mechanism (not shown) to measure the size (large, medium,
Small) can be moved in the cup height (up and down) direction according to. The cup gripping arm 39 can be opened and closed by an arm opening / closing mechanism (not shown) so that the arm interval can be set according to the size (large, medium, or small) of the cup C.
The cup C received by the cup holder 38 is used to hold the cup C
9 is designed to grip.

The cup supply device 3 accommodates a large number of three types of cups C, large, medium and small, and has a cup unloading device (not shown) at the bottom. On the basis of the sales instruction, a large, medium, or small cup C is unloaded one by one from the cup unloading device from the cup supply device 3 and transferred to the cup holding mechanism 36.

The cream canister 4a, the coffee canister 4b, and the sugar canister 4c store cream, coffee, and sugar as raw materials, respectively, and supply a predetermined amount of each of the raw materials to a cup C by a supply mechanism 41 provided below. To supply. A raw material shooter 42 is provided below each supply mechanism 41, and the raw materials in the canisters 4 a, 4 b, and 4 c are supplied to the cup C conveyed below each raw material shooter 42 by the raw material shooter 42. Supplied via

The hot water tank 5 has a heater (not shown) inside, and supplies hot water to the cup C from above the hot water tank. The hot water supply port 51 has a hot water supply solenoid valve 52 and a hot water supply solenoid valve 52.
And a hot water supply pipe 53 communicating with the hot water supply pipe. When the hot water supply solenoid valve 52 is turned on (opened) by the sales instruction, the hot water supply pipe 5
A predetermined amount of hot water is supplied to the cup C via the control unit 3. The hot water supplied via the hot water supply pipe 53 flows from the impeller 61 into the cup C, and after stirring and mixing the raw material and the diluting liquid, the impeller 61 is washed when the impeller 61 is raised.

The ice maker 7 includes an ice maker 7a for producing ice,
An ice storage section 7b for storing ice produced by the ice making section 7a is provided. The ice stored in the ice storage section 7b is supplied to the cup C from an ice supply guide 72 described later via an ice supply pipe 75.

FIG. 2 shows the stirring mechanism 6 and the cup holding mechanism 36 according to the present invention. The stirring mechanism 6 includes an impeller 61 for stirring and mixing a beverage composed of the raw material and the diluent in the cup C, and an impeller 61. An agitating motor 63 that is driven to rotate, an impeller 61 at the lower end, and an agitating motor 63 attached to the upper end, and a rotating shaft 62 that transmits the rotational force of the agitating motor 63 to the impeller 61.
, A lifting base 64 to which a stirring motor 63 is attached, and a rack 65 provided on the lifting base 64. A plurality of guide shafts 67 for guiding the elevating base 64 up and down are provided in the case 66.
a, and was attached to the case 66.
Rotation speed conversion unit 68a that converts the rotation speed of lifting motor 68
The spur gear 69 attached to the output shaft of the second gear meshes with the rack 65 attached to the lifting base 64. Case 66
The cup cover 70 that covers the opening of the cup C is provided below the
A hot water supply nozzle 71 for supplying hot water from the hot water tank 5 through the hot water supply pipe 53 is provided on the cup cover 70, and the hot water supplied from the hot water supply nozzle 71 flows down along the rotating shaft 62, 61 to the cup C. When raising the impeller 61 after stirring and mixing the raw material and the hot water supplied to the cup C and cooking the beverage, supplying hot water to the rotating shaft 62 while rotating the impeller 61,
The rotating shaft 62 and the impeller 61 are washed with the supplied hot water. Further, an ice supply guide 72 for supplying ice used for cooking an iced beverage to the cup C via an ice supply pipe 75 is provided at an upper portion of the cup cover 70.

When a signal is output from a control unit (not shown), when the spur gear 69 is rotated clockwise (as viewed from the right in FIG. 2) by the control rotation of the elevating motor 68, the rack 65 meshed with the spur gear 69 is rotated. Descends, and the guide shaft 67
Along with the lift base 64, the impeller 61 descends. Further, the spur gear 69 is rotated left (as viewed from the right direction in FIG. 2).
Then, the impeller 61 rises. The impeller 61 is rotated by the control rotation of the stirring motor 63, and stirs and mixes the beverage including the raw material and the diluent in the cup C.

The cup holding mechanism 36 has a cup holder 3 for receiving the cup C supplied from the cup supply device 3.
8 and a cup gripping arm 39 for gripping the cup C received by the cup tray 38. The cup tray 38 is adjusted to the size (large, medium, small) of the cup C by a cup tray moving mechanism (not shown). The moving amount L can be moved in the corresponding cup height (vertical) direction. The cup gripping arm 39 can be opened and closed by an arm opening / closing mechanism (not shown) so that the arm interval can be set according to the size (large, medium, small) of the cup C.
Is held by the cup holding arm 39.

FIG. 3 is a control block diagram of the cup-type vending machine according to the present invention, and is provided on a front panel (not shown) of the cup-type vending machine to select a kind of cup beverage. A button 80, a control unit (control means) 100 that performs control for cooking the cup beverage selected by the beverage selection button 80, a transport mechanism 2 that receives a signal from the control unit 100 and transports the cup C, Similarly, control unit 1
00, a hot water supply solenoid valve 52 for supplying a predetermined amount of hot water to the cup C, and a stirring mechanism 6 for stirring and mixing the beverage.
And Each of the beverage selection buttons 80 displays a beverage to be sold. And the beverage selection button 8
When 0 is pressed, the control unit 100
And a signal for supplying, conveying, and stirring and mixing the raw material, the diluting liquid, and the cup C set in accordance with the display of (1). When the control unit 100 outputs a signal, the transport mechanism 2 transports the cup C to a predetermined position. When the hot water supply electromagnetic valve 52 is turned on (released), a predetermined amount of hot water is supplied, and the stirring mechanism 6 stirs and mixes the beverage. .

The configuration of the cup-type vending machine according to the present invention for selling cup beverages prepared by charging a raw material and a diluent such as hot water or water into a cup and stirring with a stirring mechanism has been described. Next, the operation will be described with reference to FIGS.

With this configuration, in order to put hot ingredients and diluent into the cup C in the cup-type vending machine and sell the hot coffee cooked by stirring with the stirring mechanism, the beverage selection button 80 is first pressed. The cup C supplied from the cup supply device 3 to the cup holding mechanism 36 is
8 and a cup holding arm 39 for holding and fixing. When the cup holding mechanism 36 holds the cup C, the operation of the transport motor 26 and the transport motor 33 causes the cup holding mechanism 36 to be step-advanced as appropriate, receive the supply of cream from the cream canister 4a, and receive coffee from the coffee canister 4b. Upon receiving the supply, the sugar is supplied from the sugar canister 4c and transported to the position of the stirring mechanism 6.

Here, as shown in FIG. 4, the cup C is moved to a predetermined height position according to the size of the cup C by moving the cup receiving table 38. Thereafter, the stirring mechanism 61 is operated to rotate the impeller 61, and at the same time, the hot water supply electromagnetic valve 52 is turned on to supply the hot water stored in the hot water tank 5 to the hot water supply pipe 5.
3 through the hot water supply nozzle 71. After a lapse of a predetermined time (for example, 0.2 seconds), as shown in FIG.
When 1 is inserted into the cup C, the hot water supplied from the hot water supply nozzle 71 flows down the rotating shaft 62 and spreads from the impeller 61 to be supplied into the cup C.
The amount of hot water supplied here is such that an optimum amount of hot water determined for each beverage (for example, about 60% of the total amount of the beverage) is supplied into the cup C. When the stirring mechanism 6 is operated while the hot water is supplied to the raw material in the cup C, and the impeller 61 inserted at the most appropriate position for stirring the beverage is rotated for a predetermined time (for example, 3 seconds). As shown in 6, the above ingredients and hot water are stirred and mixed in the cup C to form a beverage having a high ingredient concentration.

The impeller 61 is rotated for a predetermined time, and the raw material supplied to the cup C and the hot water are stirred and mixed.
When raising 1, as shown in FIG. 7, the remaining hot water required for cooking the beverage is supplied to the rotating shaft 62 while rotating the impeller 61. Then, the supplied hot water turns to the rotating shaft 6.
2 and the rotating impeller 61
The hot water that has flowed down through 2 and the beverage with a high raw material concentration are stirred and mixed. Further, when the impeller 61 is lifted while rotating, the impeller 61 rises from the beverage as shown in FIG.
Is washed. At that time, since the beverage that has been agitated by the impeller 61 has a rotating flow in the cup C, the hot water that has flowed down from the impeller 61 is mixed with the beverage. Become. In this way, when the raw material and the hot water supplied to the cup C are stirred and mixed to complete the cooking of the beverage, the rotating shaft 62 and the impeller 61 are washed,
As shown in FIG. 9, the cooking of hot coffee having no density difference is completed. The cooked hot coffee is further conveyed to a sales outlet (not shown) in a state of being filled in the cup C, received by the cup beverage purchaser, and the selling operation ends.

Although the description has been given of the embodiment in which hot coffee is cooked, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to cooking in which a beverage composed of other ingredients and a diluent such as water or hot water is stirred and mixed. Absent.

Next, referring to FIG.
The cleaning operation of the cup gripping arm 39 will be described. During the stirring of the beverage, the beverage may be scattered and the cup cover 70 and the cup gripping arm 39 may become dirty. However, use in a dirty state is not preferable for hygiene and requires periodic cleaning. The stirring mechanism 61 is operated to rotate the impeller 61, and at the same time, the hot water supply solenoid valve 52 is turned on to supply the hot water stored in the hot water tank 5 from the hot water supply nozzle 71 to the impeller 61 via the hot water supply pipe 53. . The hot water supplied to the rotating impeller 61 hits the impeller 61 and scatters in all directions, and the hot water attached to the surface of the impeller 61 is also impeller 61.
The inner surface of the cup cover 70 is washed by the scattered centrifugal force. The hot water scattered downward cleans the cup gripping arm 39. Further, the rotating impeller 61
The impeller 61 is washed because hot water directly hits the surface.

The impeller 6 is operated by operating the stirring mechanism 61.
At the same time, the hot water supply electromagnetic valve 52 is turned on, and the hot water stored in the hot water tank 5 is supplied from the hot water supply nozzle 71 to the impeller 61 via the hot water supply pipe 53 so that the cup cover 70 and the cup gripping arm 39 are provided. After a predetermined time (for example, 30 seconds) elapses after performing the cleaning operation described above, the cleaning effect is further enhanced by performing the cleaning operation again. In addition, the cleaning effect can be enhanced by moving the impeller 61 up and down or changing the rotation direction of the impeller 61 during the cleaning operation. Furthermore, the use of hot water for washing enhances the washing effect, and quickly dries the cup cover 70 and the cup gripping arm 39, which is preferable for hygiene.

Since the inside of the top surface of the cup cover 70 has a dome shape without irregularities, the washing water scattered during the washing operation flows down from around the cup cover 70 without remaining on the inner surface of the cup cover 70. The selling operation can be performed. Further, by forming the cup cover 70 into a dome shape, the strength of the cup cover 70 can be increased.

As described above, in the cup-type vending machine provided with the impeller 61 having the rotating shaft 62 for stirring the beverage composed of the raw material supplied to the cup C and the diluting liquid, the diluting liquid is rotated. Cup C to hit shaft 62
A nozzle 71 for outputting a diluting liquid therein, and a control unit 100 for outputting the diluting liquid from the nozzle 71 and rotating the rotary shaft 62, so that the raw material and the diluting liquid After the impeller 61 of the stirring mechanism 6 is inserted and stirred, the impeller 61 used for stirring the beverage is lifted to complete the cooking of the beverage. It is possible to provide a cup-type vending machine capable of reliably dissolving the liquid and washing the impeller 61 used for cooking.

When stirring the raw material supplied to the cup C, the control unit 100 rotates the nozzle 7 simultaneously with the rotation of the impeller 61.
1 to output the diluent, and after a predetermined time has elapsed, the impeller 61
Is inserted into the cup C, thereby supplying the diluent to the raw material supplied to the cup C and then rotating the impeller 6.
1 can be inserted and stirred and mixed, so that the raw material and the diluent can be reliably dissolved.

When the control unit 100 raises the impeller 61 inserted into the cup C and agitating the raw material, the impeller 61
While rotating the nozzle 7 so as to hit the rotating shaft 62.
Since the impeller 61 is washed via the rotating rotating shaft 62 by outputting the diluting liquid from 1, it is possible to cook a beverage having no concentration in the raw material concentration and to surely rotate the rotating shaft 6.
2 and the impeller 61 can be washed.

The control unit 100 outputs the diluting liquid from the nozzle 71 so as to hit the impeller 61 while rotating the impeller 61 at the highest position, thereby supplying the impeller 61 to the rotating impeller 61. The diluent strikes the impeller 61 and scatters in all directions.
The diluent adhering to the surface of 1 also scatters due to the rotating centrifugal force of the impeller 61, and cleans the inner surface of the cup cover 70. Further, the dilute solution scattered downward cleans the cup gripping arm 39. Furthermore, since the diluting liquid directly hits the rotating impeller 61, the impeller 61 can be cleaned.

The impeller 6 at the most raised position
By providing the cup cover 70 that covers the cup 1, it is possible to reduce the scattering of the drink during the stirring of the drink and to prevent the outer surface of the cup C from being stained.

By forming the inner surface of the cup cover 70 into a dome shape with no irregularities, the washing water scattered during the washing operation flows down from around the cup cover 70 without staying at the inner surface of the cup cover 70, so that the selling operation is performed immediately after the washing. be able to. Further, by forming the cup cover 70 into a dome shape, the strength of the cup cover 70 can be increased.

[0039]

According to the present invention, a raw material and a diluting liquid such as hot water or water are put into a cup, and an impeller of a stirring mechanism is inserted and stirred. It is possible to provide a cup-type vending machine capable of reliably dissolving raw materials and a diluting liquid and washing an impeller used for cooking with a simple configuration when raising the beverage to complete cooking. Will be possible.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a cooking unit to which a cup-type vending machine of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing a stirring mechanism to which the cup-type vending machine of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a control block of the cup-type vending machine of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of cooking hot coffee with the cup-type vending machine of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of cooking hot coffee with the cup-type vending machine of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of cooking hot coffee with the cup-type vending machine of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of cooking hot coffee with the cup-type vending machine of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of cooking hot coffee with the cup-type vending machine of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of cooking hot coffee with the cup-type vending machine of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram for cleaning a stirring mechanism in the cup-type vending machine of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cooking part 2 Transport mechanism 3 Cup supply device 4a Cream canister 4b Coffee canister 4c Sugar canister 5 Hot water tank 6 Stirring mechanism 7 Ice machine 21 Main transport part 28 Cup holding mechanism transport part 36 Cup holding mechanism 38 Cup holder 39 Cup gripping arm 52 Hot water supply solenoid valve 53 Hot water supply pipe 61 Impeller 62 Rotating shaft 63 Stirring motor 64 Elevating base 64a Guide hole 65 Rack 67 Guide shaft 68 Elevating motor 68a Rotation speed converter 69 Spur gear 70 Cup cover 71 Hot water supply nozzle 80 Beverage selection button 100 Control Department

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A cup-type vending machine provided with an impeller having a rotating shaft for stirring a beverage composed of a raw material and a diluting liquid supplied to a cup, wherein the diluting liquid hits the rotating shaft. A cup-type vending machine comprising: a nozzle that outputs a diluting liquid into a cup; and a control unit that outputs the diluting liquid from the nozzle and rotates the rotating shaft. 2. The control means, when agitating the raw material supplied to the cup, causes the nozzle to output a diluting liquid simultaneously with the rotation of the impeller, and after a predetermined time elapses, sets the impeller into the cup. The cup-type vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the vending machine is inserted into the vending machine. 3. The control means, when raising the impeller, which has been inserted into the cup and agitated the raw material, rotates the impeller while discharging the diluent from the nozzle so as to hit the rotating shaft. The cup-type vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the vending machine outputs the output. 4. The nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the control unit outputs the diluting liquid from the nozzle so as to hit the impeller while rotating the impeller at a most raised position. The cup-type vending machine described in Crab. 5. The cup-type vending machine according to claim 1, further comprising a cup cover that covers the impeller at a position where the impeller is raised most. 6. The cup-type vending machine according to claim 5, wherein the inner surface of the cup cover has a dome shape without irregularities.