JP2002308387A - Beverage dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Problem] To provide a beverage dispenser that can increase the precision of pouring foam to be additionally provided even when the pouring time interval is long without using an expensive liquid level sensor. SOLUTION: After the beer 41 is poured into the beer mug 50, when the creamy foam 42 is additionally poured, the previous beer pouring read from the clock 27 is stopped (time T).
According to the time interval ΔT (= T2−T1) from 1) to the start of the current beer dispensing (time T2), the control device 7 sets the creamy foam 42 to be additionally provided to the beer 41 which has been dispensed this time. Determine the dispensed volume (foam volume).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a beverage dispenser, and more particularly to a beverage dispenser in which foam is additionally provided after a sparkling beverage is dispensed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Heretofore, there has been known a beverage dispenser for automatically quantifying a sparkling beverage such as beer or low-malt beer into a drinking container such as a paper cup, a glass, or a mug. The beverage dispenser is configured to open and close an opening / closing valve provided at a spout to which a beverage is supplied, so that a predetermined amount of the beverage is dispensed to a drinking container placed on a placing table arranged below the spout. In such beverage dispensers, for example, beer dispensers, such as a beer dispenser, after dispensing a predetermined amount of beer, beer poured into a beer mug as a drinking container. In some cases, a predetermined amount of foam is additionally provided on the liquid level.

[0003] When a beer is poured into a mug, when the liquid beer itself and the foam laminated on the liquid surface are in a state of a height ratio of about 7: 3 to 8: 2, Although it gives a visually delicious taste, it is difficult to always achieve the above-mentioned ratio only by foam (natural foaming) in which carbon dioxide is liberated from beer poured into a mug and foams naturally. In addition, natural foaming tends to disappear due to the coarse grain of the foam, and since the function as a lid for suppressing the escape of carbon dioxide contained in beer lasts only for a short time, the flavor of beer decreases due to the escape of carbon dioxide. It is said to be easy.

[0004] Therefore, some beer dispensers are:
Inside the dispenser, foam with a finer grain than natural foam (hereinafter referred to as creamy foam) is created. During beer pouring, beer is poured so as to suppress the generation of natural foam, and a predetermined amount of beer is discharged. After being poured, the creamy foam produced is additionally provided in a predetermined amount on the liquid level of the beer in order to optimize the ratio of beer to foam and to keep the flavor of the beer longer.

[0005] Even with the above-described beer dispenser, natural foaming generated from beer poured into a mug cannot be completely suppressed, and the natural foaming does not always occur in a constant amount. . For example, if the time interval from the end of the previous beer dispense to the start of the next dispense is long, that is, if the beer has been stagnating inside the pipe of the dispenser for a long time, it will stagnate in the uncooled part of the pipe. The temperature of the beer being heated rises and the natural foaming amount increases.

For this reason, when the natural foaming amount is large, if the amount of the creamy foam to be additionally poured is always constant,
The sum of natural foam and creamy foam is greater than expected, causing foam to overflow from the mug.

Therefore, the beer dispenser is provided with a liquid level sensor using an optical sensor or the like for detecting the liquid level of the beer poured into the mug or the upper surface of the foam. When the upper surface position of the foam detected by the sensor reaches a predetermined height position which is equal to or lower than the upper edge position of the beer mug, the control means controls so as to stop the pouring of the foam. Prevents bubbles from overflowing.

[0008]

However, since the above-mentioned liquid level sensor is more expensive than other sensors, there is a problem that the manufacturing cost of the beer dispenser is increased.
In addition, this liquid level sensor is disposed near a beer nozzle for discharging beer or a foam nozzle for discharging creamy foam in order to increase the detection accuracy of the liquid level or the upper surface of foam. In the vicinity, beer tends to adhere due to the rebound of beer poured into the mug, and when beer adheres to the liquid level sensor, the liquid level or the upper surface of the foam may be erroneously detected. In addition, an increase in manufacturing cost causes an increase in product price, and an erroneous detection of a foam upper surface or the like lowers the reliability of the product. In addition, this problem is not necessarily limited to the beer dispenser, but may be a problem that can be similarly applied to a beverage dispenser that additionally adds foam.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is possible to increase the precision of foaming to be additionally provided without using an expensive liquid level sensor, even when the time interval of dispensing is long. The aim is to obtain a beverage dispenser that can.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, a beverage dispenser according to the present invention (Claim 1) opens and closes an opening / closing valve provided at a spout to which a sparkling beverage is supplied. After dispensing and dispensing the sparkling beverage to a drinking container placed on a mounting table disposed below the spout, additional foam is added on the liquid surface of the sparkling beverage poured into the drinking container. In the beverage dispenser that fills, based on the detected time interval, a time interval for detecting the time interval from the end of the injection of the sparkling beverage to the drinking container to the start of the injection of the sparkling beverage to the next drinking container, A control means for estimating the natural foaming amount generated from the sparkling beverage poured into the drinking container, and determining the amount of the foam to be additionally supplied according to the natural foaming amount obtained by the estimation. ,
It is characterized by having.

Here, the drinking container includes a paper cup, a plastic cup, a glass, a cup, a mug, and the like, and is not directly provided for drinking, but is a pitcher for further distributing to the mug or the like. Including. The sparkling beverage also includes beer, low-malt beer similar to beer, and other carbonated beverages. In addition, when the sparkling beverage is beer or low-malt beer, the foam to be additionally provided means a creamy foam having a finer grain than natural foaming naturally generated from these beverages.

Placing foam on the liquid level of the sparkling beverage includes not only placing foam on the liquid level of the sparkling beverage but also placing foam on natural foam generated from the sparkling beverage. In other words, when natural foam is generated from the sparkling beverage, the natural foam is laminated on the liquid surface of the sparkling beverage, so that the foam (for example, creamy foam) additionally poured out
Is laminated in contact with this natural foaming, even in this case, as long as it is above the level of the sparkling beverage,
It is included in the meaning of “on the liquid surface”.

Further, the control means may have a part of the function of the time keeping means. In other words, the time counting means is simply defined as the time at the end of pouring the sparkling beverage into the drinking container (end of pouring) and the time at the start of pouring the sparkling beverage into the next drinking container (time to start pouring). The control means controls the dispensing of the sparkling beverage into the drinking container based on both times (the dispensing end time and the dispensing start time) engraved or detected by the timing means. The time interval from the end to the start of pouring the sparkling beverage into the next drinking container may be calculated.

Various methods can be applied to the method of estimating the natural foaming amount generated from the sparkling beverage poured into the drinking container. For example, a method using a beverage dispenser according to claim 2 is preferable. Also, determining the amount of foam to be additionally provided according to the natural foaming amount obtained by estimation, specifically, it is estimated that the natural foaming amount is large as long as the foam does not overflow from the drinking container. When this is done, the amount of foam to be served is reduced, and when it is estimated that the natural foaming amount is small, it means that the amount of foam to be served is increased.

According to the beverage dispenser of the present invention, the time measuring means detects a time interval from the end of pouring the sparkling beverage into the drinking container to the start of pouring the sparkling beverage into the next drinking container, Based on the detected time interval, the control unit estimates a natural foaming amount generated from the sparkling beverage poured into the drinking container, and finally determines a foaming amount according to the natural foaming amount obtained by the estimation. In order to determine the amount of foam to be added additionally so that the foamed beverage does not overflow from the drinking container, regardless of the time interval during which the pouring of the sparkling beverage is stopped, the foamed beverage can be poured into the next drinking container. Additional pouring of foam after pouring can prevent foam from overflowing the drinking container. In addition, since an expensive component called a liquid level sensor is not used, a rise in manufacturing cost is suppressed, and erroneous detection of a foam upper surface caused by a foamed beverage adhering to the liquid level sensor cannot occur. There is no reduction in product reliability.

Further, the beverage dispenser of the present invention (claim 2) is the beverage dispenser according to claim 1,
The control means experimentally obtains natural spouting amounts corresponding to different time intervals (time intervals from the end of pouring the sparkling beverage into the drinking container to the start of pouring the sparkling beverage into the next drinking container) in advance. By providing a correspondence table of the time interval and the natural foaming amount obtained by the above, by specifying the natural foaming amount corresponding to the time interval detected by the timing unit by referring to the correspondence table, The natural foaming amount is estimated.

The present invention embodies the above-described method for estimating natural foaming, and is preferable because it is the simplest estimation method and has high estimation accuracy. In addition,
The experiment includes a teaching operation in an environment where the beverage dispenser is installed.

In addition to the correspondence table in which the time interval and the natural foaming amount are associated with each other, a second correspondence table in which the natural foaming amount and the amount of foam to be additionally poured out are associated with each other may be provided. Alternatively, these two correspondence tables may be integrated and replaced with a correspondence table in which the time interval and the amount of foam to be additionally poured are directly associated. However, since the natural foaming amount with respect to the time interval is easily affected by the environment such as the temperature and fluctuates, it is preferable to provide an independent correspondence table so that the correspondence can be easily switched according to the situation.

In the beverage dispenser according to the present invention (claim 3), in the beverage dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, the control means controls the estimated natural foaming of the drinking container from which the foam is to be poured. The amount is corrected in chronological order according to the content of the determination in at least one immediately preceding foam dispensing, and according to the corrected natural foaming amount, the additional foam filling is added. The amount of output is determined.

If the time interval between the previous dispensing of the sparkling beverage and the present dispensing is long, the temperature of the sparkling beverage increases and the natural foaming increases, as described above. Alternatively, the beverage dispenser according to 2 changes the amount of foam to be discharged according to the time interval,
The temperature of the sparkling beverage may not always return to the original temperature by changing the dispensed amount only once. That is, since the temperature of the conduit near the spout through which the sparkling beverage passes through is increased due to the influence of the outside air temperature due to the longer time interval of dispensing the beverage, the cooled beverage is discharged once. It is conceivable that the temperature does not drop sufficiently depending on the passage. In such a situation, even if the next dispense time interval is short, the temperature of the beverage passing through the conduit whose temperature has not sufficiently decreased is the temperature of the beverage passing through the conduit whose temperature has sufficiently decreased. Therefore, the natural foaming amount is larger than the estimated amount.

Therefore, the beverage dispenser according to a third aspect of the present invention is a beverage dispenser that determines at least one previous time such as immediately before, or a time interval directly corresponding to the determined content, or an estimated natural foaming amount. ), The contents of the estimation of the natural foaming amount at the time of this dispensing are corrected, so that, for example, at the time of the immediately preceding dispensing, the history of determining that the foam dispensing amount is small is also taken into account. Thus, the amount of foam to be discharged can be appropriately determined.

In the past, the term "in the past" may mean that the estimated amount may be corrected only in accordance with the content of the decision on the last one dispensing, or the decision on the past two or more dispensing including the last one. This means that the estimated amount may be corrected according to the content.

[0023] The beverage dispenser of the present invention (claim 4) is characterized in that the opening / closing valve provided at the spout to which the sparkling beverage is supplied is opened and closed, whereby the mounting table disposed below the spout. After dispensing and dispensing the sparkling beverage to the drinking container placed thereon, in a beverage dispenser that additionally foams on the liquid surface of the sparkling beverage poured into the drinking container, A timer for detecting a time interval from the end of the dispensing of the sparkling beverage to the start of dispensing of the sparkling beverage to the next drinking container; an ambient temperature detecting unit for detecting a temperature around the beverage dispenser; Based on the time interval and the ambient temperature, estimate the amount of spontaneous foaming generated from the sparkling beverage poured into the drinking container, and according to the estimated spontaneous foaming amount, add the foam to be added to the foam. Output Control means for determining, characterized by comprising a.

[0024] According to the beverage dispenser according to the fourth aspect, the timing means detects a time interval from the end of pouring the sparkling beverage into the drinking container to the start of pouring the sparkling beverage into the next drinking container, Ambient temperature detecting means detects the temperature (such as the outside air temperature) around the beverage dispenser, and based on these detected time intervals and the ambient temperature, the controlling means controls the natural temperature generated from the foamed beverage poured into the drinking container. Estimate foaming amount,
According to the natural foaming amount obtained by this estimation, in order to finally determine the amount of foam to be additionally poured, so that the foam does not overflow from the drinking container, the pouring of the sparkling beverage is stopped. Regardless of the length of the time interval and the ambient temperature of the beverage dispenser, the additional pouring of foam after the next pouring of the sparkling beverage into the drinking container can prevent the foam from overflowing the drinking container. In addition, since an expensive component called a liquid level sensor is not used, a rise in manufacturing cost is suppressed, and erroneous detection of a foam upper surface caused by a foamed beverage adhering to the liquid level sensor cannot occur. There is no reduction in product reliability.

Further, the beverage dispenser of the present invention (claim 5) is characterized in that the opening / closing valve provided at the spout to which the sparkling beverage is supplied is opened / closed, whereby the mounting table disposed below the spout. After dispensing and dispensing the sparkling beverage to the drinking container placed thereon, in a beverage dispenser that additionally foams on the liquid surface of the sparkling beverage poured into the drinking container, Time counting means for detecting a time interval from the end of pouring of the sparkling beverage to the start of pouring of the sparkling beverage into the next drinking container, a beverage temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the sparkling beverage, and the detected time interval And estimating the natural foaming amount generated from the sparkling beverage poured into the drinking container on the basis of the temperature of the sparkling beverage, and according to the estimated natural foaming amount, adding the foam to be additionally served. Determine output Characterized by comprising a control means.

According to the beverage dispenser of the fifth aspect, the timing means detects the time interval from the end of the pouring of the sparkling beverage into the drinking container to the start of the pouring of the sparkling beverage into the next drinking container, Beverage temperature detecting means detects the temperature of the sparkling beverage, and based on these detected time intervals and the temperature of the sparkling beverage, the control means estimates the natural foaming amount generated from the sparkling beverage poured into the drinking container. According to the natural foaming amount obtained by this estimation, the spouting of the sparkling beverage is stopped to determine the amount of foaming to be additionally provided so that the foam does not eventually overflow from the drinking container. Regardless of the length of the time interval and the temperature of the sparkling beverage, the additional pouring of the foam after the next spouting of the sparkling beverage into the drinking container can prevent the foam from overflowing from the drinking container. In addition, since an expensive component called a liquid level sensor is not used, a rise in manufacturing cost is suppressed, and erroneous detection of a foam upper surface caused by a foamed beverage adhering to the liquid level sensor cannot occur. There is no reduction in product reliability.

[0027]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of a beverage dispenser according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited by the embodiment.

FIG. 1 is a view showing a main part of a beer dispenser which is an embodiment of a beverage dispenser according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an overall view of a beer supply system including the beer dispenser shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. Is a control block diagram of the control device of the beer dispenser shown in FIG. 1, and FIG.
4 is a flowchart illustrating a process of the control device illustrated in FIG. 3.

The beer dispenser 1 shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, a beer barrel 40 as a beverage container is connected by an external conduit, and a gas cylinder 30 for supplying carbon dioxide gas is connected to the beer barrel 40. By the carbon dioxide gas supplied from the gas cylinder 30,
The inside of the beer barrel 40 is pressurized, and a part of the supplied carbon dioxide gas melts into the beer 41 which is a beverage contained in the beer barrel 40. At this time, the pressure of the carbon dioxide gas supplied from the gas cylinder 30 to the beer barrel 40 is reduced by the pressure reducing valve attached to the gas cylinder 30.
It is adjusted appropriately according to the temperature of the beer 41 inside.

The beer 41 stored in the beer barrel 40 is
The pressurized carbon dioxide gas is supplied to the beer dispenser 1. The beer 41 supplied to the beer dispenser 1 passes through the inside of a conduit 22 piped to the beer dispenser 1, is discharged from the beer nozzle 6, and is a drinking container set on the mug support 4. Beer mug 50 is poured. The conduit 22 of the beer dispenser 1 passes through the cooling water tank 23 cooled by the cooling unit 24 in the form of a spiral, and the beer 41 passing through the conduit 22 passes through the cooling water tank 23. In the meantime, it is cooled to a predetermined temperature.

At the discharge end of the conduit 22 led into the beer dispenser 1, a substantially inverted V-shaped pouring tap composed of a beer nozzle 6, a foam nozzle 2 and a pouring valve 20 is attached. Below the pouring tap, a mug support 4 is provided. The beer nozzle 6 of the tap is a nozzle for discharging the beer 41 passing through the conduit 22, and the foam nozzle 2 is a nozzle for beer 41 passing through the conduit 22.
Is made to pass through the pores formed therein and violently collide with a predetermined wall surface to convert the beer 41 into a fine-grained creamy foam 42 (hereinafter referred to as a creamy foam 42), and is additionally poured onto the beer 41. Nozzle.

The discharging valve 20 is a valve for switching between discharging and stopping the beer 41 from the beer nozzle 6 and discharging and stopping the creamy foam 42 from the foam nozzle 2. Is performed by the driving force transmitted from the discharge valve driving unit 12.

A mug supporting base 4 provided below the pouring tap has a substantially disc-shaped bottom plate for supporting the bottom surface of the beer mug 50 and a flat protruding portion for supporting a part of the peripheral surface of the beer mug 50. It consists of a backing plate, and is formed in a substantially inverted L-shaped cross section as shown in FIG. Note that a plurality of bottom plates having different height positions are provided so that the upper edges of a plurality of types of beer mugs 50 having different heights due to different capacities are supported at substantially the same height position. Of which
One corresponding to the capacity of the beer mug 50 may be selectively usable. For example, a plurality of support portions for engaging and supporting the bottom plate at different height positions are formed on the abutment plate, and the bottom plate is engaged with any of the support portions adapted to the capacity of the beer mug 50 by an operator's selection. You only need to support it.

The beer dispenser 1 is provided with a control device 7, which controls the input from the pour button 11 and the clock 27 as shown in the control block diagram shown in FIG. In response, the discharge valve drive 1
2 is controlled. This control is performed by the dispensing button 1 that gives a signal to start the dispensing of the beer 41 from the beer nozzle 6.
In response to the signal input from the beer 1, the beer nozzle 6 is set to the beer discharging state and the beer 41
And after a predetermined time elapses,
The dispensing valve 20 is set to the beer stop state, the dispensing of the beer 41 from the beer nozzle 6 is stopped, and the beer dispensing to the beer mug 50 is stopped (time T1) and the current beer dispensing is started (time T2). Time interval ΔT)
According to (= T2−T1), the amount (foam amount) of the creamy foam 42 to be additionally provided to the beer mug 50 to which the beer 41 has been poured this time is determined, and the pouring valve 20 is set.
Is set to a creamy foam pouring state, the pouring of the creamy foam 42 from the foam nozzle 2 is started. When the amount of the foamed foam reaches the determined foam volume, the pouring valve 20 is set to the creamy foam pouring stop state, The discharge of the creamy foam 42 from the nozzle 2 is stopped.

Here, the foam amount of the creamy foam 42 is controlled for the following reason. That is, if the time interval (sale time interval) ΔT from the last time the beer 41 was poured and sold into the beer mug 50 becomes longer, the temperature of the uncooled part of the tapping tap or the conduit 22 rises, and The temperature rise is transmitted to the beer 41 flowing inside,
Although the temperature of the beer 41 rises, the natural foaming amount from the beer 41 increases as the temperature of the beer 41 increases, and the volume of the natural foaming layered on the liquid level of the beer 41 increases. Additional creamy foam 42
Amount is reduced. Therefore, it is necessary to control the foam amount of the creamy foam according to the length of the sales time interval ΔT.

The control of the foam amount of the creamy foam 42 by the control device 7 is performed by controlling the beer 41 in accordance with the time interval ΔT.
The two-stage processing of estimating the natural foaming amount resulting from the above and determining the foaming amount of the creamy foam 42 according to the natural foaming amount obtained by this estimation is performed by setting the foaming amount of the creamy foam 42 at the time interval ΔT. These are directly associated and integrated.

Next, the operation of the beer dispenser 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. First, this beer dispenser 1
Is filled with the beer 41 which is pressure-fed from the above-described beer barrel 40 and cooled by the cooling water tank 23, and is closed by the discharging valve 20 which is closed.
The supply has been stopped.

Here, the operator operates the mug support 4.
Place an empty beer mug 50 on top and pour button 1
Press 1. By this operation, a signal indicating that the pouring button 11 is ON is input to the control device 7 (step 1 (S1)). At this time, the control device 7 reads, from the clock 27, the time T2 when the dispensing button 11 is turned on (S2), and calculates the difference between this time T2 and the time T1 (S7) read at the end of the previous beer dispensing. A certain beer selling time interval ΔT (= T2−T1) is calculated (S3).
The previous beer dispensing end time T1 is stored in a non-volatile memory or the like, and is retained even when the power supply (not shown) of the beer dispenser 1 is turned off.

The control device 7 further drives the dispensing valve drive unit 12, and the dispensing valve drive unit 12 changes the dispensing valve 20 provided in the dispensing tap to the beer dispensing state (beer nozzle ON). ) (S4). As a result, the beer 41 pressure-fed in the conduit 22 from the beer nozzle 6 of the tap is poured into the beer mug 50 placed on the mug support 4, and the amount of the beer reaches a predetermined amount. The dispensing is continued until the operation is performed (S5).

The determination as to whether or not the amount of the beer 41 to be discharged has reached a predetermined amount may be made by installing a flow meter in the beer nozzle 6 and detecting the predetermined amount of the discharged amount. Alternatively, the flow may be performed by assuming that the flow rate per time is constant and detecting that the pouring time required to reach the predetermined amount has elapsed. Note that when detecting the passage of time, the time may be read from the existing clock 27, and when detecting the flow rate, a separate flow meter may be provided.

When the amount of beer 41 to be dispensed reaches a predetermined amount, the control device 7 drives the dispensing valve drive unit 12, and the dispensing valve drive unit 12 controls the dispensing valve 20 to dispense beer. The state is switched to the stop state (beer nozzle OFF) (S6). As a result, the pouring of the beer 41 from the beer nozzle 6 of the pouring tap stops. Here, the control device 7
Reads the time T1 at which the dispensing valve drive unit 12 was driven (the time at which the beer 41 stops being poured) T1 (S7), and stores this time in a nonvolatile memory or the like.

The beer mug 50 contains a predetermined amount of beer 4.
1 is poured, but when the selling time interval ΔT is long, the natural foaming amount generated from the poured beer 41 is larger than when the selling time interval ΔT is short, and therefore, the beer mug 50 Foam (natural foam and creamy foam 4)
The foam amount of the creamy foam that can be additionally poured out in a range where 2) does not overflow needs to be reduced as compared with the case where the selling time interval ΔT is short.

Therefore, in the beer dispenser 1 of this embodiment, when the time interval ΔT is within 10 minutes (S8), the controller 7 sets the foam amount V of the creamy foam 42 to be additionally poured out to the initial setting. The value is set to V0 (S11), and when the time interval ΔT is longer than 10 minutes and shorter than 30 minutes (S8, S
9) The foam amount V of the creamy foam 42 to be additionally poured is set to 2/3 of the initial set value V0 (S12), and the time interval Δ
When T is more than 30 minutes and less than 60 minutes (S9, S10)
Sets the foam amount V of the creamy foam 42 to be additionally poured out to 1/3 of the initial set value V0 (S13), and when the time interval ΔT exceeds 60 minutes (S10), the creamy foam 42
Do not pour out.

In the beer dispenser 1 of the present embodiment, for example, the predetermined amount of beer 41 (S5)
Is set to a volume corresponding to approximately 80% of the height of the beer mug 50, and when the time interval ΔT is 10 minutes or less, natural foaming of a volume corresponding to approximately 10% of the height of the beer mug 50 is performed. (The height of the liquid beer 41 is approximately 7.5
And the total height of the liquid beer 41 and natural foaming is approximately 8.5% of the height of the beer mug 50). When the time interval ΔT is more than 10 minutes and less than 30 minutes, Natural foaming of a volume corresponding to approximately 20% of the height of the mug 50 occurs (the height of the liquid beer 41 is reduced to approximately 70%, and the total height of the liquid beer 41 and the natural foam is equal to the beer mug. When the time interval ΔT is more than 30 minutes and not more than 60 minutes, natural foaming of a volume corresponding to about 30% of the height of the beer mug 50 occurs (the liquid beer 41). Is lowered to a position of approximately 6.5%, and the total height of the liquid beer 41 and the natural foam is approximately 9.5% of the height of the beer mug 50), and the time interval Δ
When T is more than 60 minutes, spontaneous foaming of a volume corresponding to approximately 40% of the height of the beer mug 50 occurs (the height of the liquid beer 41 is reduced to approximately 60%, and the liquid beer 41 is reduced). And the total height of the natural foam is about 100% of the height of the beer mug 50) under a predetermined experimental environment.
Is set as a capacity corresponding to approximately 1.5% of the height of the beer mug 50.

Therefore, when the time interval ΔT is 10 minutes or less, the amount of the creamy foam 42 to be poured out is an amount (= V0) corresponding to approximately 1.5% of the height of the beer mug 50, and the time interval ΔT is When the creamy foam 42 is discharged for more than 10 minutes and not more than 30 minutes, the amount of the creamy foam 42 to be discharged is an amount corresponding to approximately 10% of the height of the beer mug 50 (= (2/3) × V0) and the time interval Δ
Creamy foam 4 when T is more than 30 minutes and less than 60 minutes
2 is an amount (= (１ ／) × V0) corresponding to approximately 0.5% of the height of the beer mug 50.

However, the predetermined amount of the beer 41 and the initial set value V0 of the creamy foam 42 are determined based on the outside air temperature, the beer 4
The temperature may be changed as appropriate according to the temperature, pressure of carbon dioxide gas and the like. Also, the boundary value of the time interval ΔT for switching the foam amount is set to 1
0, 30, and 60 minutes, and the set foam amount V at each time interval ΔT is V0, (2/3) × V0, (1/3) × V0,
Although 0 (= (0/3) × V0), these boundary values, the set foam amount V, and the number of switching stages of the foam amount V (V0, (2/3) × V0, (1/3) × V
(4 steps of 0, 0) may be appropriately changed according to the outside air temperature or the like. The time interval ΔT and the set foam amount V of the creamy foam 42
Is set in advance, and the control device 7 sequentially refers to the LUT,
The additional dispensing amount may be changed. Thus L
When the control is performed using the UT, the set foam amount V, the corresponding time interval ΔT, the switching stage of the foam amount, and the like can be easily changed only by rewriting the contents of the LUT.

In addition, a plurality of LUTs corresponding to each outside air temperature are prepared, and an ambient temperature detecting means for detecting the outside air temperature is provided. In accordance with the outside air temperature detected by the ambient temperature detecting means, the control device 7 Alternatively, an appropriate LUT corresponding to the outside temperature may be selected.

In this way, the control device 7, which has set the foam amount V of the creamy foam 42 to be additionally poured, drives the discharging valve when the sales time interval ΔT is 60 minutes or less (S8, S9, S10). The dispensing valve driving unit 12
Switches the pouring valve 20 provided in the pouring tap to the foam pouring state (foam nozzle ON) (S14). As a result, the creamy foam 42 flows from the foam nozzle 2 of the pouring tap.
Is poured into the beer mug 50, and the dispensing is continued until the dispensed amount reaches the set predetermined amount (= V) (S15).

The determination as to whether or not the amount of the creamy foam 42 to be discharged has reached a predetermined amount may be made by installing a flow meter in the foam nozzle 2 and detecting the predetermined amount of the discharged amount. Alternatively, it may be performed by assuming that the flow rate of the creamy foam 42 per time is constant, and detecting that the pouring time required to reach the predetermined amount has elapsed.
In addition, when detecting the passage of time, the time may be read from the existing clock 27, and when detecting the flow rate of the creamy foam 42, a separate flow meter may be provided.

When the amount of the creamy foam 42 to be discharged reaches a predetermined amount, the controller 7 sets the discharge valve driving unit 1
2 is driven, and the discharge valve driving section 12
0 is switched to a foam ejection stop state (foam nozzle OFF) (S16). As a result, the pouring of the creamy foam 42 from the foam nozzle 2 of the pouring tap is stopped, and the beer mug 50 is stopped.
The process of the additional pouring of the beer 41 and the creamy foam 42 into the beer ends.

On the other hand, if the selling time interval ΔT exceeds 60 minutes (S10), the control device 7 terminates the process without performing additional pouring of the creamy foam 42.

As described above, according to the beer dispenser 1 of this embodiment, the control device 7 estimates the natural foaming amount generated from the beer 41 poured into the beer mug 50, and obtains the estimated natural foaming amount. Depending on the natural foaming amount, the amount of the creamy foam 42 to be additionally poured out is determined so that the foam (natural foaming and creamy foam 42) does not eventually overflow from the beer mug 50, and the determination is made. , The creamy foam 42 is added after the beer 41 is poured into the next beer mug 50 regardless of the length of the time interval ΔT during which the beer 41 is stopped being poured. By pouring, foam can be prevented from overflowing from the beer mug 50. Moreover,
Since the clock 27, which is much cheaper than the liquid level sensor, is used without using an expensive component such as a liquid level sensor, the production cost of the beer dispenser 1 is suppressed from rising and the beer 41 is kept at the liquid level. Since the erroneous detection of the bubble upper surface caused by the attachment to the sensor or the like cannot occur, the reliability of the product is not reduced.

The beer dispenser 1 of the embodiment shown in FIG.
Is set in accordance with the time interval ΔT from the previous beer pouring end time T1 to the beer mug 50, but this time since the last pouring was finished. Time interval ΔT before starting
Is long, the temperature of the beer 41 stagnating in the pouring tap or the conduit 22 rises and the natural foaming amount increases, so that the amount of the creamy foam 42 to be additionally poured out is adjusted. Was.

When the time interval ΔT is long,
The temperature of the beer 41 to be dispensed rises because the beer 4
1 through the uncooled portion of the tapping tap or conduit 22 from outside air that is hotter than one.
The temperature is transferred to the beer 41 which has been stagnating at this time, and the time interval ΔT is long at the time of beer dispensing this time,
Even if the amount of the creamy foam 42 is reduced to adjust only the amount to be discharged this time, it is conceivable that the pouring tap or the conduit 22 is not sufficiently cooled just by passing the beer 41 to be discharged this time. .

In such a case, even if the time interval ΔT ′ from the current dispensing amount to the start of the next dispensing is sufficiently short, the dispensing tap or conduit 2 that has not been sufficiently cooled by the next dispensing time.
The beer 41 that has passed through 2 receives heat from the not-yet-fully cooled pouring tap and the conduit 22, and the natural foaming amount may not decrease to the estimated amount corresponding to the time interval ΔT ′ until the next time. .

As described above, when the time interval ΔT between the previous and the present beer dispense has an effect until the next beer dispense, the next dispense is started at the next dispense and the next dispense is started. If the amount of creamy foam 42 to be dispensed is set so as to correspond only to the time interval ΔT ′ until then, the total foam amount becomes larger than expected and overflows from the beer mug 50.

In the beer dispenser 1 shown in FIG. 1, the controller 7 corrects the estimated amount of natural foaming in accordance with the time interval ΔT, and sets the amount of additional spouting of the creamy foam 42. FIG. 5 is a flowchart in which the processing of the control device 7 is changed. However, this flowchart is an extract of only a part different from the flowchart shown in FIG. 4 and has other processing contents (start to step 7 (S7) and step 16 (S16)).
-End or step 27 (S27) -End) is shown in FIG.
Are the same as those shown in FIG. Hereinafter, the operation of the control device 7 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

If the foam amount V set at the time of this dispensing is V0 (S11), n is set as a flag representing the set contents.
= 0 is set (S24), and when the bubble amount V is (2/3) × V0 (S12), n is set as a flag representing the set contents.
= 1 is set (S25), and when the foam amount V is (×) × V0 (S13), n is set as a flag representing the set contents.
= 2 is set (S26), and when the foam amount V is zero (the creamy foam 42 is not poured out), n = 3 is set as a flag representing the set contents (S27).

Subsequently, at the next dispensing, the dispensing and stopping of the beer 41, the calculation of the time interval ΔT, the threshold processing of the time interval ΔT (start to step 10 (S10)), and the like are the same as those shown in FIG. The same operation is performed, but when the time interval ΔT is within 10 minutes (S8), (S8) is performed according to the content of the flag n.
21, S22), and change the foam amount V to be set (S11, S22).
S12, S13).

That is, when the foam amount V at the time of the previous pouring is V0 or (2/3) × V0 (n = 0 or 1)
Means that the time interval ΔT from the end of the last two-time dispense to the start of the previous dispense is within 30 minutes,
The temperature of the pouring tap, etc., through which No. 1 has passed is sufficiently reduced, and it is considered that the influence does not remain until this time of pouring (S21)
Without correcting the estimation of the natural foaming amount, the foam amount V is set to V0 according to the current time interval ΔT (S11),
When the foam volume V at the last pour is (1/3) × V0 (n = 2), the time interval ΔT from the end of the last two-time pour to the start of the last pour is over 30 minutes and within 60 minutes Because
Since the temperature of the tap or the like through which the beer 41 has passed at the time of the previous pour is not sufficiently lowered, it is considered that the influence slightly remains until the pour this time (S21, S2).
2), the estimation of the natural foaming amount is corrected, and the foam amount V is changed to (2 /
3) × V0 is set (S12), and when the foam amount V at the time of the previous pour is zero (n = 3), the time interval ΔT from the end of the previous two-time pour to the start of the previous pour is 60 minutes. Since the temperature of the tap or the like through which the beer 41 has passed at the time of the previous dispensing cannot be said to have fallen, the influence is considered to remain until the current dispensing (S22). The foam amount estimation is corrected, and the foam amount V is set to (１ ／) × V0 (S13).

When the time interval ΔT is longer than 10 minutes and shorter than 30 minutes (S8, S9), similarly, the set foam amount V is changed according to the content of the flag n (S23) (S12, S9).
13). That is, the foam amount V at the time of the last pour is V0, (2
/ 3) × V0 or (1/3) × V0 (n =
In the case of 0, 1 or 2), since the time interval ΔT from the end of the previous two-time dispensing to the start of the previous dispensing is within 60 minutes, the temperature of the tap or the like through which the beer 41 passed during the previous dispensing is sufficiently reduced. Although it has not been performed, it is regarded as being in the adjustment range of the foam amount in accordance with the time interval ΔT at the time of the current pouring (S23), and the foam is adjusted according to the current time interval ΔT without correcting the estimation of the natural foaming amount. The quantity V is set to (2/3) × V0 (S1
2), when the foam amount V at the time of the previous pouring is zero (n = 3)
Means that the time interval ΔT from the end of the last two-time dispense to the start of the previous dispense is more than 60 minutes.
Assuming that the temperature of the pouring tap or the like through which No. 1 has passed has not decreased, and that the influence remains until the time of this pouring (S23), the estimation of the natural foaming amount is corrected, and the foam amount V is changed to ( () × V0 (S13).

When the time interval ΔT is longer than 30 minutes (S10), the time interval ΔT from the end of the last two-time dispensing to the start of the previous dispensing is longer than 30 minutes or 60 minutes, but no longer. It is considered that the foam amount is adjusted according to the time interval ΔT at the time of the current dispensing rather than the influence at the time of the previous dispensing, so that the estimation of the natural foaming amount is not corrected and the foam amount is adjusted according to the current time interval ΔT. , The foam amount V is (1/3) × V0
Is set (S13), or the process ends without performing the dispensing.

As described above, according to the beer dispenser 1 according to the present embodiment, the estimated content of the natural foaming amount is corrected according to the foaming amount at the time of the immediately preceding pouring, whereby the foaming amount is increased. In consideration of the change history of the dispensing amount, the dispensing amount of the foam can be appropriately determined.

In this embodiment, the immediately preceding
The effect of only the dispensing history of the past was taken into account. Is also good.

[0065]

As described above, according to the beverage dispenser according to the present invention (claim 1), the timer measures the time when the foaming beverage is poured into the next drinking container after the pouring of the foaming beverage into the drinking container. The time interval until the start of dispensing is detected, and based on the detected time interval, the control unit estimates the natural foaming amount generated from the sparkling beverage poured into the drinking container, and is obtained by this estimation. Depending on the natural foaming amount, the amount of foam to be additionally poured is determined so that foam does not eventually overflow from the drinking container. Instead, the foam can be prevented from overflowing from the drinking container by the additional pouring of the foam after the foaming beverage is poured into the next drinking container. In addition, since an expensive component called a liquid level sensor is not used, a rise in manufacturing cost is suppressed, and erroneous detection of a foam upper surface caused by a foamed beverage adhering to the liquid level sensor cannot occur. There is no reduction in product reliability.

Further, according to the beverage dispenser of the present invention (claim 2), the control means determines the natural foaming amount corresponding to the time interval detected by the time measuring means at a different time interval (foamed beverage into the drinking container). Time interval from the end of the pouring of the beverage to the start of the spouting of the sparkling beverage into the next drinking container), and a correspondence table between the time interval and the natural foaming amount obtained by previously experimentally obtaining the natural foaming amount. , The amount of natural foaming can be easily estimated,
In addition, since the estimation is performed based on the above-mentioned correspondence that is experimentally obtained in advance, the estimation accuracy can be increased.

Further, according to the beverage dispenser of the present invention (claim 3), the estimated content of the natural foaming amount is corrected at least according to the determined content of the foaming amount at least one time immediately before, so that at least the last time. The amount of foam to be poured out this time can be appropriately determined in consideration of the effect remaining from the time of pouring.

Further, according to the beverage dispenser of the present invention (claim 4), the timer measures the time interval from the end of the pouring of the sparkling beverage into the drinking container to the start of the pouring of the sparkling beverage into the next drinking container. The ambient temperature detecting means detects the temperature (such as the outside air temperature) around the beverage dispenser, and based on the detected time interval and the ambient temperature, the control means detects the foaming amount poured into the drinking container. Estimate the natural foaming amount generated from the beverage, and according to the natural foaming amount obtained by this estimation,
Regardless of the length of the time interval during which the dispensing of the sparkling beverage is stopped and the ambient temperature of the beverage dispenser, the amount of the additional foam to be dispensed is determined so that the foam does not eventually overflow from the drinking container. Further, the foam can be prevented from overflowing from the drinking container by the additional pouring of the foam after the foaming beverage is poured into the next drinking container. In addition, since an expensive component called a liquid level sensor is not used, a rise in manufacturing cost is suppressed, and erroneous detection of a foam upper surface caused by a foamed beverage adhering to the liquid level sensor cannot occur. There is no reduction in product reliability.

Further, according to the beverage dispenser of the present invention (claim 5), the time measuring means sets the time interval from the end of pouring the sparkling beverage into the drinking container to the start of pouring the sparkling beverage into the next drinking container. The beverage temperature detecting means detects the temperature of the sparkling beverage, and based on these detected time intervals and the temperature of the sparkling beverage, the control means determines that the natural foaming generated from the sparkling beverage poured into the drinking container. The amount of foamed beverage is estimated in order to determine the amount of foam to be added and to determine the amount of foam to be additionally added so that the foam does not eventually overflow from the drinking container according to the natural foaming amount obtained by this estimation. Regardless of the length of the time interval during which dispensing is stopped and the temperature of the sparkling beverage, the additional dispensing of foam performed after the dispensing of the sparkling beverage into the next drinking container,
Bubbles can be prevented from overflowing from the drinking container. In addition, since an expensive component called a liquid level sensor is not used, a rise in manufacturing cost is suppressed, and erroneous detection of a foam upper surface caused by a foamed beverage adhering to the liquid level sensor cannot occur. There is no reduction in product reliability.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a main part of a beer dispenser according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a beer supply system including the beer dispenser shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a control block diagram of a control device of the beer dispenser shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a process of the control device shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a process performed by a control device according to the embodiment in which correction is performed on the estimation of the natural foaming amount.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Beer dispenser (beverage dispenser) 2 Foam nozzle 4 Jug support stand (placement stand) 6 Beer nozzle 7 Control device (control means) 11 Discharge button 12 Discharge valve drive unit 20 Discharge valve (opening / closing valve) 22 Pipe 27 Clock 41 beer (beverage) 42 creamy foam 50 beer mug (drinking container)

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Seiichi Hiei 1-1, Tanabe Nitta, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture Inside Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Haruo Ota 1, Tanabe Nitta, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture No. 1 Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Takenobu Ishibashi 1-1, Tanabe Nitta, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture F-term in Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. 3E082 AA04 BB03 CC02

Claims (5)

[Claims] An opening / closing valve provided at a spout to which a sparkling beverage is supplied opens and closes a drinking container mounted on a mounting table disposed below the spout.
After dispensing and dispensing the sparkling beverage, in a beverage dispenser that additionally fills the foam on the liquid surface of the sparkling beverage poured into the drinking container, the next drinking after the end of the spouting of the sparkling beverage into the drinking container. Time measuring means for detecting a time interval until the start of pouring of the sparkling beverage into the container, and, based on the detected time interval, estimating a natural foaming amount generated from the sparkling beverage poured into the drinking container, A beverage dispenser comprising: a control unit that determines an amount of the foam to be additionally supplied according to the natural foaming amount obtained and estimated. 2. The control means includes a correspondence table between the time interval and the natural foaming amount, which is obtained by experimentally obtaining a natural foaming amount corresponding to each of different time intervals in advance. 2. The beverage dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the natural foaming amount is estimated by specifying the natural foaming amount corresponding to the detected time interval with reference to the correspondence table. 3. The control means corrects the estimated natural foaming amount in a time-series manner in accordance with the contents of the past foam dispensing, and corrects the natural foaming amount obtained by the correction. 3. The beverage dispenser according to claim 1, wherein an amount of the foam to be additionally supplied is determined accordingly. 4. 4. A drinking container mounted on a mounting table disposed below the spout by opening and closing an open / close valve provided at a spout to which the sparkling beverage is supplied.
After dispensing and dispensing the sparkling beverage, in a beverage dispenser that additionally fills the foam on the liquid surface of the sparkling beverage poured into the drinking container, the next drinking after the end of the spouting of the sparkling beverage into the drinking container. A timer for detecting a time interval until the start of pouring of the foamed beverage into the container; an ambient temperature detecting means for detecting a temperature around the beverage dispenser; based on the detected time interval and the ambient temperature, Estimating the natural foaming amount generated from the sparkling beverage poured into the drinking container, according to the natural foaming amount obtained by this estimation, control means for determining the amount of the foam to be additionally filled, A beverage dispenser, comprising: 5. A drinking container mounted on a mounting table disposed below the spout by opening and closing an open / close valve provided at the spout to which the sparkling beverage is supplied.
After dispensing and dispensing the sparkling beverage, in a beverage dispenser that additionally fills the foam on the liquid surface of the sparkling beverage poured into the drinking container, the next drinking after the end of the spouting of the sparkling beverage into the drinking container. A timer for detecting a time interval until the start of pouring of the sparkling beverage into the container, a beverage temperature detecting means for detecting a temperature of the sparkling beverage, and, based on the detected time interval and the temperature of the sparkling beverage, Estimating the natural foaming amount generated from the sparkling beverage poured into the drinking container, according to the natural foaming amount obtained by this estimation, control means for determining the amount of the foam to be additionally filled, A beverage dispenser, comprising: