JPS636011B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a hot water supply mechanism that includes a water storage tank and a heater that generates hot water by heating water from the water storage tank using an electric heater, and supplies the hot water into a case containing coffee powder. This invention relates to a coffee extractor equipped with.

In this type of conventional coffee extractor, if you forget to pour water into the water storage tank and turn on the electric heater, the heater will become in a so-called dry state, which is dangerous.
In addition, there was a problem in which power was wasted unnecessarily.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its purpose is to be able to notify by an alarm when water is forgotten to be poured into the water storage tank of the hot water supply mechanism, and to prevent the heater from being heated in an empty state. To provide a coffee extractor that can prevent this and prevent wasteful power consumption.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a coffee extractor having a mill mechanism will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First, the overall structure of the coffee maker will be described with reference to FIG. Reference numeral 1 denotes a container body, which includes a mill mechanism 2 for crushing coffee beans, a drip mechanism 3 that is a hot water supply mechanism for dripping hot water into the crushed coffee powder to generate coffee liquid, and a cup for storing the generated coffee liquid. 4, and these will be explained in detail below. That is, a motor storage part 5 and a cup mounting table 6 are formed on both left and right sides of the lower half of the container 1, and a case mounting part 7 and a water storage tank 8 are formed on both left and right sides of the upper half.
are formed respectively. Reference numeral 9 denotes a heating plate which is installed in close contact with the lower surface of the heat insulating plate 6a attached to the cup mounting table 6, and has an electric heater such as a sheathed heater 10 and a heating pipe 11 as a heater buried in parallel. One end of the water supply pipe 11 is extended upward and connected to a water outlet (not shown) of the water storage tank 8 to form a water supply pipe 12, and the other end thereof is extended to the upper part of the case mounting portion 7 to form a hot water supply pipe 13. Reference numeral 14 denotes a case attached to the case attachment part 7, which is common to both the mill mechanism 2 and the drip mechanism 3 described above. The drive shaft 16 is rotatably and watertightly inserted therethrough. A cutter 17 for crushing coffee beans is attached to the upper end of the drive shaft 16, and a joint 18 is attached to the lower end.
is connected to a joint 20 of a motor 19 disposed within the motor storage portion 5. Reference numeral 21 denotes a filter for filtration, which is installed in the case 14 by a frame-shaped filter support 22 and a watertight member 23, positioned below the cutter 17, so that it receives the coffee powder crushed by the cutter 17. ing. Reference numeral 24 denotes an extraction port formed in the bottom wall 14a of the case 14, which corresponds to the cup mounting table 6 from above. Reference numeral 25 denotes a lid removably attached to the upper opening of the case 14, which has an annular wall 25a protruding from its approximate center and a pouring hole located inside the wall 25a. 25b is formed. Reference numeral 26 denotes a lid body, which is removably attached to the case mounting portion 7, which is the top opening of the container body 1, and the top opening of the water storage tank 8. 27 is a bimetal switch which is a temperature regulator attached to the lower surface of the heating plate 9;
This detects the temperature of the heating plate 9, that is, the heating pipe 11, and turns it off when the temperature rises to the upper limit set temperature Tb and turns on when it falls to the lower limit set temperature Ta (Figs. 3 and 4). (see figure).
This bimetal switch 27 is interposed in the current conduction path of the sheathed heater 10, which is energized when a hot water supply (drip) operation switch 28 (see FIG. 2) is turned on.

Now, according to FIG. 2, the configuration of the detection device 29 disposed within the container body 1 will be described. Reference numeral 30 denotes a signal generation circuit, to which an input terminal Ia is given an ON signal of the hot water supply operation switch 28, and an input terminal Ib is given an OFF signal of the bimetal switch 27, respectively.
When an on signal is given to the input terminal Ia, the output terminal
Generates a start command signal from Oa, input terminal Ib
When an off signal is applied to the output terminal Ob, a stop command signal is generated from the output terminal Ob. 31
is a counter, which has input terminals Ia and Ib connected to output terminals Oa and Ob of the signal generation circuit 30, respectively.
A start command signal and a stop command signal are given from ) is generated from the output terminal O. 32 is a comparison circuit, which receives the counter output signal of the output terminal O of the counter 31 at the input terminal I and compares the numerical content (time) of the counter output signal with a preset setting time ta. Then, the numerical content of the counter output signal matches the set time.
When the time is greater than ta, a reset signal is generated from the output terminal Oa, and when the numerical content of the counter output signal is less than the set time ta, a detection signal is generated from the output terminal Ob. The reset signal from the output terminal Oa of the comparison circuit 32 is applied to the reset terminal R of the counter 31, and when the reset signal is applied, the counter 31 is reset so that the numerical content becomes zero. be done. Further, the detection signal at the output terminal Ob of the comparator circuit 32 is applied to the input terminal of a drive circuit 33, and when the detection signal is applied, the drive circuit 33 is activated and generates an alarm signal from its output terminal. The signal is applied to a buzzer 34 serving as an alarm, and the buzzer 34 is activated to sound. The counter 31 is configured such that a reset signal is applied to the reset terminal R even when the hot water supply operation switch 28 is turned on.

Next, the operation of this embodiment having the above structure will be explained with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. When producing coffee liquid, the water storage tank 8 is filled with an amount of water corresponding to a desired number of people, for example, 1 to 4 people, and the case 14 is filled with a corresponding amount of coffee beans. In the accommodated state, when the mill operation switch (not shown) is turned on to energize the motor 19 of the mill mechanism 2, the motor 19 is rotated.
The coffee beans are crushed by the cutter 17 that is rotated by this. After this crushing, when the cup 4 is placed on the heat insulating plate 6a of the cup mounting table 6, the upper opening of the cup 4 corresponds to the extraction port 24 of the case 14. Then, when the hot water supply operation switch 28 is turned on (time t ₀ ), the sheathed heater 10 is energized via the bimetal switch 27 and starts to generate heat, and based on this, the cup 4 is preheated by the heat insulating plate 6a. A heating pipe 11 is supplied from a water storage tank 8 through a water supply pipe 12.
The water inside is heated. In addition, hot water supply operation switch 2
8, the on signal is sent to the signal generation circuit 30.
Therefore, the signal generation circuit 30 generates a start command signal from the output terminal Oa and supplies it to the input terminal Ia of the counter 31, and the counter 31 starts counting operation. Now, when the water inside the heating pipe 11 is heated by the sheathed heater 10, the water gradually turns into hot water and the heating plate 9
That is, the temperature of the heating pipe 11 gradually rises as shown in FIG. Then, the water in the heating pipe 11, that is, the hot water, reaches the lower limit setting temperature of the bimetal switch 27.
When the temperature exceeds Ta, the hot water rises up the hot water supply pipe 13 due to its boiling pressure, is supplied to the inside of the wall 25a of the lid 25 from the hot water supply port 13a at its tip, and is supplied into the case 14 from the hot water pouring hole 25b. The hot water is then supplied dropwise to the hot water supply (drip). Furthermore, the hot water supplied into the case 14 passes through the coffee powder and the filter 21 and is extracted as coffee liquid.
The coffee liquid flows down from the extraction port 24 of the case 14 and is stored in the cup 4. Thereafter, when the temperature of the heating plate 9 (heating pipe 11) reaches the upper limit setting temperature Tb of the bimetal switch 27 (time
t ₁ ), the bimetal switch 27 is turned off and the sheathed heater 10 is cut off. in this case,
Between the start of hot water supply and the first turning off of the bimetal switch 27, the heating plate 9 and the heating pipe 11
Active heat exchange takes place with the water inside.
The time tb during that period, that is, from time t ₀ to time t ₁ is relatively long. The set time ta of the comparison circuit 32 is set to be slightly smaller than the time tb. Further, when the bimetal switch 27 is turned off, the off signal is applied to the input terminal Ib of the signal generation circuit 30, and the signal generation circuit 30 is applied to the output terminal
Generates a stop command signal from Ob and counter 3
The counter 31 stops its counting operation, and its numerical contents are generated as a counter output signal from the output terminal O and applied to the input terminal I of the comparator circuit 32. Therefore, the count value of the counter 31 indicates the time tb. As a result, the comparator circuit 32 compares the time tb and the set time ta and
>ta, a reset signal is generated from the output terminal Oa and applied to the reset terminal R of the counter 31, and is applied to the reset terminal R of the counter 31 to reset the counter 31. Thereafter, when the temperature of the heating plate 9 falls to the lower limit set temperature Ta (time t ₂ ), the bimetal switch 27 is turned on and the sheathed heater 10 is energized, and when the temperature of the heating plate 9 rises to the upper limit set temperature Tb (time t 2 ). t ₃ ) Bimetal switch 27 turns off and sheathed heater 1
0 is turned off, and the same operation is repeated to continue extraction of coffee liquid. Then, when all the water in the water storage tank 8 is consumed, the extraction of coffee liquid is completed.

On the other hand, if water is forgotten to be poured into the water storage tank 8, no water is supplied into the heating pipe 11. Therefore, in such a case, when the hot water supply operation switch 28 is turned on and the sheathed heater 10 is energized (time t ₀ ), the heating plate 9 is heated dry without exchanging heat with the water in the heating pipe 11. As a result, the temperature rises rapidly as shown in FIG. 4, and reaches the upper limit set temperature Tb of the bimetal switch 27 in a short time (time t ₄ ). and,
Counter 31 from the time when the hot water supply operation switch 28 is turned on until the bimetallic switch 27 is first turned off.
The content of the count value indicates the time tc from time t ₀ to time t ₄ , and this time tc is the time tc from time t 0 to time t 4.
It is smaller than the set time ta of 2. As a result, the comparison circuit 32 compares the time tc and the set time ta and
Since <ta, a detection signal is generated from the output terminal Ob and given to the drive circuit 33, and the drive circuit 33 is activated to give an alarm signal to the buzzer 34, causing it to ring. Therefore, the user learns from the sound of the buzzer 34 that he has forgotten to fill the water tank 8 and turns the hot water supply operation switch 2.
8 to turn off the power to the sheathed heater 10. For example, if the hot water supply operation switch 28 is left as it is without being turned off, when the temperature of the heating plate 9 reaches the upper limit set temperature Tb (time _t5 )
The bimetal switch 27 is turned on, energizing the sheathed heater 10, and the temperature of the heating plate 9 reaches the lower limit set temperature.
When it reaches Ta (time t ₆ ), bimetal switch 27
is turned off, power is cut off to the sheathed heater 10, and the same operation is repeated thereafter.

By the way, when water is injected into the water storage tank 8, the heating pipe 11 exchanges heat with the water inside, so that the temperature of the heating plate 9 decreases as shown in FIG. is from the time when the bimetal switch 27 is turned off (time t ₁ ) to the next time when it is turned on (time t ₂ ), and from when it is turned on (time t ₂ ) to the next time when it is turned off (time t 2 ).
Until t ₃ ), the voltage gradually falls and rises, and therefore the on/off period Td of the bimetal switch 27 is relatively long. On the other hand, when water is not injected into the water storage tank 8, the heating pipe 11 does not exchange heat with the water, so the temperature of the heating plate 9 increases as shown in FIG. is the period from when the bimetal switch 27 is turned off (time t ₄ ) to when it is turned on (time t ₅ ) and when it is turned on (time t ₅ ).
From then to the next off (time t ₆ ), there is a rapid drop and rise, and therefore the on/off period Te of the bimetal switch 27 is relatively small. From this, the counter 31 detects the on-off cycle after the first off of the bimetal switch 27 and compares it with a predetermined cycle set in the comparison circuit 32 (less than the on-off cycle Td and greater than the on-off cycle Te). Even so, the desired purpose can be achieved.

In addition, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and shown in the drawings; for example, the detection device 29 may be configured with a microcomputer,
It goes without saying that the present invention can be modified and implemented as appropriate without departing from the scope of the invention, such as being applicable not only to coffee makers but also to coffee extractors in general.

As explained above, the present invention provides that the time from the start of energization of the electric heater of the hot water supply mechanism to the first turning on of the temperature regulator that detects the temperature of the heater of the hot water supply mechanism is shorter than the set time or We installed a detection device that activates the alarm when the on-off cycle after the first off is smaller than the set cycle, so the user can know when the alarm is activated that they have forgotten to fill the water storage tank of the hot water supply mechanism. Therefore, it is possible to take measures such as turning off the electric heater that heats the heater, thereby preventing wasteful power consumption and preventing the heater from running dry. Moreover, since it is possible to prevent the heating device from running dry, it is possible to prevent the heating device and the electric heater from becoming unnecessarily overheated, thereby prolonging their service life.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a coffee maker, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a detection device, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are temperature characteristic diagrams for explaining the operation. be. In the drawing, 1 is a container body, 2 is a mill mechanism, 3 is a drip mechanism (water supply mechanism), 4 is a cup, 6 is a cup mounting table, 10 is a sheathed heater (electric heater), 14
is a case, 17 is a cutter, 27 is a bimetal switch (temperature regulator), 28 is a hot water supply operation switch,
29 is a detection device, and 34 is a buzzer (alarm).

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A case provided in the container body and containing coffee powder,
a water supply mechanism that includes a water storage tank provided in the container body and that stores water; and a heater that heats the water from the water storage tank using an electric heater to generate hot water; and a hot water supply mechanism that supplies the hot water into the case; a temperature regulator that detects the temperature of the heater and turns it on and off to control energization and disconnection of the electric heater, and a time from the start of energization of the electric heater until the temperature regulator is turned on for the first time is shorter than a set time or the temperature adjustment A coffee extractor comprising a detection device that activates an alarm when the on-off cycle after the first turning off of the coffee machine is smaller than a set cycle.