JP2003247659A - Check valve and beverage producing device equipped with the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a check valve and a beverage producing device without generating noise caused by cavitation with respect to a check valve used for a liquid channel of a beverage producing device such as a cup type vending machine and a beverage dispenser. <P>SOLUTION: The check valve 30 has a tube-shaped inlet part 32a into which a liquid flows, an inlet part 32c disposed on the downstream side thereof, whose diameter is larger than that of the inlet part 32a, a valve seat 32b disposed at a position with difference in level for making the inlet parts communicate with each other, an inclined surface 31e pressed on the valve seat 32b by the energizing force toward the inlet part 32a side, and a valve element 31 for preventing the liquid from flowing reversely. The valve element 31 has a conical element 31b with tip faced to the side to which the liquid flows, and a groove 31d formed on the bottom surface side of the conical element 31b by a cylinder 31g with a diameter smaller than the bottom 31c of the cone element 31b. The conical element 31b and the groove 31d are disposed inside the inlet part 32a. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a check valve for preventing backflow of liquid and a beverage manufacturing apparatus provided with the check valve.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Some coffee beverage manufacturing apparatuses extract coffee liquid by passing hot water through ground beans obtained by crushing a certain amount of coffee beans necessary for extracting coffee beverage with a coffee mill. The coffee beverage manufacturing apparatus of this system can supply a coffee beverage excellent in aroma and taste because freshly ground coffee beans are used.

An example of a coffee beverage manufacturing apparatus for extracting coffee liquid by passing hot water through ground beans is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-23034.

FIG. 3 shows a coffee beverage manufacturing apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-23034. This coffee beverage manufacturing apparatus is driven by a cistern 2 connected to a water supply pipe 1, a hot water storage tank 3, a pipe 2A connecting the cistern 2 and the hot water storage tank 3, and a motor (not shown) to heat the hot water of the hot water storage tank 3 to 6 to 8 atm. Pump 4, coffee bean storage tank 5, coffee mill 6, metering section 6A, chute 7, coffee extractor 9, pipe 8 for supplying hot water from the pump 4 to the coffee extractor 9, coffee extractor 9 A beverage supply pipe 10 for supplying the cup 11 with the coffee liquid extracted in
An opening valve 12 is provided for opening the pipe 8 to the atmosphere and discharging excess hot water. A pressure sensor 13 and a flow rate sensor 14 are provided in the middle of the pipe 8.

A check valve 15 is provided in the pipe 8, and a bypass pipe 8B is connected between the upstream side of the check valve 15 and the hot water storage tank 3. A valve 8C is provided in the bypass pipe 8B. This bypass pipe 8B stores the lukewarm water in the pipe 8 by operating the pump 4 for a short time when the hot water supply from the hot water storage tank 3 to the coffee extractor 9 is resumed after the coffee liquid extraction is stopped. It is provided for returning to the bath 3 and newly supplying hot water to the pipe 8. When the hot water in the pipe 8 is replaced, the operation of the pump 4 is temporarily stopped and the valve 8C is closed.
During the coffee extraction, the valve 8C remains closed and hot water is not returned to the hot water storage tank 3.

[0006]

FIG. 4 shows details of the coffee brewing machine 9 during brewing. The coffee extractor 9 includes a cylinder 21 for storing ground beans, a piston 22 inserted in the cylinder 21, and a motor 2 for driving the piston 22.
3, a torque transmission portion 24 that connects the motor 23 and the piston 22 is provided, and these constitute a cylinder unit D. The coffee brewing machine 9 further includes a motor 2 for tilting the entire cylinder unit D at a predetermined angle.
5. A cap 26 for sealing the cylinder 21 is provided.
The pipe 8 penetrates the cap 26. Ground beans are supplied to the cylinder 21 from the measuring unit 6A (see FIG. 3) connected to the coffee mill 6 through the chute 7.

When the piston 23 is pushed up by the motor 23 via the torque transmission portion 24, the cylinder 21
The ground beans inside are compressed (tamping). When the ground beans are compressed to a predetermined state, stop the motor 23,
The pump 4 is operated to pressurize the hot water in the hot water storage tank 3 to 6 to 8 atm, and the check valve 15 is used to connect the pipe 8 to the cylinder 21.
Supply inside. When the hot water pressurized to 6 to 8 atm passes through the ground beans in the cylinder 21, the coffee component is dissolved or extracted, and the coffee liquid is supplied to the cup 11 through the beverage supply pipe 10. 6 to 8 like this
Since the hot water pressurized to atmospheric pressure is supplied to the ground beans, the hot water passes through the ground beans compressed for espresso by the pressure, and the coffee liquid is extracted. When the coffee liquid is extracted for a predetermined time, the operation of the pump 4 is stopped and the supply of hot water to the cylinder 21 is stopped. When the pump 4 is stopped, the pressure in the pipe 8 becomes low and reverses the pressure in the cylinder 21, but
Since the check valve 15 is provided in the pipe 8, the coffee liquid in the cylinder 21 is prevented from flowing back into the pipe 8.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are side sectional views showing the structure of the check valve 15 for preventing the backflow of the liquid. Figure 5
(A) shows a state in which the flow path in the check valve 15 is closed, and shows an inflow portion 32a into which the liquid flows and the inflow portion 32a.
A valve case 32 including an inflow portion 32c having a larger diameter and a valve seat 32b provided at a step between the inflow portion 32a and the inflow portion 32c.
A pressure spring 34 for pressing the valve body 33 against the valve seat 32b to prevent backflow of hot water, and a pressure spring 34 fixed to the valve case 32 with a screw portion 32d for pressing the valve body 33 against the valve seat 32b. When the hot water pressurized to a high pressure is supplied from the inflow portion 32a of the check valve 15, the valve body 33 is pushed down by the supply pressure as shown in FIG. 5B. As a result, the hot water flows out from the gap created between the valve seat 32b and the valve element 33. At that time, a vortex is generated at the step of the valve seat 32b. High-frequency noise caused by this cavitation (a phenomenon in which a cavity is formed near a place where the cross section or direction of the flowing water changes and causes a vortex. This vortex causes vibration and noise) is generated from the check valve 15. Sometimes.

When a coffee beverage is supplied by a cup type vending machine, a beverage dispenser or the like having the check valve 15 as described above, high frequency noise due to cavitation may occur. Therefore, improvement thereof is desired. Was there.

Therefore, an object of the present invention relates to a check valve used in a liquid flow path of a beverage manufacturing apparatus such as a cup type vending machine and a beverage dispenser, and a check valve and a beverage which do not generate high frequency noise due to cavitation. An object is to provide a manufacturing apparatus.

[0011]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to claim 1 is arranged in a tubular first inflow portion into which a liquid flows and a downstream side of the first inflow portion. First
Second inflow part having a diameter larger than that of the inflow part, a step part communicating the first inflow part and the second inflow part, and a connection from the second inflow part side to the first inflow part side. A check valve having a pressure contact portion that is pressed against the step portion by force and preventing liquid from flowing out from the second inflow portion side to the first inflow portion side. The body is provided with a cone with its tip facing the inflow side of the liquid in the press contact portion, and a columnar body having a diameter smaller than the maximum diameter of the cone on the bottom side of the cone, and the cone and the columnar body are provided. It is characterized in that it is arranged in the first inflow portion.

The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that the cone is a cone and the column is a cylinder.

The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that the valve element is an elastic member.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a tubular first inflow portion into which liquid flows, and a second inflow portion having a diameter larger than that of the first inflow portion disposed on the downstream side of the first inflow portion. Inflow section and first
Step portion that communicates the inflow portion and the second inflow portion, the cone with the tip facing the liquid inflow side, and the columnar body having a diameter smaller than the maximum diameter of the cone on the bottom surface side of the cone. Is provided on the first inflow portion side from the pressure contact portion that is pressed against the step portion by the urging force from the second inflow portion side to the first inflow portion side, and from the second inflow portion side to the first inflow portion. A check valve composed of a valve element for preventing liquid from flowing out to the side is arranged in the liquid flow path for extracting the beverage.

The invention according to claim 5 is characterized in that the cone is a cone and the column is a cylinder.

The invention according to claim 6 is characterized in that the valve element is an elastic member.

[0017]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the same reference numerals are used for the same configurations as the conventional ones, and redundant description will be omitted.

FIG. 1 shows an example of a coffee machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a certain amount of coffee beans necessary for extracting a coffee beverage are ground in a coffee mill, and hot coffee is passed through the ground beans. The manufacturing apparatus of the coffee drink which extracts a liquid is shown.

This coffee beverage manufacturing apparatus is driven by a cistern 2 connected to a water supply pipe 1, a hot water storage tank 3, a pipe 2A connecting the cistern 2 and the hot water storage tank 3, and a motor (not shown) to cool the hot water of the hot water storage tank 3 to 6 To pump 8 to pressurize to 8 atm, coffee bean storage tank 5, coffee mill 6, metering unit 6A, chute 7, coffee extractor 9, and pipe 8 for supplying hot water from pump 4 to coffee extractor 9 (liquid Flow path), a beverage supply pipe 10 for supplying the coffee liquid extracted by the coffee extractor 9 to the cup 11, a pipe 8 for opening the pipe 8 to the atmosphere, and an open valve 12 for discharging excess hot water. Provided pressure sensor 13 and flow rate sensor 14,
A check valve 30 for preventing backflow of hot water, a bypass pipe 8B connecting the upstream side of the check valve 30 and the hot water storage tank 3, and a valve 8C provided in the bypass pipe 8B are provided.

FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 (b) show a structure of a check valve 30 provided in a liquid flow path of a beverage manufacturing apparatus as an example according to an embodiment of the present invention to prevent back flow of liquid. It is a sectional side view shown. FIG. 2A shows a state in which the flow path inside the check valve 30 is closed, and the tubular inflow portion 3 into which the liquid flows in.
2a (first inflow portion), an inflow portion 32c (second inflow portion) having a larger diameter than the inflow portion 32a, and a valve seat 32b (step portion) provided at a step communicating the inflow portion 32a and the inflow portion 32c. ), A pressure spring 34 that presses the valve body 31 against the valve seat 32b to prevent backflow of hot water, and is fixed to the valve case 32 with a screw portion 32d to secure the valve body 31 to the valve seat 32b.
Fitting 35 for fixing a pressure spring 34 that is pressed against
It consists of and.

The valve body 31 includes a body portion 31a and a body portion 31.
a conical body 31b (cone) whose tip is disposed in the inflow portion 32a of the valve case 32 from a toward the liquid inflow side;
The bottom 31c of the cone 31b (the maximum diameter of the cone) and the bottom 3
1c and a groove 31d formed by a column 31g having a diameter smaller than the bottom 31c provided between the main body 31a and the pressure spring 3
4 is composed of an inclined surface 31e (pressure contact portion) pressed against the valve seat 32b by 4 and a spring mounting portion 31f for mounting the pressure spring 34, and is made of an elastic member of hard rubber (for example, fluororubber).

Then, the pump 4 is operated to pressurize the hot water in the hot water storage tank 3 to 6 to 8 atm, and the pipe 8 through the check valve 30.
When it is supplied from the coffee extractor 9 to the coffee extractor 9, the hot water pressurized to a high pressure passes through the ground beans to extract the coffee component, and the coffee liquid in which the coffee component is extracted is the beverage supply pipe 1
It is supplied to the cup 11 through 0.

FIG. 2B shows a state in which hot water pressurized to high pressure is supplied to the check valve 30 to open the flow path, and hot water pressurized to high pressure is fed to the check valve 30. When supplied, the valve body 3
1 is pressed by the pressure of the inflow of hot water, compresses the pressure spring 34, and moves downward as shown in FIG. Then, valve seat 3
A gap 36 is formed between 2b and the inclined surface 31e.
Hot water flows out of 6 at high pressure. At that time, the hot water flowing in from the inflow portion 32a becomes a rectified flow along the conical body 31b, flows out from the gap between the bottom portion 31c and the inner surface of the inflow portion 32a, and flows out to the fitting 35 as an outward flow at the inclined surface 31e.

In this way, the check valve 30 has a main body 31a.
And the conical body 31 with the tip disposed in the inflow part 32a of the valve case 32 from the main body part 31a facing the liquid inflow side.
b, a bottom 31c of the cone 31b, a groove 31d formed by a cylinder 31g having a diameter smaller than the bottom 31c provided between the bottom 31c and the main body 31a, and an inclination that is pressed against the valve seat 32b by the pressure spring 34. Since the valve body 31 including the surface 31e and the spring mounting portion 31f for mounting the pressure spring 34 is provided, the hot water flowing from the inflow portion 32a becomes a rectified flow along the conical body 31b and flows into the bottom portion 31c. Part 32a
Flows out of the gap between the inner surface of the and. Then, the hot water that has passed through the bottom portion 31c flows outward on the inclined surface 31e. At this time, the hot water flows due to the action of the vortex formed in the groove 31d.
Since the flow is separated from No. 1, the valve body 31 is not affected by the vibration due to the flow, so that high frequency noise due to cavitation is not generated.

As described above, the tubular inflow portion 32a into which the liquid flows, the inflow portion 32c having a diameter larger than that of the inflow portion 32a arranged on the downstream side of the inflow portion 32a, and the inflow portion 3
2a and the inflow part 32c The valve seat 32 provided in the level difference which connects.
b and a sloped surface 31e that is pressed against the valve seat 32b by the urging force from the inflow portion 32c side to the inflow portion 32a side to prevent the liquid from flowing out from the inflow portion 32c side to the inflow portion 32a side. A check valve 30 having a body 31, wherein the valve body 31 includes a conical body 31b whose tip faces the liquid inflow side on the inclined surface 31e, and a conical body 3 on the bottom surface side of the conical body 31b.
By providing a groove 31d formed by a cylinder 31g having a diameter smaller than that of the bottom 31c of 1b, and disposing the conical body 31b and the groove 31d in the inflow part 32a, the hot water flowing in from the inflow part 32a follows the conical body 31b. Becomes a rectified flow, and the hot water that has passed through the bottom portion 31c becomes a flow separated from the valve body 31 due to the action of the vortex formed in the groove 31d, and the valve body 31 is not affected by the vibration due to the flow, so that the high frequency due to cavitation It is possible to provide a check valve that does not generate noise.

By disposing the conical body 31b and the groove 31d formed by the cylinder 31g having a diameter smaller than that of the bottom portion 31c in the tubular inflow portion 32a, the hot water flowing in from the inflow portion 32a is caused to flow along the conical body 31b. It is possible to obtain a rectified flow.

Since the valve body 31 is made of fluororubber,
Since the inclined surface 31e is in close contact with the valve seat 32b, it is possible to prevent the liquid from flowing back from the fitting 35 side of the check valve 30 to the inflow portion 32a side.

A tubular inflow portion 32a into which the liquid flows,
An inflow portion 32c having a diameter larger than that of the inflow portion 32a arranged downstream of the inflow portion 32a, a valve seat 32b provided in a step for connecting the inflow portion 32a and the inflow portion 32c, and a tip on the inflow side of the liquid. 31b with the arrow pointing to and cone 31b
A groove 31d formed by a column 31g having a diameter smaller than the bottom 31c of the cone 31b on the bottom side of the cone 31b, and an inclined surface 31e pressed against the valve seat 32b by the bias from the inflow portion 32c side to the inflow portion 32a side. Provided on the side, the inflow portion 32c
The check valve 30 composed of the valve body 31 for preventing the liquid from flowing out from the inlet side to the inflow portion 32a side is arranged in the pipe 8 for extracting the beverage, so that the hot water flowing from the inflow portion 32a can be obtained. Becomes a flow rectified along the conical body 31b, and the hot water that has passed through the bottom 31c becomes a flow separated from the valve body 31 due to the action of the vortex formed in the groove 31d, and the valve body 31 is not affected by the vibration due to the flow. It is possible to provide a beverage manufacturing device that does not generate high-frequency noise due to cavitation.

[0029]

According to the present invention, the hot water flowing from the inflow portion flows along the conical body and is separated from the valve body by the action of the vortex formed in the groove, so that high frequency noise caused by cavitation does not occur. It becomes possible to provide a stop valve and a beverage production device.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a beverage manufacturing apparatus as an example according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing a structure of a check valve as an example according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional beverage manufacturing apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing details of the coffee brewing machine of the beverage manufacturing apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a side sectional view showing a structure of a conventional check valve.

[Explanation of symbols]

3 hot water storage tank 4 pumps 5 Coffee Bean Storage Tank 6 coffee mill 7 cup holder 8 piping 30 check valve 31 valve body 31a main body 31b cone 31c bottom 31d groove 31e inclined surface 31f mounting part 31g cylinder 32 valve case 32a inflow part 32b valve seat 32c Inflow part 32d screw part 34 Pressure spring 35 Fitting

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F term (reference) 3H058 AA02 BB35 CA02 CA06 CD05                       EE01 EE12                 3H066 AA01 BA03 BA32 BA33                 4B004 AA11 BA36

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A pipe-shaped first inflow part into which a liquid flows, and a second inflow part having a diameter larger than that of the first inflow part, which is arranged on the downstream side of the first inflow part. A step portion that connects the first inflow portion and the second inflow portion with each other, and a pressure contact portion that is in pressure contact with the step portion by urging from the second inflow portion side to the first inflow portion side. And a valve body for preventing the liquid from flowing out from the second inflow portion side to the first inflow portion side, the valve body being the pressure contact portion. In, a cone with its tip facing the inflow side of the liquid, and a columnar body having a diameter smaller than the maximum diameter of the cone on the bottom side of the cone, the cone and the columnar body are provided. A check valve arranged in the first inflow portion. 2. The check valve according to claim 1, wherein the cone is a cone and the column is a cylinder. 3. The check valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve body is an elastic member. 4. A pipe-shaped first inflow part into which a liquid flows, and a second inflow part having a diameter larger than that of the first inflow part, which is arranged on the downstream side of the first inflow part. A stepped portion that communicates the first inflow portion and the second inflow portion, a cone with its tip facing the liquid inflow side, and a maximum diameter of the cone on the bottom surface side of the cone. A columnar body having a smaller diameter is provided on a side of the first inflow portion from a pressure contact portion that is pressed against the step portion by a bias from the side of the second inflow portion to the side of the first inflow portion. A check valve including a valve body that prevents the liquid from flowing out from the second inflow portion side to the first inflow portion side is arranged in the liquid flow path for extracting the beverage. Characteristic beverage manufacturing equipment. 5. The beverage manufacturing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the cone is a cone and the column is a cylinder. 6. The beverage manufacturing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the valve element is an elastic member.