WO2016019873A1

WO2016019873A1 - Anti-scald device for beverage making machine and beverage brewing and heat preservation method

Info

Publication number: WO2016019873A1
Application number: PCT/CN2015/086135
Authority: WO
Inventors: 夏允基; 鲁尼鲁拉斯·菲利普; 温慧
Original assignee: 允慧科技（上海）有限公司
Priority date: 2014-08-06
Filing date: 2015-08-05
Publication date: 2016-02-11
Also published as: HK1202394A1; CN104161462B; CN104161462A

Abstract

Disclosed are an anti-scald device for a beverage making machine and a beverage brewing and heat preservation method, which aim to solve the problems about how to distinguish the brewing temperatures of a manual brewing mode and an automatic brewing mode and how to prevent the hot fluid scald during brewing. For this purpose, the anti-scald device is characterized by comprising a brewing vessel (14) arranged in a beverage making machine (1) and an anti-scald sensor (32) in a cap (17), wherein the anti-scald sensor (32) is used for detecting whether the cap (17) is opened, and a controller (30) of the beverage (1) making machine acquires a signal from the anti-scald sensor (32) to enable a pump (21) to stop operating when receiving the signal indicating the cap is (17) is opened during brewing. By means of the anti-scald sensor (32), respectively setting the temperatures of a manual brewing mode and an automatic brewing mode can be realized, and at the same time the problem of hot fluid scald can be avoided.

Description

Anti-scalding device for beverage making machine and beverage brewing and heat preservation method

Technical field

The invention relates to the preparation of a beverage, in particular to an anti-scalding device for a beverage making machine, a beverage brewing method and a beverage warming method.

Background technique

When brewing a beverage (eg tea and coffee) manually, first heat the water to a boiling temperature or a lower temperature (depending on the brewing season), then pour the hot water into a container containing the brewing sauce inside (eg , pot) for a certain period of time. In the absence of insulation measures, the water temperature at the end of the brewing process may be significantly lower than the initial water temperature due to heat loss caused by the material of the kettle, brewing seasoning, ambient environment, evaporation, etc. Therefore, the actual average brewing temperature will be lower than the recommended initial brewing temperature (see Figure 1 for details).

Some beverage makers (eg, tea makers and coffee makers) are designed to run the heating and brewing process automatically or semi-automatically. In addition to the heating element for heating the water, the beverage maker is sometimes equipped with a temperature sensor and a temperature control method so that the water temperature can be maintained at a certain level during the brewing process, thereby preventing the brewing temperature from gradually decreasing. Therefore, the temperature level of such automatic control can be set lower than the recommended brewing temperature for manual brewing. For example, manual brewing of Pu'er tea suggests a brewing temperature of 100 ° C, while for automatic brewing methods a brewing temperature of 95 ° C is sufficient.

Thus, for an automatic beverage maker configured to also have a manual brewing function, additional controls will be required to distinguish between manual and automatic brewing modes to provide an appropriate temperature level.

In addition, brewing begins after the heating process is complete, at which point the water and brewing seasoning are contacted by hand or automatically. Some automatic beverage makers are pump driven, as described in WO 2010/041003, where hot water is pumped into the brewing chamber. However, if the lid is opened during the brewing of such an automatic beverage maker, the user is likely to be exposed to boiling hot fluid, which may cause a burn hazard (as shown in Figure 2).

Summary of the invention

The present invention is directed to solving the above problems in the prior art. In particular, the present invention is directed to how to distinguish between manual and automatic modes during brewing and holding and how to prevent hot fluid burns during brewing. To this end, the present invention provides an anti-scalding device for a beverage maker and a beverage brewing method and a beverage warming method using the anti-scald device. The anti-scalding device is capable of detecting the positional relationship between the lid of the beverage maker and the brewer, more specifically, whether the lid of the beverage maker is open and/or whether the brewer is in place. Accordingly, on the one hand, when it is detected that the lid of the beverage maker is opened during brewing, the apparatus of the present invention can immediately stop the pump for pumping water or beverage, thereby effectively preventing accidental burns by the user. On the other hand, when preparing to brew the beverage, if it is detected that the brewer is in the proper position (ie, the brewer is in place and the lid of the beverage maker is closed), the automatic brewing mode is entered, and the temperature of the automatic brewing is adopted. And time parameters are run. Otherwise, if the brewer is not in the proper position, it enters the manual brewing mode and operates with the temperature and time parameters of the manual brewing, so that the accurate temperature can be ensured during the brewing process or during the heat preservation process. And time parameters and therefore ensure that high quality drinks are brewed.

According to an aspect of the present invention, an anti-scalding device for a drink making machine is provided, the drink making machine comprising a container for storing water or a drink, a brewer for storing and brewing a seasoning, and a heating device A heater for water or beverage in a container, a pump, a lid, and a controller for pumping water or beverage from the container to the brewer. The anti-scalding device is characterized by comprising an anti-scalding sensor disposed in the brewer and the cover, the anti-scalding sensor is configured to detect whether the cover is open, and the controller is obtained from the anti-scalding sensor The signal is to stop the pump when a signal indicating the opening of the lid is received during brewing.

In a preferred embodiment of the above anti-scalding device, the beverage maker further includes an upper casing, and the anti-scalding sensor includes a reed switch and a signal line positioned in the cover, disposed outside the cover An electrical contact point on the edge and/or the upper housing and a magnet embedded in the brewer, wherein the reed switch is connected to the upper via the electrical contact point via the signal line A housing, the signal line is ultimately connected to the controller and signals whether the magnet is approaching, and thus indicates whether the cover is open.

In a preferred embodiment of the above anti-scalding device, the beverage maker further includes an upper casing, and the anti-scalding sensor includes a spring disposed in the brewer a chip switch and a signal line, an electrical contact point disposed on an outer edge of the brewer and/or the upper housing, and a magnet embedded in the cover, wherein the reed switch passes the A signal line is connected to the upper housing via the electrical contact point, the signal line being ultimately connected to the controller and transmitting a signal as to whether the magnet is approaching, and thus indicating whether the cover is open.

In a preferred embodiment of the above anti-scalding device, the beverage maker further includes an upper casing, and the anti-scalding sensor includes a signal line and an electrical contact point, wherein the electrical contact point is disposed in the upper casing and / or on the outer edge of the brewer, and on the bottom surface of the lid and / or the top surface of the brewer, and the signal line is connected to the controller and via the electrical contact A point extends through the upper housing, the brewer, and the cover.

In a preferred embodiment of the above anti-scalding device, the beverage maker further includes an upper casing, and the anti-scalding sensor includes a contact switch and a signal line disposed in the cover, and is disposed at an outer edge of the cover And/or an electrical contact point on the upper housing and a contact disposed on the brewer, wherein the contact switch is connected to the upper housing via the electrical contact via the signal line The signal line is ultimately connected to the controller and transmits a signal that the contact contacts the contact switch and thus indicates whether the cover is open. In a preferred embodiment of the above described anti-scald device, the contact switch is closed by mechanical actuation and is open when not in contact with the contact.

In a preferred embodiment of the above-described anti-scalding device, the reed switch generates a signal indicating that the lid is closed, and the two conditions are met: the brewer is in position and the lid is closed. The reed switch generates a signal indicating that the lid is open to meet either or both of the following conditions: the brewer is not in place and/or the lid is open.

In a preferred embodiment of the above-described anti-scalding device, the signal line transmitting the signal of the lid closure needs to satisfy two conditions: the brewer is in position and the lid is closed. The signal line transmitting the signal of the lid opening needs to satisfy either or both of the following conditions: the brewer is not in place and/or the lid is open.

In a preferred embodiment of the above anti-scalding device, the beverage maker further includes a standpipe, a temperature sensor, and a signal input device, the riser connecting the pump to the container and the pump and the punch Bubbler connection, the temperature sensor is used for inspection The temperature of the water or beverage in the container is measured, the signal input device is an input interface and/or the controller is a microcontroller.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a beverage brewing method using the above-described anti-scalding device, the method comprising the steps of: detecting whether the anti-scald sensor emits a "closed" signal or an "open" signal; and if When the anti-scalding sensor sends a "closed" signal, it enters the automatic brewing mode; otherwise it enters the manual brewing mode.

As described above, the above-described anti-scalding device according to the present invention can detect not only whether the lid of the beverage maker is opened, but also whether the brewer is in an appropriate position. Specifically, when the anti-scald sensor issues a "closed" signal, the lid of the beverage maker must be in a closed state and the brewer must be in the proper position it should be present, at which point the brew enters the automatic mode. Otherwise, if the anti-scald sensor sends an "on" signal, there are two possibilities, one is that the brewer is not in its position, at which point the brew enters the manual mode; the other is the appropriate brewer Position but the cover is open, you can also enter the manual mode, the user to choose the subsequent operation. It can be seen that the anti-scalding device according to the present invention not only prevents burns during brewing, but also serves as a selector for manual and automatic modes, facilitating temperature and time setting in different modes.

In a preferred embodiment of the above beverage brewing method, when entering the manual brewing mode, the method further comprises the steps of: setting the target temperature to a manual brewing temperature; detecting water or beverage in the container Whether the manual brewing temperature is reached; if the manual brewing temperature has been reached, the heating is stopped and manual brewing is performed; if the manual brewing temperature is not reached, heating is continued until the water in the container or The temperature of the beverage reaches the manual brewing temperature before the heating is stopped and manual brewing is performed.

In a preferred embodiment of the above beverage brewing method, when entering the automatic brewing mode, the method further comprises the steps of: setting the target temperature to an automatic brewing temperature; detecting water or beverage in the container Whether the temperature reaches the automatic brewing temperature; if the automatic brewing temperature has been reached, the heating is stopped; otherwise heating is continued until the temperature of the water or beverage in the container reaches the automatic brewing temperature to stop heating; Continuously detecting whether the anti-scald sensor emits a "closed" signal or an "open" signal; and if the anti-scald sensor issues a "closed" signal, the pump is started to pump; otherwise, the automatic brewing mode is ended, or the pumping is stopped. Selectively stop heating and end the automatic brewing mode.

In a preferred embodiment of the above beverage brewing method, the method further comprises the step of detecting the water after the pump is started to pump water or beverage in the container into the brewer. Whether the temperature of the water or beverage is higher than a minimum threshold of the automatic brewing temperature; if the temperature of the water or beverage is higher than a minimum threshold of the automatic brewing temperature, then detecting whether the brewing operation reaches the target time; otherwise Starting the heater to continue heating, and then detecting whether the brewing operation reaches the target time; if the brewing operation reaches the target time, stopping pumping and selectively stopping the heating, then the automatic brewing mode ends; otherwise, detecting the defense The scald sensor signals a "closed" or "open" signal and then continues pumping, or ends the automatic brewing mode, or stops pumping and selectively stops heating and ends the automatic brewing mode.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a beverage warming method using the above-described anti-scalding device, the method comprising the steps of: detecting whether the anti-scald sensor emits a "closed" signal or an "open" signal; When the burn sensor sends a “closed” signal, it enters the automatic heat preservation mode; otherwise, it enters the manual heat preservation mode.

Similar to the description for the beverage brewing method, the anti-scalding device according to the present invention can not only detect whether the lid of the beverage maker is open, but also detect whether the brewer is in the proper position, thereby being capable of being used as a manual and automatic heat preservation mode. A selector that facilitates holding temperature and time settings in different modes.

In a preferred embodiment of the above beverage keeping method, when entering the manual holding mode, the method further comprises the steps of: setting the target temperature to the manual holding temperature and setting the target time to the manual holding time; Whether the temperature of the water or beverage in the container is higher than a minimum threshold of the manual holding temperature; if it is higher than the lowest threshold of the manual holding temperature, stopping heating and detecting whether the holding time reaches the manual holding time; otherwise, continuing Heating and then detecting whether the holding time reaches the manual holding time; if the manual holding time is reached, selectively ending the manual holding mode or stopping the heating and ending the manual holding mode; otherwise, continuously detecting the water or drink in the container Whether the temperature is higher than the lowest threshold of the manual holding temperature.

In a preferred embodiment of the above beverage keeping method, when entering the automatic heat preservation mode, the method further comprises the steps of: setting the target temperature to the automatic holding temperature and setting the target time to the automatic holding time; Whether the temperature of the water or beverage in the container is higher than a minimum threshold of the automatic holding temperature; if it is higher than the lowest threshold of the automatic holding temperature, stopping heating and detecting whether the holding time reaches the said Automatic holding time; otherwise, heating is continued and then detecting whether the holding time reaches the automatic holding time; if the automatic holding time is reached, the automatic holding mode is selectively ended or the heating is stopped and the automatic holding mode is ended; otherwise, the detection is continued. Whether the temperature of the water or beverage in the container is above a minimum threshold of the automatic holding temperature.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an anti-scalding device for a drink making machine, the drink making machine comprising a container for storing water or a drink, a brewer for storing and brewing the seasoning, for heating a heater for water or beverage in the container, a pump for pumping water or beverage from the container to the brewer, a lid, an upper housing, and a controller, wherein the anti-scald The device includes an anti-scalding sensor disposed in the brewer, the cover, and the upper casing, the anti-scalding sensor is configured to detect whether the cover is open, and the controller is obtained from the anti-scald sensor Signaling to stop the pump when a signal indicating the opening of the cover is received during brewing; the anti-scald sensor includes a signal line positioned in the cover, disposed on an outer edge of the cover and/or Or an electrical contact point on the upper housing, a reed switch disposed in the upper housing, and a magnet embedded in the brewer, wherein the signal line is connected via the electrical contact point Reed switch to the upper housing The reed switch is ultimately connected to the controller and signals whether the magnet is approaching and thus indicates whether the cover is open.

In a preferred embodiment of the above-described anti-scalding device, the reed switch generates a signal indicating that the cover is closed, and the two conditions are met: the brewer is in position and the cover is closed; The chip switch generates a signal indicating that the lid is open to meet either or both of the following conditions: the brewer is not in place and/or the lid is open.

In a preferred embodiment of the above anti-scalding device, the beverage maker further includes a standpipe, a temperature sensor, and a signal input device, the riser connecting the pump to the container and the pump and the punch A bubbler connection for detecting the temperature of water or beverage in the container, the signal input device being an input interface and/or the controller being a microcontroller.

DRAWINGS

Figure 1 shows the temperature change of water or beverage in a beverage maker during a manual brewing process.

Figure 2 illustrates the risk of burns in the beverage maker when pumping hot fluid.

Figure 3 shows a beverage maker in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 4 shows a control block diagram of a beverage maker in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 5 shows an example of an input interface of a beverage maker in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 6 shows a first embodiment of an anti-scald sensor for a beverage maker in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 7 shows a second embodiment of an anti-scald sensor for a beverage maker in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 8 shows a third embodiment of an anti-scald sensor for a beverage maker in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 9 shows a fourth embodiment of an anti-scald sensor for a beverage maker in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 10 shows a fifth embodiment of an anti-scald sensor for a beverage maker in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 11 shows a flow chart of a beverage brewing method in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 12 is a flow chart showing a method of warming a beverage according to the present invention.

detailed description

First of all, it should be noted that the technical solution of the present invention will be described below in conjunction with a tea maker and an anti-scalding device for a tea maker. However, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the technical solution of the present invention can be applied to other fluid containers, including but not limited to teapots, electric kettles, coffee machines, etc., without changing the principles of the present invention. . Such changes do not depart from the principles of the invention and do not require any inventive work and therefore fall within the scope of the invention.

Specifically, the present invention provides an anti-scalding device for a drink making machine, a drink brewing method using the anti-scalding device, and a beverage keeping method. The anti-scalding device is capable of detecting the positional relationship between the lid of the beverage maker and the brewer, more specifically, whether the lid of the beverage maker is open and/or whether the brewer is in place. Accordingly, on the one hand, when it is detected that the lid of the beverage maker is opened during the brewing process, the device signals and thus stops the pump for pumping water or beverage, thereby effectively preventing the user from accidentally scalding. On the other hand, when preparing the brewing drink and after the brewing is completed, if it is detected that the brewer is in the proper position (ie, the brewer is in place) and the lid of the beverage maker is closed, the automatic brewing/insulation mode is entered. , using automatic brewing / holding temperature and time parameters run. Otherwise, if the brewer is not in the proper position, enter the manual brewing/insulation mode and operate with the temperature and time parameters of the manual brewing/insulation, so that it is guaranteed during the brewing process or during the heat preservation process. Accurate temperature and time parameters are used and thus ensure a high quality beverage.

Embodiments in accordance with the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Referring first to Figure 3, there is shown a tea maker 1 employing the technical solution of the present invention. The tea maker 1 includes a spout 10, a container 11, a base 12, a spout opening 13, a brewer 14, a standpipe 15, a heater 16, a cover 17, an upper casing 18, a lower casing 19, an input interface 20, and Pump 21. The cover 17, the upper casing 18, the container 11, the lower casing 19, and the base 12 are disposed in order from the top to the bottom. A brewer 14 is provided at the top of the container 11 for storing brewing spices such as tea leaves. The spout opening 13 is provided on the container 11 and the spout 10 is connected to the spout opening 13. The input interface 20 includes various buttons for selecting brewing parameters and switching operation of the tea maker 1. The pump 21 is positioned in the lower casing 19 and communicates with the riser 15 and the interior of the vessel 11 to pump water or tea within the vessel 11 through the riser 15 into the brewer 14. During the brewing process, the fluid (e.g., water or tea) in the vessel 11 is driven by the pump 21 through the riser 15 into the brewer 14 and is returned to the vessel 11 after the liquid level in the brewer 14 reaches a certain level. in. The pump 21 described above and the pump referred to elsewhere in the application may be any type of pumping device, such as a water pump, an air pump, an air compressor having a pumping function, etc., as long as the water or tea in the container 11 can be passed through the standpipe. The pump 15 is sent to the brewer 14.

Figure 4 shows a control block diagram of the present invention. Microcontroller 30 manages the brewing and holding process by taking input signals from input interface 20, temperature sensor 31, and anti-scald sensor 32. The microcontroller 30 can be any type of controller and is used to control the operation of the tea maker 1 in accordance with the present invention. The actuator controlled by the microcontroller 30 includes a heater 16 and a pump 21.

Figure 5 shows an example of an input interface 20 in which a user can select brewing preferences, such as the concentration of tea and the type of tea. The microcontroller 30 converts the preference input into actual control parameters such as water temperature, brewing time, and the like. The microcontroller 30 can be housed in the base 12 while the temperature sensor 31 should be positioned within the container 11 that is in contact with a fluid (eg, water or tea).

The anti-scalding sensor 32 is used for the purpose of detecting the presence of the brewer 14 and the opening/closing of the cover 17 by a non-contact sensor (for example, a reed switch, a Hall effect sensor), a contact switch, or the like.

As shown in FIG. 6, the first embodiment of the anti-scalding sensor 32 is a combination of a reed switch 321 positioned in the cover 17 and a magnet 322 embedded in the brewer 14. The reed switch 321 is connected to the upper housing 18 via a signal line 323 also positioned in the cover 17 and via electrical contact points 324. Signal line 323 is ultimately connected to microcontroller 30 and signals whether magnet 322 is approaching, indicating the presence of brewer 14 and the opening/closing of cover 17.

The electrical contact point 324 may be disposed on the outer edge of the cover 17, or on the inner edge of the upper casing 18, or both on the outer edge of the cover 17 and the inner edge of the upper casing 18, as long as When the cover 17 is closed, a passage can be formed between the cover 17 and the upper casing 18. Further, the position of the reed switch 321 in the cover 17 and the position of the magnet 322 in the brewer 14 are not limited to those shown in FIG. 6, as long as the magnet 322 can change the reed switch when the open/close state of the cover 17 is changed. The switch state of 321 can be. These variations are beyond the scope of the invention and are therefore intended to fall within the scope of the invention.

FIG. 7 shows a second embodiment of the anti-scalding sensor 32 in which the reed switch 321 is positioned in the brewer 14 and the magnet 322 is embedded in the cover 17. Signal line 323, also positioned in brewer 14, connects reed switch 321 to upper housing 18 via electrical contact 324 and is ultimately connected to microcontroller 30.

Similar to the first embodiment, the electrical contact points 324 can be disposed either on the outer edge of the brewer 14, or on the inner edge of the upper casing 18, or both on the outer edge of the brewer 14 and On the inner edge of the upper casing 18, it is sufficient to form a passage between the brewer 14 and the upper casing 18 when the brewer 14 is in position and the cover 17 is closed. Further, the position of the reed switch 321 in the brewer 14 and the position of the magnet 322 in the cover 17 are not limited to those shown in FIG. 6, as long as the magnet 322 can change the reed switch when the open/close state of the cover 17 is changed. The switch state of 321 can be. These variations are beyond the scope of the invention and are therefore intended to fall within the scope of the invention.

As can be seen from the above description, for the first and second embodiments, the reed switch 321 can generate a "closed" signal during normal operation only when the following two conditions are simultaneously satisfied: 1. The brewer 14 is in position ; 2, the cover 17 is closed. In this regard it should be noted that the "appropriate position" means the position that the brewer 14 should be present during the automatic brewing/insulation process. On the other hand, when either (or both) of the following conditions are satisfied, the reed switch 321 will generate an "on" signal: 1. the brewer 14 is not in position; 2. the cover 17 is open.

FIG. 8 shows a third embodiment of the anti-scalding sensor 32 in which the signal line 323 is linked to the microcontroller 30 and extends through the upper housing 18, the brewer 14 and the cover 17 via electrical contact points 324. Similar to the first and second embodiments, the electrical contact point 324 between the brewer 14 and the upper housing 18 can be disposed either on the outer edge of the brewer 14 or on the inner edge of the upper housing 18. Above or at the same time on the outer edge of the brewer 14 and on the inner edge of the upper casing 18, as long as the brewer 14 is in position and the cover 17 is closed, it can be in the brewer 14 and the upper casing 18 It is sufficient to form a passage between them. On the other hand, the electrical contact point 324 between the brewer 14 and the cover 17 can be provided either on the top surface of the brewer 14, or on the bottom surface of the cover 17, or at the same time on the brewer 14. On the top surface and the bottom surface of the cover 17, it is sufficient to form a passage between the brewer 14 and the cover 17 when the brewer 14 is in position and the cover 17 is closed.

Figure 9 shows a fourth embodiment of the anti-scalding sensor 32 in which the contact switch 325 positioned in the cover 17 is connected to a signal line 323 also positioned in the cover 17, which is linked to the microcontroller 30 and The upper housing 18 extends through electrical contact points 324. Further, a contact is provided at a position corresponding to the contact switch 325 on the top surface of the brewer 14. The contact switch 325 is closed by mechanical actuation (when it is in contact with the contacts on the brewer 14) and is open when there is no contact. The contact can be either a conductor or other type of contact as long as it can close the contact switch 325 when it is in contact with the contact switch 325.

As can be seen from the above description, for the third and fourth embodiments, the signal line 323 can remain closed during normal operation when the following two conditions are simultaneously satisfied (ie, a "closed" signal is generated): 1. Brewer 14 is in position; 2, cover 17 is closed. On the other hand, when either (or both) of the following conditions are satisfied, the signal line 323 will be turned off (ie, an "on" signal is generated): 1. the brewer 14 is not in place; 17 open.

FIG. 10 shows a fifth embodiment of the anti-scalding sensor 32. Similar to the first embodiment, the fifth embodiment of the anti-scalding sensor 32 includes a combination of the reed switch 321 positioned in the upper housing 18 and the magnet 322 embedded in the brewer 14. The reed switch 321 is connected to the signal line 323 positioned in the cover 17 via an electrical contact 324. The reed switch 321 is ultimately connected to the microcontroller 30 and signals whether the magnet 322 is approaching, thereby indicating the presence of the brewer 14 and the opening/closing of the cover 17.

The electrical contact point 324 may be disposed on the outer edge of the cover 17, or on the inner edge of the upper casing 18, or both on the outer edge of the cover 17 and the inner edge of the upper casing 18, as long as When the cover 17 is closed, a passage can be formed between the cover 17 and the upper casing 18. Further, the position of the reed switch 321 in the upper casing 18 and the position of the magnet 322 in the brewer 14 are not limited to those shown in FIG. 10 as long as the magnet 322 can change the reed when the position of the brewer 14 changes. The switch state of the switch 321 is sufficient. These variations are beyond the scope of the invention and are therefore intended to fall within the scope of the invention.

In the fifth embodiment, the condition for generating the "closed" signal is that the brewer 14 is in position and the cover 17 is closed, in other words, the magnet 322 on the brewer 14 is adjacent to the reed switch 321 while being embedded in the cover. Signal line 323 in 17 is connected to electrical contact 324. Similarly, the condition that the "open" signal is generated is that the brewer 14 is not in place and/or the lid 17 is open, in other words, the magnet 322 on the brewer 14 is not near the reed switch 321 and/or is embedded The signal line 323 in the cover 17 is not connected to the electrical contact 324.

Referring next to Figure 11, there is shown a flow chart of a tea brewing process in accordance with the present invention. The brewing method includes a manual brewing mode and an automatic brewing mode, and is specifically divided into a heating process of manual brewing, a heating process of automatic brewing, and a brewing process of automatic brewing.

The brewing method begins at step 100. In step 101, it is checked if the brewer 14 is in place (or if the brewer is present). If the brewer 14 is properly seated or in position, the automatic brewing mode is entered and the target heating temperature is set to the automatic brewing temperature in step 102. Otherwise, the manual brewing mode is entered, and in step 121 the target heating temperature is set to the manual brewing temperature. The exact temperature will depend on the brewing choice, such as determined by input interface 20.

In the manual brewing mode, after a period of heating, it is checked in step 122 whether the actual water temperature reaches the manual brewing temperature - that is, the target temperature in the manual brewing mode. If the target heating temperature has been reached, then the heating is stopped in step 124 and the method ends in step 112. Otherwise, heating is continued in step 123 until the actual water temperature reaches the target temperature for manual brewing.

In the automatic brewing mode, after a period of heating, it is checked in step 103 whether the actual water temperature reaches the automatic brewing temperature - that is, the target temperature in the automatic brewing mode. If the target heating temperature has been reached, the heating is stopped in step 105. Otherwise, heating is continued in step 104 until the actual water temperature reaches the target temperature for automatic brewing.

The method proceeds to 106 where it is again checked in step 106 whether the brewer 14 is in place (or checking for the presence of the brewer). If the brewer 14 is properly seated, then in step 107 the pump 21 is started to initiate pumping, from which the automatic brewing process begins. Otherwise, the method proceeds directly to step 111 to stop pumping and selectively stop heating, and then to step 112 the automatic heating process ends, and the user can select a subsequent operation, such as manual brewing. In this regard, it should be pointed out that step 111 is run here in order to ensure the simplicity and consistency of the method implementation in combination with the following

steps

108, 109 and 110. In fact, at step 111, the pump 21 and the heater 16 are both at The closed state has the same effect as the direct running to step 112 to end the automatic heating process. After a period of pumping, it is checked in step 108 whether the actual temperature of the tea is above a minimum threshold of the automatic brewing temperature. If the actual temperature of the tea is above the lowest threshold of the automatic brewing temperature, then in step 110 it is checked if the brewing operation has reached the target time. Otherwise, the heater is turned on to continue heating in step 109, and then in step 110 it is checked if the brewing operation has reached the target time. In this regard, it should be pointed out that in the automatic brewing process, as the pumping operation continues, the temperature of the tea will inevitably decrease. In order to avoid repeated activation of the heater, a minimum threshold can be set for the automatic brewing temperature, and when the actual water temperature is below the minimum threshold, the heater is activated for supplemental heating. For example, if the automatic brewing temperature is set to 95 ° C, the lowest threshold may be a temperature 1-5 degrees lower than the automatic brewing temperature, for example, the minimum threshold may be 94 ° C, 93 ° C, 92 ° C, 91 ° C and so on.

As described above, it is next checked in step 110 whether the brewing operation has reached the target time. If the target brewing time is reached, the pumping operation is stopped and the heating is selectively stopped in step 111 (if the heater 16 is turned on if step 109 is turned on). The next method ends at step 112. Conversely, if the brewing operation does not reach the target brewing time in step 110, the method returns to step 106 to check again whether the brewer 14 is in place (or to check if the brewer is present) and then proceeds to step 107. Pumping and brewing operations, this cycle continues. The above target brewing time is selected and adjusted by the user through the input interface 20 according to his or her own preference.

Next, the operational steps of the beverage keeping method according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 12, the beverage warming method of the present invention begins at step 200. In step 201, it is checked if the brewer 14 is in place (or if the brewer is present). If the brewer 14 is properly seated or in position, the automatic brewing mode is entered, in step 202 the target holding temperature is set to the automatic holding temperature and the target holding time is set to self. Dynamic insulation time. Otherwise, the manual brewing mode is entered, and in step 211, the target holding temperature is set to the manual holding temperature and the target holding time is set to the manual holding time. The exact temperature and time will depend on the brewing choice, such as determined by input interface 20.

In the manual warming mode, it is next checked in step 212 whether the actual water temperature is above the minimum threshold for the manual holding temperature. If the actual water temperature is above the minimum threshold for the manual holding temperature, then heating is stopped in step 214. Otherwise, heating is continued in step 213 and the method proceeds to step 215. Next, in step 215, it is checked whether the holding operation reaches the target holding time, and if so, the holding method ends at step 208; otherwise the method returns to step 212 to continue heating and check whether the actual water temperature is higher than the minimum threshold of the manual holding temperature, Repeat the cycle. When step 213 is performed after step 212, if the target time has elapsed, step 207 needs to be additionally performed after step 215 and before step 208 - that is, the heating is stopped, so the stop heating operation of step 207 is optional, only Execution is required only when the continuation heating operation of step 213 is performed.

In the automatic insulation mode, after step 202, it is checked in step 203 whether the actual water temperature is higher than the lowest threshold of the automatic holding temperature. If the actual water temperature is above the lowest threshold of the auto-insulation temperature, then heating is stopped in step 205. Otherwise, heating is continued in step 204 and the method proceeds to step 206. Next, in step 206, it is checked whether the heat preservation operation reaches the target heat retention time. If it is reached, the heat preservation method ends at step 208; otherwise, the method returns to step 203 to continue heating and check whether the actual water temperature is higher than the minimum temperature of the automatic heat retention temperature. Repeat the cycle. When step 204 is performed after step 203, if the target time has elapsed, step 207 needs to be additionally performed after step 206 and before step 208 - that is, the heating is stopped, so the stop heating operation of step 207 is optional, only Execution is required only when the continuation heating operation of step 204 is performed.

Similar to the above brewing method, the temperature of the tea will gradually decrease with time during the heat preservation process. In order to avoid repeated activation of the heater, a minimum threshold can be set for the automatic and manual holding temperatures, and when the actual water temperature is below the minimum threshold, the heater is activated for supplemental heating. Also for example, if the auto-insulation temperature is set to 85 ° C, the lowest threshold may be a temperature 1-5 degrees lower than the automatic brewing temperature, for example, the minimum threshold may be 84 ° C, 83 ° C, 82 ° C, 81 ° C and so on.

Heretofore, the technical solutions of the present invention have been described in conjunction with the preferred embodiments shown in the drawings, but it is obvious to those skilled in the art that the scope of the present invention is obviously not limited to the specific embodiments. Without departing from the principles of the invention, Those skilled in the art can make equivalent changes or substitutions to the related technical features, and the technical solutions after the modification or replacement will fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

An anti-scalding device for a beverage maker, the beverage maker comprising a container (11) for storing water or a drink, a brewer (14) for storing and brewing the seasoning, for heating the container a heater (16) for water or beverage in (11), a pump (21) for pumping water or a drink from the container (11) to the brewer (14), a lid (17), and Controller,

Characterized in that the anti-scalding device comprises an anti-scalding sensor (32) disposed in the brewer (14) and the cover (17), the anti-scalding sensor (32) for detecting the cover (17) Whether it is turned on, the controller acquires a signal from the anti-scalding sensor (32) to stop the pump (21) when receiving a signal indicating that the lid (17) is open during brewing.
The anti-scalding device according to claim 1, wherein the drink making machine further comprises an upper casing (18), and the anti-scalding sensor (32) comprises a reed positioned in the cover (17) a switch (321) and a signal line (323), an electrical contact point (324) disposed on an outer edge of the cover (17) and/or the upper housing (18), and an embedded in the brewer a magnet (322) in (14), wherein the reed switch (321) is coupled to the upper housing (18) via the electrical contact (324) via the signal line (323), The signal line (323) is ultimately connected to the controller and communicates whether the magnet (322) is approaching, and thus indicates whether the cover (17) is open.
The anti-scalding device according to claim 1, wherein the drink making machine further comprises an upper casing (18), and the anti-scalding sensor (32) comprises a disposing sensor (14) disposed in the brewer (14) a reed switch (321) and a signal line (323), electrical contact points (324) disposed on an outer edge of the brewer (14) and/or the upper housing (18), and embedded in the a magnet (322) in the cover (17), wherein the reed switch (321) is connected to the upper casing (18) via the electrical contact (324) via the signal line (323), The signal line (323) is ultimately connected to the controller and communicates whether the magnet (322) is approaching a signal and thus indicates whether the cover (17) is open.
The anti-scalding device according to claim 1, wherein the beverage maker further comprises an upper casing (18), and the anti-scalding sensor (32) comprises a signal line (323) and an electrical contact point (324) Wherein the electrical contact (324) is disposed on an outer edge of the upper housing (18) and/or the brewer (14) and is disposed on a bottom surface of the cover (17) and/or a top surface of the brewer (14), and the signal line (323) is connected To the controller and via the electrical contact (324) through the upper housing (18), the brewer (14) and the cover (17).
The anti-scalding device according to claim 1, characterized in that the drink making machine further comprises an upper casing (18), and the anti-scalding sensor (32) comprises a contact switch provided in the cover (17) (325) and a signal line (323), an electrical contact point (324) disposed on an outer edge of the cover (17) and/or the upper housing (18), and a buffer (14) disposed on the brewer (14) a contact on the contact switch (325) connected to the upper housing (18) via the electrical contact point (324) via the signal line (323), the signal line (323) Finally connected to the controller and transmitting a signal that the contact contacts the contact switch (325) and thus indicating whether the cover (17) is open.
The anti-scald device of claim 5 wherein said contact switch (325) is closed by mechanical actuation and is open when not in contact with said contact.
The anti-scalding device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the reed switch (321) generates a signal indicating that the cover (17) is closed, and the two conditions are satisfied: the brewer ( 14) in position and the lid (17) is closed;

The reed switch (321) generates a signal indicating that the cover (17) is open to meet either or both of the following conditions: the brewer (14) is not in place and/or The cover (17) is opened.
The anti-scalding device according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the signal line (323) transmits a signal that the cover (17) is closed, and the following two conditions are satisfied: the brewing The device (14) is in position and the cover (17) is closed;

The signal line (323) transmits a signal that the cover (17) is open to meet either or both of the following conditions: the brewer (14) is not in place and/or the cover (17) Open.
The anti-scalding device according to claim 7, wherein the drink making machine further comprises a standpipe (15), a temperature sensor (31), and a signal input device, and the standpipe (15) pumps the pump (21) Connecting to the container (11) and connecting the pump (21) to the brewer (14) for detecting water or beverage in the container (11) Temperature, the signal input device is an input interface (20) and/or the controller is a microcontroller (30).
The anti-scalding device according to claim 8, wherein the beverage is produced The machine further includes a standpipe (15), a temperature sensor (31), and a signal input device, the standpipe (15) connecting the pump (21) to the container (11) and the pump (21) The brewer (14) is connected, the temperature sensor (31) is for detecting the temperature of water or drink in the container (11), the signal input device is an input interface (20) and/or the The controller is a microcontroller (30).
A beverage brewing method using the anti-scalding device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, comprising the steps of:

Detecting whether the anti-scald sensor emits a "closed" signal or an "open" signal;

If the anti-scald sensor sends a "closed" signal, it enters the automatic brewing mode; otherwise it enters the manual brewing mode.
The beverage brewing method according to claim 11, wherein when entering the manual brewing mode, the method further comprises the steps of:

Set the target temperature to the manual brewing temperature;

Detecting whether water or beverage in the container reaches the manual brewing temperature;

If the manual brewing temperature has been reached, the heating is stopped and manual brewing is performed;

If the manual brewing temperature is not reached, heating is continued until the temperature of the water or beverage in the container reaches the manual brewing temperature before heating is stopped and manual brewing is performed.
The beverage brewing method according to claim 11, wherein when entering the automatic brewing mode, the method further comprises the steps of:

Set the target temperature to the automatic brewing temperature;

Detecting whether the temperature of the water or beverage in the container reaches the automatic brewing temperature;

If the automatic brewing temperature has been reached, the heating is stopped; otherwise heating is continued until the temperature of the water or beverage in the container reaches the automatic brewing temperature to stop heating;

Continuously detecting whether the anti-scald sensor emits a "closed" signal or an "open" signal;

If the anti-scald sensor issues a "closed" signal, the pump is activated for pumping; otherwise, the automatic brewing mode is terminated, or the pumping is stopped and the heating is selectively stopped and the automatic brewing mode is terminated.
The beverage brewing method according to claim 13, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

Pumping water or beverage from the container into the brewer upon activation of the pump After detecting whether the temperature of the water or beverage is higher than a minimum threshold of the automatic brewing temperature;

If the temperature of the water or beverage is higher than a minimum threshold of the automatic brewing temperature, then detecting whether the brewing operation reaches the target time; otherwise, starting the heater to continue heating, and then detecting whether the brewing operation reaches the target time;

If the brewing operation reaches the target time, the pumping is stopped and the heating is selectively stopped, and then the automatic brewing mode ends; otherwise, the anti-scald sensor is then detected to issue a "closed" signal or an "open" signal, and then the pump is continued Send, or end the automatic brewing mode, or stop pumping and selectively stop heating and end the automatic brewing mode.
A beverage heat preservation method using the anti-scalding device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, comprising the steps of:

Detecting whether the anti-scald sensor emits a "closed" signal or an "open" signal;

If the anti-scalding sensor sends a "closed" signal, it enters the automatic holding mode; otherwise, it enters the manual holding mode.
The beverage insulation method according to claim 15, wherein when entering the manual insulation mode, the method further comprises the steps of:

Set the target temperature to the manual holding temperature and set the target time to the manual holding time;

Detecting whether the temperature of the water or beverage in the container is higher than a minimum threshold of the manual holding temperature;

If it is higher than the minimum threshold of the manual holding temperature, stop heating and detect whether the holding time reaches the manual holding time; otherwise, continue heating and then detect whether the holding time reaches the manual holding time;

If the manual holding time is reached, the manual holding mode is selectively ended or the heating is stopped and the manual holding mode is ended; otherwise, it is continued to detect whether the temperature of the water or beverage in the container is above a minimum threshold of the manual holding temperature.
The beverage insulation method according to claim 15, wherein when entering the automatic insulation mode, the method further comprises the steps of:

Set the target temperature to the automatic holding temperature and set the target time to the automatic holding time;

Detecting whether the temperature of the water or beverage in the container is higher than a minimum threshold of the automatic holding temperature;

If it is higher than the lowest threshold of the automatic holding temperature, stop heating and detect whether the holding time reaches the automatic holding time; otherwise, continue heating and then detect whether the holding time reaches the automatic holding time;

If the automatic holding time is reached, the automatic holding mode is selectively ended or the heating is stopped and the automatic holding mode is ended; otherwise, it is continued to detect whether the temperature of the water or drink in the container is higher than the lowest threshold of the automatic holding temperature.
An anti-scalding device for a beverage maker, the beverage maker comprising a container (11) for storing water or a drink, a brewer (14) for storing and brewing the seasoning, for heating the container a heater (16) for water or beverage in (11), a pump (21) for pumping water or a drink from the container (11) to the brewer (14), a lid (17), Upper housing (18) and controller,

Characterized in that the anti-scalding device comprises an anti-scalding sensor (32) disposed in the brewer (14), the cover (17) and the upper casing (18), the anti-scalding sensor (32) for detecting whether the cover (17) is open, the controller acquiring a signal from the anti-scalding sensor (32) to receive a signal indicating that the cover (17) is open during brewing The pump (21) is stopped;

The anti-scalding sensor (32) includes a signal line (323) positioned in the cover (17), an electrical arrangement disposed on an outer edge of the cover (17), and/or the upper housing (18) a contact point (324), a reed switch (321) disposed in the upper casing (18), and a magnet (322) embedded in the brewer (14), wherein the signal line ( 323) connected to a reed switch (321) in the upper housing (18) via the electrical contact point (324), the reed switch (321) being ultimately connected to the controller and transmitting the magnet (322) Whether the signal is close, and thus indicates whether the cover (17) is open.
The anti-scalding device according to claim 18, wherein the reed switch (321) generates a signal indicating that the cover (17) is closed, and the following two conditions are satisfied: the brewer (14) In position and the lid (17) is closed;

The reed switch (321) generates a signal indicating that the cover (17) is open to meet either or both of the following conditions: the brewer (14) is not in place and/or The cover (17) is opened.
The anti-scalding device according to claim 19, characterized in that the drink making machine further comprises a standpipe (15), a temperature sensor (31) and a signal input device, the standpipe (15) placing the pump (21) Connected to the container (11) and the pump (21) Connected to the brewer (14) for detecting the temperature of water or beverage in the container (11), the signal input device being an input interface (20) and/or The controller is a microcontroller (30).