Dispensing Server

Abstract

The present invention provides a dispensing server that can prevent damage to the latching mechanism used to restrain the opening and closing section of the dispensing switching device. [Solution] A dispensing server comprising a dispensing switching device including an opening / closing section and a restraining mechanism 40 that restrains the opening / closing section to a closed state, wherein the restraining mechanism 40 restrains the opening / closing section by displacing at least one of the movable locking sections 41 of the first locking section 41 on the opening / closing section side and the second locking section 42 on the housing storage section side between an initial position and a release position relative to the other locking section 42, and engaging both locking sections 41 and 42, the positional relationship of the locking sections 41 and 42 is set such that when the opening / closing section is operated so that the movable locking section 41 contacts the other locking section 42 while the movable locking section 41 is held in the initial position, the contact position of the locking sections 41 and 42 is shifted toward the release position side than the top 42c of the other locking section 42 in the opening / closing direction of the opening / closing section.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a server for pouring out contents such as beverages in a container.

Background Art

[0002] As a server for pouring out beverages, a pouring switching device is arranged in a storage portion between a main body portion and a lid portion of a housing, and by the pouring switching device, a tube connected to a beverage container in the main body portion is deformed so as to be crushed according to an operation of a predetermined operation member, thereby changing the state of a pouring path formed in the tube to switch pouring of a beverage or its foam and stopping of the pouring. A pouring server is known (see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the above-described conventional pouring server, the pouring switching device has an opening / closing portion that can be opened and closed in order to achieve the purpose of passing a tube therethrough, and the opening / closing portion can be constrained in a closed state by a constraint mechanism. The constraint mechanism is configured to constrain the opening / closing portion in a closed state by displacing at least one of one latching portion provided on the opening / closing portion side and the other latching portion provided on the storage portion side between an initial position and a release position to engage the two latching portions. However, if the lid portion is closed while the opening / closing portion is not properly closed, the lid portion and the opening / closing portion, or the lid portion and the latching portion may interfere with each other, and the latching portion may be displaced in a direction opposite to the direction in which it should be displaced during the meshing process and may be damaged.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a dispensing server that can prevent damage to the latching part for restraining the opening and closing part of the dispensing switching device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A dispensing server according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a housing having a main body having a storage space for accommodating a container, and a lid for opening and closing the storage space, and a dispensing switching device disposed in a storage section between the main body and the lid, which changes the state of the dispensing path through which the contents removed from the container in the housing are guided in accordance with the operation of an operating member to switch the dispensing state of the contents, wherein the dispensing switching device includes an opening / closing section that can be opened and closed between an open state and a closed state, and further comprises a restraining mechanism for restraining the opening / closing section in the closed state, the restraining mechanism includes a first latching section provided on the opening / closing section side, and a second latching section provided on the storage section side When at least one of the second latching portions is made a movable latching portion, the movable latching portion is displaced between an initial position and a release position relative to the mating latching portion to restrain the opening and closing portion by engaging both latching portions with each other. The positional relationship between the first latching portion and the second latching portion is set such that when the opening and closing portion is operated so that the movable latching portion contacts the mating latching portion while the movable latching portion is held in the initial position, the contact position between the movable latching portion and the mating latching portion is shifted towards the release position side of the top of the mating latching portion in the opening and closing direction of the opening and closing portion. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] A vertical cross-sectional view of a beverage server according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] A perspective view showing the beverage dispenser with the storage compartment open. [Figure 3] A perspective view of the stop valve that is installed in the storage compartment. [Figure 4] A perspective view showing the stop valve in the open position. [Figure 5] A perspective view showing the stop valve switching mechanism in a disassembled state. [Figure 6] An enlarged view showing the main parts of the switching mechanism in a disassembled state, in a half-cross-sectional view. [Figure 7] An enlarged view showing the main parts of the switching mechanism in its assembled state, in a half-cross-sectional view. [Figure 8] This diagram shows the tube retainer for foam dispensing retracted from the tube. [Figure 9] This diagram shows the state in which an orifice has been formed by deforming the tube with a tube holder for foam dispensing. [Figure 10] A diagram showing the restraining mechanism and positioning mechanism of the opening and closing section of a stop valve. [Figure 11] A diagram showing the fixing part of the restraint mechanism provided on the storage unit side. [Figure 12] A diagram showing the positional relationship between the hook arm of the restraint mechanism and the fixing part on the storage unit side. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] Figure 1 shows one configuration of the dispensing server according to the present invention as a beverage server. The beverage server 1 comprises a housing 3 that houses a bottle 2, an example of a beverage container filled with beer, or a beer-like sparkling beverage; a gas supply device 4 that sends dispensing gas, such as carbon dioxide, into the bottle 2; a dispensing tube 6 that guides the beverage dispensed from the bottle 2 by gas pressure to a dispensing outlet 5; and a stop valve 7, an example of a dispensing switching device for switching between dispensing or stopping the dispensing of beverage or beverage foam via the tube 6. The inside of the tube 6 corresponds to an example of a dispensing path. Figure 1 shows the beverage server 1 standing upright on a suitable mounting surface. Hereinafter, the left-right direction in Figure 1 will be referred to as the front-back direction of the beverage server 1, the up-down direction in Figure 1 will be referred to as the up-down direction of the beverage server 1, and the direction perpendicular to the plane of Figure 1 will be referred to as the left-right direction of the beverage server 1.

[0009] The housing 3 comprises a generally cylindrical main body 3a having a storage space S for housing the bottle 2, and a lid 3b for opening and closing the storage space S. The lid 3b is connected to the main body 3a in a manner that allows it to rotate around a hinge 3c at the rear end of the housing 3 (opposite the spout 5). By opening the lid 3b, the bottle 2 can be inserted into and removed from the storage space S. A cooling unit 8 for the bottle 2 is also arranged inside the main body 3a. The bottle 2 is made of resin, for example.

[0010] A cap 10 is detachably attached to the opening of bottle 2. A down tube 11 for dispensing beverage from bottle 2 is connected to the bottom of cap 10. As shown in Figure 2, a gas tube 12 for supplying gas from a gas supply device 4 into bottle 2 is also connected to cap 10. A beverage dispensing tube 10a is provided at the top of cap 10 for dispensing beverage from bottle 2 by gas pressure. One end of dispensing tube 6 is connected to the dispensing tube 10a. Tube 6 is made of a flexible resin material along its entire length. The spout 5 is formed at the tip of tube 6.

[0011] As shown in Figure 1, a storage compartment 13 for housing the stop valve 7 is provided between the main body 3a and the lid 3b of the housing 3. The storage compartment 13 includes a receiving portion 14 provided on the main body 3a and a covering portion 15 provided on the lid 3b. By closing the lid 3b, the receiving portion 14 and the covering portion 15 are joined together and the storage compartment 13 is closed. By opening the lid 3b, the covering portion 15 separates upward from the receiving portion 14 and the storage compartment 13 opens. Figure 2 shows the storage compartment 13 in the open state. In the state shown in Figure 2, the stop valve 7 is attached to the receiving portion 14, and then the covering portion 15 is closed, storing the stop valve 7 inside the storage compartment 13.

[0012] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the stop valve 7 includes a base 20 and an opening / closing section 21. The base 20 is mounted on a receiving section 14 of the storage section 13. The opening / closing section 21 is rotatably fitted onto the hinge shaft 20a of the base 20, allowing it to be opened and closed around the hinge shaft 20a. Figure 3 shows the closed state with the opening / closing section 21 closed, and Figure 4 shows the open state with the opening / closing section 21 open. As shown in Figure 4, the stop valve 7 is provided with a tube holder 22. The tube holder 22 includes a lower holder 23 as a component of the base 20 and an upper holder 24 as a component of the opening / closing section 21. The hinge shaft 20a is provided on the lower holder 23, and the upper holder 24 is rotatably fitted onto its hinge shaft 20a. The opening / closing section 21 is further provided with a cap 25. The cap 25, when combined with the upper holder 24, can be opened and closed integrally with the upper holder 24 around the hinge axis 20a. The upper holder 24 is connected to the cap 25 by closing the opening portion of the cap 25. When the opening / closing part 21 is closed and the lower holder 23 and the upper holder 24 are in close contact, the lower holder 23 and the cap 25 are connected in the vertical direction to form the housing 26, which is the outer shell of the stop valve 7.

[0013] The lower holder 23 and the upper holder 24 are provided with tube grooves 23a and 24a, respectively, which have a roughly semicircular cross-sectional shape. The cross-sectional shapes of the tube grooves 23a and 24a are shown in Figures 8 and 9. By opening the opening / closing section 21 and inserting the tube 6 into the tube groove 23a of the lower holder 23, and then closing the opening / closing section 21, the tube 6 fits into the tube groove 24a of the upper holder 24, and the tube 6 is held between the lower holder 23 and the upper holder 24. In other words, the opening / closing section 21 can be opened and closed between an open state for passing the tube 6 through the stop valve 7 and a closed state for holding the tube 6 in cooperation with the base 20.

[0014] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a guide cylinder 23b is further provided in the lower holder 23. The internal space of the guide cylinder 23b communicates with the tube groove 23a. As shown in FIG. 1, when the stop valve 7 is attached to the storage part 13, the guide cylinder 23b is inserted inside a guide cylinder 14a provided in the receiving part 14 of the housing 3. The tube 6 connected to the cap 10 extends substantially horizontally along the front-rear direction and is introduced into the stop valve 7. The tube 6 introduced into the stop valve 7 is bent downward inside the stop valve 7 and inserted into the guide cylinder 23b, and its tip end portion is exposed from the guide cylinder 23b and functions as a pouring outlet 5.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1, inside the opening / closing part 21 of the stop valve 7, a switching mechanism 30 is provided between the upper holder 24 and the cap 25. The switching mechanism 30 switches between a state of changing the deformation amount of the tube 6 according to the operation of the operation lever 16 to pour out a beverage or its foam and a state of stopping the pouring. As an example, when the operation lever 16 is at the pouring stop position P0 where it is substantially upright in the vertical direction, the tube 6 is crushed so that the inside of the tube 6 is completely closed to stop the pouring of the beverage and the foam. When the operation lever 16 is tilted to the beverage pouring position P1 in front of the pouring stop position P0, the deformation amount of the tube 6 is changed so that the internal flow path of the tube 6 is sufficiently opened to allow the pouring of the beverage. When the operation lever 16 is tilted to the foam pouring position P3 behind the pouring stop position P0, the deformation amount of the tube 6 is changed so that a minute orifice is formed in the tube 6 to allow the pouring of the foam. The operation lever 16 is an example of an operation member provided on the covering part 15.

[0016] Figs. 5 to 7 show the details of the switching mechanism 30. Fig. 5 shows the disassembled state of the switching mechanism 30, Fig. 6 is an enlarged view showing the main part in the disassembled state of the switching mechanism 30 in a semi-sectional state, and Fig. 7 is an enlarged view showing the main part in the assembled state of the switching mechanism 30 in a semi-sectional state. As shown in these figures, the switching mechanism 30 includes a slider 31, a first tube presser 32, a second tube presser 33, and a coil spring 33. The tube pressers 32 and 33 are parts for contacting and deforming the tube 6 and correspond to an example of a pressing member. The slider 31 is a part for converting the operation of the operation lever 16 into the operations of the tube pressers 32 and 33. The coil spring 32 is an elastic part that applies a force in the direction of pushing the first tube presser 32 toward the tube 6.

[0017] The slider 31 is arranged to be sandwiched between the upper holder 24 and the cap 25, and is provided so as to be movable in the front-rear direction with respect to the upper holder 24 and immovable in the vertical direction. The slider 31 is formed with a first insertion hole 31a and a second insertion hole 31b penetrating the slider 31 in the vertical direction. As shown in Fig. 7, the lower drive part 17a of the lever shaft 17 of the operation lever 16 is fitted into the first insertion hole 31a. A spherical fulcrum part 17b is provided at an intermediate position of the lever shaft 17.

[0018] As shown in Figure 1, the lever shaft 17 is attached to the lid 3b by fitting its pivot point 17b into the cover 15 of the housing 3, so that it can be operated in the front-rear direction around the pivot point 17b. As shown in Figure 5, the cap 25 is provided with an insertion hole 25a. By closing the lid 3b, the drive unit 17a of the lever shaft 17 is inserted into the first insertion hole 31a of the slider 31 via the insertion hole 25a of the cap 25. This connects the operating lever 16 and the switching mechanism 30 in a linked manner. With the operating lever 16 and the slider 31 connected, when the operating lever 16 is operated in the front-rear direction, the slider 31 moves in the front-rear direction in conjunction with that operation. When the operating lever 16 is operated from the dispensing stop position P0 to the beverage dispensing position P1, the slider 31 moves backward, and when the operating lever 16 is operated from the dispensing stop position P0 to the foam dispensing position P2, the slider 31 moves forward.

[0019] Returning to Figures 5-7, the first tube retainer 32 and the second tube retainer 33 are inserted into the second insertion hole 31b of the slider 31. Drive sections 32a and 33a are formed on the upper part of the first tube retainer 32 and the second tube retainer 33, respectively, and retaining sections 32b and 33b are formed on the lower part of the drive sections 32a and 33a. The retaining sections 32b and 33b pass through the through holes 24b and 24c of the upper holder 24 and protrude into the tube groove 24a. Figure 4 shows the state in which the retaining sections 32b and 33b protrude into the tube groove 24a.

[0020] As shown in Figure 5, cam grooves 32c are formed on both sides of the drive unit 32a of the first tube retainer 32, and cams 33c are formed on both sides of the drive unit 33a of the second tube retainer 33. When the tube retainers 32 and 33 are inserted into the second insertion hole 31b, the cam 31c formed on the side of the second insertion hole 31b of the slider 31 fits into the cam groove 32c of the first tube retainer 32, and the cam 33c of the second tube retainer 33 fits into the cam groove 31d formed on the side of the second insertion hole 31b. The cam grooves 32c and cam 31c convert the forward and backward movement of the slider 31 into the up and down movement of the first tube retainer 32. Also, the cams 33c and cam grooves 31d convert the forward and backward movement of the slider 31 into the up and down movement of the second tube retainer 33. The correspondence between the forward and backward movement of the slider 31 and the operation of each tube retainer 32, 33 is as follows.

[0021] When the slider 31 is in the position corresponding to the dispensing stop position P0 of the operating lever 16, the cam groove 32c of the first tube retainer 32 is located some distance above the cam 31c of the slider 31. In this state, the first tube retainer 32 is pushed downward by the coil spring 33. At this time, the retaining portion 32b of the first tube retainer 32 crushes the tube 6 held in the tube grooves 23a and 24a of the lower holder 23 and upper holder 24 so that its interior is completely closed. As a result, it becomes impossible for the beverage to pass through the tube 6, and the dispensing stop state is achieved. The cam 31c of the slider 31 and the cam groove 32c of the first tube retainer 32 are formed in a roughly triangular shape with the top being the apex. Therefore, when the slider 31 moves forward or backward from the position corresponding to the dispensing stop position P0, the first tube retainer 32 moves upward against the coil spring 33. As a result, the amount of compression of the tube 6 by the pressing portion 32b of the first tube holder 32 is reduced, allowing the beverage to pass through the tube 6.

[0022] On the other hand, the cam 33c of the second tube retainer 33 and the cam groove 31d of the slider 31 are inclined to slope downward toward the rear end of the slider 31. Therefore, when the slider 31 moves forward, the second tube retainer 33 moves downward, and when the slider 31 moves backward, the second tube retainer 33 moves upward. When the slider 31 is in the position corresponding to the beverage dispensing position P1 of the operating lever 16, the second tube retainer 33 retracts upward so as not to obstruct the flow of beverage in the tube 6. For example, when the operating lever 16 is in the beverage dispensing position P1, the second tube retainer 33 is held in a position where the retaining portion 33b is in contact with the upper end of the tube 6 in its non-deformed state, or at a position above the tube 6, as shown in Figure 8.

[0023] On the other hand, when the operating lever 16 is operated to the foam dispensing position P2, the second tube retainer 33 descends as shown in Figure 9, so that the tube 6 is sandwiched between the retainer portion 33b and the tube groove 23a of the lower holder 23, and the upper and lower inner surfaces of the tube 6 are in close contact with each other. The lower end of the retainer portion 33b is formed as a tapered projection with a diameter smaller than the diameter of the tube 6. Therefore, in the state shown in Figure 9, both sides of the tube 6 are deformed so as to curl upward in the area on the side of the retainer portion 33b, and tiny orifices 6a are formed inside the deformed portion. As the beverage passes through these orifices 6a, foam is generated in the beverage and dispensed from the dispensing port 5.

[0024] As shown in Figure 10, the beverage server 1 is further provided with a restraining mechanism 40 for restraining the opening / closing part 21 of the stop valve 7 in a closed state. The restraining mechanism 40 includes a hook arm 41 provided on the cap 25 side of the opening / closing part 21 and a fixing part 42 provided on the receiving part 14 side of the storage part 13. The hook arm 41 is made of an elastic material. For example, the hook arm 41 is made of a resin molded product having appropriate elasticity. The hook arm 41 is attached to the cap 25 via a support shaft 43 and is rotatable about the support shaft 43. The hook arm 41 includes a pair of arm parts 44 extending toward the receiving part 14, a connecting part 45 connecting the arm parts 44, a claw part 46 provided at the lower end of each arm part 44, and a spring part 47 provided on the back side of each arm part 44, i.e., the side facing the cap 25.

[0025] The spring portion 47 is formed integrally with the arm portion 44 so as to be bent back from the upper end of the arm portion 44 toward the rear side, and functions as a leaf spring that generates an elastic restoring force that returns the arm portion 44 to the rear side. The free end of the spring portion 47 is inserted into the spring receiving groove 25b of the cap 25, thereby constraining the free end to the cap 25. Therefore, the hook arm 41 can rotate around the support shaft 43 while elastically deforming the bent portion of the spring portion 47. An inclined surface 46a is formed on the lower surface of the claw portion 46, which recedes upward as it moves away from the rear of the cap 25.

[0026] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 11, one fixing portion 42 is provided at each position corresponding to the arm portion 44 of the hook arm 41. The fixing portion 42 is provided with a hole 42a for passing the claw portion 46 through, which penetrates the fixing portion 42 in the front-rear direction. On the upper surface side of the fixing portion 42, an inclined surface 42b is formed that protrudes upward toward the rear end side of the receiving portion 14. In the opening and closing direction of the opening and closing portion 21, the position where the inclined surface 42b of the fixing portion 42 is highest, that is, the position that protrudes the most toward the hook arm 41 side in the opening and closing direction, corresponds to the top 42c of the fixing portion 42.

[0027] In the above restraint mechanism 40, the initial position of the hook arm 41 is defined as the position when the spring portion 47 is not deformed and no elastic restoring force is generated. The release position is defined as the position when the spring portion 47 is deformed and the hook arm 41 is displaced toward the cap 25. By displacing the hook arm 41 between its initial position and the release position, the claw portion 46 and the fixing portion 42 can be engaged to restrain the opening / closing portion 21 in a closed state. To open the opening / closing portion 21, the hook arm 41 should be pushed to the release position and the opening / closing portion 21 should be rotated upward.

[0028] The initial position of the hook arm 41 is set as follows in relation to the fixing part 42. That is, as shown in Figure 12, when the opening / closing part 21 is operated so that the hook arm 41 contacts the fixing part 42 of the other side while the hook arm 41 is held in the initial position, the positional relationship between the hook arm 41 and the fixing part 42 is set such that the contact position between the hook arm 41 and the fixing part 42 is shifted towards the release position side from the top 42c of the fixing part 42.

[0029] By setting the positional relationship between the hook arm 41 and the fixing part 42 as described above, even if the lid 3b is closed without the claw part 46 properly engaging with the fixing part 42, it is possible to eliminate the risk of the hook arm 41 interfering with and being damaged by the lid 3b. That is, when the stop valve 7 is attached to the receiving part 14 of the storage part 13 and the lid 3b is closed, the stop valve 7 is covered by the cover part 15 of the storage part 13. If the opening / closing part 21 is not properly closed, the cap 25 may interfere with the cover part 15, or the hook arm 41 itself may interfere with the lid 3b. In that case, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 12, if the contact position between the hook arm 41 and the fixing part 42 when the hook arm 41 is in its initial position is located on the opposite side of the release position from the top part 42c of the fixing part 42, the hook arm 41 may deform in the opposite direction to the release position, i.e., in the direction of arrow R in Figure 12, and go over the fixing part 42, potentially damaging the hook arm 41. In contrast, if the positional relationship between the hook arm 41 and the fixing part 42 is set as described above, even if the opening / closing part 21 is not properly closed, an effect will occur that displaces the hook arm 41 in the direction of arrow F toward the release position. This makes it possible to prevent damage to the hook arm 41. The inclined surface 46a of the claw part 46 and the inclined surface 42b of the fixing part 42 function as examples of inclined surfaces that guide the hook arm 41, which acts as a movable latching part, toward the release position. This reliably eliminates the risk of the hook arm 41 being unintentionally displaced toward the opposite side of the release position.

[0030] In the above-described restraint mechanism 40, the hook arm 41 corresponds to an example of a first latching part provided on the opening / closing part 21 side, and the fixing part 42 corresponds to an example of a second latching part provided on the storage part 13 side. Furthermore, the hook arm 41 corresponds to an example of a movable latching part, and the fixing part 42 corresponds to an example of a mating latching part that the movable latching part is to engage with. In addition, the hole 42a of the fixing part 42 functions as an example of a recess into which the claw part 46 of the hook arm 41, which is a movable latching part, engages, and the spring part 47 functions as an example of a spring mechanism. Note that the spring mechanism may be provided as a separate part from the first latching part. For example, a spring component such as a coil spring may be placed between the hook arm 41 and the cap 25, and when the hook arm 41 is pushed from the initial position to the release position, the spring component may be elastically deformed to generate an elastic restoring force for the hook arm 41 toward the initial position. However, providing the spring part 47 integrally has the advantage of reducing the number of parts.

[0031] Returning to Figure 10, the beverage server 1 is further provided with a positioning mechanism 50 that positions the switching mechanism 30 in a fixed position within the storage section 13. As an example, the positioning mechanism 50 is configured to position the switching mechanism 30 housed in the opening / closing section 21 in a fixed position by screwing a bolt 51 provided on the cover 15 of the storage section 13 and pushing the housing 26 toward the receiving section 14, thereby restraining the housing 26 to the receiving section 14. By pushing the opening / closing section 21 side of the housing 26, i.e., the cap 25, with the bolt 51, the entire opening / closing section 21, including the switching mechanism 30, is pushed toward the receiving section 14. As a result, the lower holder 23 is securely in contact with the receiving section 14, and the entire stop valve 7 is restrained on the receiving section 14. Therefore, even if a gap G is created between the stop valve 7 and the storage section 13, the stop valve 7 is prevented from floating away from the receiving section 14 within the storage section 13. In addition, the opening / closing section 21 is prevented from floating away from the base 20 of the stop valve 7, i.e., the lower holder 23. These actions eliminate or reduce the risk of misalignment in the positional relationship between the switching mechanism 30 and the drive unit 17a of the operating lever 16, or between the switching mechanism 30 and the tube 6 passed through the stop valve 7, and maintain these positional relationships in the positional relationship intended in the design.

[0032] As described above, the switching mechanism 30 is configured to switch between dispensing and stopping the dispensing of a beverage or its foam by operating the tube retainers 32 and 33 in response to the operation of the operating lever 16, thereby changing the amount of deformation of the tube 6. If the positional relationship between the switching mechanism 30 and the drive unit 17a of the operating lever 16, or the positional relationship between the switching mechanism 30 and the tube 6 passed through the stop valve 7, deviates from the positional relationship intended in the design due to manufacturing errors, assembly errors, etc., there is a risk that the dispensing state of the beverage or its foam will change from the intended state, making it impossible to correctly change the dispensing state.

[0033] For example, with respect to the second tube retainer 33, its position needs to be adjusted so that a tiny orifice 6a is created inside the tube 6. If the positional relationship described above is misaligned, the size of the orifice 6a will change significantly, and the foam dispensing state may become unstable. For example, if the entire stop valve 7 lifts off the receiving part 14, a misalignment occurs in the positional relationship between the operating lever 16 and the slider 31, causing the position of the second tube retainer 33 at the foam dispensing position P2 to shift and resulting in an error in the size of the orifice 6a. Alternatively, if the opening / closing part 21 lifts off the base 20 of the stop valve 7, a misalignment occurs in the positional relationship between the operating lever 16 and the slider 31, and furthermore, a misalignment occurs in the positional relationship between the second tube retainer 33 and the tube 6, resulting in an error in the size of the orifice 6a.

[0034] Furthermore, with respect to the first tube retainer 32, if there is a misalignment in the positional relationship between the operating lever 16 and the slider 31, the tube 6 may not be completely closed at the dispensing stop position P0, potentially causing beverage leakage. The same applies if the opening / closing part 21 is lifted relative to the base 20. To address these issues, the positioning mechanism 50 positions the switching mechanism 30 in a fixed position, thereby eliminating or reducing misalignments in the positional relationship between the operating lever 16 and the tube retainers 32 and 33, and between the tube retainers 32 and 33 and the tube 6, allowing these positional relationships to be set to the relationship intended in the design. Therefore, with the beverage server 1 of this embodiment, it is possible to accurately switch the dispensing state of the beverage and its foam in response to the operation of the operating lever 16, thereby stabilizing the dispensing state of the beverage and its foam.

[0035] The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and may be implemented in any form with appropriate modifications or changes. For example, in the above embodiments, the hook arm 41 is used as an example of a movable latching part, but instead of or in addition to it, the fixed part 42 may be configured as a movable latching part. For example, the position of the fixed part 42 in Figure 12 may be set as the initial position of the fixed part 42, and the fixed part 42 may be displaced to a release position set away in the direction of arrow R in Figure 12, so that the fixed part 42 can be displaced between the initial position and the release position instead of or in addition to the hook arm 41, thereby switching between the engagement and release of the claw part 46 and the extraction hole 42a of the fixed part 42.

[0036] The opening and closing section of the dispensing switching device is not limited to cases where it is opened and closed for the purpose of passing a tube through. The opening and closing section may be provided to be openable and closable for various purposes. The opening and closing section does not necessarily have to be configured to open toward the lid. In the above embodiment, the storage section 13 may be configured such that the lid 3b side is the receiving section 14 and the main body 3a side is the covering section 15, the base 20 of the stop valve 7 may be attached to the receiving section 14 on the lid 3b side, and the opening and closing section 21 may be configured to open toward the covering section 15 on the main body 3a side. The base 20 does not necessarily have to be provided as a separate part from the receiving section 14 or the covering section 15 of the storage section 13. The base 20 may be integrated with the receiving section 14, and the opening and closing section 21 may be connected to the integrated base in an openable and closable manner. In that case as well, the base 20 may be integrated with either the main body 3a side or the lid 3b side. The opening and closing section 21 does not necessarily have to be provided to be rotatable about a hinge shaft 20a. The opening / closing part 21 may be detachable from the base part 20, and the opening / closing part 21 may be fitted onto the base part 20 when the tube 6 is attached.

[0037] The second latching portion to be provided on the storage portion side does not necessarily have to be formed as part of the main body or lid. For example, the base portion 20 of the stop valve 7 is attached to the receiving portion 14 and functions substantially as part of the receiving portion 14. Alternatively, the base portion 20 can be integrated with the receiving portion 14. Therefore, the second latching portion may be provided on the base portion 20, and that second latching portion also functions as the second latching portion on the storage portion side.

[0038] In the present invention, the positioning mechanism 50 is not necessarily required. Even if a positioning mechanism is provided, its configuration may be modified as appropriate. For example, an elastic member such as a spring or rubber may be placed on the inner surface of the cover portion 15, and when the lid portion 3b is closed, the elastic member may be deformed. The elastic restoring force associated with this deformation may be used to press the housing 26 of the stop valve 7 against the receiving portion 14, thereby positioning the switching mechanism 30 in a fixed position. Alternatively, a cable tie capable of holding the entire stop valve 7 may be provided inside the storage portion 13, and the cap 25 may be pulled towards the receiving portion 14 using the cable tie. The positioning mechanism is not limited to a configuration that presses the stop valve 7 downward from the cover portion 15 toward the receiving portion 14. For example, the positioning mechanism may be configured to press or pull the stop valve 7 in the left-right direction or upward to position the switching mechanism 30 in a fixed position.

[0039] The dispensing switching device is not limited to the stop valve 7 of the above form. The dispensing switching device can be configured as appropriate, as long as it can change the state of the dispensing path in response to the operation of an operating member, thereby switching the dispensing state of the contents such as beverages, and has an opening and closing mechanism. For example, with respect to foam generation, the switching mechanism is not limited to the example in which the center of the tube is crushed with a pressing member to create orifices on both sides. The switching mechanism may be configured to press down on both sides of the tube with a pressing member to create an orifice in the center of the tube. The dispensing path is not limited to the example in which it is formed inside the tube. For example, a dispensing path communicating with the tube may be provided inside the stop valve 7. In that case, for example, the state of the dispensing path may be changed by changing the opening degree of the valve body that opens and closes the dispensing path inside the stop valve 7 in response to the operation of an operating member. Furthermore, the switching mechanism does not necessarily have to be configured to dispense foam from beverages. As long as it includes a switching mechanism that can switch the dispensing state of beverages, etc., regardless of whether or not there is a foam dispensing function, it is applicable to various types of dispensing servers.

[0040] The dispensing server of the present invention is not limited to examples where it is configured as a beverage server for dispensing beverages in a container. The dispensing target may be various types of liquids other than beverages, such as pharmaceutical drugs, cosmetic liquids, and seasonings. The dispensing target is not limited to liquids, as long as the dispensing state can be switched in accordance with the change in the state of the dispensing path by the switching mechanism, and various contents such as semi-solids, gels, and slurries may be set as the dispensing target.

[0041] It is not necessarily required that the entire dispensing path for beverages or other liquids from a container be composed of flexible tubing. At least a portion of the dispensing path may be composed of rigid piping components made of hard resin or metal. For example, tubing 6 may be used only in the portion passing through the stop valve 7, with rigid piping components used as part of the dispensing path at least before or after this point.

[0042] Various aspects of the present invention derived from the embodiments and modifications described above are described below. In the following description, corresponding components shown in the accompanying drawings are indicated in parentheses to facilitate understanding of each aspect of the present invention, but this does not mean that the present invention is limited to the illustrated forms.

[0043] A dispensing server (1) according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a housing (3) having a main body (3a) having a storage space (S) in which a container (2) is housed, and a lid (3b) for opening and closing the storage space, and a dispensing switching device (7) disposed in a storage section (13) between the main body and the lid, which changes the state of the dispensing path through which the contents taken out of the container in the housing are guided in accordance with the operation of an operating member (16) to switch the dispensing state of the contents, wherein the dispensing switching device includes an opening / closing section (21) that can be opened and closed between an open state and a closed state, and further comprises a restraining mechanism (40) for restraining the opening / closing section in the closed state, the restraining mechanism having a first latching section (41) provided on the opening / closing section side ), and when at least one of the second latching portion (42) provided on the storage portion side is made into a movable latching portion (41), the movable latching portion is provided to restrain the opening and closing portion by displacing the movable latching portion between an initial position and a release position relative to the mating latching portion (42) so that the two latching portions interlock with each other, and when the opening and closing portion is operated so that the movable latching portion contacts the mating latching portion while the movable latching portion is held in the initial position, the positional relationship between the first latching portion and the second latching portion is set such that the contact position between the movable latching portion and the mating latching portion is shifted toward the release position side than the top portion (42c) of the mating latching portion in the opening and closing direction of the opening and closing portion.

[0044] According to the above embodiment, even if the lid is closed without the opening / closing part being properly closed and the opening / closing part or the first latch interferes with the lid side or the main body side of the storage part, causing the first latch to be pushed towards the second latch, the movable latch will receive the pushing load while in contact with the mating latch at a position closer to the release position than the top of the mating latch. Therefore, the risk of the movable latch overriding the top of the mating latch and being displaced in the opposite direction to the release position is eliminated. This makes it possible to prevent damage to the latch.

[0045] In the above embodiment, the following matters may be further added. These various matters may be applied in appropriate combinations, provided they do not conflict with each other.

[0046] The first latching portion may be provided as the movable latching portion. In this case, when the lid is closed without properly closing the opening / closing portion, the first latching portion is displaced toward the release position, thereby preventing damage to the latching portion.

[0047] The restraint mechanism is provided with a spring means (47) that generates an elastic restoring force toward the initial position relative to the movable locking portion, and the movable locking portion may be held in the initial position by the spring means when the elastic restoring force is not generated. In this case, when the movable locking portion is displaced toward the release position, the spring means can return the movable locking portion to the initial position and hold it there.

[0048] The movable latch and the spring mechanism may be integrally formed from an elastic material. This allows the movable latch to be reliably held in its initial position using the spring mechanism. Furthermore, the number of parts can be reduced compared to the case where the spring mechanism is provided as a separate part from the movable latch.

[0049] Either the first latching portion or the second latching portion may have a claw portion (46), and the other may have a recess (42a) that can engage with the claw portion when the movable latching portion is in the initial position, so that when the movable latching portion is in the initial position the claw portion and the recess engage, and when the movable latching portion is in the release position the engagement between the claw portion and the recess is released. With this configuration, by engaging the claw portion with the recess, displacement of the opening / closing portion in the opening direction is prevented and the opening / closing portion can be restrained in the closed state.

[0050] At least one of the first and second latching portions may be provided with an inclined portion (42b, 46a) that guides the movable latching portion toward the release position during the closing of the opening / closing portion. This ensures that the movable latching portion is guided toward the release position during the closing of the opening / closing portion, thereby reliably preventing displacement of the movable latching portion toward the opposite direction from the release position. [Explanation of symbols]

[0051] 1. Beverage dispenser 2 bottles 3 cabinets 3a Main body 3b Lid 6 tubes 7 Stop valve 13 Storage Unit 14 Receiving part 15 Covering part 16 Operating levers 21 Opening / Closing Section 26 Housing 30 Switching mechanism 40 Restraint mechanism 41 Hook Arm 42 Fixed part 42a Hole in the fixing part 42b Inclined surface of the fixed part 42c Top of the fixing part 46 Claw part 46a Inclined surface of the claw 47 Spring section 50 Positioning mechanism

Claims

1. A housing comprising a main body having a storage space in which a container is housed, and a lid that opens and closes the storage space, The system includes a dispensing switching device, which is located in a storage compartment between the main body and the lid, and which changes the state of the dispensing path through which the contents removed from the container inside the housing are guided, in accordance with the operation of an operating member, thereby switching the dispensing state of the contents. The dispensing switching device is a dispensing server that includes an opening / closing section that can be opened and closed between an open state and a closed state, The opening and closing section is further provided with a restraining mechanism for restraining it in the closed state. The restraining mechanism is provided such that, when at least one of the first locking portion provided on the opening / closing portion side and the second locking portion provided on the storage portion side is a movable locking portion, the movable locking portion is displaced between an initial position and a release position relative to the other locking portion, thereby restraining the opening / closing portion by engaging the two locking portions with each other. A dispensing server in which, when the opening / closing unit is operated so that the movable locking unit contacts the mating locking unit while the movable locking unit is held in the initial position, the positional relationship between the first locking unit and the second locking unit is set such that the contact position between the movable locking unit and the mating locking unit is shifted toward the release position side from the top of the mating locking unit in the opening / closing direction of the opening / closing unit.

2. The dispensing server according to claim 1, wherein the first latching portion is provided as the movable latching portion.

3. The dispensing server according to claim 1, wherein the restraining mechanism is provided with a spring means that generates an elastic restoring force toward the initial position relative to the movable locking portion, and the movable locking portion is held in the initial position by the spring means when no elastic restoring force is generated.

4. The dispensing server according to claim 3, wherein the movable latch and the spring means are integrally formed from an elastic material.

5. The dispensing server according to claim 1, wherein either the first locking portion or the second locking portion has a claw portion, and the other has a recess formed thereon that can engage with the claw portion when the movable locking portion is in the initial position, the claw portion and the recess engage when the movable locking portion is in the release position, and the engagement between the claw portion and the recess is released when the movable locking portion is in the release position.

6. The dispensing server according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein at least one of the first latch and the second latch is provided with an inclined portion that guides the movable latch toward the release position during the process of closing the opening / closing portion.

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