Fluid stock outfeed machine

Abstract

The present application provides a fluid material discharging machine, which comprises a discharging cavity extending outwardly from a body of the fluid material discharging machine; a plurality of pumps respectively configured to draw a plurality of fluid materials stored in a plurality of material containers and to push the corresponding fluid materials forward; a fluid output device disposed at a bottom of the discharging cavity and comprising a plurality of discharging ports, wherein the plurality of discharging ports are coupled to the plurality of pumps through a plurality of material conveying channels; and a cold air channel coupled to the discharging cavity and configured to introduce cold air into the discharging cavity to maintain an internal temperature of the discharging cavity below a predetermined temperature. The cold air channel can introduce cold air into the discharging cavity to maintain an internal space of the discharging cavity in a low-temperature state, so as to maintain the fluid materials in the related material conveying channels in a low-temperature state.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of fluid material dispensers, and more particularly, to a fluid material dispenser capable of maintaining fluid materials within a delivery conduit at a low temperature. BACKGROUND

[0002] Due to the rising labor costs and other factors, many businesses have begun to use dispensers to assist in the preparation of beverages to reduce the required labor time and cost.

[0003] It is well known that many beverage materials can spoil or grow bacteria if left at room temperature for a period of time, especially those containing protein ingredients (e.g., various milk or whey ingredients). Therefore, if a conventional dispenser is used to provide materials containing protein ingredients, an additional heating device needs to be installed inside the conventional dispenser to continuously heat the relevant materials so that the materials containing protein ingredients can be kept at a high temperature to reduce the possibility of bacterial growth.

[0004] However, if the conventional dispenser does not have a heating device or is not suitable for installing a heating device, it is not possible to use the method of heating the materials to inhibit the growth of bacteria. In addition, if the materials containing protein ingredients are kept at a high temperature for too long, they can easily spoil and affect the flavor or shorten the shelf life of the materials. SUMMARY

[0005] Therefore, how to effectively reduce the possibility of material spoilage or bacterial growth without heating the materials is a technical problem to be solved.

[0006] The present disclosure provides an embodiment of a fluid material dispenser, which includes a dispensing cavity extending outwardly from a body of the fluid material dispenser; a plurality of pumps respectively configured to draw a plurality of fluid materials stored in a plurality of material containers and to push the respective fluid materials forward; and a fluid output device disposed at a bottom of the dispensing cavity and including a plurality of dispensing ports, wherein the plurality of dispensing ports are respectively coupled to the plurality of pumps through a plurality of material delivery channels and are respectively configured to output the respective fluid materials to a target container.

[0007] The present disclosure provides an embodiment of a fluid material dispenser, which comprises: a dispensing cavity extending outwardly from a body of the fluid material dispenser, and a pipe insertion opening and a backflow opening being provided on a sidewall of the dispensing cavity; a plurality of pumps respectively configured to extract a plurality of fluid materials stored in a plurality of material containers and to push the corresponding fluid materials forward; a fluid output device provided at a bottom of the dispensing cavity and comprising a plurality of dispensing openings respectively coupled to the plurality of pumps through a plurality of material delivery channels and respectively configured to output the corresponding fluid materials into target containers; a temperature sensor provided in the dispensing cavity and configured to sense an internal temperature of the dispensing cavity; a cold air channel coupled to the dispensing cavity and configured to introduce cold air into the dispensing cavity to maintain the internal temperature of the dispensing cavity below a predetermined temperature; and one or more air suction devices provided on an air flow transmission path of the cold air channel and configured to push the cold air in the cold air channel forward; wherein a plurality of material delivery pipes coupled between the plurality of pumps and the fluid output device pass through the pipe insertion opening into the dispensing cavity; and wherein the cold air in the dispensing cavity flows into the body of the fluid material dispenser through the backflow opening.

[0008] One of the advantages of the above embodiment is that the cold air channel can introduce cold air into the dispensing cavity to maintain the internal space of the dispensing cavity in a low-temperature state, so as to maintain the fluid materials in the related material delivery channels in a low-temperature state.

[0009] Another advantage of the above embodiment is that the fluid material dispenser can effectively reduce the possibility of deterioration or bacterial growth of the fluid materials without relying on any heating device.

[0010] Other advantages of the present disclosure will be illustrated in more detail in conjunction with the following description and drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0011] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the present disclosure and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and together with the description serve to explain the present disclosure, but do not limit the present disclosure in any way.

[0012] Figure 1 and Figure 2 Simplified perspective view of a fluid material dispenser according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] Figure 3 is a simplified schematic view of part of the elements in Figure 2 from a first perspective.

[0014] Figure 4 is a simplified schematic view of part of the elements in Figure 2 from a second perspective.

[0015] Reference numerals are explained as follows:

[0016] 100 fluid material dispensing apparatus

[0017] 101 upper chamber

[0018] 103 lower chamber

[0019] 105 material outlet chamber

[0020] 107 connecting channel

[0021] 109 user control interface

[0022] 110 pump

[0023] 120 damper device

[0024] 130 flowmeter

[0025] 140 fluid output device

[0026] 142 fluid outlet

[0027] 150 material output tube

[0028] 180 material container

[0029] 182 outlet connector

[0030] 190 target container

[0031] 210 cold air source device

[0032] 212 refrigeration compressor

[0033] 214 evaporation chamber

[0034] 216 Cold air outlet

[0035] 220 Cold air tunnel

[0036] 221 Air intake duct

[0037] 223 Intermediate duct

[0038] 225 air output duct

[0039] 227 air intake (airinlet)

[0040] 229 Air outlet

[0041] 231, 233, 235, 337 Air extraction devices

[0042] Temperature sensors 251, 253, 255, and 257.

[0043] 360° pipe insertion port

[0044] 370 reflow port Detailed Implementation

[0045] The embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or method flows.

[0046] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The illustration shown is a simplified perspective view of a fluid material dispensing machine 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The fluid material dispensing machine 100 can automatically add various fluid materials, such as various sauces or ingredients needed for preparing freshly made beverages, to a target container 190 according to the user's selection. In other words, the fluid material dispensing machine 100 can be used as an automated beverage preparation apparatus or as a sauce dispensing apparatus.

[0047] like Figure 1As shown, the fluid material dispenser 100 comprises an upper accommodating cavity 101, a lower accommodating cavity 103, a dispensing cavity 105, one or more connecting passages 107, and a user control interface 109. In the present embodiment, the fluid material dispenser 100 has a main body, and a neck portion extending outwardly from the main body. The upper accommodating cavity 101 and the lower accommodating cavity 103 are respectively located in the upper portion and the lower portion of the main body of the fluid material dispenser 100, while the dispensing cavity 105 is located in the neck portion. The user control interface 109 is coupled to the neck portion of the fluid material dispenser 100, and can be used to display relevant menu screens and operation screens for user selection and operation.

[0048] In order to avoid the content of the figures being too complex, in Figure 1 and Figure 2 only the parts of the fluid material dispenser 100 that play different functions are shown. In addition, in Figure 1 and Figure 2 the outline of the fluid material dispenser 100 is shown in dotted lines, while the internal elements that will be described later are shown in solid lines. Please note that the appearance of the fluid material dispenser 100 shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2 is only a simplified schematic diagram shown for convenience of description, and is not limited to the actual appearance of the fluid material dispenser 100.

[0049] The upper accommodating cavity 101 of the fluid material dispenser 100 can be connected to the dispensing cavity 105, and can also be connected to the lower accommodating cavity 103 through the connecting passages 107. The relevant control circuit, wires, signal lines, connectors, and / or material transmission pipes can be arranged in various suitable ways inside the fluid material dispenser 100.

[0050] In the present embodiment, the lower housing cavity 103 of the fluid ingredient dispenser 100 can be used to house a plurality of ingredient containers 180. Different ingredient containers 180 can be used to store different fluid ingredients. For example, the aforementioned fluid ingredients can be common beverage base ingredients such as water, sparkling water, black tea, green tea, soy milks, milk, milk-based liquids, coffee, nut pulps, fruit-based concentrates, vegetable-based concentrates, and the like.

[0051] For another example, the aforementioned fluid ingredients can be various syrups such as agave syrup, dulce de leche, fructose, golden syrup, lemonade syrups, maltose syrup, maple syrup, molasses, orgeat, and / or palm syrup.

[0052] For yet another example, the aforementioned fluid ingredients can be various alcoholic beverages such as beer, cocktails, and / or sake.

[0053] For yet another example, the aforementioned fluid ingredients can be various sauces or fluid condiments such as apple sauce, chutneys, cranberry sauce, salad dressings, fruit coulis, ketchup, tomato sauce, mayonnaise, meat gravies, miso sauce, hummus, pasta sauce, piccalilli, soya sauce, spices sauce, spicy sauce, and / or ginger jam.

[0054] For example, the aforementioned fluid ingredients can be various fluid ingredients such as fruit juices containing fruit fibers, tea liquids containing small particles (e.g., pearls or tapioca pearls), honey, cooking oils, vinegar, jams, marmalade with fruit peel, pressed fruit paste, beer vinegar, buttercream, condensed milk, and / or cream.

[0055] As can be seen from the foregoing description, the fluid raw material output by the fluid raw material discharge machine 100 may be a fluid with a higher density and viscosity than water, or it may be a fluid with a lower viscosity than water.

[0056] Each raw material container 180 has an output connector 182, which can be connected to a corresponding element through various suitable raw material conveying channels. In some embodiments, all or part of the raw material container 180 may be placed inside the upper receiving cavity 101 and / or the discharge cavity 105. Alternatively, all or part of the raw material container 180 may be placed outside the fluid raw material discharge machine 100.

[0057] exist Figure 1 In one embodiment, the fluid raw material discharge machine 100 further includes multiple pumps 110, multiple flow stabilizing devices 120, multiple flow meters 130, a fluid output device 140, and multiple raw material output pipes 150.

[0058] The aforementioned multiple pumps 110 can be connected to the aforementioned multiple raw material containers 180 and other components through various suitable raw material conveying channels, and can be arranged in various suitable spatial configurations within the upper receiving cavity 101, the lower receiving cavity 103, and / or the discharge cavity 105.

[0059] The input end of each pump 110 can be coupled to an output connector 182 on a corresponding raw material container 180 via a suitable raw material delivery channel, and configured to receive fluid raw material from the corresponding raw material container 180. Each pump 110 is configured to pressurize the received fluid raw material to push the fluid raw material forward. In practice, each pump 110 can be implemented by various suitable liquid pumping devices capable of pushing fluid forward, such as a peristaltic pump, a diaphragm pump, a rotary diaphragm pump, or the like.

[0060] The aforementioned plurality of flow stabilizers 120 and the plurality of flow meters 130 can be connected to the aforementioned plurality of pumps 110 or other components via various suitable raw material delivery channels, and can be arranged in the upper receiving cavity 101, the lower receiving cavity 103, and / or the material output cavity 105 in various suitable spatial configurations.

[0061] Each flow stabilizer 120 can be coupled to the input end or the output end of a corresponding pump 110 via a suitable raw material delivery channel, and configured to buffer fluid raw material flowing through the flow stabilizer 120.

[0062] Each flow meter 130 can be coupled to the input end or the output end of a corresponding pump 110, or the input end or the output end of a corresponding flow stabilizer 120, via a suitable raw material delivery channel, and configured to measure the material output volume of the corresponding fluid raw material.

[0063] Since the flow stabilizer 120 buffers fluid raw material flowing through the flow stabilizer 120, the flow speed variation and the liquid pressure variation of the fluid raw material output by the flow stabilizer 120 are significantly lower than the flow speed variation and the liquid pressure variation of the fluid raw material received by the input end of the flow stabilizer 120. Such an architecture helps to improve the accuracy of the flow meter 130 in measuring the material output volume of the corresponding fluid raw material, and thus effectively improves the precision of the fluid raw material output machine 100 in controlling the material output volume of the fluid raw material.

[0064] The fluid output device 140 can be removably disposed at the bottom of the discharge chamber 105, and includes a plurality of discharge ports 142 for outputting corresponding fluid materials to the target container 190. The plurality of discharge ports 142 can be disposed on the fluid output device 140 in any suitable manner, and are coupled to the plurality of pumps 110 via a plurality of material transmission channels. The output ends of the individual discharge ports 142 can be exposed outside the discharge chamber 105 to facilitate the cleaning process.

[0065] In practice, each of the material transmission channels can be a single transmission pipe, or a combination of various transmission pipes and various connectors. For example, the individual discharge ports 142 can be coupled to the corresponding pumps 110 via the corresponding material output pipes 150, and other transmission pipes, connectors, or other elements.

[0066] In operation, the plurality of pumps 110 in the fluid material discharging machine 100 can respectively draw the plurality of fluid materials stored in the plurality of material containers 180, and push the corresponding fluid materials forward, so that the fluid output device 140 outputs the corresponding fluid materials to the target container 190.

[0067] In the fluid material discharging machine 100, a pump 110, a flow stabilizer 120, a flow meter 130, a material output pipe 150, and a discharge port 142 can be connected in series via a suitable material transmission channel to form a set of material transmission devices. In the present embodiment, the interior of the fluid material discharging machine 100 includes a plurality of sets of material transmission devices, which are respectively responsible for transmitting the fluid materials in different material containers 180 to the corresponding discharge ports 142.

[0068] In order to avoid the content of the drawings being too complex, the control circuit, wires, signal lines, power supply devices, part of the material transmission pipes, part of the cleaning agent transmission pipes, and other structures and devices used to support or fix the aforementioned elements and related parts and frames in the interior of the fluid material discharging machine 100 are not shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2 .

[0069] In an embodiment where the fluid ingredient dispenser 100 is used as an automatic beverage preparation machine (e.g., a cold beverage preparation machine), a user can place a target container 190 at a predetermined location (e.g., under the plurality of dispensing outlets 142) and operate the user control interface 109 to set one or more preparation parameters of a desired freshly-made beverage, such as a beverage item, a cup size, a beverage volume, a sugar level, an ice level, and / or a quantity, etc.

[0070] Subsequently, the fluid ingredient dispenser 100 automatically draws fluid ingredients from certain ingredient containers 180 using one or more pumps 110 according to the user-set parameters, and delivers the drawn fluid ingredients through respective delivery channels toward the corresponding dispensing outlets 142. Upon continuous operation of the individual pumps, the relevant fluid ingredients are outputted through the corresponding dispensing outlets 142 into the target container 190.

[0071] The different fluid ingredients are mixed together in the target container 190 in a certain ratio or after a simple stirring, a freshly-made beverage of various flavors is formed. In practice, the target container 190 can also be designed to support or have a stirring function to improve the speed and uniformity of mixing the fluid ingredients.

[0072] In an embodiment where the fluid ingredient dispenser 100 is used as a sauce dispenser, a user can place a target container 190 or other vessels under the plurality of dispensing outlets 142 and operate the user control interface 109 to set the type and quantity of sauce to be outputted.

[0073] Similarly, the fluid ingredient dispenser 100 automatically draws fluid ingredients from certain ingredient containers 180 using one or more pumps 110 according to the user-set parameters, and delivers the drawn fluid ingredients through respective delivery channels toward the corresponding dispensing outlets 142. Upon continuous operation of the individual pumps, the fluid ingredient dispenser 100 can output a certain quantity of one or more sauces through the corresponding dispensing outlets 142 into the target container 190 or other vessels.

[0074] It is noted that the number and spatial configuration of the pumps 110, flow stabilizers 120, flow meters 130, fluid output devices 140, dispensing outlets 142, ingredient delivery tubes 150, and ingredient containers 180 shown in Figure 1 are exemplary embodiments and are not limiting to the actual implementation of the present application.

[0075] As can be seen from the foregoing description, the output ends of the plurality of discharge ports 142 for outputting the fluid material are exposed outside the discharge chamber 105 and are directly in contact with the external environment. In practice, it is difficult to completely isolate the plurality of discharge ports 142 from the discharge chamber 105, so the internal temperature of the discharge chamber 105 is more easily affected by the external environment.

[0076] As is well known, certain fluid materials can deteriorate or breed bacteria after being at room temperature for a period of time, especially fluid materials containing protein components (e.g., various fluid materials containing milk components or whey components).

[0077] Therefore, in order to prolong the shelf life of various fluid materials, the fluid material discharging machine 100 can employ a refrigeration mechanism described below to keep the fluid materials inside the fluid material discharging machine 100 at a low temperature to reduce the possibility of deterioration or bacterial breeding of the fluid materials.

[0078] The refrigeration mechanism employed by the fluid material discharging machine 100 will be further described below in conjunction with Figures 2 to 4 . Figure 2 The refrigeration mechanism employed by the fluid material discharging machine 100 is shown as a simplified perspective view. Figure 3 A simplified view of some components in the fluid material discharging machine 100 from a first perspective. Figure 4 A simplified view of some components in the fluid material discharging machine 100 from a second perspective.

[0079] As Figures 2 to 4 shown, the fluid material discharging machine 100 further includes a cold air source device 210, a cold air passage 220, a plurality of air suction devices, and a plurality of temperature sensors. For the sake of convenience in description, Figure 2 only three exemplary air suction devices 231, 233, and 235, and four exemplary temperature sensors 251, 253, 255, and 257 are shown in

[0080] In order to avoid excessive complexity of the drawing content, Figure 3 only the components related to the discharge chamber 105, the cold air passage 220, and the air suction devices 231-235 are shown in Figure 4 , and Figure 4 the fluid output device 140 and the material output pipe 150 are not shown in

[0081] In the present embodiment, the cold air source device 210 is located in the lower accommodating chamber 103 and includes a refrigeration compressor 212 and an evaporating chamber 214. One or more cold air outlets 216 are provided on the side of the evaporating chamber 214, and various suitable evaporators (not shown in Figure 2 ) can also be provided inside the evaporating chamber 214.

[0082] The refrigeration compressor 212 can be used in conjunction with the evaporator in the evaporating chamber 214 to generate cold air with a low temperature in the evaporating chamber 214, and to direct some of the cold air into the lower accommodating cavity 103 through the cold air outlet 216, so as to keep the internal temperature of the lower accommodating cavity 103 at a desired low temperature (e.g., 1-4 degrees Celsius). In this way, the raw material container 180 in the lower accommodating cavity 103 can be kept at an ideal low temperature, thereby prolonging the shelf life of the fluid raw material in the raw material container 180.

[0083] In practice, the refrigeration compressor 212 and the evaporating chamber 214 can be implemented by various suitable existing devices.

[0084] As shown in FIG. 2, the cold air passage 220 is coupled between the cold air source device 210 and the discharging cavity 105, and is configured to direct the cold air generated by the cold air source device 210 into the discharging cavity 105, so as to keep the internal temperature of the discharging cavity 105 below a predetermined temperature. Figure 2 As shown in FIG. 2, one end of the cold air passage 220 is coupled to one of the cold air outlets of the evaporating chamber 214, and the other end is coupled to the discharging cavity 105. In the embodiment, the cold air passage 220 includes an air inlet passage 221, an intermediate passage 223, and an air outlet passage 225.

[0085] Figures 2 to 4 As shown in FIG. 2, one end of the cold air passage 220 is coupled to one of the cold air outlets of the evaporating chamber 214, and the other end is coupled to the discharging cavity 105. In the embodiment, the cold air passage 220 includes an air inlet passage 221, an intermediate passage 223, and an air outlet passage 225.

[0086] The air inlet passage 221 is coupled to the cold air source device 210 (e.g., the aforementioned evaporating chamber 214), and has an air inlet 227 for receiving the cold air generated by the cold air source device 210. The intermediate passage 223 is coupled between the air inlet passage 221 and the air outlet passage 225, and is configured to direct the cold air from the air inlet passage 221 to the air outlet passage 225. The air outlet passage 225 is coupled between the intermediate passage 223 and the discharging cavity 105, and has an air outlet 229 for directing the cold air into the discharging cavity 105.

[0087] In practice, the lengths and shapes of the air inlet passage 221, the intermediate passage 223, and the air outlet passage 225 can be adjusted as needed. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the air inlet passage 221 has an upwardly bent shape, the intermediate passage 223 has a substantially vertical shape, and the air outlet passage 225 extends outwardly from the end of the intermediate passage 223, and has a cross-sectional area smaller than that of the intermediate passage 223. Figures 2 to 4

[0088] ​​In this embodiment, the outlet passage 225 of the cold air passage 220 is inserted into the outlet cavity 105, so that the distance between the outlet port 229 and the fluid output device 140 can be less than 20 cm (e.g., 18 cm, 15 cm, 12 cm, 10 cm, 5 cm, etc.). Such a design can ensure that the cold air outputted from the outlet port 229 can still have a sufficiently low temperature when reaching the vicinity of the fluid output device 140, so that the area near the fluid output device 140 can be maintained in a desired low temperature state.

[0089] In this embodiment, the air suction devices 231, 233, and 235 are respectively arranged at different positions on the air flow transmission path of the cold air passage 220, so as to improve the cold air transmission efficiency of the cold air passage 220, and adjust the temperature of different areas inside the fluid raw material outlet machine 100.

[0090] For example, as shown in Figures 2 to 4 , the air suction device 231 can be arranged at the air inlet port 227 of the cold air passage 220, so as to suck part of the cold air generated by the cold air source device 210 into the air inlet passage 221. The air suction device 233 can be arranged between the air inlet passage 221 and the intermediate passage 223, so as to push the cold air in the air inlet passage 221 into the intermediate passage 223, so that the cold air can enter the outlet cavity 105 through the outlet passage 225.

[0091] The air suction device 235 can be arranged near the junction between the intermediate passage 223 and the outlet passage 225, for sucking part of the cold air in the cold air passage 220 into the upper accommodation cavity 101, so as to thereby reduce the internal temperature of the upper accommodation cavity 101.

[0092] As shown in Figure 2 , the temperature sensor 251 is arranged in the upper accommodation cavity 101, for sensing the internal temperature of the upper accommodation cavity 101. The temperature sensor 253 is arranged in the lower accommodation cavity 103, for sensing the internal temperature of the lower accommodation cavity 103. The temperature sensor 255 is arranged in the outlet cavity 105, for sensing the internal temperature of the outlet cavity 105. The temperature sensor 257 is arranged in the cold air passage 220, for sensing the internal temperature of the cold air passage 220.

[0093] As shown in Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the sidewall of the discharge cavity 105 is provided with a pipe insertion opening 360 and a backflow opening 370. The raw material delivery pipes (e.g., the raw material delivery pipes connecting the pumps 110 and the raw material output pipes 150) coupled between the pumps 110 and the fluid output device 140 can pass through the pipe insertion opening 360 into the discharge cavity 105. The cold air in the discharge cavity 105 can then flow into the body of the fluid raw material discharging machine 100 (e.g., into the upper accommodating cavity 101) through the backflow opening 370.

[0094] In the present embodiment, the center of the backflow opening 370 is intentionally set to be higher than the center of the pipe insertion opening 360. This design can ensure that the cold air with a lower temperature can sufficiently fill most of the area of the discharge cavity 105, so that the internal temperature of the discharge cavity 105 can be maintained within a desired range, for example, 1-4 degrees Celsius.

[0095] As shown in FIG. 1, the fluid raw material discharging machine 100 is provided with a plurality of air pumps 231, 233, 235, and 337. The air pump 231 is connected to the air inlet 221 of the cold air passage 220, and the air pump 233 is connected to the air outlet 223 of the cold air passage 220. The air pump 235 is connected to the air inlet 231 of the cold air passage 230, and the air pump 337 is connected to the air outlet 233 of the cold air passage 230. Figure 3 As shown in FIG. 1, the fluid raw material discharging machine 100 is provided with a plurality of air pumps 231, 233, 235, and 337. The air pump 231 is connected to the air inlet 221 of the cold air passage 220, and the air pump 233 is connected to the air outlet 223 of the cold air passage 220. The air pump 235 is connected to the air inlet 231 of the cold air passage 230, and the air pump 337 is connected to the air outlet 233 of the cold air passage 230. Figure 4 As shown in FIG. 1, the fluid raw material discharging machine 100 is provided with a plurality of air pumps 231, 233, 235, and 337. The air pump 231 is connected to the air inlet 221 of the cold air passage 220, and the air pump 233 is connected to the air outlet 223 of the cold air passage 220. The air pump 235 is connected to the air inlet 231 of the cold air passage 230, and the air pump 337 is connected to the air outlet 233 of the cold air passage 230.

[0096] In order to avoid the content of the drawing being too complex, the control circuit, wires, signal lines, power supply device, part of the raw material delivery pipes, part of the cleaning agent delivery pipes, related parts and frames for supporting or fixing the aforementioned elements, and other structures and devices inside the fluid raw material discharging machine 100 are not shown in FIG. 1. Figures 1 to 4

[0097] In operation, the fluid raw material discharging machine 100 can dynamically adjust the operation mode of the aforementioned air pumps 231, 233, 235, and 337 according to the sensing results of the aforementioned temperature sensors 251, 253, 255, and 257.

[0098] For example, if the temperature sensor 255 finds that the internal temperature of the discharge cavity 105 is higher than a first predetermined threshold (e.g., 4 degrees Celsius, 4.5 degrees Celsius, or 5 degrees Celsius), the fluid raw material discharging machine 100 can control the air pumps 231 and 233 to operate to introduce more cold air into the discharge cavity 105 through the cold air passage 220, thereby reducing the internal temperature of the discharge cavity 105.

[0099] ​For example, if the temperature sensor 251 finds that the internal temperature of the upper holding chamber 101 is higher than the first predetermined threshold, the fluid material dispenser 100 can control the air suction devices 231, 233, and 235 to operate, or control the air suction devices 231, 233, and 337 to operate, to introduce more cold air into the upper holding chamber 101 through the cold air passage 220, thereby reducing the internal temperature of the upper holding chamber 101.

[0100] For example, if the temperature sensor 255 finds that the internal temperature of the discharge chamber 105 is lower than the second predetermined threshold, the fluid material dispenser 100 can control the air suction devices 231 and 233 to suspend operation, thereby reducing the amount of cold air introduced into the discharge chamber 105, and thereby avoiding the situation that the fluid material is frosted or frozen due to the excessively low internal temperature of the discharge chamber 105.

[0101] For example, if the temperature sensor 255 finds that the internal temperature of the discharge chamber 105 is lower than the second predetermined threshold, the fluid material dispenser 100 can control the air suction devices 231 and 233 to suspend operation, thereby reducing the amount of cold air introduced into the discharge chamber 105, and thereby avoiding the situation that the fluid material is frosted or frozen due to the excessively low internal temperature of the discharge chamber 105.

[0102] For example, if the temperature sensor 253 finds that the internal temperature of the lower holding chamber 103 is higher than a third predetermined threshold (e.g., 5 degrees Celsius, 6 degrees Celsius, or 10 degrees Celsius, etc.), or the temperature sensor 257 finds that the internal temperature of the cold air passage 220 is higher than the third predetermined threshold, the fluid material dispenser 100 can control the air suction devices 231, 233, and 235 to suspend operation, thereby avoiding the situation that the cold air passage 220 introduces air with excessively high temperature into the discharge chamber 105 or the upper holding chamber 101. This situation usually occurs when the user opens the door of the lower holding chamber 103, or when the cold air source device 210 is performing a defrost process.

[0103] As described above, the output ends of the plurality of discharge ports 142 for outputting fluid material are exposed outside the discharge chamber 105 and directly contact the external environment, so the internal temperature of the discharge chamber 105 is more likely to be affected by the external environment.

[0104] However, by the cooperation of the cold air passage 220, the plurality of air suction devices (e.g., the air suction devices 231-235, 337), and the plurality of temperature sensors (e.g., the temperature sensors 251-257), the low-temperature cold air generated by the cold air source device 210 can be conducted into the discharge cavity 105 and the upper accommodation cavity 101, so as to effectively maintain the internal space of the discharge cavity 105 and the upper accommodation cavity 101 in a desired low-temperature state.

[0105] In this way, the various fluid raw materials in the raw material conveying passage (e.g., the raw material output pipe 150, or other related conveying pipes or various joints, etc.) in the discharge cavity 105 and the upper accommodation cavity 101 can be maintained in a desired low-temperature state, so as to effectively reduce the possibility of deterioration or bacterial growth of the various fluid raw materials in the discharge cavity 105 and the upper accommodation cavity 101.

[0106] In other words, by the cooperation of the cold air passage 220, the plurality of air suction devices, and the plurality of temperature sensors, the shelf life of the various fluid raw materials in the discharge cavity 105 and the upper accommodation cavity 101 can be effectively prolonged.

[0107] Therefore, even if the fluid raw material discharge machine 100 is used to provide fluid raw materials containing protein components (e.g., various raw materials containing milk components or whey components), the cooperation of the cold air passage 220, the plurality of air suction devices, and the plurality of temperature sensors can effectively reduce the possibility of deterioration or bacterial growth of the fluid raw materials containing protein components, so as to prolong the shelf life of the fluid raw materials containing protein components.

[0108] In this way, the number of times that the fluid raw material discharge machine 100 needs to be cleaned and disinfected can be greatly reduced, so as to effectively reduce the labor time and related maintenance costs required for using the fluid raw material discharge machine 100.

[0109] From another perspective, the fluid raw material discharge machine 100 does not need to be installed with any heating device, so as to effectively reduce the possibility of deterioration or bacterial growth of the fluid raw materials, and thus the operation safety of the fluid raw material discharge machine 100 can be improved.

[0110] Please note that the number, shape, or position of some elements in the fluid raw material discharge machine 100 can be adjusted according to the needs of actual applications, and are not limited to the states shown in the foregoing embodiments.

[0111] For example, the number and spatial arrangement of the pump 110, the flow stabilizer 120, the flow meter 130, the fluid output device 140, the discharge port 142, the raw material output pipe 150, the raw material container 180, the air suction device, and the temperature sensor provided in the fluid raw material discharger 100 can be increased or decreased as needed.

[0112] For another example, in some embodiments, the fluid raw material discharger 100 can calculate the discharge amount of a discharge port according to the operation time of a specific pump or the discharge time length of the corresponding discharge port. In this case, some or all of the plurality of flow meters 130 described above can be omitted.

[0113] For another example, in some embodiments, the plurality of flow stabilizers 120 described above can be omitted.

[0114] For another example, in some embodiments, the cold air source device 210 can be provided outside the fluid raw material discharger 100. In other words, the cold air source device 210 can be implemented using an external device.

[0115] For another example, in some embodiments, the air suction device 235 or the air suction device 337 described above can be omitted.

[0116] For another example, in some embodiments, the temperature sensor 257 described above can be omitted.

[0117] For another example, in some embodiments, the air outlet passage 225 can be separated from the discharge cavity 105 by a small distance without being connected to the discharge cavity 105. In other words, the cold air passage 220 does not necessarily have to be connected to the discharge cavity 105. In this case, the air outlet 229 of the air outlet passage 225 can be aligned with an opening in a side wall of the discharge cavity 105 or aligned with one side of the discharge cavity 105 that is not blocked. In this way, the air outlet passage 225 can still deliver cold air in the direction of the discharge cavity 105 through the air outlet 229 so that the cold air enters the discharge cavity 105.

[0118] For another example, in some embodiments, an air suction device can be added to the air outlet 229 of the air outlet passage 225 to deliver cold air in the air outlet passage 225 to the discharge cavity 105 to increase the speed of the cold air entering the discharge cavity 105.

[0119] For example, in some embodiments, a recessed area can be provided in the lower half of the body of the fluid source dispenser 100 to accommodate the target container 190, and the fluid output device 140 and associated plurality of outlets 142 can be positioned above the recessed area. In this case, the outlet chamber 105 can be positioned within the body of the fluid source dispenser 100, and the neck can be omitted. Certain terminology can be used in the specification and claims in order to refer to particular elements. As used in this specification and the claims, "and / or" means one or all of the listed items. Additionally, as used in this specification and the claims, the term "coupled" means either an indirect or direct electrical association or signal association between the items named and can include the use of other elements between or among them.

[0120] As used in this specification and the claims, the term "and / or" means one or all of the listed items. In addition, unless expressly stated to the contrary, any grammatical alterations of a term applies to the meaning of the term.

[0121] As used in this specification and the claims, the term "element" includes a component, a layer, or a region.

[0122] The dimensions and relative proportions of certain elements in the drawings can be exaggerated for clarity. The drawings are therefore to be regarded as illustrative and not restrictive in nature. Additionally, the description and claims herein can use "comprising," "including," "containing," "having," and other similar words, and they are intended to be equivalent in any way. Unless specifically set forth herein, the terms "comprising," "including," containing," "having" and the like are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., the terms "comprising," "including," containing," "having"). It is further noted that the claims can be drafted to exclude any elements. As such, the terms "does not include" and "does not contain," etc., are not used as a limitation in any way.

[0123] For ease of explanation, the specification may use descriptions relating to relative spatial positions to describe the function of a component in the accompanying drawings or its relative spatial relationship with other components. Examples include "above," "above," "below," "below," "higher than," "lower than," "upward," "downward," "forward," "backward," etc. Those skilled in the art will understand that these descriptions relating to relative spatial positions include not only the orientation of the described component in the accompanying drawings but also various orientations during use, operation, or assembly. For example, if the accompanying drawings are inverted, a component originally described as "above" will become "below." Therefore, the use of "above" in the specification implies both "below" and "above." Similarly, the term "upward" implies both "upward" and "downward." For example, if the contents of the attached diagram are reversed, an action originally described as "forward" will become "backward," and vice versa. Therefore, the use of "forward" in the specification implies both "forward" and "backward" in terms of direction.

[0124] In the specification and claims, if the first element is described as being located on, above, connected to, joined to, coupled to, or connected to the second element, it indicates that the first element may be directly located on, directly connected to, directly joined to, or directly coupled to the second element, or that other elements exist between the first and second elements. Conversely, if the first element is described as being directly located on, directly connected to, directly joined to, directly coupled to, or directly connected to the second element, it indicates that no other elements exist between the first and second elements.

[0125] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention. All equivalent changes and modifications made in accordance with the claims of the present invention shall fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A fluid raw material discharge machine (100), comprising: The discharge chamber (105) extends outward from the body of the fluid raw material discharge machine (100), and the side wall of the discharge chamber (105) is provided with a pipe inlet (360) and a return port (370). The upper receiving cavity (101) can be connected to the discharge cavity (105); Multiple pumps (110) are used to extract various fluid raw materials stored in multiple raw material containers (180) and push the corresponding fluid raw materials forward; A fluid output device (140) is disposed at the bottom of the discharge chamber (105) and includes a plurality of discharge ports (142), wherein, The plurality of discharge ports (142) are respectively coupled to the plurality of pumps (110) through the plurality of raw material conveying channels, and are respectively used to output the corresponding fluid raw materials to the target container (190); A temperature sensor (255) is disposed in the discharge chamber (105) for sensing the internal temperature of the discharge chamber (105); A cold air duct (220) is configured to introduce cold air into the discharge chamber (105) to maintain the internal temperature of the discharge chamber (105) below a predetermined temperature; and One or more air extraction devices (231; 233; 235) are disposed on the airflow transmission path of the cold air duct (220) for pushing the cold air in the cold air duct (220) forward; Among them, multiple raw material transmission pipelines coupled between the multiple pumps (110) and the fluid output device (140) will pass through the pipeline inlet (360) and enter the discharge chamber (105); The cold air in the discharge chamber (105) will flow into the body of the fluid raw material discharge machine (100) through the return port (370); The cold air duct (220) includes: An air intake passage (221) is coupled to a cold air source device (210) and has an air inlet (227) for receiving cold air generated by the cold air source device (210); Intermediate passage (223), coupled to the intake passage (221); and An air outlet channel (225) is coupled to the intermediate channel (223) and has an air outlet (229) for outputting cold air to the discharge chamber (105); The one or more air extraction devices (231; 233; 235) include: A first air extraction device (231) is installed at the air inlet (227) to extract a portion of the cold air generated by the cold air source device (210) into the air intake channel (221); and The second air extraction device (233) is disposed between the air intake channel (221) and the intermediate channel (223) to push the cold air in the air intake channel (221) into the intermediate channel (223); When the internal temperature of the discharge chamber (105) is higher than the first predetermined threshold, the first air extraction device (231) and the second air extraction device (233) will operate to introduce more cold air into the discharge chamber (105) through the cold air channel (220).

2. The fluid raw material discharge machine (100) as described in claim 1, wherein, The air outlet channel (225) is inserted into the discharge chamber (105) such that the distance between the air outlet (229) and the fluid output device (140) is less than 20 cm.

3. The fluid raw material discharge machine (100) as described in claim 1, wherein, The center of the return port (370) is higher than the center of the pipe inlet (360).

4. The fluid raw material discharge machine (100) as described in claim 1, wherein, The side wall of the discharge chamber (105) is also provided with a target air extraction device (337) to accelerate the internal airflow circulation speed of the discharge chamber (105).

5. The fluid raw material discharge machine (100) as described in claim 4, wherein, The one or more extraction devices (231; 233; 235) include: The third air extraction device (235) is located near the junction of the intermediate channel (223) and the air outlet channel (225) and is used to extract part of the cold air in the cold air channel (220) into the upper accommodating cavity (101).

6. A fluid raw material discharge machine (100), comprising: The discharge chamber (105) extends outward from the body of the fluid raw material discharge machine (100). A return port (370) is provided on the side wall of the discharge chamber (105). A pipe inlet (360) is provided on the side wall of the discharge chamber (105). A target air extraction device (337) is also provided on the side wall of the discharge chamber (105) to accelerate the internal airflow circulation speed of the discharge chamber (105). The upper receiving cavity (101) can be connected to the discharge cavity (105); Multiple pumps (110) are used to extract various fluid raw materials stored in multiple raw material containers (180) and push the corresponding fluid raw materials forward; A fluid output device (140) is disposed at the bottom of the discharge chamber (105) and includes a plurality of discharge ports (142), wherein, The plurality of discharge ports (142) are respectively coupled to the plurality of pumps (110) through the plurality of raw material conveying channels, and are respectively used to output the corresponding fluid raw materials to the target container (190); A temperature sensor (255) is disposed in the discharge chamber (105) for sensing the internal temperature of the discharge chamber (105); A cold air duct (220) is configured to introduce cold air into the discharge chamber (105) to maintain the internal temperature of the discharge chamber (105) below a predetermined temperature; and One or more air extraction devices (231; 233; 235) are disposed on the airflow transmission path of the cold air duct (220) for pushing the cold air in the cold air duct (220) forward; The multiple raw material transmission pipelines coupled between the multiple pumps (110) and the fluid output device (140) will pass through the pipeline inlet (360) and enter the discharge chamber (105); the cold air in the discharge chamber (105) will flow into the body of the fluid raw material discharge machine (100) through the return port (370); The cold air duct (220) includes: An air intake passage (221) is coupled to a cold air source device (210) and has an air inlet (227) for receiving cold air generated by the cold air source device (210); Intermediate passage (223), coupled to the intake passage (221); and An air outlet channel (225) is coupled to the intermediate channel (223) and has an air outlet (229) for outputting cold air to the discharge chamber (105); The one or more air extraction devices (231; 233; 235) include: The first air extraction device (231) is installed at the air inlet (227) to extract part of the cold air generated by the cold air source device (210) into the air intake channel (221); A second air extraction device (233) is disposed between the air intake channel (221) and the intermediate channel (223) to push the cold air in the air intake channel (221) into the intermediate channel (223); and The third air extraction device (235) is located near the junction of the intermediate channel (223) and the air outlet channel (225) and is used to extract part of the cold air in the cold air channel (220) into the upper accommodating cavity (101). When the internal temperature of the upper accommodating cavity (101) is higher than the first predetermined threshold, the first air extraction device (231) and the second air extraction device (233) will operate, and the third air extraction device (235) or the target air extraction device (337) will operate to introduce more cold air into the upper accommodating cavity (101) through the cold air channel (220).

7. A fluid raw material discharge machine (100), comprising: The discharge chamber (105) extends outward from the body of the fluid raw material discharge machine (100). A return port (370) is provided on the side wall of the discharge chamber (105). A pipe inlet (360) is provided on the side wall of the discharge chamber (105). A target air extraction device (337) is also provided on the side wall of the discharge chamber (105) to accelerate the internal airflow circulation speed of the discharge chamber (105). The upper receiving cavity (101) can be connected to the discharge cavity (105); Multiple pumps (110) are used to extract various fluid raw materials stored in multiple raw material containers (180) and push the corresponding fluid raw materials forward; A fluid output device (140) is disposed at the bottom of the discharge chamber (105) and includes a plurality of discharge ports (142), wherein, The plurality of discharge ports (142) are respectively coupled to the plurality of pumps (110) through the plurality of raw material conveying channels, and are respectively used to output the corresponding fluid raw materials to the target container (190); A temperature sensor (255) is disposed in the discharge chamber (105) for sensing the internal temperature of the discharge chamber (105); A cold air duct (220) is configured to introduce cold air into the discharge chamber (105) to maintain the internal temperature of the discharge chamber (105) below a predetermined temperature; and One or more air extraction devices (231; 233; 235) are disposed on the airflow transmission path of the cold air duct (220) for pushing the cold air in the cold air duct (220) forward; Among them, multiple raw material transmission pipelines coupled between the multiple pumps (110) and the fluid output device (140) will pass through the pipeline inlet (360) and enter the discharge chamber (105); The cold air in the discharge chamber (105) will flow into the body of the fluid raw material discharge machine (100) through the return port (370); The cold air duct (220) includes: An air intake passage (221) is coupled to a cold air source device (210) and has an air inlet (227) for receiving cold air generated by the cold air source device (210); Intermediate passage (223), coupled to the intake passage (221); and An air outlet channel (225) is coupled to the intermediate channel (223) and has an air outlet (229) for outputting cold air to the discharge chamber (105); The one or more air extraction devices (231; 233; 235) include: The first air extraction device (231) is installed at the air inlet (227) to extract part of the cold air generated by the cold air source device (210) into the air intake channel (221); A second air extraction device (233) is disposed between the air intake channel (221) and the intermediate channel (223) to push the cold air in the air intake channel (221) into the intermediate channel (223); and The third air extraction device (235) is located near the junction of the intermediate channel (223) and the air outlet channel (225) and is used to extract part of the cold air in the cold air channel (220) into the upper accommodating cavity (101). When the internal temperature of the upper accommodating cavity (101) is lower than the second predetermined threshold, the first air extraction device (231) and the second air extraction device (233) will stop operating, and the third air extraction device (235) or the target air extraction device (337) will stop operating to reduce the amount of cold air introduced into the upper accommodating cavity (101).

8. A fluid raw material discharge machine (100), comprising: The discharge chamber (105) extends outward from the body of the fluid raw material discharge machine (100), and a return port (370) is provided on the side wall of the discharge chamber (105); a pipe inlet (360) is provided on the side wall of the discharge chamber (105); and a target air extraction device (337) is also provided on the side wall of the discharge chamber (105) to accelerate the internal airflow circulation speed of the discharge chamber (105); The upper receiving cavity (101) can be connected to the discharge cavity (105); Multiple pumps (110) are used to extract various fluid raw materials stored in multiple raw material containers (180) and push the corresponding fluid raw materials forward; A fluid output device (140) is disposed at the bottom of the discharge chamber (105) and includes a plurality of discharge ports (142), wherein, The plurality of discharge ports (142) are respectively coupled to the plurality of pumps (110) through the plurality of raw material conveying channels, and are respectively used to output the corresponding fluid raw materials to the target container (190); A temperature sensor (255) is disposed in the discharge chamber (105) for sensing the internal temperature of the discharge chamber (105); A cold air duct (220) is configured to introduce cold air into the discharge chamber (105) to maintain the internal temperature of the discharge chamber (105) below a predetermined temperature; and One or more air extraction devices (231; 233; 235) are disposed on the airflow transmission path of the cold air duct (220) for pushing the cold air in the cold air duct (220) forward; Among them, multiple raw material transmission pipelines coupled between the multiple pumps (110) and the fluid output device (140) will pass through the pipeline inlet (360) and enter the discharge chamber (105); The cold air in the discharge chamber (105) will flow into the body of the fluid raw material discharge machine (100) through the return port (370); The cold air duct (220) includes: An air intake passage (221) is coupled to a cold air source device (210) and has an air inlet (227) for receiving cold air generated by the cold air source device (210); Intermediate passage (223), coupled to the intake passage (221); and An air outlet channel (225) is coupled to the intermediate channel (223) and has an air outlet (229) for outputting cold air to the discharge chamber (105); The one or more air extraction devices (231; 233; 235) include: A first air extraction device (231) is installed at the air inlet (227) to extract a portion of the cold air generated by the cold air source device (210) into the air intake channel (221); and The second air extraction device (233) is disposed between the air intake channel (221) and the intermediate channel (223) to push the cold air in the air intake channel (221) into the intermediate channel (223); The third air extraction device (235) is located near the junction of the intermediate channel (223) and the air outlet channel (225) and is used to extract part of the cold air in the cold air channel (220) into the upper accommodating cavity (101). When the internal temperature of the discharge chamber (105) is lower than the second predetermined threshold, the first air extraction device (231) and the second air extraction device (233) will stop operating to reduce the amount of cold air introduced into the discharge chamber (105).

9. A fluid raw material discharge machine (100), comprising: The discharge chamber (105) extends outward from the body of the fluid raw material discharge machine (100), and a return port (370) is provided on the side wall of the discharge chamber (105); a pipe inlet (360) is provided on the side wall of the discharge chamber (105); and a target air extraction device (337) is also provided on the side wall of the discharge chamber (105) to accelerate the internal airflow circulation speed of the discharge chamber (105); The upper receiving cavity (101) can be connected to the discharge cavity (105); Multiple pumps (110) are used to extract various fluid raw materials stored in multiple raw material containers (180) and push the corresponding fluid raw materials forward; A fluid output device (140) is disposed at the bottom of the discharge chamber (105) and includes a plurality of discharge ports (142), wherein, The plurality of discharge ports (142) are respectively coupled to the plurality of pumps (110) through the plurality of raw material conveying channels, and are respectively used to output the corresponding fluid raw materials to the target container (190); A temperature sensor (255) is disposed in the discharge chamber (105) for sensing the internal temperature of the discharge chamber (105); A cold air duct (220) is configured to introduce cold air into the discharge chamber (105) to maintain the internal temperature of the discharge chamber (105) below a predetermined temperature; and One or more air extraction devices (231; 233; 235) are disposed on the airflow transmission path of the cold air duct (220) for pushing the cold air in the cold air duct (220) forward; Among them, multiple raw material transmission pipelines coupled between the multiple pumps (110) and the fluid output device (140) will pass through the pipeline inlet (360) and enter the discharge chamber (105); The cold air in the discharge chamber (105) will flow into the body of the fluid raw material discharge machine (100) through the return port (370); The cold air duct (220) includes: An air intake passage (221) is coupled to a cold air source device (210) and has an air inlet (227) for receiving cold air generated by the cold air source device (210); Intermediate passage (223), coupled to the intake passage (221); and An air outlet channel (225) is coupled to the intermediate channel (223) and has an air outlet (229) for outputting cold air to the discharge chamber (105); The one or more air extraction devices (231; 233; 235) include: The first air extraction device (231) is installed at the air inlet (227) to extract part of the cold air generated by the cold air source device (210) into the air intake channel (221); A second air extraction device (233) is disposed between the air intake channel (221) and the intermediate channel (223) to push the cold air in the air intake channel (221) into the intermediate channel (223); and The third air extraction device (235) is located near the junction of the intermediate channel (223) and the air outlet channel (225) and is used to extract part of the cold air in the cold air channel (220) into the upper accommodating cavity (101). When the internal temperature of the cold air duct (220) is higher than the third predetermined threshold, the first air extraction device (231), the second air extraction device (233), and the third air extraction device (235) will stop operating.

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