Beverage equipment

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a beverage device. The beverage device includes a body and an outlet device. The outlet device is provided with a supply port. The beverage is supplied to a container located below the supply port through the supply port. The supply port can move in the up and down directions relative to the body to adapt to containers of different heights. The outlet device includes a support member, a contact member, a sensor member and an actuating mechanism. The contact member is located at the bottom end of the outlet device and is movable relative to the support member, so that when the supply port moves downward relative to the body and when the contact member contacts the container, the contact member is abutted by the container and moves relative to the support member. The sensor member is communicatively connected to a control device of the beverage device to transmit a sensing signal to the control device. When any part of the contact member contacts the container, the actuating mechanism is actuated, causing the sensor member to be triggered and generate a sensing signal. The beverage device provided by the present disclosure helps to reduce the risk of failure in sensing contact between the outlet device and the container without significantly increasing costs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of beverage preparation, and in particular, to a beverage device. Background Art

[0002] Beverage equipment is used to provide beverages. For example, a coffee machine is used to provide coffee. The beverage equipment is provided with a beverage outlet through which the beverage is provided to the user. During use, the user places a container, such as a cup, below the beverage outlet to receive the beverage flowing out of the outlet. The space below the beverage outlet is typically only suitable for containers of a certain height, which introduces inconvenience when using the beverage equipment.

[0003] To accommodate containers of varying heights, the beverage outlet of a beverage device can have a lifting function. When handling taller containers, the outlet can be raised to a higher height to facilitate placement and removal. Conversely, when handling shorter containers, the outlet can be lowered to reduce the risk of splashing.

[0004] Determining the height of the container is a prerequisite for automatically adjusting the height of the beverage outlet. One method for determining the container's height is to sense contact between the outlet mechanism and the container during the beverage outlet's descent. Ideally, every contact should be sensed to ensure that the descent process is stopped promptly. If sensing fails, the outlet mechanism's continued descent could result in unintended consequences, such as damage to the outlet mechanism or container, or tipping over of the container. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, the present disclosure provides a beverage device, which aims to solve the problem of failure in sensing contact between an outlet device and a container without significantly increasing the cost.

[0006] The beverage device includes a body and an outlet device. The outlet device is provided with a supply port. The beverage is supplied to the container located below the supply port through the supply port. The supply port can be moved up and down relative to the body to adapt to containers of different heights. The outlet device includes a support member,

[0007] A contact member, a sensor, and an actuating mechanism. The contact member is located at the bottom end of the outlet device and is movable relative to the support member. As the supply port moves downward relative to the body and when the contact member contacts a container, the contact member is abutted by the container and moves relative to the support member. The sensor member is configured to generate a sensing signal representing contact between the contact member and the container. The sensor member is communicatively connected to a control unit of the beverage device to transmit the sensing signal to the control unit. When any portion of the contact member contacts the container, the actuating mechanism activates, triggering the sensor member to generate a sensing signal.

[0008] According to the beverage device provided by the present disclosure, due to the presence of the action mechanism, when the container contacts any part of the contact member, the action mechanism will be activated, thereby triggering the sensing member. In this way, the adverse effects of the container's structure and placement on effective sensing will be reduced, and the risk of failure in sensing the contact between the outlet device and the container will be reduced. In addition, due to the presence of the action mechanism,

[0009] There is no need to use more sensing members to target multiple different locations of the contact member, which helps reduce the number of required sensing members. Therefore, the beverage device provided by the present disclosure helps reduce the risk of failure in sensing contact between the outlet device and the container without significantly increasing costs.

[0010] Additionally or alternatively, the outlet device includes an operating member integrally formed with or connected to the contact member. The actuating mechanism includes a driven portion, which is driven by the operating member to cause the actuating mechanism to actuate.

[0011] Since the action member is integrally formed with or connected to the contact member, when the contact member moves in contact with the container, the action member will also move. The movement of the action member will act on the driven part, thereby causing the action mechanism to move.

[0012] Additionally or alternatively, the actuating mechanism includes an actuating member, and the outlet device includes at least two actuating members. The actuating member includes a shaft portion and at least two actuated portions, with the at least two actuated portions corresponding to the at least two actuating members, respectively. The shaft portion is rotatably supported by a support member. When any actuated portion is driven by the corresponding actuating member, the actuating member rotates about a longitudinal axis defined by the shaft portion to perform the actuation.

[0013] In this way, the actuating member can be actuated by any one of the at least two acting members to perform an action, which helps to reduce the number of required actuating members, thereby simplifying the complexity of the outlet device.

[0014] Additionally or alternatively, the action mechanism includes a plurality of driven parts. When any driven part is actuated by the movement of the contact member, the action mechanism is caused to perform an action and directly trigger the sensing member.

[0015] With this structure, when any portion of the contact member contacts the container, the affected portion near that portion is actuated, causing the actuating mechanism to operate, which in turn directly triggers the sensing member. Furthermore, the presence of the actuating mechanism eliminates the need for multiple sensing members to target different portions of the contact member, thus reducing the number of required sensing members.

[0016] Additionally or alternatively, the actuating mechanism includes an actuating member, and the actuating member includes two actuated parts.

[0017] In this way, each actuator can be actuated by either of the two operative members, which helps to reduce the number of required actuators and thus simplifies the complexity of the outlet device.

[0018] Additionally or alternatively, the actuating member includes a shaft portion and two driven portions. When any driven portion is actuated by the movement of the contact member, the actuating member rotates around a longitudinal axis defined by the shaft portion.

[0019] According to this structure, when any driven part is actuated by the movement of the contact member, the actuating member will be able to perform the same action, thereby ensuring that when any driven part is actuated by the contact member, the sensing member can be triggered.

[0020] Additionally or alternatively, the two driven portions are configured as two arm portions, each arm portion forming an angle with the shaft portion.

[0021] When the contact member moves, the arm is subjected to a force that generates a torque. This torque causes the actuator to rotate about the longitudinal axis defined by the shaft. Furthermore, this actuator configuration is simple to implement and does not significantly increase the size or complexity of the outlet device.

[0022] Additionally or alternatively, when the actuating member rotates about the longitudinal axis, one of the two arms triggers the sensing member.

[0023] When the actuating member rotates, each arm rotates about the longitudinal axis of the shaft, which makes each arm have a sufficiently obvious movement. Through this obvious movement, the arm can trigger the sensing member by applying a force to the sensing member, and the obvious movement itself is also easily sensed.

[0024] This approach utilizes the arm to trigger the sensing element without relying on additional structures, which helps to simplify the construction of the actuating element.

[0025] Additionally or alternatively, the actuating mechanism includes a plurality of actuating members, each of which includes a driven portion, and the plurality of actuating members are drive-connected.

[0026] Since at least a plurality of actuating members are drive-connected, only one sensing member is needed to directly sense the movement of one actuating member, thereby indirectly sensing the movement of one or more other actuating members. This approach helps reduce the number of sensing members required, thereby further reducing manufacturing costs.

[0027] Additionally or alternatively, each actuating member includes a shaft and two arms. Each arm serves as a driven member. The plurality of actuating members includes a first actuating member and a second actuating member, wherein an arm of the first actuating member rests on an arm of the second actuating member.

[0028] Because an arm portion of the first operating member is placed on an arm portion of the second operating member, when the second operating member rotates around its longitudinal axis, it will drive the first operating member to rotate around its longitudinal axis. Like this, the two operating members are driven to be connected together.

[0029] Additionally or alternatively, the surface of the contact member in contact with the container is arranged in a polygonal shape, and the plurality of driven portions are correspondingly distributed at each corner of the polygon.

[0030] According to this structure, the entirety of the plurality of driven portions can cover any portion of the contact piece, so that the actuating mechanism will be actuated when the container contacts any portion of the contact piece.

[0031] Additionally or alternatively, the polygon is a quadrilateral or a near-quadrilateral, and the plurality of actuated portions include four actuated portions corresponding to the four corners of the quadrilateral or near-quadrilateral. The actuating mechanism includes two actuating members. The outlet device includes two sensing members corresponding to the two actuating members, each of which includes two of the four actuated portions. When any actuated portion of the actuating member is actuated by the movement of the contact member, the actuating member triggers the corresponding sensing member.

[0032] In this way, through two action members, two sensing members and four action members distributed in a quadrilateral or approximately quadrilateral shape,

[0033] Different parts of the contact element will be covered more comprehensively. In this way, during the descent process, no matter which part of the container contacts the contact element, the contact can be effectively sensed.

[0034] Additionally or alternatively, the polygon is a quadrilateral or a substantially quadrilateral, and the plurality of actuated portions include four actuated portions correspondingly located at the four corners of the quadrilateral or the substantially quadrilateral. The actuating mechanism includes three actuating members, and the four actuated portions are derived from these three actuating members. The three actuating members are transmission-connected such that when any actuated portion is actuated by movement of the contact member, a specific one of the three actuating members triggers the sensing member.

[0035] In this way, different parts of the contact element will be covered more comprehensively through three actuating elements and one sensing element.

[0036] Additionally or alternatively, the outlet device includes a guide post and a compression spring. The support member is located above the contact member and has a through hole. The guide post extends into the through hole to be slidably supported relative to the support member in the vertical direction. The compression spring is located between the support member and the contact member and is sleeved on the guide post.

[0037] When the contact piece comes into contact with the container and is pressed by the container, it moves upward relative to the support piece, guided by the guide post. After the contact piece separates from the container, the compression spring helps the contact piece return to its original position relative to the support piece, maintaining the distance between them. Because the compression spring is enclosed by multiple guide posts, no additional structure is required to guide and support the compression spring, which helps simplify the construction of the outlet device.

[0038] Additionally or alternatively, the contact piece is fixed to the guide post by magnetic attraction.

[0039] Considering that the contact parts frequently come into contact with the container and need to be cleaned frequently, in order to facilitate cleaning of the contact parts, the contact parts and the guide posts are fixed by magnetic attraction, which helps to easily remove or install the contact parts for cleaning.

[0040] In addition or alternatively, the guide post comprises a top cap portion, a bottom cap portion and a columnar portion extending therebetween. The guide post is provided with an upwardly open weakening groove, which extends downward from the top cap portion into the columnar portion.

[0041] The top cap abuts the upper surface of the support member near the through-hole to prevent the guide post from accidentally detaching from the support member. The bottom cap abuts the lower end of the compression spring to prevent the compression spring from accidentally detaching from the guide post and applying force to the contact member, causing the contact member and the guide post to separate. By weakening the groove, the upper portion of the guide post is more easily deformed, making it easier for the compression spring to fit over the guide post and for the guide post to be installed in the through-hole.

[0042] Additionally or alternatively, the outlet device comprises a plurality of guide posts, each of which serves as a plurality of active members.

[0043] In this way, the plurality of guide pillars will not only have the function of guiding and supporting the contact members, but also participate in the process of triggering the sensing member, which helps to further simplify the construction of the outlet device.

[0044] Additionally or alternatively, the support member is positioned above the contact member, one of the support member and the contact member being provided with a snap-fit ​​portion, and the other being provided with a mating portion. The snap-fit ​​portion is configured to engage with the mating portion to removably secure the support member and the contact member. The outlet device further includes a housing, the housing including a pressing portion. The pressing portion is configured to, when pressed, compress the snap-fit ​​portion to separate it from the mating portion.

[0045] Considering that the contact piece frequently contacts the container and needs to be frequently removed for cleaning, the operator only needs to press the pressing portion to conveniently remove the contact piece, which helps to improve the convenience of the cleaning process.

[0046] Additionally or alternatively, the actuating mechanism includes an actuating member, and movement of the contact member causes a change in an angle between the actuating member and a reference plane perpendicular to the up-down direction, so as to trigger the sensing member.

[0047] When the container contacts the contact member, the contact portion rises. In related art, the sensor is triggered directly or indirectly by the rising contact portion. However, if the contact portion is far from the sensor, the rising contact portion may not trigger the sensor. In the current implementation of the present disclosure, the rising of any contact portion causes the angle between the actuating member and a reference plane perpendicular to the vertical direction to change, thereby triggering the sensor. Thus, the beverage device provided by the present disclosure helps reduce the risk of failure to sense contact between the outlet device and the container without significantly increasing costs.

[0048] Additionally or alternatively, the action of the action mechanism causes the contact to translate upward as a whole.

[0049] In this manner, due to the presence of the actuating mechanism, the actuating mechanism activates whenever the container contacts any portion of the contact member. The actuation of the actuating mechanism causes the contact member to translate upward as a whole, triggering the sensing member. This reduces the adverse effects of the container's structure and placement on effective sensing, and reduces the risk of failure to sense contact between the outlet device and the container. Furthermore, due to the presence of the actuating mechanism, there is no need to employ multiple sensing members to target different portions of the contact member, which helps reduce the number of required sensing members. Thus, the beverage device provided by the present disclosure helps reduce the risk of failure to sense contact between the outlet device and the container without significantly increasing costs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0050] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments.

[0051] It should be understood that the following drawings only depict certain embodiments of the present disclosure and should not be considered limiting of the scope.

[0052] It should also be understood that the same or similar reference numerals are used in the drawings to identify the same or similar elements.

[0053] It should also be understood that the drawings are merely schematic and that the sizes and proportions of elements in the drawings are not necessarily accurate.

[0054] Figures 1A to 1C 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a beverage device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0055] Figure 2 1 is a schematic structural diagram of the outlet device of the beverage equipment.

[0056] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the internal structure of the exit device.

[0057] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the structure of the bottom component of the outlet device.

[0058] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Exploded diagram of the bottom assembly in .

[0059] Figure 6 It is a structural diagram of the action parts of the bottom component in 4.

[0060] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the guide column of the bottom component in 4.

[0061] Figure 8 It is a structural schematic diagram of the bottom component according to the first variant of the present disclosure.

[0062] Figure 9 It shows Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the structure of an action member and two arms.

[0063] Figure 10 It is a schematic structural diagram of the support member, contact member and housing according to the second variant of the present disclosure.

[0064] Figure 11 It is a structural schematic diagram of a portion of the bottom component according to the third variant of the present disclosure.

[0065] Figure 12 It shows Figure 11 Schematic diagram of the structure of the matching relationship between the support legs and the working parts.

[0066] Figure 13 It is a structural schematic diagram of a portion of the bottom component according to the fourth variant of the present disclosure.

[0067] Figure 14 It is a structural schematic diagram of a portion of the bottom component according to the fifth variant of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0068] The following is an exemplary description of the embodiments of the present disclosure in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the present disclosure can be implemented in many ways and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments described herein. The embodiments described herein are only for a more thorough and clear understanding of the present disclosure.

[0069] Exemplary beverage equipment

[0070] The present disclosure provides a beverage device 100. The beverage device 100 can be used to provide beverages. In some examples, the beverage device 100 can participate in the preparation of the beverage. For example, the beverage device 100 can prepare a beverage from raw materials or intermediate materials by brewing or mixing. For example, the beverage device 100 can be a coffee machine. Of course, in other examples, the beverage device 100 may not participate in the preparation of the beverage, but rather store the prepared beverage and provide it to the user.

[0071] For ease of understanding, the following describes the structure of the beverage device 100 by way of example. It should be understood that the structure of the beverage device 100 is not limited to the description herein. For example, if no contradiction exists, one or more of the elements described below may be omitted or replaced, and the layout relationships between multiple elements may be altered.

[0072] refer to Figure 1A The beverage device 100 may include a body 10 and an outlet device 20 mounted on the body 10. A beverage outlet 30 may be provided at the bottom of the outlet device 20. A beverage may flow from the interior of the body 10 to the beverage outlet 30 and out through the beverage outlet 30. A user may place a container, such as a cup, under the beverage outlet 30 to receive a beverage from the beverage outlet 30. As an example, the beverage device 100 may, but is not required to, include a platform 40 located below the beverage outlet 30. When receiving a beverage, the container may be placed on the platform 40.

[0073] Exemplary Exit Devices

[0074] The structure of the outlet device 20 is described below with an example. It is understood that the outlet device 20 described below can be applied to the above-mentioned beverage device 100, and can also be applied to other beverage devices.

[0075] In order to avoid the inconvenience caused by the difficulty of adapting the beverage device to containers of different heights, the outlet device 20 provided by the present disclosure can realize the lifting and lowering of the beverage outlet 30. Figure 1B As shown, when the user uses the lower container 200a to take the drink, the outlet device 20 can lower the drink outlet 30 to a lower height. Figure 1C As shown, when the user uses a higher container 200b to receive a drink, the outlet device 20 can raise the drink outlet 30 to a higher height.

[0076] Figure 2 A separate outlet device 20 is shown, Figure 3 The internal structure of the outlet device 20 is shown. Figure 2 and Figure 3The outlet device 20 may include a bottom assembly 40, a fixed frame 50, a moving mechanism 60, a pipe 70, and a housing 80. It should be understood that, in the absence of any contradiction, one or more of the elements listed here may be omitted or replaced, and the layout relationship between multiple elements may be replaced.

[0077] The bottom assembly 40 may be provided with the aforementioned beverage outlet 30. The fixed frame 50 may be fixed to the body 10 of the beverage appliance 200. The movable mechanism 60 may be supported by the fixed frame 50 and coupled to the bottom assembly 40, such that the movable mechanism 60 can move the bottom assembly 40 vertically relative to the fixed frame 40, thereby changing the height of the beverage outlet 30. A supply pipe 70 may be connected to the beverage outlet 30 to deliver beverages to the beverage outlet 30. The housing 80 may be fixed to the bottom assembly 40 so as to be raised and lowered together with the bottom assembly 40.

[0078] For example, combined with Figure 1A As shown, when the user uses the lower container 200a to receive the drink, the moving mechanism 60 can move the bottom assembly 40 downward to a lower position to reduce the risk of the drink splashing. Figure 1B As shown, when a user uses a higher container 200b to receive a drink, the moving mechanism 60 can move the bottom assembly 40 to a higher position to facilitate the placement and removal of the container 200b.

[0079] The bottom assembly 40 is located separately Figure 4 For ease of understanding, some details of the bottom assembly 40 are shown in Figure 4 was omitted,

[0080] A similar situation also applies to the following Figure 8 . Combined Figure 4 and Figure 5 The bottom assembly 40 may include a support member 41, a contact member 42, an actuating mechanism 430, and a sensing member 44. The contact member 42 may be located at the bottom end of the outlet device 20 and may be movable relative to the support member 41, such that when the supply port 30 moves downward relative to the body 10 and when the contact member 42 contacts the container, the contact member 42 is abutted by the container and moves relative to the support member 41. It will be understood that in this disclosure, the term "movable" should be broadly understood and may refer to either linear movement or rotation. In this disclosure, "movable" is intended to cover at least these two situations.

[0081] The sensor 44 can be configured to generate a sensing signal, which can represent contact between the contact member 42 and the container. The sensor 44 can be communicatively coupled to a control device (not shown) of the beverage device 100 to transmit the sensing signal to the control device. For example, the sensor 44 can be communicatively coupled to the control device via a wire. Of course, wireless communication between the sensor 44 and the control device is also contemplated.

[0082] The action mechanism 430 can perform an action. Specifically, when the supply port 30 moves downward relative to the body 10, when any part of the contact member 42 contacts the container, the action mechanism 430 will be activated, so that the sensor 44 is triggered to generate a sensing signal.

[0083] During the descent process, the location where contact member 42 contacts the container is affected by the container's structure and placement. It's difficult to guarantee that the container will fully contact contact member 42 every time. Sometimes, the container may only contact a portion of contact member 42, which may prevent the sensor 44 from being effectively triggered.

[0084] According to the beverage device 100 provided by the present disclosure, due to the presence of the actuation mechanism 430, the actuation mechanism 430 will activate whenever a container contacts any portion of the contact member 42, thereby triggering the sensing member 44. This reduces the adverse effects of the container's structure and placement on effective sensing, and reduces the risk of contact failure between the spout device 20 and the container. Furthermore, due to the presence of the actuation mechanism 430, there is no need to use multiple sensing members 44 to target multiple locations on the contact member 42, which helps reduce the number of required sensing members 44. Thus, the beverage device 100 provided by the present disclosure helps reduce the risk of contact failure between the spout device 20 and the container without significantly increasing costs.

[0085] In response to receiving the sensing signal, the control device executes a preset program. For example, the preset program may instruct the moving mechanism 60 to stop to prevent the bottom assembly 40 from further descending. In another example, the preset program may instruct the moving mechanism 60 to stop and then raise the bottom assembly 40 a preset distance to ensure that the beverage outlet 30 is at an appropriate distance from the top of the container.

[0086] Continue to refer Figure 4 and Figure 5The outlet device 20 may include an actuator 421. The actuator 421 may be integrally formed with the contact member 42, or may be connected to the contact member 42. The actuating mechanism 430 may include a driven portion 432, which can be driven by the actuator 421 to cause the actuating mechanism 430 to actuate. Because the actuator 421 is integrally formed with or connected to the contact member 42, when the contact member 42 actuates in contact with the container, the actuator 421 also actuates. The movement of the actuator 421 acts on the driven portion 432, thereby actuating the actuating mechanism 430.

[0087] Continue to refer Figure 4 and Figure 5 The action mechanism 430 may include an action member 43, and the outlet device 20 may include at least two action members 421. The action member 43 may include a shaft portion 431 and at least two driven portions 432, and the at least two driven portions 432 correspond to the at least two action members 421 respectively. The shaft portion 421 may be rotatably supported by the support member 41. When any driven portion 432 is driven by the corresponding action member 421, the action member 43 is caused to rotate around the longitudinal axis A defined by the shaft portion 431 to perform an action. In this way, the action member 43 will be able to be actuated by any one of the at least two action members 421 to perform an action, which helps to reduce the number of action members 43 required, thereby simplifying the complexity of the outlet device 20.

[0088] For ease of understanding, the rotating action member 43 is Figure 6 , shown in dashed lines. It should be noted that the shaft portion 431 is not necessarily cylindrical as a whole. If the shaft portion 431 is cylindrical as a whole, the longitudinal axis A may refer to the centerline of the cylinder. If the shaft portion 431 is not cylindrical as a whole, the longitudinal axis A may be the centerline of the cylindrical portion of the shaft portion 431, or the centerline of a portion of the shaft portion 431 having a partially cylindrical surface.

[0089] Continue to refer Figure 4 and Figure 5 The actuating mechanism 430 may include multiple actuated portions 432. When any actuated portion 432 is actuated by the movement of the contact member 42, the actuating mechanism 430 is actuated, directly triggering the sensing member 44. According to this configuration, when any portion of the contact member 42 contacts the container, the actuated portion near that portion is actuated, causing the actuating mechanism 430 to actuate, thereby directly triggering the sensing member 44. Furthermore, the presence of the actuating mechanism 430 eliminates the need for multiple sensing members 44 to target different portions of the contact member 42, thereby reducing the number of sensing members 44 required.

[0090] Continue to refer Figure 4 and Figure 5Each actuating member 43 may include two actuated portions 432. In this way, each actuating member 43 can be actuated by either of the two acting members 421, which helps reduce the number of actuating members 43 required, thereby simplifying the complexity of the outlet device 20. Of course, in other examples of the present disclosure, it is also foreseeable that each actuating member 43 includes only one actuated portion 432.

[0091] Continue to refer Figure 4 and Figure 5 As mentioned above, the actuating member 43 includes a shaft portion 431 and two actuated portions 432. When any actuated portion 432 is actuated by the movement of the contact member 42, the actuating member 43 rotates around the longitudinal axis A defined by the shaft portion 431. According to this configuration, when any actuated portion 432 is actuated by the movement of the contact member 42, the actuating member 43 will be able to perform the same action, thereby ensuring that when any actuated portion 432 is actuated by the contact member 42, the sensing member 44 can be triggered. It can be understood that although in the current example, the actuated portion 432 is actuated by the action member 421, in other examples of the present disclosure, it is foreseeable that the actuated portion 432 is directly actuated by a part of the contact member 42.

[0092] As a way to achieve this, continue to refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 The two driven portions 432 of the actuator 43 can be configured as two arms, each of which can form an angle with the shaft 431. Thus, when the contact member 42 moves, the arms are subjected to force, generating a torque. Under the action of this torque, the actuator 43 rotates about the longitudinal axis A defined by the shaft 431, thereby performing the aforementioned motion. Furthermore, due to its simple construction, the actuator 43 of this configuration is easy to implement and does not significantly increase the size or structural complexity of the outlet device 20.

[0093] Further, continue to refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 , when the action member 43 rotates around the longitudinal axis A, one of the two arms can directly trigger the sensing member 44. When the action member 43 rotates, each arm will rotate around the longitudinal axis A of the shaft 431, which allows each arm to have a sufficiently obvious movement. Through this obvious movement, the arm can trigger the sensing member 44 by applying force to the sensing member 44, and the obvious movement itself is also easy to sense. This method uses the arm to trigger the sensing member 44 without relying on additional structures, which helps to simplify the construction of the action member 43. By way of example only, the sensing member 44 can be located above an arm, so that when the action member 43 rotates around the longitudinal axis A, the arm is lifted to trigger the sensing member 44.

[0094] It should be noted that, although in the present example, the sensing member 44 is triggered by one of the two arms, in other examples of the present disclosure, the actuating member 43 may be provided with a triggering portion in addition to the two arms, and the triggering portion may trigger the sensing member 44 when the actuating member 43 rotates. For example, as an implementation, the triggering portion may be another arm located between the two arms and intersecting with the shaft 431.

[0095] As an exemplary implementation, refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6 The actuating member 43 can be a U-shaped rod bent integrally. The bottom section of the U-shaped rod can form the shaft 431, and the two side sections of the U-shaped rod can respectively form the two arms. In this way, the actuating member 43 can be formed by bending a raw rod into a predetermined U-shape. Therefore, the manufacturing cost of this actuating member 43 is relatively low.

[0096] It is understood that the U-shaped rod does not necessarily have to be in the shape of a standard letter "U". For example, the bottom section 431 of the U-shaped rod can be straight, rather than arc-shaped. For another example, the length of either side section 432 of the U-shaped rod can be smaller than the bottom section 431, rather than the opposite. It is understood that although in the above examples, the action member 43 is formed by bending a raw material rod, in other examples of the present disclosure, the action member 43 can be made in other ways. For example, in some examples, the shaft portion 431 and the two arm portions can be made separately first and then connected together.

[0097] It is understood that the implementation of the driven portion 432 is not limited to the arm. For example, in some examples, the driven portion 432 can be implemented as a gear, and correspondingly, the action member 421 can be implemented as a rack.

[0098] Still refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 The contact surface of the contact member 42 and the container can be arranged in a polygonal shape, and the multiple actuated portions 432 can be distributed correspondingly at each corner of the polygon. According to this structure, the multiple actuated portions 432 can cover any part of the contact member 42, so that the actuating mechanism 43 will be activated when the container contacts any part of the contact member 42.

[0099] Furthermore, if Figure 4 As shown, the polygon may be a quadrilateral or a nearly quadrilateral, and the quadrilateral or nearly quadrilateral may have four corners, namely, corner LR, corner RR, corner LF, and corner RF. The plurality of driven portions 432 may include four driven portions 432a,

[0100] 432b, 432c and 432d, which can be distributed correspondingly at the four corners LR, RR, LF and RF of a quadrilateral or a quadrilateral approximation. The action mechanism 430 can include two action members 43b and 43c, and the passive parts 432a and 432c belong to the action member 43b.

[0101] 432d belongs to the actuating member 43c. The outlet device 20 may include two sensing members 44 corresponding to the two actuating members 43b and 43c respectively. When any of the actuated portions 432 of each actuating member 43 is actuated by the movement of the contact member 42, the actuating member 43 triggers the corresponding sensing member 44.

[0102] In this manner, the two actuating members 43, the two sensing members 44, and the four action members 421 arranged in a quadrilateral or approximately quadrilateral shape comprehensively cover different parts of the contact member 42. Thus, during the descent process, no matter where the container contacts the contact member 42, the contact can be effectively sensed.

[0103] Reference below Figure 4 Let's take an example. Figure 4 When the left front corner LF in FIG. 4 is in contact with the container, the driven portion 432c will be actuated, the action member 43b will be actuated and the sensing member 44b will be triggered. Figure 4 When the left rear corner LR in FIG. 1 contacts the container, the driven portion 432a will be actuated, and the action member 43b will be actuated to trigger the sensing member 44b. Figure 4 When the right front corner RF in the middle contacts the container, the driven portion 432d will be actuated, the actuating member 43c will be actuated to trigger the sensing member 44c.

[0104] The contact 42 is Figure 4 When the right rear corner RR in the middle contacts the container, the driven portion 432b will be actuated, and the actuating member 43c will be actuated to trigger the sensing member 44c.

[0105] It should be noted that in this disclosure, an approximate quadrilateral may refer to a non-ideal quadrilateral, which is roughly a quadrilateral. Figure 4 As shown, the four corners LR, RR, LF and RF of the approximate quadrilateral are not sharp, but are all chamfered.

[0106] It is foreseeable that in some examples, the four corners LR, RR, LF and RF of the approximate quadrilateral may also be rounded. Figure 4 As shown, one or several sides of the approximate quadrilateral may be curved to a certain extent.

[0107] In order to support the rotation of the action member 43, refer to Figure 4The support member 41 may be provided with a supporting protrusion 414. The supporting protrusion 414 may be provided with a receiving recess 415. The receiving recess 415 may receive the shaft portion 431 of the actuating member 43 to support the actuating member 43 in rotation about the longitudinal axis A. In particular, the support member 41 may be provided with a plurality of supporting protrusions 414, and the plurality of supporting protrusions 414 may be distributed at intervals along the length direction of the shaft portion 431.

[0108] To locate the action member 43, continue to refer to Figure 4 The support member 41 may be provided with two positioning protrusions 416. The two positioning protrusions 416 may be respectively located on the outside of the two arms of the action member 43 to block the action member 43 from moving along the length direction of the shaft 431, thereby achieving the purpose of positioning the action member 43.

[0109] The present disclosure does not impose any particular limitation on the method of triggering the sensing element 44 .

[0110] As a possible approach, continue to refer to Figure 4 The sensing element 44 can be a micro switch, and the spring 441 of the micro switch can be located above an arm. When the actuator 43 is driven by an actuator 421, the arm below the spring 441 is lifted, exerting force on the spring 441, causing the spring 441 to move. When the spring 441 moves to a critical point, it generates an instantaneous action, causing the movable contact at the end of the spring 441 to quickly connect or disconnect with the fixed contact, thereby triggering the sensing element 44.

[0111] As another possible embodiment, sensor 44 may be a photoelectric sensor. For example, sensor 44 may be a through-beam photoelectric sensor. In this case, when the movable arm passes through a through-beam light beam, the light beam is blocked by the arm, thereby detecting the arm's movement. Alternatively, sensor 44 may be a reflective photoelectric sensor. In this case, when the movable arm enters the optical path of a reflected light beam, the light beam strikes the arm and is then reflected back to strike sensor 44, thereby detecting the arm's movement.

[0112] refer to Figure 5 The bottom assembly 40 may further include spaced guide posts 45, and the support member 41 may be provided with through-holes 411. The guide posts 45 may extend into the through-holes 411 to be slidably supported in the vertical direction relative to the support member 41. When the contact member 42 contacts the container and is pressed by the container, the contact member 42 will move upward relative to the support member 41 under the guidance of the guide posts 45.

[0113] Further, continue to refer to Figure 5The outlet device 20 may further include a compression spring 46. Compression spring 46 may be positioned between the support member 41 and the contact member 42 and mounted on the guide post 45. After the contact member 42 separates from the container, compression spring 46 helps the contact member 42 return to its original position relative to the support member 41, maintaining a distance between the two. Because compression spring 46 is mounted on the guide post 45, no additional structure is required to guide and support compression spring 46, simplifying the construction of the outlet device 20.

[0114] Considering that the contact member 42 frequently contacts the container and needs to be cleaned frequently, it is best to remove the contact member 42 for cleaning. To this end, in some embodiments, the contact member 42 can be fixed to the guide post 45 by magnetic attraction, which facilitates easy removal and installation of the contact member 42 for cleaning.

[0115] The present disclosure does not impose any particular restrictions on the structure of the guide post 45, as long as it can achieve the above-mentioned function. Figure 7 The guide post 45 may include a top cap portion 451, a bottom cap portion 452, and a columnar portion 453 extending therebetween. The guide post 45 may be provided with an upwardly open weakening groove 454. The weakening groove 454 may extend downward from the top cap portion 451 into the columnar portion 453. The top cap portion 451 may abut against the upper surface of the support member 41 located near the through hole 411 to prevent the guide post 45 from accidentally detaching from the support member 41. The bottom cap portion 452 abuts against the lower end of the compression spring 46 to prevent the compression spring 46 from accidentally detaching from the guide post 45, and to prevent the compression spring 46 from applying force to the contact member 42, causing the contact member 42 to separate from the guide post 45. Through the weakening groove 454, the upper portion of the guide post 45 is easier to shrink and deform, making it easier for the compression spring 46 to be fitted onto the guide post 45, and the guide post 45 is easier to be installed into the through hole 411.

[0116] Continue to refer Figure 5 The outlet device 20 may include multiple guide posts 45 and multiple compression springs 46, and the support member 41 may be provided with multiple through-holes 411. The multiple guide posts 45 may extend into the multiple through-holes 411 to be slidably supported relative to the support member 41 in the vertical direction. The multiple compression springs 46 may be respectively mounted on the multiple guide posts 45 to help the contact member 42 return to its original position relative to the support member 41 after the contact member 42 separates from the container, thereby maintaining a distance between the contact member 42 and the support member 41. It is understood that the present disclosure does not impose any particular limitations on the guide posts 45, compression springs 46, and through-holes 411.

[0117] In one example, the plurality of guide posts 45 serve as the plurality of action members 421. In this way, the plurality of guide posts 45 not only guide the supporting contact members 42 but also participate in the process of triggering the sensing member 44, which helps to further simplify the construction of the outlet device 20.

[0118] In another example, the bottom assembly 40 may include a plurality of guide posts 45 and further include a plurality of action members 421. Figure 5 The plurality of actuating members 421 may be configured as a plurality of protruding columns 421, and the support member 41 may be provided with a plurality of through holes 412 corresponding to the plurality of protruding columns 421. Each protruding column 421 is configured to pass through a corresponding through hole 412 to drive the actuating member 43 located above the support member 41. Thus, during the descending process, when the contact member 42 contacts the container and moves, one or more protruding columns 421 will pass through the corresponding through hole 412 to lift the arm of the actuating member 43 located above the support member 41, causing the actuating member 43 to perform a reaction action.

[0119] The present disclosure does not impose any particular limitations on the moving mechanism 60. It is sufficient that the moving mechanism 60 can be controlled by a control device to move the bottom assembly 40 in an up-down direction. As an example, the moving mechanism 60 may include a drive device (e.g., a motor), a guide frame, a slider, and a screw. The slider may be guided by the guide frame. The screw may be threadedly coupled to the slider, and the slider may be directly or indirectly connected to the support member 41. When the drive device drives the screw to rotate, the slider slides up and down under the guidance of the guide frame, thereby raising or lowering the bottom assembly 40.

[0120] The above describes some examples of the outlet device 20 according to the present disclosure. It is understood that the outlet device 20 provided by the present disclosure is not limited to the above description. The following describes some possible variations.

[0121] Modification 1

[0122] refer to Figure 8 In Variation 1 of the present disclosure, the bottom assembly 40 may include multiple actuating members 43, each of which includes a driven portion 432, and the multiple actuating members 43 are drivably connected. Because the multiple actuating members 43 are drivably connected, only one sensing member 44 is required to directly sense the reaction of one actuating member 43, thereby indirectly sensing the reaction of one or more other actuating members 43. Therefore, this approach helps reduce the number of sensing members 44 required, further reducing manufacturing costs.

[0123] Further, continue to refer to Figure 8, the multiple operating members 43 may include a first operating member 43a and a second operating member 43b. An arm portion 432a of the first operating member 43a is placed on an arm portion 432b of the second operating member 43b. Since an arm portion 432a of the first operating member 43a is placed on an arm portion 432b of the second operating member 43b, the movement of the second operating member 43b will cause the first operating member 43a to perform an action. In this way, the two operating members 43 will be driven to connect, making it possible to sense the two operating members 43 through one sensing member 44. Therefore, this method helps to further reduce the number of required sensing members 43, thereby further reducing costs.

[0124] It will be appreciated that, although in the above example, the two actuating members 43 are driven and connected by one arm 432a resting on the other arm 432b, in other examples of the present disclosure, the two actuating members 43 may be driven and connected in other ways. For example, in some examples, the arm 432b may be positioned above the arm 432a, and when the arm 432b is raised, it pulls the arm 432a up with it.

[0125] Further, refer to Figure 8 and Figure 9 The operating member 421a may include a boss portion 4211 and a protrusion 4212 extending from one side of the boss portion 4211. The first arm portion 432a of the first operating member 43a may abut against the boss portion 4211, and the first arm portion 432b of the second operating member 43b may abut against the protrusion 4212. This configuration helps ensure that the two arms 432a and 432b can be reliably driven by the same operating member 421a, thereby improving the reliability of the outlet device 20.

[0126] Continue to refer Figure 8 The contact member 42 may be a quadrilateral or an approximately quadrilateral, and the quadrilateral or the approximately quadrilateral may have four corners, namely, corner LR, corner RR, corner LF, and corner RF. The multiple driven parts 432 include four driven parts 432b, 432d, 432e, and 432f, which may be correspondingly distributed at the four corners LR, RR, LF, and RF of the quadrilateral or the approximately quadrilateral. The action mechanism 430 includes three actuating members 43a, 43b, and 43c, and the four driven parts 432b, 432d, 432e, and 432f may come from these three actuating members 43a, 43b, and 43c. The three actuating members 43a, 43b, and 43c may be transmission-connected, so that when any driven part 43 is actuated by the movement of the contact member 42, a specific actuating member of the three actuating members 43a, 43b, and 43c triggers the sensing member 44. In this way, different parts of the contact member 42 will be more comprehensively covered by the three action members 43a, 43b and 43c and the one sensing member 44.

[0127] As a specific example, the passive portion 432 can be implemented as an arm 432. Arms 432b and 432e can be derived from the actuating member 43b, while arms 432d and 432f can be derived from the actuating member 43c. One arm 432a of the actuating member 43a can rest on arm 432b of the actuating member 43b, while another arm 432c of the actuating member 43a can rest on arm 432d of the actuating member 43c. The sensing member 44 can be directly triggered by the actuating member 43a. This allows for a transmission connection between the three actuating members 43a, 43b, and 43c, allowing for contact between any portion of the contact member 42 and the container to be achieved using only one sensing member 44.

[0128] The working process of the action mechanism 430 is described below with an example. When the left rear corner LR of the contact member 42 contacts the container, the action member 421a moves and actuates the arm 432b of the action member 43b, causing the action member 43b to move; then, the arm 432b of the action member 43b applies force to the arm 432a of the action member 43a, driving the action member 43a to move; as the action member 43a moves, the arm 432c of the action member 43a moves, thereby triggering the sensing member 44. When the left rear corner RR of the contact member 42 contacts the container, the action member 421b moves and actuates the arm 432d of the action member 43c, causing the action member 43c to move; then, the arm 432d of the action member 43c moves.

[0129] 432d applies force to arm 432c of actuating member 43a, driving arm 432c of actuating member 43a to operate, thereby triggering sensing member 44. When the left front corner LF of contact member 42 contacts the container, action member 421c activates and actuates arm 432e of actuating member 43b, causing actuating member 43b to operate. Subsequently, arm 432b of actuating member 43b applies force to arm 432a of actuating member 43a, driving actuating member 43a to operate. As actuating member 43a operates, arm 432c of actuating member 43a also operates, thereby triggering sensing member 44. When the left rear corner RF of the contact member 42 contacts the container, the action member 421d moves and actuates the arm 432f of the action member 43c, causing the action member 43c to move; then, the arm 432d of the action member 43c applies force to the arm 432c of the action member 43a, driving the arm 432c of the action member 43a to move, thereby triggering the sensing member 44.

[0130] It can be understood that although in the above example, one arm portion 432a of the action member 43a is placed on the arm portion 432b of the action member 43b,

[0131] The other arm 432c is placed on the arm 432d of the action member 43c. However, in other examples of the present disclosure, the three action members 43a, 43b and 43c may also adopt other drive connection methods. For example, in some examples, the arm 432d of the action member 43c may be placed on the arm 432c of the action member 43a, and the arm 432a of the action member 43a may be placed on the arm 432b of the action member 43b.

[0132] The sensing member 44 may be triggered by the arm 432d or the arm 432f of the actuating member 43c. Alternatively, in some examples, the arm 432b of the actuating member 43b may rest on the arm 432a of the actuating member 43a, while the arm 432c of the actuating member 43a rests on the arm 432d of the actuating member 43c. The sensing member 44 may be triggered by the arm 432b or the arm 432e of the actuating member 43b.

[0133] Modification 2

[0134] refer to Figure 10 In the second modification of the present disclosure, the support member 41 may be provided with a snap portion 413, the contact member 42 may be provided with a matching portion 422, and the housing 80 may include a pressing portion 81. The snap portion 413 may be combined with the matching portion 422 to detachably fix the contact member 42 and the support member 41 together. The pressing portion 81 may be constructed to squeeze the snap portion 413 when pressed to separate it from the matching portion 422. It can be understood that in other examples, the support member 41 may be provided with a matching portion 422, and the contact member 42 may be provided with a snap portion 413. Considering that the contact member 42 frequently contacts the container, it needs to be frequently removed for cleaning. According to the above method, the operator only needs to press the pressing portion 81 to more conveniently remove the contact member 42, which helps to improve the convenience of the cleaning process.

[0135] Modification 3

[0136] refer to Figure 11 In Example 3 of the present disclosure, the action mechanism 430 includes a rotating shaft 4301 and a plurality of driven parts 432. The rotating shaft 4301 can be supported by the support member 41 so as to be able to rotate around an axis parallel to the up and down directions. The plurality of driven parts 432 can be distributed at intervals along the direction around the axis. Each driven part 432 can have a slender structure and be fixed to the rotating shaft 4301. The plurality of action members 421 can be distributed dispersedly to act on the plurality of driven parts 432 respectively. The sensing member 44 can be a photoelectric sensor. A reflecting part 4302 is provided on the circumference of the rotating shaft part 4301. When the action mechanism 430 is in the initial position, that is, when the contact member 42 is not in contact with the container, the sensing member 44 is opposite to the reflecting part 4302.

[0137] During the process of the supply port 30 descending, when the contact member 42 contacts the container and moves, any one of the action members 421 rises. Figure 12 As shown, under the action of the guiding inclined surface 4211 of the action member 421, the corresponding driven portion 432 will generate a displacement along the transverse direction C, thereby driving the rotating shaft 4301 to rotate along the Figure 11 As the rotating shaft 4301 rotates, the reflecting portion 4302 deviates relative to the sensing element 44, thereby triggering the sensing element 44.

[0138] According to the beverage device 100 provided in Variation 3, due to the presence of the actuating mechanism 430, whenever a container contacts any portion of the contact member 42, the actuating mechanism 430 will activate, thereby triggering the sensing member 44. This reduces the adverse effects of the container's structure and placement on effective sensing, and reduces the risk of contact failure between the spout device 20 and the container. Furthermore, due to the presence of the actuating mechanism 430, there is no need to use multiple sensing members 44 to target multiple locations on the contact member 42, which helps reduce the number of required sensing members 44. Thus, the beverage device 100 provided by the present disclosure helps reduce the risk of contact failure between the spout device 20 and the container without significantly increasing costs.

[0139] Modification 4

[0140] refer to Figure 13 In Embodiment 4 of the present disclosure, the actuating mechanism 430 includes an actuating member 43, or in other words, the actuating mechanism 430 is the actuating member 43. As the supply port 30 descends, the contact member 42 abuts against the container and moves. The movement of the contact member 42 causes the angle α between the actuating member 43 and a reference plane RP perpendicular to the vertical direction to change, thereby triggering the sensing member 44.

[0141] When a container contacts contact member 42, the contact portion rises. In the related art, sensing member 44 is triggered directly or indirectly by the rising contact portion. However, if the contact portion is far from sensing member 44, the rising contact portion may fail to trigger sensing member 44. In the current implementation of the present disclosure, the rising contact portion causes the angle between actuating member 43 and a reference plane RF perpendicular to the vertical direction to change, thereby triggering sensing member 44. Thus, the beverage apparatus 100 provided by the present disclosure helps reduce the risk of failure to sense contact between the spout device 20 and the container without significantly increasing costs.

[0142] Further, in some examples, continue to refer to Figure 13 The contact member 42 may be provided with a joint portion 422. The joint portion 422 and the support

[0143] The support member 41 is engaged, allowing the contact member 42 to move relative to the support member 41 in multiple directions. For example, the joint portion 422 may be a universal joint or a ball joint. Multiple springs 46 may be provided between the contact member 42 and the support member 41 to help the contact member 42 return to its initial position after leaving the container.

[0144] Further, in some examples, continue to refer to Figure 13 The free end of the action member 43 may be provided with a reflective portion 4302, and the sensing member 44 may be a photoelectric sensor. When the contact member 42 is at the initial position, that is, when the contact member 42 is not in contact with the container, the sensing member 44 is directly opposite to the reflective portion 4302.

[0145] When the supply port 30 descends, the contact member 42 contacts the container and moves. The movement of the contact member 42 causes the angle α between the actuating member 43 and the reference plane RP to change, and the reflective portion 4302 deviates relative to the sensor 44, thereby triggering the sensor 44.

[0146] Modification 5

[0147] refer to Figure 14 In the fourth variation of the present disclosure, the action of the action mechanism 430 does not directly trigger the sensing member 44. Instead, the action of the action mechanism 430 causes the contact member 42 to translate upward as a whole. When the container contacts any part of the contact member 42, the action mechanism 43 will be actuated, and the action of the action mechanism 43 causes the contact member 42 to translate upward as a whole. Therefore, due to the existence of the action mechanism 430, any contact between the container and the contact member 42 will cause the contact member 42 to translate upward as a whole. In this way, through a certain triggering portion of the contact member 42, or through a triggering member integrally formed with or connected to the contact member 42, even if the triggering portion or triggering member is far away from the contact portion where the contact member 42 contacts the container, the triggering portion or triggering member can trigger the sensing member 44.

[0148] In this way, the adverse effects of the container's configuration and placement on effective sensing are reduced, and the risk of contact failure between the sensing outlet device 20 and the container is reduced. Furthermore, due to the presence of the actuating mechanism 430, there is no need to employ multiple sensing elements 44 to target different locations on the contact element 42, which helps reduce the number of required sensing elements 44. Thus, the beverage appliance 100 provided by the present disclosure helps reduce the risk of contact failure between the sensing outlet device 20 and the container without significantly increasing costs.

[0149] As a concrete example, let's refer to Figure 14, the multiple acting members 421 can be four racks 421, and the four racks 421 can be respectively located at the four corners of the contact member 42. The action mechanism 430 may include three acting members 43, and each acting member 43 is provided with a shaft portion 431. The shaft portion 431 is pivotally supported by the support member 41. The multiple driven parts 432 are implemented as multiple gears 432. The acting member 43a and the acting member 43c each include a gear 432 engaged with a rack 421. The acting member 43b includes two gears 432 respectively engaged with two racks 421. The acting member 43a and the acting member 43b are driven and connected by a pair of bevel gears 4303, and the acting member 43c and the acting member 43b are driven and connected by a pair of bevel gears 4303.

[0150] Thus, when a portion of the contact member 42 contacts the container, the rack 421 closest to that portion rises. As the rack 421 rises, the gear 432 meshing with it rotates, causing the corresponding actuating member 43 to rotate. The rotation of one actuating member 43 drives the rotation of the other actuating members 43, and further, the rotation of the other gears 432 pulls the meshing rack 421 upward, causing the contact member 42 to translate upward as a whole.

[0151] It is foreseeable that the actuating mechanism 430 in Modification 5 may be implemented as a scissor mechanism instead. The actuating mechanism 430 implemented as a scissor mechanism can also cause the contact member 42 to translate upward as a whole when actuated.

[0152] It should be understood that a mechanism may include multiple components or be composed of a single component, and this document is intended to cover both situations. For example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, modification 1, and modification 4, the action mechanism may include multiple components. For another example, in the above-mentioned modifications 3 and 5, the action mechanism may be composed of only one component. In the present disclosure, a certain element including N sub-elements may mean including at least N sub-elements. For example, an action member including two passive parts may mean including at least two passive parts.

[0153] It should be understood that in the present disclosure, multiple element drive connections should be interpreted broadly. Drive connections can be unidirectional or bidirectional. For example, element A is drive-connected to element B, which may mean that the action of element A can cause element B to act, and the action of element B can cause element A to act. For another example, element A is drive-connected to element B, which may mean that the action of element A can cause element B to act, while the action of element B cannot cause element A to act. Multiple drive connections can be sequential or arbitrary. For example, the drive connection of elements A, B and C may mean that both A and B are drive-connected to C, while A and B are not drive-connected. For another example, the drive connection of elements A, B and C may also mean that any two elements are drive-connected.

[0154] It should be understood that the term "including" and its variations used in this disclosure are open-ended, i.e., "including but not limited to." The term "according to" means "at least in part according to." The term "one embodiment" means "at least one embodiment"; the term "another embodiment" means "at least another embodiment."

[0155] The scope of protection of the present disclosure is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments. Any changes or substitutions that can be conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present disclosure should be included in the scope of protection of the present disclosure. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present disclosure should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A beverage device comprising a body and an outlet device, wherein the outlet device is provided with a supply port, through which beverages are supplied to a container located below the supply port, and wherein the supply port is movable in an up-down direction relative to the body to accommodate containers of different heights, characterized in that: The outlet device includes a supporting member, a contact member, a sensing member and an action mechanism; The contact member is located at the bottom end of the outlet device and is movable relative to the support member, so that when the supply port moves downward relative to the body and when the contact member contacts the container, the contact member is resisted by the container and moves relative to the support member; The sensing member is used to generate a sensing signal, wherein the sensing signal represents a phenomenon that the contact member is in contact with the container, and the sensing member is communicatively connected to a control device of the beverage device to transmit the sensing signal to the control device; When any part of the contact member contacts the container, the action mechanism is actuated, so that the sensing member is triggered to generate the sensing signal; The outlet device includes an action member integrally formed with or connected to the contact member; the action mechanism includes a driven portion, and the driven portion is driven by the action member to cause the action mechanism to perform the action; The actuating mechanism includes an actuating member, and the outlet device includes at least two acting members. The actuating member includes a shaft portion and at least two driven portions corresponding to the at least two acting members respectively. The shaft portion is rotatably supported by the support member. When any driven portion is driven by the corresponding acting member, the actuating member rotates around the longitudinal axis defined by the shaft portion to perform the action.

2. The beverage device according to claim 1, characterized in that The action mechanism includes a plurality of driven parts; when any driven part is actuated by the movement of the contact member, the action mechanism is caused to perform an action and directly trigger the sensing member.

3. The beverage device according to claim 2, characterized in that The actuating mechanism includes an actuating member, and the actuating member includes two actuated parts.

4. The beverage device according to claim 3, characterized in that The actuating member includes a shaft portion and the two driven portions; when any driven portion is actuated by the movement of the contact member, the actuating member rotates around the longitudinal axis defined by the shaft portion.

5. The beverage device according to claim 4, characterized in that The two driven parts are configured as two arm parts, and each arm part forms an angle with the shaft part.

6. The beverage device according to claim 5, characterized in that When the actuating member rotates around the longitudinal axis, one of the two arms triggers the sensing member.

7. The beverage device according to claim 2, characterized in that The actuating mechanism includes a plurality of actuating members each provided with the driven portion, and the plurality of actuating members are drivingly connected.

8. The beverage device according to claim 7, characterized in that Each actuating member includes a shaft and two arms, each arm serving as the driven member; the plurality of actuating members include a first actuating member and a second actuating member, an arm of the first actuating member resting on an arm of the second actuating member.

9. The beverage device according to claim 2, characterized in that The surface of the contact member in contact with the container is arranged in a polygonal shape, and the multiple driven parts are correspondingly distributed at each corner of the polygon.

10. The beverage device according to claim 9, characterized in that The polygon is a quadrilateral or an approximate quadrilateral, the multiple actuated parts include four actuated parts corresponding to the four corners of the quadrilateral or the approximate quadrilateral, the actuating mechanism includes two actuating parts, the outlet device includes two sensing parts corresponding to the two actuating parts respectively, and each actuating part includes two actuated parts of the four actuated parts; when any actuated part of the actuating part is actuated by the movement of the contact part, the actuating part triggers the corresponding sensing part.

11. The beverage device according to claim 9, characterized in that The polygon is a quadrilateral or an approximate quadrilateral, the multiple driven parts include four driven parts corresponding to the four corners of the quadrilateral or the approximate quadrilateral, the action mechanism includes three actuating parts, and the four driven parts come from the three actuating parts; the three actuating parts are transmission-connected, so that when any driven part is actuated by the movement of the contact part, a specific actuating part of the three actuating parts triggers the sensing part.

12. The beverage device according to claim 1, characterized in that The outlet device also includes a guide column and a compression spring. The support member is located above the contact member and is provided with a through hole. The guide column extends into the through hole to be slidably supported relative to the support member in the up and down directions. The compression spring is located between the support member and the contact member and is sleeved on the guide column.

13. The beverage device according to claim 12, characterized in that The contact piece is fixed to the guide post by magnetic attraction.

14. The beverage device according to claim 12, characterized in that The guide column comprises a top cap portion, a bottom cap portion and a columnar portion extending therebetween. The guide column is provided with an upwardly open weakening groove, which extends downward from the top cap portion into the columnar portion.

15. The beverage device according to claim 12, characterized in that The outlet device includes a plurality of guide posts, each of which is capable of following the movement of the contact piece to actuate a driven portion.

16. The beverage device according to claim 1, characterized in that The support member is located above the contact member, one of the support member and the contact member is provided with a snap portion and the other is provided with a locking portion, the snap portion is configured to be combined with the locking portion to detachably fix the support member and the contact member, the outlet device also includes a shell, the shell includes a pressing portion, and the pressing portion is configured to squeeze the snap portion when pressed to separate it from the locking portion.

17. The beverage device according to claim 1, characterized in that The action mechanism includes an action member, and the movement of the contact member causes the angle between the action member and a reference plane perpendicular to the up-down direction to change, so as to trigger the sensing member.

18. The beverage device according to claim 1, characterized in that The action of the actuating mechanism causes the contact to translate upward as a whole.

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