Liquid supply apparatus and liquid supply method

Abstract

The invention provides a liquid supply device and a liquid supply method capable of improving supply speed. A liquid supply device (100) is provided with: a tank (11) for storing a miso soup; a supply unit (20) for discharging the miso soup in the tank (11); and a control unit (60) for controlling the operation of the supply unit (20), the control unit (60) controlling the supply unit (20) such that the miso soup is discharged at a first discharge speed initially, and after the miso soup is discharged at the first discharge speed, the miso soup is discharged at a second discharge speed that is faster than the first discharge speed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid supply device and a liquid supply method for supplying a liquid to a container. Background Art

[0002] A liquid supply device is disclosed in Patent Document 1. The liquid supply device includes: a tank that stores a liquid; a liquid supply component such as a solenoid valve that is coupled to the tank and injects the liquid into tableware; and a mounting table that mounts the tableware.

[0003] Prior Art Documents

[0004] Patent Documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-232800 Summary of the Invention

[0006] Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] A liquid supply device as disclosed in Patent Document 1 is used, for example, to provide soup in a restaurant or the like, and an increase in the supply speed is required to avoid keeping customers waiting. However, if the speed (flow rate) of discharging the liquid is increased, the discharged liquid may sometimes spill from the container.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a liquid supply device and a liquid supply method capable of increasing the supply speed.

[0009] Solutions to the Problems

[0010] According to one aspect of the present invention, a liquid supply device includes: a tank for storing a liquid; a supply unit that discharges the liquid in the tank; and a control unit that controls the operation of the supply unit. The control unit controls the operation of the supply unit in such a manner that the liquid is initially discharged at a first discharge speed, and after discharging the liquid at the first discharge speed, the liquid is discharged at a second discharge speed faster than the first discharge speed.

[0011] In addition, according to one aspect of the present invention, in a liquid supply method performed by a liquid supply device that supplies a liquid to a container, the liquid is initially discharged at a first discharge speed, and after discharging the liquid at the first discharge speed, the liquid is discharged at a second discharge speed faster than the first discharge speed.

[0012] Effects of the Invention

[0013] In the present invention, the liquid is initially supplied to an empty container at a first discharge speed such that the liquid does not spill, so that the liquid in the container serves as a buffer. Even if the liquid is then discharged at a second discharge speed at which the liquid would spill if supplied to an empty container, the situation where the liquid spills from the container can be suppressed. Thus, the supply speed of the liquid can be increased without the liquid spilling from the container. Description of the Drawings

[0014] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a liquid supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 2 is a view showing the structure of a liquid supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II of Figure 1 .

[0016] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the structure of a liquid supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of a tank of a liquid supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 5 is a structural diagram showing a supply unit of a liquid supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 6 is a view showing a valve unit of a liquid supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention, where (a) shows a state where the valve unit is fully closed, and (b) shows a state where the valve unit is fully open.

[0020] Figure 7 is a flowchart showing a cooking process of a method for providing miso soup according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 8 is a flowchart showing a supply process of a method for providing miso soup according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 9 is a flowchart showing a cleaning process of a method for providing miso soup according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Description of Reference Numerals

[0024] 100, liquid supply device; 11, tank; 12, storage unit; 13, stirring unit; 16, pressing unit; 16b, protruding portion; 17, capacity detection unit; 20, supply unit; 21, discharge unit; 21a, liquid passage; 21b, discharge port; 22, valve unit; 23, electric motor; 24, valve core unit; 27, throttle portion; 27a, throttle passage; 60, control unit; D, container. Detailed Embodiments

[0025] Hereinafter, a liquid supply device 100 and a liquid supply method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0026] The liquid supply device 100 is a so-called dispensing device mainly used in restaurants and the like to provide soup (liquid food) as a liquid. In this embodiment, miso soup is supplied.

[0027] As Figures 1 to 3 shown, the liquid supply device 100 includes: a housing 1; a storage unit 10 for cooking and storing miso soup; a supply unit 20 for supplying the miso soup stored in the storage unit 10; a hot water supply unit 30 for supplying hot water to the storage unit 10; a display unit 40 for displaying information; an operation unit 50 operated by a user; and a control unit 60 for controlling the operations of the respective structures of the liquid supply device 100.

[0028] The housing 1 is a box-shaped structure provided on the ground and extending in the vertical direction, i.e., the plumb direction, in Figure 2 . Hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, the up and down in the plumb direction are also simply referred to as "up" and "down". In addition, the Figure 2 right side in Figure 2 is also referred to as "front", the left side is also referred to as "rear", and the

[0029] direction perpendicular to the paper surface of Figure 1 and Figure 2 is also referred to as "left and right".

[0030] The first housing portion 2 has a double-opening (left and right opening) front door 3 that opens and closes left and right and a pair of upper units 4 that open and close in the vertical direction. A space for accommodating a tank 11 for storing the storage unit 10 described later is formed by the front door 3 and the pair of upper units 4.

[0031] The placement portion 5 is provided below the first housing portion 2 in the plumb direction. The miso soup is supplied from the storage unit 10 to the container D placed on the placement portion 5 by its own weight.

[0032] As Figure 2 shown, the placement portion 5 is provided with: a positioning portion 5a for positioning the container D; a drain port 6 to which the drainage from inside the tank 11 is guided; and a container sensor 7 (see Figure 3 ) for detecting the presence or absence of the container D positioned by the positioning portion 5a.

[0033] The drain port 6 communicates with a drain tank (not shown) and guides the drainage from the tank 11 to the drain tank. The drain port 6 opens in a position behind the container D positioned by the positioning portion 5a so as to face the placement portion 5.

[0034] The container sensor 7 is, for example, a photoelectric sensor that detects the presence or absence of the container D positioned in contact with the positioning portion 5a and sends the detection result to the control unit 60.

[0035] The second housing portion 8 is provided below the placement portion 5 and houses the hot water supply portion 30.

[0036] In the liquid supply device 100, two storage portions 10 are provided. The two door panels of the front door 3 of the first housing portion 2 and the pair of upper units 4 are provided corresponding to the two storage portions 10. Since the two storage portions 10 have the same structure, they will not be distinguished from each other in the following description.

[0037] As Figures 2 to 4 shown, the storage portion 10 has: a tank 11 for storing miso soup; a storage portion 12 housed in the tank 11 for storing miso M; a stirring portion 13 inserted into the storage portion 12 and stirring the inside of the storage portion 12; a pressing portion 16 pressing the miso M inside the storage portion 12; and a capacity detection portion 17 provided outside the tank 11 for detecting the capacity of the miso M inside the storage portion 12. In the present embodiment, miso M and the like are dissolved in the hot water in the tank 11 to cook (generate) miso soup in the tank 11 and supply the miso soup.

[0038] The tank 11 is formed in a box shape with an upper opening in the vertical direction. The tanks 11 of the two storage portions 10 are housed adjacent to each other in the left - right direction in the first housing portion 2.

[0039] As Figure 4 shown, the opening portion of the tank 11 is closed by a lid portion 11a. An injection port 11b for supplying hot water from the hot water supply portion 30 is provided in the lid portion 11a. An inclined surface 11c inclined with respect to the horizontal direction and a parallel surface 11d parallel to the horizontal direction are formed on the bottom surface of the tank 11. A supply port 11e for guiding the miso soup in the tank 11 to the discharge portion 21 of the supply portion 20 described later is formed on the parallel surface 11d. The inclined surface 11c is inclined with respect to the horizontal direction so as to face upward from the parallel surface 11d. By forming the inclined surface 11c on the bottom surface of the tank 11, even when the capacity of the miso soup in the tank 11 decreases, the miso soup is guided to the supply port 11e on the parallel surface 11d by the inclined surface 11c. Thereby, the situation where the miso soup in the tank 11 remains without being guided to the supply port 11e can be suppressed.

[0040] The storage part 12 is a rectangular parallelepiped-shaped metal box with an opening at the upper part. In the storage part 12, a plurality of through holes 12a that communicate the inside and the outside are provided on the bottom surface and the side surface, and the storage part 12 is a box made of so-called punched metal having the through holes 12a. The storage part 12 is attached to the lid part 11a of the can 11 in such a way that miso M is put into the inside through the upper opening and the opening is closed. The inside of the storage part 12 communicates with the outside (the inside of the can 11) through the through holes 12a, whereby the miso M in the storage part 12 dissolves in the hot water in the can 11.

[0041] In addition, ingredients (for example, seasoning powder, kelp slices, etc.) are placed in the storage part 12 together with the miso M. The size of the through holes 12a of the storage part 12 is set to a size such that solid substances such as kelp slices stored therein cannot pass through.

[0042] The stirring part 13 includes: a propeller-shaped stirrer 14 having a plurality of blades 14a (four in this embodiment) radially provided from the shaft part 14b; and an electric motor 15 that rotates the stirrer 14 around the shaft part 14b. The stirrer 14 is attached to the lid part 11a of the can 11. The blades 14a of the stirrer 14 are inserted into the storage part 12 in such a way as to be near the bottom surface of the storage part 12 (a position close without contacting the bottom surface). Thus, regardless of whether it is a small capacity or a large capacity as described later, the blades 14a are buried in the miso M put into the storage part 12. The shaft part 14b of the stirrer 14 extends in the vertical direction and protrudes to the outside of the can 11.

[0043] The electric motor 15 is provided in the upper unit 4 of the first housing part 2 (refer to Figure 2 ). When the upper unit 4 is closed, the electric motor 15 is connected to the shaft part 14b of the stirrer 14 via a speed reducer (not shown) or the like. By the rotation of the electric motor 15 being transmitted to the shaft part 14b of the stirrer 14 via the speed reducer, the stirrer 14 rotates around the shaft part 14b. Thereby, the inside of the storage part 12 (and thus the inside of the can 11) is stirred, and the miso M in the storage part 12 is efficiently dissolved in the hot water in the can 11.

[0044] The pressing part 16 includes: a plate-shaped part 16a having a plurality of through holes 16c formed therethrough in the plate thickness direction; and a rod-shaped protruding part 16b that extends perpendicularly from the plate-shaped part 16a and protrudes to the outside of the can 11.

[0045] The plate - like portion 16a is formed into a plate - like shape corresponding to the horizontally - shaped cross - section (rectangle) of the storage portion 12. In the plate - like portion 16a, a slit 16d through which the shaft portion 14b of the stirrer 14 of the stirring portion 13 passes is formed to open at the outer peripheral edge of the plate - like portion 16a. The protruding portion 16b passes through the lid portion 11a in a vertically movable manner. By inserting the plate - like portion 16a into the storage portion 12 so as to cover the miso M in the storage portion 12 from above, the miso M in the storage portion 12 is pressed toward the bottom surface of the storage portion 12 (in other words, toward the blade 14a of the stirrer 14 near the bottom surface) by the self - weight of the pressing portion 16. As the miso M in the storage portion 12 dissolves in the hot water in the can 11 and the volume (height from the bottom surface of the storage portion 12) of the miso M in the storage portion 12 decreases, the pressing portion 16 slides toward the bottom surface of the storage portion 12. In this way, the pressing portion 16 functions as a so - called dropping lid with respect to the miso M in the storage portion 12.

[0046] In addition, a stopper portion 16e that protrudes radially outward and engages with the lid portion 11a is provided at the portion of the protruding portion 16b that protrudes from the can 11. By engaging the stopper portion 16e with the lid portion 11a, the sliding of the pressing portion 16 toward the bottom surface of the storage portion 12 is restricted, preventing contact between the blade 14a of the stirrer 14 near the bottom surface of the storage portion 12 and the plate - like portion 16a of the pressing portion 16.

[0047] The volume detection portion 17 detects the volume of the miso M in the storage portion 12 based on the protruding amount of the protruding portion 16b from the can 11. As Figure 2 and Figure 4 shown, the volume detection portion 17 has a first sensor 17a and a second sensor 17b arranged in the vertical direction. The second sensor 17b is relatively located above in the vertical direction. The first sensor 17a and the second sensor 17b are U - shaped (Japanese character 'コ' - shaped) proximity sensors (photoelectric sensors) each having a slit (not shown) through which the protruding portion 16b of the pressing portion 16 can pass, and when the protruding portion 16b passes through this slit, the circuit is closed. The first sensor 17a and the second sensor 17b detect the situation where the protruding portion 16b of the pressing portion 16 passes through each slit and send the detection results to the control portion 60. The volume detection portion 17 detects the volume of the miso M in the can 11 in three levels: zero, small volume, and large volume using such first sensor 17a and second sensor 17b.

[0048] As Figure 5 shown, the supply portion 20 has: a discharge portion 21 to which the miso soup in the can 11 is guided; a valve portion 22 for controlling the discharge of the miso soup from the discharge portion 21; and a switching portion 28 for switching the discharge direction of the discharge portion 21.

[0049] The discharge section 21 is a resin tube that can be elastically deformed under an external force, and one end (base end) is connected to the supply port 11e of the tank 11 (refer to Figure 4 ). The discharge section 21 has: a liquid passage 21a into which the miso soup in the tank 11 is guided by its own weight; and a discharge port 21b that discharges the miso soup guided to the liquid passage 21a. The liquid passage 21a communicates with the inside of the tank 11 via the supply port 11e of the tank 11, and guides the miso soup guided by its own weight from the tank 11 to the discharge port 21b. The discharge port 21b is an opening on the tip side of the discharge section 21.

[0050] The valve section 22 controls the flow of the miso soup guided by the discharge section 21. The valve section 22 has: an electric motor 23 whose operation is controlled by the control section 60; a valve core section 24 that is driven by the electric motor 23; and a support section 25 that supports the discharge section 21.

[0051] The electric motor 23 is a stepper motor whose rotation angle changes according to the supplied current amount.

[0052] By being driven by the electric motor 23, the valve core section 24 presses the discharge section 21 against the support section 25 to elastically deform the discharge section 21. The valve core section 24 is a cam member that is rotationally driven by the electric motor 23, and the pressing amount for pressing the discharge section 21 and deforming the discharge section 21 changes according to the rotation angle. By controlling the rotation angle of the valve core section 24 by the electric motor 23, from the fully closed state where the liquid passage 21a of the discharge section 21 is completely blocked and the passage of the miso soup is blocked ( Figure 6 (a)), to the fully open state where the liquid passage 21a is completely open and the miso soup passes through ( Figure 6 (b)), the pressing amount of the valve core section 24 against the discharge section 21 (the opening degree of the valve section 22 and the opening degree of the liquid passage 21a) is continuously controlled.

[0053] The cylindrical throttle portion 27 of the throttle passage 27a, having an inner diameter smaller than that of the liquid passage 21a of the discharge portion 21, is inserted into the top end of the discharge portion 21 on the side opposite to the base end connected to the supply port 11e of the tank 11. In other words, the throttle passage 27a is provided at a position on the discharge port 21b side (i.e., the downstream side, the end side opposite to the end connected to the tank 11) of the discharge portion 21, which is closer to the discharge port 21b than the portion pressed by the valve portion 22 (to open and close the liquid passage 21a). When miso soup is discharged through the discharge portion 21 and the liquid passage 21a is closed by the valve portion 22, miso soup remains in the liquid passage 21a at a position closer to the downstream side than the portion pressed by the valve portion 22. In this regard, the throttle passage 27a applies a resistance greater than the flow resistance of the liquid passage 21a to the miso soup, thereby suppressing the discharge of the miso soup remaining in the liquid passage 21a from the discharge port 21b in the state where the valve portion 22 is closed. That is to say, by providing the throttle portion 27 at the top end portion of the discharge portion 21, it is possible to improve the liquid cutoff effect of the miso soup discharged from the discharge port 21b by the flow resistance exerted by the throttle passage 27a of the throttle portion 27.

[0054] The switching portion 28 switches the discharge direction of the discharge portion 21 between the supply direction ( Figure 5 the solid line in) toward the container D placed on the placement portion 5 and the drainage direction ( Figure 5 the dashed line in) toward the drain port 6 facing the placement portion 5. Specifically, the switching portion 28 has a guiding portion 29 that guides the direction of the discharge portion 21 and an actuator (not shown) that drives the guiding portion 29. The guiding portion 29 is formed in a hook shape that is fixed to the top end of the discharge portion 21 (refer to Figure 2 ), and is driven by the actuator to switch the direction of the discharge portion 21 between the supply direction and the drainage direction. In addition, Figure 5 the left - right direction in Figure 5 corresponds to the front - back direction, and

[0055] the right side in Figure 2 and Figure 3 corresponds to the front side.

[0055] As shown in Figure 2 and Figure 3 , the hot - water supply portion 30 includes: a water tank 31 that stores water or hot water (hereinafter, also referred to as "water, etc." when not distinguished); a heater 32 that heats the water in the water tank 31; and a pump 33 that supplies the water, etc. in the water tank 31 from the water injection port 11b to the tank 11 via a pipe (not shown).

[0056] The water tank 31 is housed in the housing 1 below the placement portion 5. The heater 32 is immersed in the water in the water tank 31 and heats the water to boil the hot water. The pump 33 is driven by an electric motor or the like (not shown) to discharge the water, etc. in the water tank 31.

[0057] The display portion 40 is provided on each of the two door panels of the front door 3 of the housing 1 (refer to Figure 1 ) corresponding to the two storage portions 10. As Figure 1 shownFigure 3 As shown, the display unit 40 has a remaining amount display unit 41 that displays the remaining amount of miso soup in the pot 11 and a time display unit 42 that displays the elapsed time since the miso soup was cooked in the pot 11. Additionally, although not shown in the figure, a boiling lamp or the like that indicates the completion of boiling the water in the water pot 31 is provided on the front door 3 of the housing 1.

[0058] The remaining amount of miso soup in the pot 11 is calculated by the control unit 60 and displayed by the remaining amount display unit 41. Specifically, the amount of each supply to the container D by the supply unit 20 is preset to a certain amount. Additionally, in this embodiment, no replenishment of hot water (or miso soup) into the pot 11 is performed. Further, the number of times of supply after cooking miso soup in the pot 11 is stored in the control unit 60. Thus, the remaining amount of miso soup in the pot 11 can be calculated by dividing the amount of miso soup initially cooked in the pot 11 (in other words, the amount of hot water supplied into the pot 11) by the value obtained by multiplying the number of times of supplying miso soup by the amount of each supply (total supply amount). The time display unit 42 displays, for example, the elapsed time since the completion of cooking the miso soup measured by a timer (not shown) provided in the control unit 60.

[0059] The operation unit 50 has a supply button 51 for discharging the miso soup cooked in the pot 11 and a hot water supply button 52 for supplying hot water into the pot 11. The supply button 51 and the hot water supply button 52 are push-button switches that light up when they are in a state where they can be operated separately. Additionally, the hot water supply button 52 is provided in each of the door panels of the front door 3 in a set of a button for small capacity (referred to as small capacity button 52a) and a button for large capacity (referred to as large capacity button 52b) corresponding to two pots 11.

[0060] The control unit 60 is composed of a computer including an arithmetic processing device such as a CPU, a storage device, a network connection device, etc. Programs, software, etc. are pre-stored in the storage device, and the CPU executes the programs, software, etc. to perform various functions of the control unit 60 described in this specification. Further, the control unit 60 can be configured as one device or divided into multiple devices and configured in such a way that each control is distributedly processed in these multiple devices.

[0061] Next, with reference to Figures 7 to 9 , the liquid supply method and the provision method of this embodiment will be described.

[0062] The miso soup provision method of this embodiment includes a cooking process of cooking miso soup in the pot 11 of the storage unit 10, a supply process of supplying the cooked miso soup (liquid supply method), and a cleaning process of cleaning the inside of the pot 11. The control unit 60 controls the operation of each structure of the liquid supply device 100 so as to execute the following respective processes.

[0063] [Cooking Process]

[0064] First, with reference to Figure 7 , the cooking process will be described.

[0065] In the cooking process, first, the upper unit 4 corresponding to one pot 11 of the housing 1 is lifted, and the lid portion 11a of the pot 11 is removed. Then, a predetermined amount of miso M and ingredients are stored in the storage portion 12 (step S10). In the present embodiment, the miso M put into the storage portion 12 is set in two grades: a small capacity and a large capacity.

[0066] Next, the stirrer 14 and the pressing portion 16 are assembled to the lid portion 11a of the pot 11 to be unitized, and this unit is installed on the pot 11 in such a manner that the opening of the pot 11 is closed with the lid portion 11a (step S11). At this time, the stirrer 14 of the stirring portion 13 is inserted into the storage portion 12 so as to be buried in the miso M, and the plate-like portion 16a of the pressing portion 16 is inserted into the storage portion 12 so as to cover the miso M (refer to Figure 4 ).

[0067] Next, the upper unit 4 is lowered, and as shown in Figure 2 , the electric motor 15 of the stirring portion 13 located in the upper unit 4 and the shaft portion 14b of the stirrer 14 are connected (step S12). In addition, by lowering the upper unit 4, the protruding portion 16b of the pressing portion 16 is inserted into the slits of the first sensor 17a and / or the second sensor 17b. The protruding amount of the protruding portion 16b varies according to the capacity of the miso M in the storage portion 12. In Figure 2 , the state where the protruding portion 16b is inserted into the slits of both the first sensor 17a and the second sensor 17b is shown.

[0068] When the miso M is not put into the storage portion 12, both the first sensor 17a and the second sensor 17b are turned off. In this case, the hot water supply buttons 52 are all in an inoperable state.

[0069] When the miso M in the storage portion 12 is of a small capacity, the protruding portion 16b is inserted into the slit of the first sensor 17a and is not inserted into the slit of the second sensor 17b. In this case, the first sensor 17a is turned on, the second sensor 17b is turned off, and the small capacity button 52a among the hot water supply buttons 52 can be operated.

[0070] When the miso M is of a large capacity, since the protruding amount of the protruding portion 16b protruding from the pot 11 is large, the protruding portion 16b is inserted into the slits of both the first sensor 17a and the second sensor 17b. In this case, both the first sensor 17a and the second sensor 17b are turned on, and the large capacity button 52b among the hot water supply buttons 52 can be operated.

[0071] Thus, based on the detection results of the first sensor 17a and the second sensor 17b, it is possible to detect that the capacity of the miso M in the storage unit 12 is either zero, a small capacity, or a large capacity (step S13).

[0072] If the hot water supply button 52 is operated, a command signal is sent from the control unit 60 to the hot water supply unit 30 to supply hot water from the hot water supply unit 30 to the tank 11 in a hot water amount corresponding to the amount of miso M in the storage unit 12 (in other words, the type of the operated hot water supply button 52) (step S14). The hot water amount supplied by the hot water supply unit 30 for the type of the hot water supply button 52 (the input amount of miso M) is preset and stored in the control unit 60. In addition, if a predetermined amount of hot water is supplied to the tank 11, water is supplied to the water tank 31 for use in the next cooking process in the tank 11 of the other storage unit 10, and new water is boiled. Thus, including two storage units 10 and using them alternately, the efficiency of cooking and providing miso soup can be improved.

[0073] Then, a command signal is sent from the control unit 60 to the electric motor 15 of the stirring unit 13, and the stirrer 14 is driven at a predetermined rotational speed for a predetermined time to stir the hot water and miso M in the tank 11 (step S15). Thereby, the miso M dissolves in the hot water to cook miso soup. In addition, since the miso M in the storage unit 12 is pressed toward the bottom surface of the storage unit 12 by the pressing unit 16, the miso M is efficiently stirred by the stirrer 14 without floating in the storage unit 12.

[0074] If the stirrer 14 is driven for a predetermined time, the cooking of the miso soup is completed, and it becomes a standby state where the miso soup in the tank 11 can be provided. In addition, after the cooking of the miso soup is completed, the stirring unit 13 is controlled to operate, for example, to intermittently stir the miso soup in the tank 11 at time intervals or continuously stir the miso soup in the tank 11.

[0075] As described above, miso soup is cooked in the tank 11, and the cooking process is completed.

[0076] [Supply Process]

[0077] Next, with reference to Figure 8 , the supply process will be described.

[0078] In the standby state where miso soup can be provided after the cooking process is completed, if the direction of the discharge unit 21 corresponding to the tank 11 in which miso soup has been cooked is switched to the supply direction, and the container D is detected by the container sensor 7 to be placed on the placement unit 5, the supply button 51 becomes an operable state, and the lamp of the supply button lights up (step S20). By pressing the supply button 51 (step S21), the control unit 60 controls the operation of the valve unit 22, and miso soup is discharged (supplied) from the discharge unit 21 to the container D located on the placement unit 5.

[0079] Hereinafter, the supply process will be specifically described.

[0080] If the supply button 51 is pressed, the control unit 60 controls the operation of the supply unit 20 so as to discharge a preset amount of miso soup for one bowl. The supply unit 20 is controlled as follows: during the discharge of the miso soup for one bowl, the miso soup is initially discharged at the first discharge speed for a preset time (step S22), and then discharged at the second discharge speed faster than the first discharge speed for a preset time (step S23). That is to say, in the present embodiment, the miso soup is discharged in two stages, namely, at the relatively slow first discharge speed and the relatively fast second discharge speed.

[0081] More specifically, the control unit 60 outputs a command signal (current) to the electric motor 23 of the valve unit 22 in such a way that the opening degree corresponding to the pre-stored first discharge speed is achieved from the state where the liquid passage 21a is closed. As a result, the miso soup in the tank 11 is guided to the liquid passage 21a of the discharge unit 21 by its own weight and discharged from the discharge port 21b at the first discharge speed.

[0082] If the miso soup is discharged at the first discharge speed for a preset time, the control unit 60 outputs a command signal to the electric motor 23 of the valve unit 22 to increase the opening degree of the valve unit 22 so as to achieve the opening degree corresponding to the pre-stored second discharge speed. As a result, the miso soup in the tank 11 is discharged from the discharge port 21b at the second discharge speed faster than the first discharge speed.

[0083] If the miso soup is discharged at the second discharge speed for a preset time, the control unit 60 outputs a command signal to the electric motor 23 of the valve unit 22 to block the liquid passage 21a and stop the discharge of the miso soup (step S24).

[0084] The first discharge speed and the second discharge speed are set to be universal speeds regardless of the remaining amount in the tank 11. The first discharge speed is set to a speed such that when discharging the miso soup into an empty container D, the miso soup will not spill from the container D.

[0085] As in the present embodiment, when discharging the miso soup by its own weight without using the power of a pump 33 or the like, the discharge speed is different according to the remaining amount of the miso soup in the tank 11. And the amount of the miso soup for one bowl finally supplied to the container D is set to be constant regardless of the remaining amount of the miso soup in the tank 11. Therefore, the opening degree of the valve unit 22 (the command current value to the electric motor 23) for making the discharge amount of the miso soup discharged into the container D constant and achieving the desired first discharge speed and second discharge speed is stored in the control unit 60 according to each remaining amount of the tank 11.

[0086] In addition, there is also the following situation: depending on the capacity (remaining amount) of the pot 11, even if a bowlful of miso soup is discharged, it is possible to achieve substantially the same first discharge speed and second discharge speed without changing the opening degree of the valve unit 22. Therefore, the opening degree of the valve unit 22 can be set according to the remaining amount of miso soup that varies for each bowl, or multiple levels with a predetermined range larger than a bowl can be set for the remaining amount, and the opening degree of the valve unit 22 can be set for each level. In this case, when the remaining amount of miso soup in the pot 11 is small, the change in the discharge amount with respect to the change in the opening degree of the valve unit 22 is large. That is to say, the sensitivity of the discharge amount with respect to the opening degree of the valve unit 22 becomes large. Therefore, it is desirable that the smaller the remaining amount, the more the opening degree is set separately according to the remaining amount (the range of the set remaining amount is narrowed).

[0087] In this way, the control unit 60 controls the operation of the valve unit 22 according to the remaining amount of miso soup at this time so that if the supply button 51 is pressed, discharge at the first discharge speed and the second discharge speed is achieved.

[0088] Here, as a liquid supply device for miso soup, there is also a liquid supply device that mixes hot water and miso and supplies them every time miso soup is supplied. In such a form, hot water and miso have to be mixed every time miso soup is supplied, so it takes time to provide. In addition, in a device that mixes every time, it is necessary to use seasonings such as sauce that are also premixed with miso in advance, and it is difficult to improve the flavor and taste.

[0089] In order to improve the quality of miso soup and increase the supply speed, it is conceivable to pre-cook miso soup and supply miso soup to the container at a faster speed. However, in a form where miso soup is supplied using the power of a pump or the like, in order to increase the supply speed, the power of the pump or the like becomes large, so it is difficult to increase the supply speed. In addition, even if the supply speed can be increased, the risk of miso soup spilling from the container also increases accordingly.

[0090] In response to this, in the present embodiment, instead of using the power of a pump or the like, the opening degree of the liquid passage 21a of the discharge unit 21 is controlled, and the miso soup pre-cooked in the pot 11 in the cooking process is discharged by its own weight to the container D. And the discharge of miso soup is performed at two-stage speeds composed of the first discharge speed and the second discharge speed. First, miso soup is supplied to the empty container D at the first discharge speed so that the miso soup does not spill, so the miso soup in the container D becomes a buffer. Even if miso soup is discharged at the second discharge speed faster than the first discharge speed later (for example, if it is supplied to the empty container D, it will spill from the container D), it is possible to suppress the situation where miso soup spills from the container D. Therefore, it is possible to supply miso soup with good quality such as taste and flavor quickly without spilling from the container D.

[0091] In addition, in the present embodiment, the predetermined time for discharging the miso soup at the first discharge speed is set to be the same as the predetermined time for discharging the miso soup at the second discharge speed. As a result, the amount of miso soup discharged at the second discharge speed is larger than the amount of miso soup discharged at the first discharge speed. In this way, by making the discharge amount of the miso soup discharged at the relatively faster second discharge speed relatively larger, the supply time can be further shortened and the efficiency can be improved. In addition, in order to make the amount of miso soup discharged at the second discharge speed relatively larger, the time for discharging the miso soup at the second discharge speed may be set longer than the time in the case of the first discharge speed.

[0092] [Cleaning process]

[0093] Next, with reference to Figure 9 , the cleaning process will be described.

[0094] In the supply device, there is a cleaning function for preliminarily cleaning by supplying water into the tank 11. Hereinafter, the cleaning process performed by the cleaning function will be described.

[0095] If all the miso soup in the tank 11 is supplied or a predetermined time that is the reference for discarding has elapsed since the cooking of the miso soup (specifically, the completion of step S15 which is the last step of the cooking process), then Figure 9 the cleaning process shown is automatically executed by the control unit 60. In addition, it may be that at the moment when all the miso soup in the tank 11 is supplied or a predetermined time has elapsed since the cooking of the miso soup, the cleaning process is executed by the operator operating a cleaning button or the like.

[0096] If the miso soup supplied by the supply device is stored for a long time, there may be a reduction in flavor and quality problems. Therefore, in a restaurant, if a predetermined time has elapsed since the cooking of the miso soup, the miso soup is discarded. Thus, if the cleaning process starts, first, the discarding process of discarding the miso soup is performed.

[0097] In the discarding process, the discharge direction of the discharge unit 21 is switched to the drainage direction by the switching unit 28 (step S30). Then, the opening degree of the liquid passage 21a of the discharge unit 21 is set to fully open by the valve unit 22, and the miso soup remaining in the tank 11 is discharged toward the drain port 6 (step S31).

[0098] If all the miso soup in the tank 11 is discarded, cold water is supplied from a water supply source such as tap water into the water tank 31, and the cold water in the water tank 31 is supplied into the tank 11 (step S32). The cold water supplied into the tank 11 is discharged through the discharge unit 21 toward the drain port 6 (step S33). As a result, the inside of the tank 11 is cleaned with cold water, and the tank 11, which has been heated due to the heat of the miso soup, is cooled.

[0099] If a predetermined amount of water is supplied into the tank 11 and finally discharged, the cleaning process is completed. If the cleaning process is completed, the tank 11 and the stirrer 14 etc. attached to the tank 11 are removed from the housing 1, and formal cleaning etc. is carried out. Thus, by the cleaning process, the tank 11 is cleaned and cooled using cold water, so that the operator does not handle the heated tank 11 when removing the tank 11 etc., improving safety.

[0100] Next, a modified example of the present embodiment will be described.

[0101] In the present embodiment, the liquid supply device 100 does not include power such as the pump 33, and the miso soup is discharged by its own weight. In this regard, the liquid supply method of the present embodiment is useful in the liquid supply device 100 that discharges the miso soup by its own weight, but it can also be carried out by the liquid supply device 100 including power such as the pump 33.

[0102] In addition, the liquid supply method of the present embodiment is not limited to the provision of miso soup, and can also be used for the provision (supply) of other liquids.

[0103] In addition, in the liquid supply method of the present embodiment, the miso soup is discharged at the discharge speeds of two stages, namely the first discharge speed and the second discharge speed. In this regard, in the liquid supply method, as long as the discharge starts at the first discharge speed and then proceeds at the second discharge speed, the miso soup can also be discharged at three or more discharge speeds. In addition, the liquid supply method is not limited to the stepped speed change, and can also be configured to continuously change the speed from the relatively slow first discharge speed to the relatively fast second discharge speed.

[0104] In addition, in the liquid supply method, it is set in such a way that the same (common) first discharge speed and second discharge speed are obtained regardless of the remaining amount in the tank 11. In contrast, as long as the second discharge speed is set to be faster than the first discharge speed, for example, it can also be set in such a way that the first discharge speed and / or the second discharge speed are different according to the remaining amount.

[0105] In addition, the structures of the discharge portion 21 and the valve portion 22 are not limited to the structures of the above embodiment, and can be set to any structure. For example, the solenoid valve can also be used for the valve portion 22.

[0106] In addition, in the above embodiment, the remaining amount of the miso soup in the tank 11 is obtained based on the amount of the miso soup cooked in the tank 11 and the number of discharges. In this regard, it can also be configured such that the remaining amount in the tank 11 is detected by a remaining amount detection sensor such as a sensor for measuring weight or a sensor for measuring the liquid level.

[0107] According to the above embodiments, the following effects are achieved.

[0108] The liquid supply device 100 for supplying miso soup to the container D includes: a tank 11 for storing miso soup; a supply unit 20 for discharging the miso soup in the tank 11; and a control unit 60 for controlling the operation of the supply unit 20. In the liquid supply method executed by controlling the operation of the supply unit 20 by the control unit 60, the miso soup is initially discharged at a first discharge speed, and after discharging the miso soup at the first discharge speed, the miso soup is discharged at a second discharge speed faster than the first discharge speed.

[0109] In the present embodiment, initially, the miso soup is supplied to the empty container D at the first discharge speed so that the miso soup does not spill, so that the miso soup in the container D becomes a buffer. Even if the miso soup is then discharged at the second discharge speed at which it would spill if supplied to the empty container D, the situation of spilling from the container D can be suppressed. Therefore, the supply speed can be increased without spilling the miso soup from the container D.

[0110] In addition, in the present embodiment, it is set in the following manner: the discharge amount discharged at the second discharge speed is larger than the discharge amount discharged at the first discharge speed.

[0111] According to such a present embodiment, since the discharge amount discharged at the relatively fast second discharge speed is larger, the supply time can be further shortened and the efficiency can be improved.

[0112] In addition, the liquid supply device 100 has: a discharge portion 21 to which the miso soup in the tank 11 is guided by its own weight; and a valve portion 22 for controlling the flow of the miso soup guided by the discharge portion 21. The control unit 60 controls the valve portion 22 according to the remaining amount of the miso soup in the tank 11 so as to discharge the miso soup at the first discharge speed and the second discharge speed.

[0113] According to such a present embodiment, even if the remaining amount of the tank 11 changes, the first discharge speed and the second discharge speed can be maintained. Therefore, regardless of the remaining amount of the tank 11, an increase in the supply speed can be achieved.

[0114] In addition, the liquid supply device 100 includes: a tank 11 for storing miso soup; a storage portion 12 having a through hole 12a for communicating the inside and the outside, storing miso M, the miso M being stored in the tank 11 and dissolved in the hot water in the tank 11; a discharge portion 21 having a liquid passage 21a and a discharge port 21b, capable of elastically deforming under an external force, the miso soup in the tank 11 being guided to the liquid passage 21a by its own weight, and the discharge port 21b discharging the miso soup guided to the liquid passage 21a; a valve portion 22 for elastically deforming the discharge portion 21 to open and close the liquid passage 21a; and a control unit 60 for controlling the operation of the valve portion 22 to control the discharge of the miso soup from the discharge portion 21.

[0115] In such an embodiment, miso M is dissolved in hot water in the storage unit 12 to pre-generate miso soup, and the miso soup in the discharge tank 11 is discharged. Therefore, compared with a device that mixes miso M and hot water each time, miso soup can be provided quickly. In addition, the liquid supply device 100 is structured to control the discharge of miso soup by elastically deforming the discharge part 21 by the valve part 22. Therefore, the liquid passage 21a can be opened and closed at a position close to the discharge port 21b. Thus, by immediately closing the liquid passage 21a after discharging an appropriate amount of miso soup, there is no need to wait for the miso soup in the liquid passage 21a to be discharged, and the supply time can be shortened. Therefore, according to this embodiment, an appropriate amount of miso soup can be provided quickly.

[0116] In addition, in the liquid supply device 100, the valve part 22 has: an electric motor 23; and a valve core part 24 that is rotationally driven by the electric motor 23, and the pressing amount for pressing the discharge part 21 and deforming the discharge part 21 changes according to the rotation angle.

[0117] In such an embodiment, the rotation angle of the valve core part 24 can be accurately and responsively controlled by the electric motor 23.

[0118] In addition, the liquid supply device 100 further includes: a stirring part 13 that is inserted into the storage part 12 to stir the inside of the storage part 12; and a pressing part 16 that presses the miso M in the storage part 12.

[0119] In such an embodiment, the miso M is pressed by the pressing part 16. Therefore, the miso M can be reliably stirred by the stirrer 14, and the miso M can be efficiently dissolved in hot water. Thus, miso soup with a better taste can be provided.

[0120] In addition, in the liquid supply device 100, the pressing part 16 has a protruding part 16b that protrudes outside the tank 11, and a capacity detection part 17 for detecting the capacity of the miso M in the storage part 12 based on the amount of protrusion of the protruding part 16b from the tank 11 is provided outside the tank 11.

[0121] In addition, the liquid supply device 100 further includes an injection part for injecting hot water into the tank 11, and the control part 60 controls the injection part so as to inject hot water into the tank 11 in an amount corresponding to the capacity of the miso M detected by the capacity detection part 17.

[0122] In such an embodiment, hot water is injected into the tank 11 in an amount based on the detected capacity of the miso M. Therefore, the generation of an error in the amount of injected hot water can be suppressed, and miso soup with an appropriate quality can be cooked.

[0123] Further, in the liquid supply device 100, a throttle portion 27 that applies a resistance greater than the flow path resistance of the liquid passage 21a to the miso soup is provided at a position on the discharge port 21b side with respect to the portion opened and closed by the valve portion 22 in the discharge portion 21.

[0124] In such an embodiment, it is possible to suppress the discharge of the miso soup remaining in the liquid passage 21a from the discharge port 21b in a state where the liquid passage 21a is closed by the valve portion 22. That is to say, by providing the throttle portion 27 at the top end portion of the discharge portion 21, it is possible to improve the liquid cutoff effect of the miso soup discharged from the discharge port 21b by the flow path resistance exerted by the throttle passage 27a of the throttle portion 27.

[0125] As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described, but the above embodiments merely represent a part of the application examples of the present invention, and the main purpose is not to limit the protection scope of the present invention to the specific structures of the above embodiments.

Claims

1. A liquid supply device, wherein: The liquid supply device is a liquid supply device that supplies liquid to a container. The liquid supply device comprises: a tank for storing the liquid; a supply unit configured to discharge the liquid in the tank; and a control unit that controls the operation of the supply unit, The control unit controls the operation of the supply unit in the following manner: Initially, the liquid is discharged at a first discharge rate, After the liquid is discharged at the first discharge speed, the liquid is discharged at a second discharge speed that is faster than the first discharge speed.

2. The liquid supply device according to claim 1, wherein: The control unit controls the operation of the supply unit so that a discharge amount at the second discharge speed is greater than a discharge amount at the first discharge speed.

3. The liquid supply device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The supply unit has: a discharge portion to which the liquid in the tank is guided by its own weight; and a valve portion that controls the flow of the liquid guided by the discharge portion, The control unit controls the valve unit according to a remaining amount of the liquid in the tank so that the liquid is discharged at the first discharge speed and the second discharge speed.

4. The liquid supply device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The first discharge speed is a discharge speed at which the liquid does not spill from the empty container. The second discharge speed is a discharge speed at which the liquid is spilled when the liquid is supplied to the empty container.

5. The liquid supply device according to claim 1, wherein: The supply unit has: a discharge portion having a liquid passage and a discharge port, the liquid in the tank being guided to the liquid passage by its own weight and being capable of elastic deformation under external force, and discharging the liquid guided to the liquid passage through the discharge port; and The valve portion elastically deforms the discharge portion to open and close the liquid passage.

6. The liquid supply device according to claim 5, wherein: A throttle portion that applies a resistance greater than a flow resistance of the liquid passage to the liquid is provided at a position closer to the discharge port than a portion opened and closed by the valve portion in the discharge portion.

7. The liquid supply device according to claim 3, wherein: The valve portion has: electric motors; and The valve core part is rotationally driven by the electric motor, and changes the pressing amount of the discharge part to deform the discharge part according to the rotation angle.

8. A liquid supply method, wherein: The liquid supply method is a liquid supply method performed by a liquid supply device for supplying liquid to a container. Initially, the liquid is discharged at a first discharge rate, After the liquid is discharged at the first discharge speed, the liquid is discharged at a second discharge speed that is faster than the first discharge speed.

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