Anti-milk-mixing beverage preparation system, anti-milk-mixing control method thereof and storage medium

Abstract

The invention relates to a milk-mixing-preventing beverage preparation system and a milk-mixing-preventing control method thereof and a storage medium, the system comprises a milk supply device, the milk supply device comprises a milk storage device and a milk supply pipeline connected with the milk storage device, and the milk supply pipeline comprises a first multi-way connector, at least two milk supply branches, a public pipeline and a ventilation pipeline; the output end of each milk supply branch and the output end of the ventilation pipeline are connected with the corresponding input end of the first multi-way connector, and the output end of the public pipeline is connected with the coffee machine through a public pipeline control valve. An air controller is arranged on the ventilation pipeline; the milk storage device comprises at least two milk source boxes, and each milk supply branch is connected with the milk source box and a branch control valve; and the main controller is used for controlling the common path control valve, the air controller and the branch control valves. The main controller accurately controls the opening and closing states of the public path control valve, the air controller and the branch path control valve, and the remaining milk in the pipeline can be quickly removed, so that the mixed pollution of different kinds of milk liquid is avoided, and the purity of milk-containing drinks is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of beverage machine technology, and in particular to an anti-mixing milk beverage preparation system, its anti-mixing milk control method, and storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] When using the multi-milk function in a coffee machine connected to a multi-milk refrigerator, milk can be pumped from different milk tanks in the refrigerator to make milk-containing beverages. Since the coffee machine's piping system is connected to multiple branches of the multi-milk refrigerator through only one common milk pipe, if milk A is used first and then milk B is made, milk A remaining in the piping between the coffee machine and the refrigerator will mix with milk B, resulting in milk mixing. This will affect the quality and taste of the milk-containing beverages made by the beverage equipment. In addition, even when the milk is not switched, there is a risk that the milk in the common milk pipe may flow back to other milk tanks after making a milk-containing beverage or pure milk, causing milk mixing. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The technical problem to be solved by the embodiments of the present invention is to provide a milk-preparation system for preventing milk mixing, a milk-preparation control method for preventing milk mixing, and a storage medium. By precisely controlling the on / off states of the common circuit control valve, the air controller, and the branch circuit control valve through the main controller, residual milk in the pipeline can be quickly removed, thereby avoiding contamination from the mixing of different types of milk.

[0004] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides a milk-preparation system for preventing milk mixing, including a coffee machine and a milk supply device connected to the coffee machine. The milk supply device includes a milk storage container and a milk supply pipeline connected to the milk storage container. The milk supply pipeline includes a first multi-port connector, at least two milk supply branches, a common pipeline, and a venting pipeline. The first multi-port connector has multiple input terminals and one output terminal; the output terminal of each milk supply branch and the output terminal of each air supply line are respectively connected to the corresponding input terminal of the first multi-port connector, the output terminal of the first multi-port connector is connected to the input terminal of the common line, and the output terminal of the common line is connected to the coffee machine through a common line control valve; An air controller is provided on the ventilation duct, and the air controller is configured to input air into the ventilation duct; The milk storage device includes at least two milk source tanks, and each of the milk supply branches is connected to the milk source tank and a branch control valve that can control the on / off state of the milk supply branch; The main controller is electrically connected to the coffee machine and the milk supply equipment, and is used to control the common circuit control valve, the air controller and the branch circuit control valve.

[0005] In one feasible implementation, the air controller includes an air pump, an air valve or a clamp valve, and a one-way valve is also provided on the air venting line to prevent milk from entering the air venting line; Preferably, the one-way valve is a diaphragm one-way valve.

[0006] Accordingly, the present invention also relates to a method for preventing milk mixing based on the aforementioned milk mixing prevention beverage preparation system, wherein after the coffee machine has prepared one or more beverages, an emptying process is performed, the emptying process comprising: Monitor the milk output in the currently used milk supply branch; When the milk output in the milk supply branch approaches the preset target output, the branch control valves on all the milk supply branches are controlled to close all the milk supply branches. The air controller is controlled to input air into the ventilation pipe to empty the milk remaining in the common pipe.

[0007] In one feasible implementation, the step of controlling all the branch control valves on all the milk supply branches to close all the milk supply branches when the milk output in the milk supply branch approaches a preset target output specifically includes: The actual output time of milk in the milk supply branch is compared with the preset target time. When the remaining output time is equal to the first preset time period, the main controller controls all the branch control valves on the milk supply branch to close the milk supply branch.

[0008] In one feasible implementation, the step of controlling the air controller to input air into the ventilation line to empty the milk remaining in the common line includes: keeping the common line control valve in the open state and inputting air into the ventilation line during the first preset time period.

[0009] In one feasible implementation, after the step of keeping the common path control valve open and introducing air into the vent line, the method further includes: During the second time period after the first preset time period ends, the common road control valve is closed, and the branch control valves on all the milk supply branches are opened to open all the milk supply branches, while the input of air into the ventilation pipeline is suspended. During the third time period after the end of the second time period, the common road control valve is kept closed, and the branch control valves on all the milk supply branches are kept open to control the air controller to input air into the ventilation pipeline. After the third time period ends, the air controller stops supplying air into the ventilation pipeline, and at the same time, the common road control valve is opened.

[0010] In one feasible implementation, the method for preventing milk mixing further includes: In response to the user's choice to switch the milk supply branch or the coffee machine's choice to switch the milk supply branch, before making a beverage after switching the milk supply branch, the common pipeline is first cleaned with milk from the milk source tank on the switched milk supply branch, and then the emptying process is performed. Preferably, the cleaning process can be selectively triggered according to the user's settings on the human-computer interaction interface of the coffee machine; Preferably, in response to the main controller receiving a milk shortage signal from the milk source box of one of the milk supply branches, it automatically switches the milk supply branches containing other milk source boxes to connect with the coffee machine, or sends a reminder message to the user on the human-machine interface, and the user selects whether to perform the cleaning process based on the reminder message.

[0011] In one feasible implementation, the step of cleaning the common pipeline with milk from the milk source tank on the switched milk supply branch includes: Keep the branch control valve and the common control valve of the branch where the milk source tank is located after switching open, close the branch control valves of other branches, and control the coffee machine to draw a preset amount or preset time of milk from the milk source tank after switching through the main controller to clean the common pipeline, and discharge the cleaning milk that enters the coffee machine through the common pipeline from the coffee machine. Preferably, the cleaning milk that enters the coffee machine through the common pipeline is discharged from the beverage outlet pipeline of the coffee machine and after the purging process is performed, the main controller controls the common pipeline control valve to close, and the main controller sends a control command to perform rapid rinsing and / or steam rinsing of the beverage outlet pipeline.

[0012] In one feasible implementation, the coffee machine is equipped with a milk frother or milk pump for drawing milk from the milk supply branch. When the common branch control valve is in the open state, the coffee machine can draw milk according to the control command of the main controller for beverage preparation or the emptying or cleaning process.

[0013] Accordingly, the present invention also relates to a readable storage medium storing a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, is used to implement the steps of the aforementioned anti-mixing milk control method.

[0014] Implementing this invention has the following beneficial effects: The anti-mixing milk beverage preparation system of the present invention adds a vent pipe to multiple milk supply branches and connects them together through a multi-port connector. The vent pipe is equipped with an air controller, which selectively (as needed) introduces air into the vent pipe. Each milk supply branch is connected to a milk source tank and a branch control valve that controls the on / off state of the milk supply branch. The main controller of the beverage equipment controls the coordinated operation of each branch control valve, the air controller that provides air in the vent pipe, and the common control valve on the common pipe connected to the coffee machine side through the multi-port connector. This system enables the emptying of the common pipe before the end of the preparation of milk-containing beverages or pure milk, as well as the emptying and cleaning of the common pipe when switching milk types. This avoids the risk of milk in the common milk pipe flowing back to other milk tanks and causing mixing after the preparation is completed, as well as the mixing phenomenon after switching milk types, thus improving the quality and taste of the beverage.

[0015] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and do not limit this application. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an anti-mixing milk beverage preparation system according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an anti-mixing milk beverage preparation system according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a top view of the milk supply device of the coffee machine of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a front view of the milk supply device of the coffee machine of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a step diagram of the pipeline emptying process of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a diagram illustrating the steps of the present invention to empty milk remaining in a public pipeline. Detailed Implementation

[0017] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention can be practiced in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0018] It should be noted that when a component is said to be "fixed to" another component, it can be directly attached to the other component or there may be an intervening component. When a component is said to be "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or there may be an intervening component. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this document are for illustrative purposes only.

[0019] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein in the description of the invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0020] This application provides a system for preparing milk-preventing beverage mixing, referring to... Figure 1 , Figure 3 The system includes a coffee machine 200 and a milk supply device 100 connected to the coffee machine 200. The milk supply device 100 includes a milk storage tank 160 and a milk supply pipeline connected to the milk storage tank 160. The milk supply pipeline includes a first multi-port connector 120, at least two milk supply branches, a common pipeline, and a venting pipeline. The first multi-port connector 120 has multiple input terminals and one output terminal; the output terminal of each milk supply branch and the output terminal of each air supply branch are respectively connected to the corresponding input terminal of the first multi-port connector 120, the output terminal of the first multi-port connector 120 is connected to the input terminal of the common pipeline, and the output terminal of the common pipeline is connected to the coffee machine 200 through the common pipeline control valve 210. An air controller 110 is provided on the ventilation duct, and the air controller 110 is configured to introduce air into the ventilation duct. The milk storage unit 160 includes at least two milk source tanks, and each milk supply branch is connected to a milk source tank and a branch control valve 140 that can control the on / off of the milk supply branch; The main controller is electrically connected to the coffee machine 200 and the milk supply equipment 100, and is used to control the common circuit control valve 210, the air controller 110 and the branch circuit control valve 140.

[0021] Specifically, the milk supply equipment 100 is connected to the coffee machine 200 through a common pipeline to supply the required milk to the coffee machine 200. The air controller 110 is configured to introduce air into the common pipeline through the ventilation pipeline. There can be multiple milk supply branches, which are set according to the actual situation. The following is an example of two milk supply branches: Figure 3 The orange line represents the ventilation line and its transmission direction; the green line represents the first milk supply branch and its transmission direction; the blue line represents the second milk supply branch and its transmission direction; and the common line is... Figure 1 The pipeline connecting the first multi-port connector 120 and the coffee machine 200 is in the middle. The first multi-port connector 120 is a four-way connector at this time. Before the first milk supply branch is completed, air is introduced into the common pipeline through the air controller 110 to clear the remaining milk in the common pipeline, so as to facilitate the subsequent delivery of different types of milk by the second milk supply branch, thereby avoiding milk mixing.

[0022] In one feasible implementation, the air controller 110 includes an air pump, an air valve or a pinch valve, and a one-way valve 130 is also provided on the air passage. The one-way valve 130 is used to prevent milk from entering the air passage. The one-way valve 130 can be a diaphragm one-way valve.

[0023] Specifically, the air pump can actively provide air pressure, while the air valve or pinch valve can passively provide natural air into the common pipeline. The common pipeline control valve 210 and the branch pipeline control valve 140 can be pinch valves or on / off solenoid valves.

[0024] The one-way valve 130 must have one-way conduction characteristics: it only allows air to flow from the air controller 110 to the first multi-port 120, preventing milk from flowing back and effectively preventing milk from flowing back into the air valve or air inlet, thus avoiding milk backflow and ensuring the cleanliness of the common pipeline.

[0025] The number of milk supply branches in this application is not limited to two. The specific design and layout of the milk supply branches can be based on the required types of milk. For ease of understanding, the following explanation will continue to use two milk supply branches as an example: (Refer to...) Figure 1 Each of the two milk supply branches is equipped with a branch control valve 140, which is configured to control the on / off state of the milk supply branch. The branch control valve 140 can be an electromagnetic clamp valve, which clamps the pipeline when energized, cutting off the liquid flow in the pipeline, and releases the pipeline when de-energized, allowing the liquid flow in the pipeline to proceed normally. Alternatively, the branch control valve 140 can also be a milk valve that can be used to allow milk to pass through and control the on / off state of the milk supply branch, such as an electromagnetic milk valve.

[0026] Combined with reference Figure 3 , Figure 4 The milk supply equipment 100 also includes a conveying mechanism 150 located above the milk storage unit 160. The conveying mechanism 150 is provided with milk supply pipelines. At least two connection holes are provided at the bottom of the conveying mechanism 150. Each connection hole corresponds to a milk supply pipeline. The input end of each milk supply branch passes through the corresponding connection hole and connects to the milk storage unit 160.

[0027] Milk storage unit 160 includes at least two milk source tanks. The number of milk source tanks can be set according to the actual needs of coffee machine 200. Usually, one milk supply branch corresponds to one milk source tank. (Continue to refer to...) Figure 3The following explanation uses two milk source boxes as an example. For ease of description, the milk in the first milk source box 161 will be referred to as milk A, and the milk in the second milk source box 162 will be referred to as milk B. The first milk source box 161 and the second milk source box 162 are arranged side by side at the bottom of the conveying mechanism 150 along its width direction. The structure is compact, making it easy to integrate into the refrigerator. It also shortens the length of the first and second milk supply branches, reduces the emptying path, and improves emptying efficiency. The compact layout facilitates the overall miniaturization of the equipment.

[0028] Continue to refer to Figure 3 , Figure 4 The bottom of the conveying mechanism 150 is provided with a first connecting hole 170 and a second connecting hole 180. The input end of the first milk supply branch extends into the first milk source tank 161 through the first connecting hole 170, and the input end of the second milk supply branch extends into the second milk source tank 162 through the second connecting hole 180. The different connecting holes serve to fix the input ends of the branches, ensuring their stable insertion into the milk in the corresponding milk source tank, preventing pipe displacement due to equipment vibration, and ensuring the reliability of the milk suction process. Simultaneously, they physically isolate the input ends of the two branches, ensuring stable connection between the first and second milk supply branches and their corresponding milk source tanks, preventing milk suction difficulties caused by pipe detachment or misalignment, and preventing cross-mixing of milk between the two branches. In one feasible implementation, refer to... Figure 1 The coffee machine 200 includes a second multi-port connector 230 and a milk frother 220 connected to the output end of the second multi-port connector 230. The milk frother 220 is configured to use steam to generate negative pressure to extract milk from the milk reservoir 160. The coffee machine 200 is also equipped with a common flow control valve 210, a coffee machine gas valve 240, and a water supply solenoid valve 250 on one side; the output end of the common flow control valve 210, the output end of the coffee machine gas valve 240, and the output end of the water supply solenoid valve 250 are respectively connected to the input end of the second multi-port connector 230; the common flow control valve 210 can also be a clamp valve such as an electromagnetic clamp valve, or a milk valve that can control the opening and closing of the common flow.

[0029] Continue to refer to Figure 1As indicated by the red arrow, in this embodiment, the target milk box is the second milk source box 162 for storing milk B, specifically achieved through the venturi tube structure in the milk frother 220 to achieve negative pressure milk suction. The coffee machine 200 is internally connected to the milk frother 220, the common-path control valve 210, the coffee machine gas valve 240, and the water supply solenoid valve 250 via a second multi-way connector 230. The first multi-way connector 120 can be a four-way connector, and the second multi-way connector 230 can be a three-way connector. The coffee machine 200 uses steam to enter the milk frother 220, and the venturi tube draws milk through negative pressure. The common-path control valve 210 is driven by electromagnetic force to clamp the tube: when powered on, it clamps the tube; when powered off, it resets and opens the tube. The action time can be accurate to the millisecond level, strictly following the timing control logic.

[0030] The first milk supply branch is used to transport milk A, and the second milk supply branch is used to transport milk B. The branch control valve 140 can be an electromagnetic clamp valve, which can precisely control the opening and closing of the first milk supply branch. When the second milk supply branch is used, the branch control valve 140 clamps after being energized, cutting off the liquid path in the first milk supply branch and cutting off the flow path of milk A to the first multi-port connector 120. By physically blocking the passage, non-target milk is prevented from entering the common pipeline from the source. Combined with the purging function of the air valve, a double anti-mixing milk protection is formed.

[0031] In one feasible implementation, the conveying mechanism 150 is provided with an output connector 151 on the side near the coffee machine 200. The output connector 151 is a standardized interface that can be adapted to the input interface of the coffee machine 200. Its sealing structure (such as a rubber sealing ring) can prevent milk leakage during the conveying process and prevent external air from entering from the connection gap. This ensures that when all branch control valves 140 are closed, the air introduced through the air valve causes the milk remaining in the common pipeline to be discharged, or when the common control valve 210 is closed and all branch control valves 140 are open, the air introduced through the air valve causes the milk in each branch to return to its original position. On the other hand, the design of the output connector 151 facilitates the quick disassembly and maintenance of the milk supply pipeline and the coffee machine 200, while improving the connection sealing.

[0032] In a feasible implementation, refer to Figure 2 , Figure 3 The structure and connection relationship of the milk supply equipment 100 and Figure 1 The milk supply equipment is 100% identical and has the following features: Figure 1 The advantages of each structure are not elaborated here.

[0033] Furthermore, it should be understood that the milk supply equipment 100 is used to preserve and refrigerate the milk products contained in the milk storage tank 160, and it also includes a refrigeration module. Since this application does not directly involve the refrigeration module, this invention will not elaborate on it.

[0034] Continue to refer to Figure 2 The red arrow indicates that in this embodiment, the target milk tank is the second milk source tank 162 for storing milk B. The water pump 280 and milk cleaning control valve 270 inside the coffee machine 200 are connected to the milk pump 230. The milk cleaning control valve 270 allows air to enter through the vent 290. The common circuit control valve 210 is driven by electromagnetic force to clamp the pipe: it engages and clamps the pipe when powered on, and resets and opens the pipe when powered off. The action time is accurate to the millisecond level, strictly following the timing control logic. In this embodiment, the milk pumping power of the coffee machine 200 comes from the milk pump 260, and the milk frother 220 is used to create milk foam with steam.

[0035] On the other hand, this application also provides a method for controlling milk mixing based on the above-mentioned milk mixing prevention beverage preparation system, referring to... Figure 5 This includes the following steps: After the coffee machine 200 has finished making one or more beverages, it should be emptied. The emptying process includes: Step S100: Monitor the milk output in the currently used milk supply branch; In step S200, when the milk output in the milk supply branch is close to the preset target output, the branch control valves 140 on all milk supply branches are controlled to close all milk supply branches. In step S300, the air controller 110 is controlled to input air into the ventilation pipeline to empty the milk remaining in the common pipeline.

[0036] Specifically, in step S200, when the milk output is close to the preset target output in the current beverage formula, the branch control valves 140 of all milk supply branches are simultaneously closed, that is, the connection between all milk sources and the common pipeline is completely cut off, so that the milk remaining in the pipeline is transported to the coffee machine 200 side by the suction action of the coffee machine to complete the preparation of the milk-containing beverage. In addition, it should be noted that during the preparation of the milk-containing beverage, milk is generally not drawn from two milk source tanks at the same time. That is, during the suction process, only the branch control valve 140 of the currently used milk supply branch is opened, while the branch control valves 140 of other milk supply branches are kept closed. Therefore, in step S200, it is generally sufficient to close only the branch control valve 140 of the currently used milk supply branch to close all milk supply branches.

[0037] In step S300, air is introduced into the venting pipe via the air controller 110. In step S200, air needs to be introduced into the venting pipe simultaneously with or immediately after closing all milk supply branches so that the remaining milk in the common pipe can be smoothly drawn to the coffee machine 200 side.

[0038] This application first monitors the milk output of the current milk supply branch to provide data support for step S200. When the output milk volume plus the milk remaining after the common pipeline is emptied is equal to or approximately equal to the preset target output volume in the beverage formula, the branch control valve 140 of the current milk source branch is closed, and air is introduced into the venting pipeline. This not only empties the common pipeline to prevent the milk in the common pipeline from flowing back to other milk source tanks after the beverage preparation is completed, but also ensures that the milk ratio of each cup of beverage is consistent or consistent with the preset beverage formula, thus ensuring stable quality.

[0039] Step S200 in the anti-mixing milk control method, which involves controlling the branch control valves 140 on all milk supply branches to close all milk supply branches when the milk output in the milk supply branch approaches the preset target output, specifically includes: The actual output time of milk in the milk supply branches is compared with the preset target time. When the remaining output time equals the first preset time period, the main controller controls the branch control valves 140 on all milk supply branches to close all milk supply branches. It should be noted that the actual output volume of milk can be obtained through pipeline flow and delivery time. Therefore, the remaining amount of milk to be delivered can be represented by the delivery (suction) time. When the amount of milk that can be delivered within the remaining delivery time is equal to or approximately equal to the amount of milk remaining in the common pipeline, the main controller sends a command to close the branch control valves 140 on all milk supply branches, thus closing all milk supply branches. The remaining output time equals the preset target time minus the actual output time. The amount of milk remaining in the common pipeline can be obtained through testing.

[0040] Reference Figure 6 Step S300, the step of controlling the air controller 110 to input air into the ventilation pipe to empty the milk remaining in the common pipe, specifically includes: In step S301, during the first preset time period (e.g., within a seconds), the common road control valve 210 is kept open and all branch control valves 140 are kept closed, and air is introduced into the ventilation pipeline.

[0041] Specifically, keeping the public pipeline control valve 210 open is to allow the milk remaining in the public pipeline and the first multi-port connector 120 to be drawn by the coffee machine and delivered to the milk coffee beverage currently being prepared by the coffee machine 200, while simultaneously emptying the public pipeline.

[0042] Step S301 is followed by: In step S302, during the second time period (e.g., within a~b seconds) after the first preset time period ends, the common road control valve 210 is closed, and the branch control valves 140 on all milk supply branches are opened, while the input of air into the ventilation pipeline is suspended. Since the common road control valve 210 is closed at this time, the ventilation pipeline stops supplying air and the branches are in a connected state. Therefore, the high-level B milk that has just been processed and the B milk near other branches of the first multi-port connector 120 will flow back to the B milk tank.

[0043] In step S303, during the third time period after the end of the second time period (e.g., within b~c seconds), the common pipeline control valve 210 is kept closed, and the branch control valves 140 on all milk supply branches are kept open. The air controller 110 is controlled to input air into the ventilation pipeline. At this time, the common pipeline is closed, and all branches are open. Air can only enter each branch to cause the liquid level to return.

[0044] In step S304, after the third time period ends (e.g., after c seconds), the air controller 110 stops supplying air into the ventilation pipeline, and simultaneously opens the common circuit control valve 210. At this time, except for the air controller 110 which is not supplying gas, all other valves are in the open state. If you want to make B milk beverage next, open the branch control valve 140 on the milk supply branch where the B milk source box is located, and close the branch control valves 140 on other branches to make beverage normally.

[0045] Each production cycle involves keeping the common route control valve 210 open, and only opening the branch control valve 140 on the branch where the milk source box currently needs to be used; all other branch control valves 140 are closed. Furthermore, this application does not limit the specific parameter ranges for the second and third time periods; these can be determined through experimental testing based on the actual pipeline conditions (e.g., pipeline inner diameter, length, etc.) and the selection of the air controller.

[0046] In addition, if it is necessary to switch milk, the following switching and cleaning procedures can be followed: In response to the user's choice to switch the milk supply branch or the coffee machine 200 to switch the milk supply branch, before making the beverage after switching the milk supply branch, the common pipeline is first cleaned with the milk in the milk source tank on the switched milk supply branch, and then the emptying process is carried out according to the steps S100~S300 above. The cleaning process can be selectively triggered based on the user's settings on the human-computer interaction interface of the coffee machine 200. Because cleaning requires wasting a certain amount of milk (e.g., 1 second of milk A needs to be made after switching to milk A), if milk B was used to make the drink first, the common pipe needs to be rinsed with milk A before switching to milk A, so at least 1 second of milk A will be wasted. Therefore, the user can choose whether to perform the cleaning process before emptying the above-mentioned milk when switching milk.

[0047] In one feasible embodiment, the milk box has a milk shortage detection sensor, which is configured to send a milk shortage signal. In response to the main controller receiving a milk shortage signal from a milk source box in a milk supply branch, the main controller automatically switches the milk supply branch containing other milk source boxes to connect to the coffee machine 200, or sends a reminder message to the user through the human-machine interface, and the user selects whether to perform cleaning based on the reminder message.

[0048] Furthermore, the step of cleaning the common pipeline with milk from the milk source tank on the switched milk supply branch includes: Keep the branch control valve 140 of the branch where the switched milk source tank is located and the common line control valve 210 both open, close the branch control valve 140 of other branches, and control the coffee machine 200 to draw a preset amount or preset time of milk from the switched milk source tank through the main controller to clean (i.e., rinse) the common line, and discharge the cleaning milk that enters the coffee machine 200 through the common line from the coffee machine 200. In some embodiments, the cleaning milk that enters the coffee machine 200 via the common line is discharged from the beverage outlet line of the coffee machine 200. After the aforementioned purging process, the main controller controls the common line control valve 210 to close. The main controller also sends a control command to perform a rapid flush and / or steam flush on the beverage outlet line. This step is optional and is intended to clean the beverage outlet line on the coffee machine 200 side. During the rapid flush, the common line control valve 210 is clamped to prevent the flushing liquid from flowing back into the milk tank on the milk supply device 100 side.

[0049] In this application, a milk frother 220 or a milk pump 260 is installed on the coffee machine 200 to draw milk from the milk supply branch. When the common branch control valve 210 is in the open state, the coffee machine 200 can draw milk according to the control command of the main controller for beverage preparation, emptying or cleaning.

[0050] This application achieves rapid emptying of residual milk in the pipeline by precisely controlling the coordinated operation of the common road control valve 210, the air controller 110, and the branch control valve 140 in stages, thereby preventing mixing of different milk sources and ensuring the stability of milk supply after switching.

[0051] Accordingly, the present invention also relates to an anti-mixing milk control device, including a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, and when the processor runs the computer program stored in the memory, the processor executes the steps of the anti-mixing milk control method.

[0052] A memory is used to store the computer program, and the memory may also be flash memory. The computer program is, for example, a program that implements the above-described method for preventing milk mixing.

[0053] A processor is used to execute a computer program stored in memory to implement the various steps performed by the device in the above method. See the relevant descriptions in the preceding method embodiments for details.

[0054] Alternatively, the memory can be either standalone or integrated with the processor.

[0055] Accordingly, the present invention also relates to a readable storage medium storing a computer program, characterized in that the computer program, when executed by a processor, is used to implement the steps of an anti-mixing milk control method.

[0056] The readable storage medium can be a computer storage medium or a communication medium. A communication medium includes any medium that facilitates the transfer of computer programs from one place to another. A computer storage medium can be any available medium that can be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer.

[0057] For example, a readable storage medium is coupled to a processor, enabling the processor to read information from and write information to the readable storage medium. The readable storage medium can also be a component of the processor. The processor and the readable storage medium can reside in an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). Alternatively, the ASIC can be located within a user equipment. The processor and the readable storage medium can also exist as discrete components in a communication device. The readable storage medium can be a read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, and optical data storage device, etc.

[0058] Accordingly, the present invention also relates to a computer program product, including a computer program, and the steps of an anti-mixed milk control method implemented when the computer program is executed by a processor.

[0059] In the embodiments of the above-described device, it should be understood that the processor can be a Central Processing Unit (CPU), or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc. A general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor. The steps of the method disclosed in this invention can be directly manifested as execution by a hardware processor, or execution by a combination of hardware and software modules within the processor. The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described; however, as long as the combination of these technical features does not contradict each other, it should be considered within the scope of this specification.

[0060] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of this invention patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A milk mixing prevention beverage preparation system, comprising a coffee machine and a milk supply device connected to the coffee machine, characterized in that, The milk supply equipment includes a milk storage unit and a milk supply pipeline connected to the milk storage unit. The milk supply pipeline includes a first multi-port connector, at least two milk supply branches, a common pipeline, and a venting pipeline. The first multi-port connector has multiple input terminals and one output terminal; the output terminal of each milk supply branch and the output terminal of each air supply line are respectively connected to the corresponding input terminal of the first multi-port connector, the output terminal of the first multi-port connector is connected to the input terminal of the common line, and the output terminal of the common line is connected to the coffee machine through a common line control valve; An air controller is provided on the ventilation duct, and the air controller is configured to input air into the ventilation duct; The milk storage device includes at least two milk source tanks, and each of the milk supply branches is connected to the milk source tank and a branch control valve that can control the on / off state of the milk supply branch; The main controller is electrically connected to the coffee machine and the milk supply equipment, and is used to control the common circuit control valve, the air controller and the branch circuit control valve.

2. The anti-mixing milk beverage preparation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air controller includes an air pump, an air valve or a clamp valve, and a one-way valve is also provided on the air venting line. The one-way valve is used to prevent milk from entering the air venting line. Preferably, the one-way valve is a diaphragm one-way valve.

3. A method for controlling milk mixing based on the milk mixing prevention system of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, After the coffee machine has finished making one or more beverages, it is emptied. The emptying process includes: Monitor the milk output in the currently used milk supply branch; When the milk output in the milk supply branch approaches the preset target output, the branch control valves on all the milk supply branches are controlled to close all the milk supply branches. The air controller is controlled to input air into the ventilation pipe to empty the milk remaining in the common pipe.

4. The method for preventing milk mixing according to claim 3, characterized in that, The step of controlling all the branch control valves on all the milk supply branches to close all the milk supply branches when the milk output in the milk supply branch approaches the preset target output specifically includes: The actual output time of milk in the milk supply branch is compared with the preset target time. When the remaining output time is equal to the first preset time period, the main controller controls all the branch control valves on the milk supply branch to close the milk supply branch.

5. The method for preventing milk mixing according to claim 4, characterized in that, The step of controlling the air controller to input air into the ventilation pipeline to empty the milk remaining in the common pipeline includes: keeping the common pipeline control valve in the open state and inputting air into the ventilation pipeline during the first preset time period.

6. The method for preventing milk mixing according to claim 5, characterized in that, Following the step of keeping the common path control valve open and introducing air into the vent line, the method further includes: During the second time period after the first preset time period ends, the common road control valve is closed, and the branch control valves on all the milk supply branches are opened to open all the milk supply branches, while the input of air into the ventilation pipeline is suspended. During the third time period after the end of the second time period, the common road control valve is kept closed, and the branch control valves on all the milk supply branches are kept open to control the air controller to input air into the ventilation pipeline. After the third time period ends, the air controller stops supplying air into the ventilation pipeline, and at the same time, the common road control valve is opened.

7. The method for preventing milk mixing according to claim 3, characterized in that, The method for preventing milk mixing also includes: In response to the user's choice to switch the milk supply branch or the coffee machine's choice to switch the milk supply branch, before making a beverage after switching the milk supply branch, the common pipeline is first cleaned with milk from the milk source tank on the switched milk supply branch, and then the emptying process is performed. Preferably, the cleaning process can be selectively triggered according to the user's settings on the human-machine interface of the coffee machine; Preferably, in response to the main controller receiving a milk shortage signal from the milk source box of one of the milk supply branches, it automatically switches the milk supply branches containing other milk source boxes to connect with the coffee machine, or sends a reminder message to the user on the human-machine interface, and the user selects whether to perform the cleaning process based on the reminder message.

8. The method for preventing milk mixing according to claim 7, characterized in that, The step of cleaning the common pipeline with milk from the milk source tank on the switched milk supply branch includes: Keep the branch control valve and the common control valve of the branch where the milk source tank is located after switching open, close the branch control valves of other branches, and control the coffee machine to draw a preset amount or preset time of milk from the milk source tank after switching through the main controller to clean the common pipeline, and discharge the cleaning milk that enters the coffee machine through the common pipeline from the coffee machine. Preferably, the cleaning milk that enters the coffee machine through the common pipeline is discharged from the beverage outlet pipeline of the coffee machine and after the purging process is performed, the main controller controls the common pipeline control valve to close, and the main controller sends a control command to perform rapid rinsing and / or steam rinsing of the beverage outlet pipeline.

9. The method for preventing milk mixing according to any one of claims 3-8, characterized in that, The coffee machine is equipped with a milk frother or milk pump to draw milk from the milk supply branch. When the common branch control valve is open, the coffee machine can draw milk according to the control command of the main controller to make beverages or perform the emptying or cleaning process.

10. A readable storage medium storing a computer program, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by the processor, it is used to implement the steps of the anti-mixing milk control method as described in any one of claims 3-9.

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