Refrigeration pipeline system of coffee machine and coffee machine

Abstract

The refrigeration pipeline system comprises a liquid supply pipeline and a refrigeration system, and the refrigeration system comprises a compressor, a condenser, a throttling mechanism and an evaporator which are connected in sequence and form a refrigerant circulation loop; a first pipeline, a refrigerant pipeline and a second pipeline are arranged in the evaporator, the first pipeline, the refrigerant pipeline and the second pipeline are all spiral pipes and are sequentially arranged in parallel from inside to outside, and the first pipeline, the refrigerant pipeline and the second pipeline are arranged at intervals and are connected through a heat-conducting medium; the first pipeline and the second pipeline are both connected with the liquid supply pipeline, and the refrigerant pipeline is connected into the refrigerant circulation loop. According to the refrigerating pipeline system of the coffee machine and the coffee machine, the dual functions of preparing low-temperature coffee and cold water can be achieved through one evaporator, the structure is simple, and installation is convenient.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of coffee machine technology, and more specifically to a refrigeration piping system for a coffee machine and a coffee machine. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, coffee machines on the market typically require cooling room temperature water to produce cold water or ice cubes before making cold coffee. The cold water is then used to brew the coffee or the ice cubes are added to the hot coffee. The cooling / ice-making process usually takes a long time, and the coffee is diluted by the cold water or the melting ice, resulting in a weaker taste and affecting the drinking experience.

[0003] To overcome the aforementioned shortcomings, some products have improved the method of making iced coffee. For example, the water circuit system and coffee machine disclosed in Chinese Patent No. CN118873010A, by setting the compressor assembly to include a first refrigerant line and a second refrigerant line, can switch the refrigerant to the evaporator of the ice chamber to cool the water in the ice chamber, thus providing ice water after cooling the water from the water tank. Alternatively, it can switch the refrigerant to the heat exchanger connected to the brewer to cool the hot coffee from the brewer to provide iced coffee. This prior art cools the coffee liquid through the refrigerant line, which can effectively shorten the cooling time, and since the coffee liquid and ice water are contained separately, the taste of the coffee liquid is not affected. However, the water circuit system of the aforementioned coffee machine supplies refrigerant to the heat exchanger and the evaporator through two different refrigerant lines, requiring switching the refrigerant supply between the heat exchanger and the evaporator. It has many components, a complex structure, and high manufacturing costs. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to overcome the above-mentioned shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention provides a refrigeration piping system and coffee machine that can achieve the dual functions of producing low-temperature coffee and cold water through an evaporator. It has a simple structure and is easy to install.

[0005] The technical solution adopted by this invention to solve its technical problem is: a refrigeration piping system for a coffee machine, including a liquid supply pipeline and a refrigeration system. The refrigeration system includes a compressor, a condenser, a throttling mechanism, and an evaporator, which are connected in sequence and form a refrigerant circulation loop. The evaporator is provided with a first pipe, a refrigerant pipe, and a second pipe. The first pipe, the refrigerant pipe, and the second pipe are all spiral pipes and are arranged in parallel from the inside to the outside. There are gaps between the first pipe, the refrigerant pipe, and the second pipe, and they are connected by a heat-conducting medium. The first pipe and the second pipe are both connected to the liquid supply pipeline, and the refrigerant pipe is connected in the refrigerant circulation loop.

[0006] This technical solution provides a refrigeration piping system for a coffee machine. By setting a first pipe and a second pipe inside the evaporator as the coffee channel and cold water channel, a single evaporator can be used to produce low-temperature coffee and low-temperature cold water respectively. It has fewer components, a simple structure, and is easy to install, which can effectively reduce costs. The first pipe and the second pipe are respectively arranged parallel to each other on the inner and outer sides of the refrigerant pipe, which has high heat exchange efficiency and can achieve rapid cooling of the liquid. It can be applied to fully automatic coffee machines to realize the function of instant cold coffee or ice water, shortening the user's waiting time.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment, the refrigeration system further includes a solenoid valve located between the outlet of the condenser and the inlet of the refrigerant pipe, forming a bypass branch. When the solenoid valve is opened, the refrigerant with a higher temperature in the condenser enters the refrigerant pipe in the evaporator through the solenoid valve, causing the evaporator temperature to rise instantly, thereby preventing the residual liquid coffee or water in the first or second pipe of the evaporator from freezing.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment, the liquid supply pipeline is provided with a coffee brewing device, a one-way valve, and a three-way valve connected in sequence; the inlet end of the three-way valve is connected to the one-way valve, the first outlet end of the three-way valve is connected to the first pipeline, and the second outlet end of the three-way valve is connected to the second pipeline.

[0009] This technology uses a three-way valve to control the flow of coffee and water through different channels, achieving the dual function of producing low-temperature coffee and cold water. It has a compact structure, is easy to operate, and has high reliability.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment, an air pump is installed between the inlet of the three-way valve and the check valve. After the liquid has cooled completely, the air pump purges the pipes inside the evaporator, further reducing coffee residue or water buildup and helping to prevent freezing.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment, the refrigeration system further includes a condenser fan for dissipating heat from the condenser, thereby preventing the condenser from overheating and being damaged.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the refrigerant inlet of the refrigerant pipeline is located at the lower part of the evaporator, and the refrigerant outlet of the refrigerant pipeline is located at the upper part of the evaporator; the inlets of both the first pipeline and the second pipeline are located at the upper part of the evaporator, and the outlets of both the first pipeline and the second pipeline are located at the lower part of the evaporator.

[0013] In the evaporator described above, the refrigerant pipes are inlet at the bottom and outlet at the top, while the first and second pipes are both inlet at the top and outlet at the bottom. The liquid and refrigerant flow in opposite directions, achieving countercurrent heat exchange. This keeps the temperature difference between the refrigerant and the cooled liquid relatively large, thus optimizing the heat transfer process.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the evaporator is made of thermally conductive metal; the first pipe, the refrigerant pipe, and the second pipe are fixed inside the evaporator by inlay casting and are integrated with the evaporator as a whole.

[0015] In the above technology, the first pipe, refrigerant pipe, and second pipe are more firmly integrated with the evaporator, making it less prone to detachment and leakage, thus ensuring stability and safety. At the same time, it can ensure that the first pipe and the second pipe are in full contact with the refrigerant pipe through the heat-conducting metal to ensure efficient heat exchange.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment, the evaporator is an annular cylinder, which can better fit into the spiral first pipe, refrigerant pipe and second pipe for inlay casting, saving materials, reducing costs, and has a simple structure that is easy to install into a coffee machine.

[0017] In a preferred technical solution, temperature sensors are installed on the first pipe, the refrigerant pipe, and the second pipe to detect the temperature of coffee, cold water, and refrigerant in each channel in real time, and to issue an early warning when the temperature is too low, thereby further preventing freezing.

[0018] A coffee machine, comprising a refrigeration piping system as described in any of the above technical solutions.

[0019] The coffee machine in this technology uses the refrigeration piping system of the aforementioned coffee machine, which can achieve the dual functions of producing low-temperature coffee and cold water. It has a simple structure and is easy to install.

[0020] As can be seen from the above technical solution, compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: This invention provides a refrigeration piping system for a coffee machine. By setting a first pipe and a second pipe inside the evaporator as the coffee channel and the cold water channel, a single evaporator can be used to produce low-temperature coffee and low-temperature cold water respectively. The system has fewer components, a simple structure, and is easy to install, effectively reducing costs. The first pipe and the second pipe are respectively arranged parallel to each other on the inner and outer sides of the refrigerant pipe, resulting in high heat exchange efficiency and rapid cooling of the liquid. This system can be applied to fully automatic coffee machines to provide instant cold coffee or ice water, shortening the user's waiting time.

[0021] A coffee machine employs the refrigeration piping system of the aforementioned coffee machine to achieve the dual functions of producing low-temperature coffee and cold water. It has a simple structure and is easy to install.

[0022] In addition, other advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the water circuit of the refrigeration piping system of a coffee machine in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the evaporator structure in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the internal piping of the evaporator in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a top view of the evaporator in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a top view of the internal piping of the evaporator in one embodiment of the present invention; Explanation of reference numerals in the attached diagram: 1. Compressor; 2. Condenser; 3. Condenser fan; 4. Solenoid valve; 5. Throttling mechanism; 6. Evaporator; 61. First pipe; 611. Drinking water inlet; 612. Drinking water outlet; 62. Second pipe; 621. Coffee inlet; 622. Coffee outlet; 63. Refrigerant pipe; 631. Refrigerant inlet; 632. Refrigerant outlet; 7. Three-way valve; 8. Air pump; 9. Check valve; 10. Coffee brewing device. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0026] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. Furthermore, in the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0027] Reference Figure 1-5 A refrigeration piping system for a coffee machine and a coffee machine according to an embodiment of the present invention are described. The refrigeration piping system of the coffee machine can be applied to coffee machines that require instant cooling.

[0028] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1-5 As shown, a refrigeration piping system for a coffee machine includes a liquid supply pipeline and a refrigeration system. The refrigeration system includes a compressor 1, a condenser 2, a throttling mechanism 5, and an evaporator 6, which are connected in sequence and form a refrigerant circulation loop. The evaporator 6 has a first pipe 61, a refrigerant pipe 63, and a second pipe 62 inside. The first pipe 61, the refrigerant pipe 63, and the second pipe 62 are all spiral tubes and are arranged in parallel from the inside to the outside. There are gaps between the first pipe 61, the refrigerant pipe 63, and the second pipe 62, and they are connected by a heat-conducting medium. The first pipe 61 and the second pipe 62 are both connected to the liquid supply pipeline, and the refrigerant pipe 63 is connected in the refrigerant circulation loop.

[0029] The liquid supply pipeline is the pipeline through which liquids such as high-temperature coffee or hot water enter. The first pipeline 61, the refrigerant pipeline 63, and the second pipeline 62 form three parallel spiral channels. The first pipeline 61 and the second pipeline 62 are located on the inner and outer sides of the refrigerant pipeline 63, respectively, with the refrigerant pipeline 63 situated between the first pipeline 61 and the second pipeline 62. The heat transfer medium can be a solid material, such as thermally conductive metals like copper or aluminum, to achieve rapid heat conduction. The heat from the coffee or water can be transferred to the refrigerant through the heat transfer medium. The refrigerant, upon heating, vaporizes and carries away the heat from the high-temperature liquid, thus achieving liquid cooling.

[0030] Specifically, the following configuration can be used: the inner first pipe 61 is a drinking water channel for producing low-temperature cold water; the middle refrigerant pipe 63 is a refrigerant channel; and the outer second pipe 62 is a coffee channel for producing low-temperature coffee. It should be noted that, depending on the structural design requirements of the coffee machine, the first pipe 61 can also be used as a coffee channel, in which case the second pipe 62 is a drinking water channel.

[0031] In specific implementation, the first pipe 61, refrigerant pipe 63, and second pipe 62 are all heat-conducting pipes, which can be metal pipes, such as stainless steel pipes or copper pipes. The inlets of the first pipe 61, refrigerant pipe 63, and second pipe 62 can be located at the lower or upper part of the evaporator 6, which can be flexibly set according to the actual product needs. Typically, the refrigerant pipe 63 is set to bottom inlet and top outlet, with the refrigerant entering in liquid form and exiting in gaseous form; the first pipe 61 and second pipe 62 can be set to top inlet and bottom outlet, or bottom inlet and top outlet, and this embodiment does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0032] This embodiment provides a refrigeration piping system for a coffee machine. By setting a first pipe 61 and a second pipe 62 inside the evaporator 6 as the coffee channel and the cold water channel, a single evaporator 6 can be used to produce low-temperature coffee and low-temperature cold water respectively. It has fewer components, a simple structure, and is easy to install, which can effectively reduce costs. The first pipe 61 and the second pipe 62 are respectively arranged parallel to each other on the inner and outer sides of the refrigerant pipe 63, which has high heat exchange efficiency and can achieve rapid cooling of liquid. It can be applied to fully automatic coffee machines to realize the function of instant cold coffee or ice water, shortening the user's waiting time.

[0033] In one embodiment, the refrigeration system further includes a solenoid valve 4, which is located between the outlet of the condenser 2 and the inlet of the refrigerant pipeline 63.

[0034] Among them, the solenoid valve 4 can be connected in parallel at both ends of the throttling mechanism 5 to form a bypass branch. When the solenoid valve 4 is open, the refrigerant flowing out of the condenser 2 can flow directly into the refrigerant pipeline 63 through the solenoid valve 4 without passing through the throttling mechanism 5.

[0035] In practice, the coffee machine can open the solenoid valve 4 the instant the compressor 1 stops after the liquid has cooled down. At this time, the refrigerant with a higher temperature in the condenser 2 enters the refrigerant pipe 63 in the evaporator 6 through the solenoid valve 4, causing the temperature of the evaporator 6 to rise instantly, thereby preventing the liquid coffee liquid or water remaining in the first pipe 61 or the second pipe 62 in the evaporator 6 from freezing.

[0036] In one embodiment, a coffee brewing device 10, a one-way valve 9, and a three-way valve 7 are sequentially connected on the liquid supply pipeline; the inlet A of the three-way valve 7 is connected to the one-way valve 9, the first outlet C of the three-way valve 7 is connected to the first pipeline 61, and the second outlet B of the three-way valve 7 is connected to the second pipeline 62.

[0037] The coffee brewing device 10 can output the brewed high-temperature coffee liquid to the inlet A of the three-way valve 7 through the one-way valve 9, or it can output water from the coffee machine's water tank to the inlet A of the three-way valve 7 through the one-way valve 9 via the built-in water pump. The one-way valve 9 can prevent liquid backflow and ensure safety. The three-way valve 7 can be an electric three-way valve, which can automatically switch the flow channels under the control of the coffee machine, thereby controlling the coffee and water to flow through different channels and enter the first pipe 61 and the second pipe 62 respectively.

[0038] Specifically, when making low-temperature coffee, the AB end of the three-way valve 7 is open and the AC end is closed; when making cold water, the AB end of the three-way valve 7 is closed and the AC end is open, thus realizing the dual function of making low-temperature coffee and cold water.

[0039] This embodiment uses a three-way valve 7 to control the flow of coffee and water through different channels, achieving the dual function of producing low-temperature coffee and cold water. It has a compact structure, is easy to operate, and has high reliability.

[0040] In one embodiment, an air pump 8 is provided between the inlet end of the three-way valve 7 and the one-way valve 9.

[0041] The air pump 8 is used to purge the first pipe 61 or the second pipe 62 after the liquid flows out.

[0042] Specifically, once the liquid has cooled down, the coffee machine can control the air pump 8 to turn on and purge the pipes inside the evaporator 6, further reducing coffee liquid or water residue in the pipes and helping to prevent freezing.

[0043] In one embodiment, the refrigeration system further includes a condenser fan 3 for dissipating heat from the condenser 2, thereby preventing the condenser 2 from overheating and being damaged.

[0044] In one embodiment, the refrigerant inlet 631 of the refrigerant pipe 63 is located at the lower part of the evaporator 6, and the refrigerant outlet 632 of the refrigerant pipe 63 is located at the upper part of the evaporator 6. The inlets of the first pipe 61 and the second pipe 62 are both located at the upper part of the evaporator 6, and the outlets of the first pipe 61 and the second pipe 62 are both located at the lower part of the evaporator 6.

[0045] The upper part of the first pipe 61 and the second pipe 62 are inlets, and the lower part is an outlet; the lower part of the refrigerant pipe 63 is an inlet, and the upper part is an outlet. The liquid refrigerant flows down evenly under the action of gravity, and the gaseous refrigerant rises and is discharged naturally after evaporation. This can prevent abnormal phenomena such as liquid slugging, improve reliability, and also help the refrigerant to form a more effective contact with the pipe wall of the refrigerant pipe 63, thereby improving the heat transfer effect.

[0046] Specifically, taking the first pipe 61 as a drinking water channel and the second pipe 62 as a coffee channel as an example, the first pipe 61 may have an upper drinking water inlet 611 and a lower drinking water outlet 612, the second pipe 62 may have an upper coffee inlet 621 and a lower coffee outlet 622, and the refrigerant pipe 63 may have a lower refrigerant inlet 631 and an upper refrigerant outlet 632.

[0047] In practice, as shown in Figure Q, the upper part of the evaporator 6 is equipped with a coffee inlet 621, a refrigerant outlet 632, and a drinking water inlet 611. The bottom of the evaporator is equipped with a coffee outlet 622, a refrigerant inlet 631, and a drinking water outlet 612.

[0048] In the evaporator 6 described above, the refrigerant pipe 2 enters from the bottom and exits from the top, while the first pipe 61 and the second pipe 62 both enter from the top and exit from the bottom. The liquid and refrigerant flow in opposite directions, achieving countercurrent heat exchange. This keeps the temperature difference between the refrigerant and the cooled liquid relatively large, thus optimizing the heat transfer process.

[0049] In one embodiment, the evaporator 6 is made of thermally conductive metal; the first pipe 61, the refrigerant pipe 63 and the second pipe 62 are fixed inside the evaporator 6 by inlay casting and are integrated with the evaporator 6 as a whole.

[0050] The heat-conducting medium is the heat-conducting metal that constitutes the evaporator 6. In specific implementation, when manufacturing the evaporator 6, three spiral tubes can be pre-installed and fixed inside the casting cavity, so that the three spiral tubes are parallel from the inside to the outside. Then, the casting molten metal (aluminum, copper or other alloy) is poured into the casting cavity. After the casting molten metal solidifies, it combines with the three spiral tubes to form an evaporator 6 with a first pipe 61, a refrigerant pipe 63 and a second pipe 62 inside. The metal constituting the evaporator 6 is the heat-conducting medium.

[0051] In the above technology, the first pipe 61, the refrigerant pipe 63 and the second pipe 62 are more firmly integrated with the evaporator 6, making it less likely for the pipes to fall off or leak, thus ensuring stability and safety. At the same time, it can ensure that the first pipe 61 and the second pipe 62 are in full contact with the refrigerant pipe 63 through the heat-conducting metal, thereby ensuring efficient heat exchange.

[0052] In one embodiment, the evaporator 6 is an annular cylinder, which can better fit into the spiral first pipe 61, refrigerant pipe 63 and second pipe 62 for inlay casting, saving materials, reducing costs, and has a simple structure that is easy to install into a coffee machine.

[0053] In one embodiment, temperature sensors (not shown in the figure) are provided on the first pipe 61, the refrigerant pipe 63 and the second pipe 62, which can detect the temperature of coffee, cold water and refrigerant in each channel in real time, and issue an early warning when the temperature is too low, so as to further prevent freezing.

[0054] Based on the above embodiments, the working process of the coffee machine's refrigeration piping system is described in detail: I. The process of making low-temperature coffee: When making iced coffee (generally referring to coffee chilled below 10℃), the refrigeration system operates. The refrigerant flows from compressor 1 through condenser 2, throttling mechanism 5, and evaporator 6 back to compressor 1. The coffee flows from coffee brewing device 10 through one-way valve 9 and three-way valve 7 to the second pipe 62 (coffee flow channel) inside evaporator 6. At this time, the A and B ends of three-way valve 7 are open. In this mode, 90℃ coffee liquid can be cooled to below 10℃ after flowing through evaporator 6, resulting in iced coffee.

[0055] When the iced coffee is finished, compressor 1 stops, and the refrigerant flows from condenser 2 through solenoid valve 4 and evaporator 6 to compressor 1. At the same time, air pump 8 works, and the gas flows from air pump 8 through three-way valve 7 to the second pipe 62 in evaporator 6. At this time, the AB end of three-way valve 7 is open.

[0056] In this mode, the high-temperature refrigerant flows through the evaporator 6 back to the compressor 1, and the temperature of the evaporator 6 rises instantly, which can effectively prevent the second pipe 62 inside the evaporator 6 from freezing. At the same time, the air pump 8 blows the second pipe 62 inside the evaporator to prevent coffee liquid residue and prevent the coffee liquid from freezing. During the above process, the temperature sensor of the second pipe 62 can detect the coffee liquid temperature in real time and issue an early warning in time to further prevent the coffee liquid from freezing.

[0057] II. The process of making ice water: When making chilled water (generally referring to water at temperatures below 10°C), the refrigeration system operates, with the refrigerant flowing from compressor 1 through condenser 2, throttling mechanism 5, and evaporator 6 back to compressor 1. Drinking water flows from coffee brewing device 10 through check valve 9 and three-way valve 7 back to the first pipe 61 (drinking water channel) within evaporator 6. At this time, the AC end of three-way valve 7 is open. In this mode, the refrigeration piping system can produce low-temperature chilled water. When the chilled water operation is completed, the compressor stops and the refrigerant flows from the condenser 2 through the solenoid valve 4 and the evaporator 6 to the compressor 1. At the same time, the gas pump 8 works and the gas flows from the gas pump 8 through the three-way valve 7 to the first pipe 61 in the evaporator 6. At this time, the AC end of the three-way valve 7 is open.

[0058] In this mode, the high-temperature refrigerant flows through the evaporator 6 back to the compressor 1, and the temperature of the evaporator 6 rises instantly, which can effectively prevent the first pipe 61 inside the evaporator 6 from freezing. At the same time, the air pump 8 blows the first pipe 61 inside the evaporator to prevent water residue and prevent the drinking water from freezing. During the above process, the temperature sensor of the first pipe 61 can detect the cold water temperature in real time and issue an early warning to further prevent the cold water from freezing.

[0059] In another embodiment, the present invention provides a coffee machine that includes a refrigeration piping system as described in any of the above embodiments, which can realize the dual functions of producing low-temperature coffee and cold water, and has a simple structure and is easy to install.

[0060] The coffee machine can be a fully automatic coffee machine, and its coffee brewing device 10 can be connected to the inlet of the first pipe 61 and the second pipe 62 through the one-way valve 9 and the three-way valve 7 respectively; the outlet of the first pipe 61 and the second pipe 62 are used to connect to the beverage output port of the coffee machine for outputting low-temperature coffee or low-temperature water.

[0061] The working principle of the above coffee machine: I. The process of making low-temperature coffee: When the user presses the coffee-making button, the coffee brewing device 10 starts grinding beans to prepare for brewing; at the same time, the compressor 1 starts, and the high-temperature gaseous refrigerant is liquefied through the condenser 2. The liquefied refrigerant is then throttled through the throttling mechanism 5, becoming a low-temperature gas-liquid mixture that enters the refrigerant pipe 63 of the evaporator 6. The refrigerant absorbs heat and vaporizes in the evaporator 6, then returns to the compressor 1 for compression, and then flows through the condenser 2, forming a complete refrigerant cycle; the air pump 8 starts simultaneously to purge the second pipe 62 in the evaporator 6 through which the coffee liquid flows; when the temperature of the evaporator 6 is detected to have reached the set value, the coffee begins to brew, and the air pump 8 is turned off. At this time, the AB ends of the three-way valve 7 are open, and the brewed high-temperature coffee liquid flows through the three-way valve 7, where it exchanges heat with the refrigerant in the evaporator 6 to cool down, and the resulting low-temperature coffee flows out into the user's cup; After the coffee liquid has been dispensed, the coffee machine starts the air pump 8 to purge the three-way valve 7 through which the coffee liquid flows. At this time, the A and B ends of the three-way valve 7 are open, and the coffee liquid flows out through the second pipe 62 of the evaporator 6, ensuring that there is no coffee liquid residue in the evaporator 6. At the same time, the compressor 1 is turned off and the bypass solenoid valve 4 is opened. The high-temperature refrigerant in the condenser 2 enters the evaporator 6 through the bypass solenoid valve 4, which raises the surface temperature of the evaporator 6 and prevents the residual coffee liquid in the second pipe 62 of the evaporator 6 from freezing due to excessive cooling.

[0062] II. Process of making low-temperature cold water: When the user presses the button to make ice water, the water pump in the coffee brewing device 10 starts to work, but coffee bean grinding and brewing are not performed at this time.

[0063] At the same time, compressor 1 starts to run in cooling mode, and air pump 8 starts to purge the first pipe 61 of evaporator 6 through which drinking water flows. When the temperature of evaporator 6 is detected to have reached the set value, cold water enters evaporator 6. At the same time, air pump 8 is turned off. At this time, the AC end of three-way valve 7 is opened. Water in the coffee machine water tank flows through three-way valve 7 under the action of water pump. It exchanges heat with refrigerant in evaporator 6 to cool down, thereby obtaining low-temperature cold water, which flows out into the user's cup. After the cold water has finished flowing out, the coffee machine starts the air pump 8 to purge the three-way valve 7 through which the cold water flows. At this time, the three-way valve AC is open, and the cold water flows through the first pipe 61 in the evaporator 6 to ensure that there is no liquid residue in the evaporator 6. At the same time, the compressor 1 is turned off and the bypass solenoid valve 4 is opened. The high-temperature refrigerant in the condenser 2 enters the evaporator 6 through the bypass solenoid valve 4, which raises the surface temperature of the evaporator 6 and prevents the supercooled liquid remaining in the first pipe 61 in the evaporator 6 from freezing.

[0064] The refrigeration piping system, other components, and operation of the coffee machine according to embodiments of the present invention are known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0065] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0066] In the description of this specification, references to the terms "embodiment," "specific embodiment," "example," etc., refer to a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example that is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention.

[0067] In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the terms used do not necessarily refer to the same embodiments or examples. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined with each other in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples without interference or contradiction.

Claims

1. A refrigeration piping system for a coffee machine, characterized in that: It includes a liquid supply pipeline and a refrigeration system, wherein the refrigeration system includes a compressor (1), a condenser (2), a throttling mechanism (5) and an evaporator (6) that are connected in sequence and form a refrigerant circulation loop. The evaporator (6) is provided with a first pipe (61), a refrigerant pipe (63) and a second pipe (62). The first pipe (61), the refrigerant pipe (63) and the second pipe (62) are all spiral pipes and are arranged in parallel from the inside to the outside. There are gaps between the first pipe (61), the refrigerant pipe (63) and the second pipe (62) and they are connected by a heat-conducting medium. The first pipe (61) and the second pipe (62) are both connected to the liquid supply pipe, and the refrigerant pipe (63) is connected in the refrigerant circulation loop.

2. The refrigeration piping system of the coffee machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The refrigeration system also includes a solenoid valve (4), which is located between the outlet of the condenser (2) and the inlet of the refrigerant pipe (63).

3. The refrigeration piping system of the coffee machine according to claim 2, characterized in that: The liquid supply pipeline is equipped with a coffee brewing device (10), a one-way valve (9) and a three-way valve (7) connected in sequence. The inlet end of the three-way valve (7) is connected to the one-way valve (9), the first outlet end of the three-way valve (7) is connected to the first pipeline (61), and the second outlet end of the three-way valve (7) is connected to the second pipeline (62).

4. The refrigeration piping system of the coffee machine according to claim 3, characterized in that: An air pump (8) is provided between the inlet end of the three-way valve (7) and the one-way valve (9).

5. The refrigeration piping system of the coffee machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The refrigeration system also includes a condenser fan (3) for dissipating heat from the condenser (2).

6. The refrigeration piping system of the coffee machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The refrigerant inlet (631) of the refrigerant pipe (63) is located at the lower part of the evaporator (6), and the refrigerant outlet (632) of the refrigerant pipe (63) is located at the upper part of the evaporator (6); the inlets of the first pipe (61) and the second pipe (62) are both located at the upper part of the evaporator (6), and the outlets of the first pipe (61) and the second pipe (62) are both located at the lower part of the evaporator (6).

7. The refrigeration piping system of the coffee machine according to claim 6, characterized in that: The evaporator (6) is made of thermally conductive metal; the first pipe (61), the refrigerant pipe (63) and the second pipe (62) are fixed inside the evaporator (6) by inlay casting and are integrated with the evaporator (6) as a whole.

8. The refrigeration piping system of the coffee machine according to claim 7, characterized in that: The evaporator (6) is an annular column.

9. The refrigeration piping system of the coffee machine according to claim 6, characterized in that: Temperature sensors are provided on the first pipe (61), the refrigerant pipe (63) and the second pipe (62).

10. A coffee machine, characterized in that: Includes the refrigeration piping system of a coffee machine as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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