Self-service tea machine

Abstract

The utility model relates to a self-service tea making machine, which comprises a box body, components fixed in the box body and a controller electrically connected with the components, the components comprise a mechanical arm fixed in the box body, and a cup falling mechanism, an ingredient feeding mechanism, a tea making mechanism, a sealing mechanism and a water supply mechanism which are arranged in the box body around the mechanical arm; a finished product outlet is formed in one side face of the box body, a touch screen is arranged above the finished product outlet, and the touch screen is electrically connected with the controller. All the assemblies are arranged in the box body in a three-dimensional mode around the mechanical arm, meanwhile, the finished product outlet and the touch screen are arranged on the outer side of the box body, the formed product structure is three-dimensional and compact, and self-service ordering and goods taking can be achieved. Furthermore, by optimizing the structure of each component, the structure of the box body can be more compact, the quality of the manufactured product is improved, and the box body is safe, sanitary, convenient, rapid and wide in market prospect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of intelligent catering equipment, and in particular to a self-service tea drinking machine. Background Art

[0002] Smart catering is the product of the integration of technology and healthy eating concepts. It uses modern communication technology to combine traditional manufacturing, transforming and upgrading traditional catering equipment to provide consumers with more convenient, efficient, and personalized services.

[0003] As consumers increasingly pursue quality, health, and experience, my country's new tea beverage industry has shown strong growth momentum, with the overall market size continuing to expand. A variety of milk tea shops and fruit tea shops have emerged one after another and are deeply loved by consumers.

[0004] However, the tea beverage industry is still primarily based on brick-and-mortar stores, where operations are manually performed in specialized operation rooms, occupying large spaces. Sales still rely on traditional manual checkout procedures, leading to long queues at milk tea shops, a waste of time and increased labor costs. Furthermore, manual production makes it difficult to guarantee food safety and precise ingredient ratios. Furthermore, existing brick-and-mortar stores often use tea bags to brew tea or add flavorings to adjust the tea's flavor, making it difficult to guarantee product quality and taste.

[0005] Therefore, in order to improve service efficiency and meet personalized dietary requirements, providing self-service tea drinking equipment that matches the smart catering industry is also an urgent problem to be solved. Utility Model Content

[0006] The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the above shortcomings and defects, and to propose a self-service tea drinking machine with a three-dimensional and compact structure, which can be used for self-service ordering and fully automatic production. Moreover, the self-service tea drinking machine of the present invention uses whole tea leaves for brewing, and the quality of tea leaves, water quality and temperature are controllable, which completely simulates the original ecological tea brewing process, ensures the quality of tea, and thus improves the quality of the final product.

[0007] To achieve this purpose, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0008] A self-service tea drinking machine includes a box body, various components fixed to the box body, and a controller electrically connected to each component. The components include a robotic arm fixed to the middle part of the box body, and a cup dropping mechanism, an ingredient feeding mechanism, a tea brewing mechanism, a sealing mechanism, and a water supply mechanism installed inside the box body around the robotic arm; a finished product outlet is provided on one side of the box body, and a touch screen is provided above the finished product outlet, and the touch screen is electrically connected to the controller.

[0009] The utility model arranges the components three-dimensionally inside the box around the mechanical arm, and provides a finished product outlet and a touch screen on the outside of the box, which is convenient for placing orders and picking up goods, and can realize self-service ordering and production.

[0010] Preferably, the ingredient feeding mechanism includes at least one of a liquid ingredient feeding mechanism, a slurry / paste ingredient feeding mechanism, and a solid ingredient feeding mechanism. The ingredients can be various other possible ingredients besides tea, such as liquid ingredients such as milk, syrup, and juice; slurry / paste ingredients such as taro paste and milkshakes, which are high-viscosity materials; and solid ingredients such as pearls, coconut flakes, taro balls, and fruit pieces.

[0011] Preferably, the solid ingredient feeding mechanism includes a hopper, a stirring mechanism, a screw mechanism, a discharge channel, a discharge port, and a drive device. The stirring mechanism is connected to the drive device shaft and installed in the hopper. The discharge channel is located below the hopper and connected to the discharge port at its bottom. The screw mechanism is located in the discharge channel and connected to the stirring mechanism at its top. The stirring mechanism disperses the ingredients, while the screw mechanism conveys them to prevent blockage, and the two mechanisms work together to ensure better material discharge.

[0012] Preferably, the liquid stock ingredient feeding structure includes a milk refrigeration mechanism for feeding and cooling fresh milk and a fructose supply mechanism for adding fructose. This makes the ingredients healthier and safer.

[0013] Preferably, the tea brewing mechanism includes a tea-taking station, a tea-conditioning station, and a tea-making station, a tea strainer, a movable positioning assembly, a tea supply assembly, and a water supply assembly. Each station is equipped with a tea strainer connected to the movable positioning assembly, allowing it to be positioned back and forth between different stations and flipped. The tea supply assembly is used to add tea leaves to the tea strainer at the tea-taking station. The water supply assembly includes a cold water supply assembly and a hot water supply assembly. A cold water outlet pipe connected to the cold water supply assembly is located above the tea-conditioning station; a hot water outlet pipe connected to the hot water supply assembly is located above the tea-making station. A liftable water storage mechanism is located below the tea-making station, which can be raised to soak the tea strainer located below the tea-making station. This simulates the original tea-making process: after taking tea, the tea is washed in the tea-conditioning station and then soaked in the tea-making station. After brewing, the tea leaves can be removed with the tea strainer and flipped over. The entire tea-making process is automated, and tea and water are separated.

[0014] Preferably, the movable positioning assembly includes a translation motor connected to a drive gear, the bottom of which is meshedly connected to a horizontal rack assembly. The bottom of the translation motor is connected to a horizontal guide rail, which is connected to a flip motor via a horizontal slider. The output end of the flip motor is connected to the tea strainer. This allows for linear translation between the two workstations, shortens the distance, and makes the design more compact, thus saving space.

[0015] Preferably, the tea supply assembly includes a tea storage box, a tea-dispensing fork, and a push rod; the tea-dispensing fork is located below the tea-dispensing opening of the tea storage box and can be pushed by the push rod to the top of the tea strainer. The tea storage box receives information to discharge tea, and tea leaves fall onto the tea-dispensing fork. The push rod then pushes forward, pushing the tea-dispensing fork to the top of the tea strainer. The tea-dispensing fork then separates, and the tea leaves are discharged into the tea strainer.

[0016] Preferably, the finished product outlet is provided with a liftable platform. In this way, after the robotic arm places the finished milk tea at the outlet, the lift motor descends, and the waiting staff takes the tea cup away. After the tea cup is taken away, the lift motor rises to the top position, and the space inside the box is closed, which is more hygienic and safe.

[0017] Preferably, a filter is also provided in the box for filtering the incoming water (tap water or direct drinking water). After filtration, one path can enter the water heater and be heated for making tea, thereby improving the quality of tea drinking water and enhancing the taste of the product. The other path can enter the cold water supply component without heating and be used for cleaning, rinsing residual materials, etc., to ensure that the water used in the entire production process is clean and hygienic.

[0018] Preferably, an ice maker is also provided in the box, which can make both hot and cold drinks to meet different needs.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0020] This utility model proposes a self-service tea dispenser. By arranging the components three-dimensionally within a housing around a robotic arm, and providing a finished product outlet and touch screen on the outside of the housing, the resulting product structure is compact and allows for self-service ordering and pickup. Further optimization of the component structure further enhances the housing's compactness, resulting in improved product quality, safety, hygiene, convenience, and broad market prospects. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 This is one of the overall structural diagrams of the self-service tea drinking machine according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0022] Figure 2 This is the second schematic diagram of the overall structure of the self-service tea machine according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the solid ingredient feeding mechanism of the self-service tea drinking machine according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 4 This is the second structural diagram of the solid ingredient feeding mechanism of the self-service tea drinking machine according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0025] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the tea brewing mechanism of the self-service tea drinking machine according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 6 This is the second structural diagram of the tea brewing mechanism of the self-service tea drinking machine according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0027] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the finished product outlet structure of the self-service tea machine according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0028] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the mechanical arm structure of the self-service tea machine according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0029] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the finished product cup dropping mechanism of the self-service tea drinking machine according to an embodiment of the present utility model. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0031] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "vertical", "up", "down", "horizontal", etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they cannot be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0032] In the description of the present invention, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "disposed," "installed," "connected," and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they may refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they may refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they may refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and they may refer to internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on specific circumstances.

[0033] Combine Figure 1-9 The present invention provides a self-service tea drinking machine, comprising a box body 1, and various components fixed to the box body 1 and a controller 2 electrically connected to the various components. The components include a robotic arm 3 fixed inside the box body, and a cup dropping mechanism 4, an ingredient feeding mechanism 5, a tea brewing mechanism 6, a sealing mechanism 7, and a water supply mechanism 8 installed inside the box body around the robotic arm 3; a finished product outlet 9 is provided on one side of the box body, and a touch screen 10 is provided above the finished product outlet 9, and the touch screen 10 is electrically connected to the controller 2.

[0034] The tea machine is set as a box structure, and orders are placed through the touch screen on the outside of the box; the various production components are set in the box, and the cup body is grasped by a robotic arm and rotated between the tea brewing mechanism and the various ingredient feeding mechanisms. Tea production is achieved in the closed space of the box, and then shipped through the finished product outlet, which is safe and hygienic.

[0035] The robot arm 3 is fixed in the box body 1, and the other components are arranged around the robot arm, so that the robot arm can carry the teacup and add ingredients between the components. The controller 2 can be a common PLC controller, etc., which can be set on the upper part of the box body 1 (such as Figure 1 The other production components can be set up according to the actual conditions such as the component volume and structure, and can be located in the upper, lower, left, and right directions of the robot arm.

[0036] The ingredient feeding mechanism 5 includes at least one of a liquid ingredient feeding mechanism 51, a slurry / paste ingredient feeding mechanism (not shown), and a solid ingredient feeding mechanism 52. Ingredients can be any other possible ingredient besides tea, such as liquid ingredients such as milk, syrup, and juice; slurry / paste ingredients such as taro paste and milkshakes, which are high-viscosity materials; and solid ingredients such as pearls, coconut flakes, taro balls, and fruit pieces. Different feeding mechanisms can be selected for different ingredients.

[0037] As a preferred embodiment, refer to Figure 3-4 The solid ingredient feeding mechanism 52 includes a hopper 521, a stirring mechanism 522, a screw mechanism 523, a discharge channel 524, a discharge port 528, and a driving device 526; the stirring mechanism 522 is connected to the shaft of the driving device 526 and is installed in the hopper 521; the discharge channel 524 is located below the hopper 521, and the bottom is connected to the discharge port 525. The screw mechanism 523 is located in the discharge channel 524, and the top is connected to the stirring mechanism 522.

[0038] In this way, the material is stored in the hopper, and the control drive device drives the stirring mechanism and screw mechanism, allowing the material to flow out of the discharge port more smoothly. Because solid ingredients are generally highly viscous, they tend to settle and adhere to each other after being left for a period of time, forming large particles. This can easily lead to blockage of the screw mechanism inlet, preventing normal discharge. Combined with the rotation of the stirring mechanism, it can break up the stuck material, allowing it to enter the screw mechanism in an orderly manner for discharge. When the screw mechanism is stopped, it also blocks the material from entering the discharge port. When it starts rotating, the material is discharged in an orderly manner.

[0039] As a preferred embodiment, refer to Figure 1 The liquid stock ingredient feeding mechanism 51 includes a milk cooling mechanism 511 and a fructose supply mechanism 512. The milk cooling mechanism is used to feed and cool fresh milk; the fructose supply mechanism is used to add fructose. This makes the ingredients healthier and safer.

[0040] As a preferred embodiment, refer to Figure 5-6 The tea brewing mechanism includes a tea taking station 61, a tea conditioning station 62 and a tea brewing station 63. Each station is provided with a tea strainer 64, which is connected to a mobile positioning component 65. The mobile positioning component 65 can drive the tea strainer to move back and forth between different stations and can be flipped.

[0041] The tea brewing mechanism 6 also includes a tea supply component 66 and a water supply component 67 ; the tea supply component 66 is used to add tea leaves into the tea strainer at the tea taking station; the water supply component 67 includes a cold water supply component 671 and a hot water supply component 672 .

[0042] A cold water outlet pipe connected to the cold water supply component is provided above the tea moistening station 62; a hot water outlet pipe connected to the hot water supply component is provided above the tea brewing station, and a liftable water storage mechanism 68 is also provided below the tea brewing station, which can rise to soak the tea strainer below the tea brewing station 63.

[0043] It should be noted that the cold water supply component mentioned in the present invention refers to normal temperature water or tap water that is not heated and has the same temperature as the water inlet temperature of the equipment.

[0044] During startup, the tea supply assembly 66 first adds tea leaves to the tea strainer 64 at the tea-removing station 61. The tea leaves are then transferred to the tea strainer at the tea-rinsing station 62 via the movable positioning assembly 65. The cold water outlet is then opened to rinse the tea leaves in the strainer with tap water. Once this is complete, the tea leaves are transferred to the tea strainer at the tea-brewing station 63 via the movable positioning assembly 65. The lower liftable water storage mechanism 68 then rises, simultaneously opening the hot water outlet to add hot water and brew the tea leaves. Once brewing is complete, the liftable water storage mechanism 68 descends, allowing the brewed tea to flow from the liftable water storage mechanism into the tea channel and into the teacup. The tea strainer then moves back to the rinsing station with the movable positioning assembly, where it is flipped over and the spent tea leaves are dumped. The entire tea-brewing process is automated, ensuring tea and water separation.

[0045] Further, as a preferred embodiment, refer to Figure 5-6 The mobile positioning assembly 65 includes a translation motor 651 connected to a drive gear, the bottom of which is meshed and connected to a horizontal rack assembly. The bottom of the translation motor 651 is connected to a horizontal guide rail, which is connected to a flip motor 652 via a horizontal slider. The output end of the flip motor 652 is connected to the tea strainer. This allows for linear translation between two workstations, shortening the distance and making the design more compact, thus saving space.

[0046] As a preferred embodiment, refer to Figure 5-6The tea supply assembly 66 includes a tea storage box 661, a tea-dispensing fork 662, and a push rod 663. The tea-dispensing fork 662, driven by the push rod 663, can move back and forth between the tea-dispensing opening of the tea storage box 661 and the tea strainer at the tea-removing station 61. Thus, the tea storage box receives information to dispense tea, and tea leaves fall onto the tea-dispensing fork. The push rod then pushes forward, pushing the tea-dispensing fork over the tea strainer. The tea-dispensing fork then separates, allowing the tea leaves to flow into the tea strainer.

[0047] As a preferred embodiment, refer to Figure 7 The finished product outlet 9 is provided with a lifting platform 91, which can be raised and lowered by a lifting motor 92. In this way, after the robot arm places the finished milk tea on the lifting platform at the outlet, the lifting motor drives the lifting platform to descend, waiting for the staff to take the tea cup away. After the tea cup is taken away, the lifting platform rises to the top position, and the space inside the box is closed, which is more hygienic and safe. Preferably, Figure 7 As shown, after putting the milk tea in, the lifting platform can be lowered, and a certain space can be reserved above to prevent people from being pinched and also to prevent people from putting their hands into the machine.

[0048] As a preferred embodiment, a filter is also provided in the box for filtering the incoming water (tap water or direct drinking water). After filtration, one path can enter the water heater and be heated for making tea, thereby improving the quality of tea drinking water and enhancing the taste of the product. The other path can enter the cold water supply component without heating and be used for cleaning, rinsing residual materials, etc., to ensure that the water used in the entire production process is clean and hygienic.

[0049] The mechanical arm and cup dropping mechanism of the tea drinking machine of the present invention can be as follows: Figure 8 or Figure 9 As shown, other commonly used robotic arm structures or cup dropping mechanisms known to those skilled in the art may also be used.

[0050] The working process of the tea drinking machine of the utility model embodiment is as follows:

[0051] A tea machine according to a specific embodiment of the present invention comprises a housing, various components fixed to the housing, and a controller electrically connected to each component. The components include a robotic arm fixed to the center of the housing, and a cup dropping mechanism, an ingredient feeding mechanism, a tea brewing mechanism, a sealing mechanism, and a water supply mechanism mounted within the housing around the robotic arm. A finished product outlet is provided on one side of the housing, and a touch screen is provided above the finished product outlet, which is electrically connected to the controller. The ingredient feeding mechanism includes a milk refrigeration machine, an ice maker, and other solid ingredient feeding mechanisms.

[0052] If a customer places an order for a cup of milk tea through the touch screen, the specific process is: all components are in place - the robotic arm gripper clamps - the cup dropper takes the tea cup - the ingredient mechanism adds ingredients - the refrigerated milk machine adds milk - the fructose supply mechanism adds fructose - the tea brewing mechanism adds tea - the ice maker adds ice cubes - the sealing machine seals - the milk tea is delivered to the finished product outlet - the robotic arm gripper opens - and returns to the original position.

[0053] The technical features of the above-mentioned embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. In order to make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-mentioned embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0054] The above-described embodiments merely represent several implementations of the present invention. While the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the utility model patent. It should be noted that a person skilled in the art would be able to make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these modifications and improvements fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present utility model patent shall be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A self-service tea machine, characterized in that: It comprises a box (1), components fixed to the box, and a controller (2) electrically connected to the components. The assembly comprises a mechanical arm (3) fixed inside the box, and a cup dropping mechanism (4), an ingredient feeding mechanism (5), a tea brewing mechanism (6), a sealing mechanism (7), and a water supply mechanism (8) installed inside the box around the mechanical arm (3); A finished product outlet (9) is provided on one side of the exterior of the box (1), and a touch screen (10) is provided above the finished product outlet. The touch screen (10) is electrically connected to the controller (2).

2. The self-service tea machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ingredient feeding mechanism (5) includes at least one of a liquid ingredient feeding mechanism (51), a slurry / paste ingredient feeding mechanism, and a solid ingredient feeding mechanism (52).

3. The self-service tea machine according to claim 2, characterized in that: The solid ingredient feeding mechanism (52) comprises a hopper (521), a stirring mechanism (522), a screw mechanism (523), a discharge channel (524), a discharge port (525), and a driving device (526); the stirring mechanism (522) is axially connected to the driving device (526) and is installed in the hopper (521); the discharge channel (524) is located below the hopper (521), and is connected to the discharge port (525) at its bottom; the screw mechanism (523) is in the discharge channel (524), and is connected to the stirring mechanism (522) at its top.

4. The self-service tea machine according to claim 2, characterized in that: The liquid ingredient feeding mechanism (51) includes a milk cooling mechanism (511) and a fructose supply mechanism (512).

5. The self-service tea machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The tea brewing mechanism (6) comprises a tea taking station (61), a tea conditioning station (62), a tea brewing station (63), a tea strainer (64), a mobile positioning component (65), a tea supply component (66), and a water supply component (67); Each workstation is provided with a tea strainer (64) which is connected to the mobile positioning assembly (65) and can be positioned back and forth between different workstations and can be turned over; The tea supply component (66) is used to add tea leaves into the tea strainer at the tea taking station; The water supply component (67) includes a cold water supply component (671) and a hot water supply component (672); A cold water outlet pipe connected to a cold water supply assembly (671) is provided above the tea-conditioning station (62); A hot water outlet pipe connected to a hot water supply assembly (672) is provided above the tea-making station (63); A liftable water storage mechanism (68) is provided below the tea brewing station and can be lifted up to soak the tea strainer located below the tea brewing station (63).

6. The self-service tea machine according to claim 5, characterized in that: The mobile positioning assembly (65) includes a translation motor (651), the translation motor (651) is connected to a driving gear, the bottom of the driving gear is meshingly connected to a horizontal rack set, the bottom of the translation motor is connected to a horizontal guide rail, the horizontal guide rail is connected to a flip motor (652) through a horizontal slider, and the output end of the flip motor (652) is connected to the tea strainer (64).

7. The self-service tea machine according to claim 6, characterized in that: The tea supply assembly (66) comprises a tea storage box (661), a material distribution fork (662), and a push rod (663); the material distribution fork (662) can move back and forth below the discharge port of the tea storage box (661) and above the tea strainer at the tea-taking station (61) under the action of the push rod (663).

8. The self-service tea machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The finished product outlet (9) is provided with a liftable platform (91).

9. The self-service tea machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: A filter is also provided in the box (1) for filtering incoming water.

10. The self-service tea machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: An ice maker (11) is also provided in the box (1).

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