Beverage machine
By incorporating multiple branch pipes and components such as check valves and multi-way valves into the beverage machine, the problems of backflow and unstable pressure in semi-automatic coffee machines when balancing cold and hot brew water circuits are solved, achieving efficient and stable beverage production and equipment safety.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202520194814.7
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-02-07
- Publication Date
- 2026-02-24
- Estimated Expiration
- 2035-02-07
AI Technical Summary
Existing semi-automatic coffee machines, when balancing cold and hot brew water paths, are prone to backflow and unstable pressure, affecting extraction results and equipment safety.
The beverage machine is equipped with multiple branch pipes and components such as check valves and multi-way valves, which can be flexibly switched to prepare beverages of different properties, ensuring that the water flow has an independent direction and avoiding backflow and unstable pressure.
It improves beverage production efficiency and flavor diversity, ensures extraction quality and extends equipment lifespan, and meets the beverage production needs at different temperatures and pressures.
Smart Images

Figure CN223929959U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the field of beverage preparation technology, and in particular to a beverage machine. Background Technology
[0002] With the popularization of beverage culture and consumers' increasing pursuit of beverage quality, people hope to conveniently prepare flavorful beverages with a single device in both home and commercial settings. For example, in related technologies, semi-automatic coffee machines typically require the addition of a cold brew water path to the existing hot brew water path, using a reasonable valve layout for diversion or switching. However, while achieving multiple functions, it is necessary to consider multiple factors such as pipeline space, extraction pressure, flow rate, and back pressure control; otherwise, unexpected backflow and pressure instability can easily occur, affecting the coffee extraction effect and equipment safety.
[0003] Semi-automatic coffee machines are mostly designed with a single-path hot brewing system, unable to simultaneously handle cold brewing or other temperature and pressure requirements. Even when a cold brew water path is added, it is often achieved by directly connecting a room-temperature water pipe in parallel with the hot brewing line, relying on components such as three-way valves and solenoid valves to divert the flow. However, in actual use, if the line pressure is too high or the valve back pressure is insufficient, cross-flow or backflow may occur between the different water paths, causing the water flow path to deviate from the preset route. In severe cases, this can lead to coffee extraction failure or poor flavor. Utility Model Content
[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a beverage machine that can guarantee extraction quality and has a longer service life.
[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, this utility model provides a beverage machine, comprising:
[0006] Water supply source;
[0007] Brewing components for making beverages;
[0008] A water supply pipeline connects the water source and the brewing assembly;
[0009] A power source is provided in the water supply pipeline to deliver water from the water supply source to the brewing assembly;
[0010] A heater is provided on the water supply pipeline for heating water from the self-supply pipeline to supply water to the brewing assembly. The water supply pipeline includes a first branch pipeline, a second branch pipeline, and a delivery pipeline. The delivery pipeline is located upstream of the brewing assembly, and the first branch pipeline and the second branch pipeline are respectively connected to the delivery pipeline to supply water to the brewing assembly.
[0011] The first branch pipeline is also provided with a multi-way valve and a check valve. The check valve is connected between the multi-way valve and the delivery pipeline. The second branch pipeline is connected to the delivery pipeline downstream of the check valve. The check valve is used to restrict the flow from the second branch pipeline to the multi-way valve.
[0012] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows: By setting multiple branch pipelines and components such as check valves and multi-way valves on the same equipment, the beverage machine can flexibly meet the needs of preparing beverages of different natures, significantly improve the efficiency of beverage preparation and the diversity of flavors, and can effectively isolate water flow interference between branches, avoid insufficient beverage extraction pressure or flow caused by backflow, thereby ensuring extraction quality and extending the service life of the equipment.
[0013] As a further improvement of one embodiment of the present invention, the heater is disposed on the first branch pipe, the multi-way valve is a first three-way valve connected between the heater and the delivery pipe, and a second three-way valve is also provided on the water supply pipe. The second three-way valve is connected to the first branch pipe and the second branch pipe respectively. The second three-way valve is configured to deliver liquids of different temperatures to the brewing component through the first branch pipe or the second branch pipe to make high-temperature beverages or low-temperature beverages.
[0014] As a further improvement of one embodiment of the present invention, the water supply pipeline further includes a main pipeline, the heater is connected to the main pipeline, and the outlet end of the heater is provided with a second three-way valve, which is connected to the first branch pipeline and the second branch pipeline respectively; the first branch pipeline or the second branch pipeline supplies hot water of different pressures to the brewing component to make high-pressure beverages or low-pressure beverages.
[0015] As a further improvement of one embodiment of the present invention, a first check valve is provided on the second branch pipeline. The first check valve is used to restrict the flow from the first branch pipeline to the second three-way valve.
[0016] As a further improvement of one embodiment of the present invention, a third three-way valve is provided on the second branch pipeline. The third three-way valve includes a pressure relief port, which is connected to the wastewater pan.
[0017] As a further improvement of one embodiment of the present invention, the multi-way valve includes a first inlet, a first outlet and a second outlet. The first inlet is connected to the heater, the first outlet is connected to the conveying pipeline, and the second outlet is connected to the wastewater pan. The check valve is used to restrict the flow of the first outlet and the second outlet from the second branch pipeline.
[0018] As a further improvement of one embodiment of the present invention, a second one-way valve is provided on the delivery pipeline. The conduction pressure of the second one-way valve is greater than the back pressure of the multi-way valve from the first outlet to the first inlet. The second one-way valve is used to restrict the flow from the brewing component to the delivery pipeline.
[0019] As a further improvement of one embodiment of the present invention, the first branch pipeline, the second branch pipeline and the delivery pipeline are connected by a T-junction. The second branch pipeline is provided with a first check valve, and the delivery pipeline is provided with a second check valve and a pressure sensor. The second check valve is located between the T-junction and the pressure sensor.
[0020] As a further improvement of one embodiment of this utility model, it also includes a pressure relief pipeline connected to the water supply pipeline, a flow meter is provided between the water supply source and the power source, one end of the pressure relief pipeline is connected downstream of the power source, and the other end of the pressure relief pipeline is connected upstream of the flow meter; a third check valve is provided on the pressure relief pipeline, the conduction pressure of the third check valve is less than the preset pressure of the water supply pipeline and greater than the brewing pressure of the brewing component.
[0021] As a further improvement of one embodiment of the present invention, the water supply source includes a water tank and an external water source, one of which is connected to the water supply pipeline. A multi-port pipe is connected to the water supply pipeline. The multi-port pipe is located upstream of the flow meter. The other end of the pressure relief pipeline is connected to the multi-port pipe. Attached Figure Description
[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a beverage machine according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0023] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A diagram illustrating the process of a beverage machine making hot drinks.
[0024] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A diagram illustrating the process of a beverage machine making chilled drinks.
[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the beverage machine of this utility model.
[0026] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a beverage machine making high-pressure beverages.
[0027] Figure 6 yes Figure 4 A diagram illustrating the process of a beverage machine making low-pressure drinks.
[0028] The repeated use of reference numerals in this specification and the accompanying drawings is intended to indicate the same or similar features or elements of this application. Detailed Implementation
[0029] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the specific embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, these embodiments do not limit the present invention, and any structural, methodological, or functional modifications made by those skilled in the art based on these embodiments are included within the protection scope of the present invention.
[0030] It should be understood that terms such as “above,” “over,” “below,” and “under” used herein to indicate spatial relative position are for illustrative purposes to describe the relationship of one unit or feature relative to another unit or feature as shown in the accompanying drawings. The terms “spatial relative position” may be intended to include different orientations of the equipment in use or operation other than those shown in the figures.
[0031] As used herein, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third” are used interchangeably to distinguish one component from another, and these terms are not intended to indicate the location or importance of individual components. The terms “upstream” and “downstream” refer to the relative direction of fluid flow within a fluid pathway. For example, “upstream” refers to the direction from which the fluid flow originates, while “downstream” refers to the direction from which the fluid flow terminates.
[0032] Reference Figure 1 As shown, in one embodiment of this utility model, the beverage machine 100 includes a water source 20, a brewing component 30, a water supply pipe 40, and a power source 25. The water source 20 is used to provide water or other liquids needed for brewing beverages; the brewing component 30 is used to make beverages; the water supply pipe 40 connects the water source 20 and the brewing component 30; the power source 25 is disposed in the water supply pipe 40 to transport water from the water source 20 to the brewing component 30.
[0033] The brewing unit 30 can be a fully automatic brewing unit 30, meaning that the entire process from filling the beverage pellets to extracting the beverage is completed automatically by the beverage machine 100. Alternatively, the brewing unit 30 can be a semi-automatic brewing unit 30, where the user fills the beverage pellets and starts the water supply from the water source 20 to the brewing unit 30. The power source 25 can be configured as a water pump or other device capable of supplying water from the water source 20 to the brewing unit 30.
[0034] A heater 45 is provided on the water supply pipeline 40. The heater 45 is used to heat the water from the water supply pipeline 40 to supply the brewing assembly 30. The water supply pipeline 40 includes a first branch pipeline 41, a second branch pipeline 42, and a delivery pipeline 43. The delivery pipeline 43 is located upstream of the brewing assembly 30. The first branch pipeline 41 and the second branch pipeline 42 are respectively connected to the delivery pipeline 43 to supply water to the brewing assembly 30. The first branch pipeline 41 is also provided with a multi-way valve and a check valve 416. The check valve 416 is connected between the multi-way valve and the delivery pipeline 43. The second branch pipeline 42 is connected to the delivery pipeline 43 downstream of the check valve 416. The check valve 416 is used to restrict the flow from the second branch pipeline 42 to the multi-way valve.
[0035] Based on the above structure, to adapt to various beverage preparation needs, the beverage machine 100 achieves different extraction routes within the same body through the first branch pipe 41 and the second branch pipe 42, thus producing beverages of different properties. These different types of beverages can be high-temperature or low-temperature beverages; they can also be high-pressure or low-pressure beverages, meaning that different extraction pressures in the brewing component 30 result in different flavors.
[0036] By adding a check valve 416 to the first branch pipe 41, the unexpected water flow path from the second branch pipe 42 to the first branch pipe 41 can be effectively blocked, thereby maintaining the established flow and pressure path and avoiding extraction failure or damage to the extracted flavor.
[0037] In one embodiment of this utility model, the heater 45 is disposed on the first branch pipe 41, the multi-way valve is a first three-way valve 411 connected between the heater 45 and the delivery pipe 43, and the water supply pipe 40 is also provided with a second three-way valve 402. The second three-way valve 402 is connected to the first branch pipe 41 and the second branch pipe 42 respectively. The second three-way valve 402 is configured to deliver liquids of different temperatures to the brewing component 30 through the first branch pipe 41 or the second branch pipe 42 to make high-temperature beverages or low-temperature beverages.
[0038] In this embodiment, the first branch pipe 41, connected to the heater 45, provides hot water for high-temperature beverages. The second branch pipe 42, bypassing the heater 45, directly connects to the brewing assembly 30, providing cold or room-temperature water for low-temperature beverages. This results in beverages at different temperatures. These temperature differences can be perceptible to the user, such as cold, room-temperature, or hot beverages. The multi-port function of the second three-way valve 402 allows for quick switching between different temperature outlet channels within the same device, improving production efficiency while maintaining extraction quality, significantly expanding the applicability of the beverage machine 100. Simply switching the second three-way valve 402 to the channel connected to the second branch pipe 42 allows water to directly reach the brewing assembly 30 at room temperature via the delivery pipe 43.
[0039] The first branch pipe 41 can be connected to the electric heating plate, which serves as the heater 45, to provide hot water for making high-temperature beverages; the second branch pipe 42 can bypass the electric heating plate and directly deliver room temperature water to the brewing component 30, thereby enabling the preparation of room temperature beverages or other cold beverages.
[0040] Taking coffee making as an example, refer to Figure 2 When hot brewing coffee is needed, the power source 25 draws water from the water supply source 20 and sends it into the first branch pipe 41, as shown by the arrow in the figure. After being heated by the heater 45, the water flows to the first three-way valve 411. The check valve 416 allows one-way communication from the first branch pipe 41 to the delivery pipe 43, thus entering the delivery pipe 43 and finally being delivered to the brewing assembly 30. (Refer to...) Figure 3 If cold brew coffee is to be made, the power source 25 draws water from the water supply source 20 and sends it into the second branch pipe 42, as shown by the arrow in the figure. The water bypasses the heater 45 and flows directly to the delivery pipe 43 and is finally delivered to the brewing unit 30.
[0041] In this way, water flows of different temperatures do not need to interfere with each other in the same path, maintaining a stable extraction temperature and meeting more diverse beverage preparation scenarios, while reducing the redundancy or modification costs of the equipment structure. Moreover, when the water from the second branch pipe 42 enters the delivery pipe 43 for diversion, the water flowing towards the first branch pipe 41 is blocked by the check valve 416, and the water flow can only flow to the delivery pipe 43, thus preventing flow loss and not affecting the final coffee cup volume.
[0042] In some embodiments, a first check valve 421 is provided on the second branch pipe 42, which is used to restrict the flow from the first branch pipe 41 to the second three-way valve 402.
[0043] By adding the first one-way valve 421 to the second branch pipe 42, when the first branch pipe 41 is under high pressure (such as when making high-temperature beverages), the water flow is effectively blocked and will not flow back to the second three-way valve 402 through the second branch pipe 42, thereby ensuring the independent flow direction and pressure stability of each branch pipe and avoiding mutual interference of water flows of different temperatures or pressures.
[0044] In one embodiment of this utility model, the first three-way valve 411 includes a first inlet 412, a first outlet 413, and a second outlet 414. The first inlet 412 is connected to the heater 45, the first outlet 413 is connected to the conveying pipeline 43, and the second outlet 414 is connected to the wastewater pan 46. A check valve 416 is used to restrict the flow of the first outlet 413 and the second outlet 414 from the second branch pipeline 42. The first three-way valve 411 can control the connection between the second outlet 414 and the wastewater pan 46. When the pressure in the first branch pipeline 41 is too high, the second outlet 414 can be opened to discharge hot water into the wastewater pan 46 to relieve pressure on the first branch pipeline 41, thereby avoiding impact on the pipeline or downstream components and improving the reliability of the beverage machine 100. Especially in scenarios where different beverages are prepared continuously multiple times, the pressure relief function of the first three-way valve 411 can prevent excessive pressure in the pipeline from causing hidden dangers and improve the stability of the liquid quality.
[0045] In one embodiment of this utility model, a second one-way valve 432 is provided on the delivery pipeline 43. The conduction pressure of the second one-way valve 432 is greater than the back pressure of the first three-way valve 411 from the first outlet 413 to the second outlet 414. The second one-way valve 432 is used to restrict the flow of the self-brewing component 30 to the delivery pipeline 43.
[0046] In this embodiment, since the conduction pressure of the second one-way valve 432 is set higher than the back pressure of the first three-way valve 411, residual liquid and coffee grounds in the brewing assembly 30 can be prevented from being drawn back into the upstream pipeline when the pressure drops suddenly or the pipeline pressure changes, thus ensuring the cleanliness of the system and the stability of subsequent extraction.
[0047] Taking coffee making as an example, once the coffee extraction is complete, the water pump, which serves as the power source 25, stops supplying water. Due to inertia, the water flow will be drawn back, and the coffee grounds in the brewing unit 30 may be sucked into the upstream pipeline, easily causing blockage. A second one-way valve 432 is installed on the delivery pipeline 43 to reliably prevent coffee liquid or coffee grounds from flowing upstream.
[0048] Additionally, the outlet of heater 45 can be branched to hot water pipe 44, which is connected to hot water outlet 441. A control valve 442 is installed on hot water pipe 44 to control the output of hot water to hot water outlet 441. When hot water is being prepared, due to the presence of the second one-way valve 432, hot water will automatically flow out from control valve 442 instead of from brewing assembly 30.
[0049] In one embodiment of this utility model, the first branch pipe 41, the second branch pipe 42 and the conveying pipe 43 are connected by a three-way pipe 423. The second branch pipe 42 is provided with a first one-way valve 421, and the conveying pipe 43 is provided with a second one-way valve 432 and a pressure sensor 433. The second one-way valve 432 is disposed between the three-way pipe 423 and the pressure sensor 433.
[0050] By adding a T-junction 423 at the intersection of multiple pipeline branches, the reasonable allocation and switching of each branch pipeline can be achieved; the first check valve 421 is configured on the second branch pipeline 42, which can effectively prevent water from the first branch pipeline 41 from entering the second branch pipeline 42. Especially when the first branch pipeline 41 is in the high temperature and high pressure extraction mode, it can avoid the instability of flow and pressure caused by hot water backflow to the low temperature or low pressure pipeline.
[0051] The second check valve 432 and pressure sensor 433 installed on the delivery pipeline 43 are used to limit the direction of water flow and monitor the pipeline pressure, respectively: the second check valve 432 blocks the liquid from flowing back from the brewing component 30 to the three-way pipe 423 when there is a sudden pressure change or when the extraction ends, thereby keeping the upstream pipeline clean and stable; the pressure sensor 433 can detect the pressure level in the delivery pipeline 43 in real time, and work together with the control strategy of the power source 25 and the first three-way valve 411 to help adjust the working status of the power source 25, the first three-way valve 411 and other components in a timely manner under various extraction modes or switching scenarios, further ensuring the extraction quality and equipment safety.
[0052] Through the above-mentioned layout, more precise pressure and flow management can be achieved in a limited space, and backflow or cross-contamination at the junction of different branch pipelines can be effectively avoided. This implementation method can keep the pipeline unobstructed and the pressure stable under the production of different types of beverages, and meet the higher requirements for coffee extraction quality and equipment safety.
[0053] In one embodiment of this utility model, a pressure relief pipe 26 is also included, which is connected to the water supply pipe 40. A flow meter 24 is provided between the water supply source 20 and the power source 25. One end of the pressure relief pipe 26 is connected to the downstream of the power source 25, and the other end of the pressure relief pipe 26 is connected to the upstream of the flow meter 24. A third check valve 263 is provided on the pressure relief pipe 26. The conduction pressure of the third check valve 263 is less than the preset pressure of the water supply pipe 40 and greater than the brewing pressure of the brewing component 30.
[0054] By adding the pressure relief pipe 26 between the downstream of the power source 25 and the upstream of the flow meter 24, the high-pressure water flow can be automatically returned to the upstream side of the power source 25 when the pressure in the pipe exceeds the preset threshold. This ensures the required extraction pressure of the brewing component 30 while preventing continuous pressure from damaging the pipe and realizing water circulation.
[0055] When the pressure in the pipeline exceeds the conduction pressure of the third one-way valve 263, the excess water flows back through the pressure relief pipeline 26 to the upstream of the flow meter 24, so that the power source 25 can preferentially draw the pressurized return water, thereby achieving dynamic balance of pipeline pressure and reuse of water resources.
[0056] This embodiment, by precisely setting the opening pressure of the third one-way valve 263, avoids insufficient extraction pressure caused by premature pressure release and can quickly divert the flow under extreme pressure, significantly improving the safety and durability of the whole machine.
[0057] In one embodiment of this utility model, the water supply source 20 includes a water tank 21 and an external water source 22. Either the water tank 21 or the external water source 22 is connected to the water supply pipeline 40. A multi-port pipe 261 is connected to the water supply pipeline 40, and the multi-port pipe 261 is located upstream of the flow meter 24. The other end of the pressure relief pipeline 26 is connected to the multi-port pipe 261. By adding the multi-port pipe 261 to the water supply pipeline 40, the connection of the pressure relief pipeline 26 is facilitated. The pipeline structure can be flexibly configured without modifying the structure of the water tank 21, and the switching between the water tank 21 and the external water source 22 can be achieved, thereby meeting the water needs of various scenarios such as household or commercial use. The external water source 22 can be tap water provided by a municipal pipeline or bottled water from an external source.
[0058] The multi-way pipe 261 is connected upstream of the flow meter 24, so that when the pressure relief pipe 26 is open, the high-pressure water can flow back to the multi-way pipe 261 through the third one-way valve 263 and then be circulated and utilized by the power source 25. This will not affect the output of the predetermined water volume, which not only effectively alleviates the risk of overpressure, but also saves water resources.
[0059] Meanwhile, since the water supply source 20 can be connected to one of them, when the water in the water tank 21 is insufficient or the equipment needs to be moved, the water supply can be easily switched to the external water source 22 or the water tank 21 through the switching valve 23. This combination method not only improves the flexibility of equipment use, but also ensures the controllability of extraction pressure and the stability of the whole machine operation.
[0060] In the working process of the beverage machine 100, after the power source 25 is started, it draws water from the water supply source 20. If hot coffee is to be made, the water is sent into the first branch pipe 41 and heated by the heater 45. After the water temperature rises to a suitable extraction temperature, it enters the delivery pipe 43 through the first three-way valve 411 and the check valve 416 and reaches the brewing component 30. The brewing component 30 is used to extract coffee powder under high pressure, and hot coffee is produced and flows out into the user's cup.
[0061] If hot water is needed, it can be directly discharged through control valve 442 after being heated, avoiding the brewing unit 30. When cold coffee (cold brew) is needed, heater 45 is not activated, and water is delivered to brewing unit 30 at room temperature through second branch pipe 42 to complete the cold brew process.
[0062] In some embodiments, the beverage machine 100 also includes a steam supply line 48, which is connected to a multi-way pipe 261, i.e., the multi-way pipe 261 can be configured as a four-way pipe, through which water from the water source 20 can be supplied to the steam supply line 48. The steam supply line 48 is equipped with a water pump 481 and a steam heater 482. When steam is needed, the water pump 481 supplies water from the water source 20 to the steam heater 482, where the water is heated to steam temperature and discharged through a steam valve 485 to the steam rod or emulsifying device of the beverage machine 100 for frothing milk or heating beverages.
[0063] With the cooperation of the first three-way valve 411, the second three-way valve 402, the check valve 416 and the corresponding pipelines, water flows at different temperatures or pressures do not interfere with each other, and each branch pipeline can be opened or closed according to actual needs, thereby flexibly realizing the functions of hot brewing coffee, cold brewing coffee, hot water and steam on one device.
[0064] Reference Figure 4 In another embodiment of this utility model, unlike the above embodiment, the water supply pipeline 40 of the beverage machine 200 includes a main pipeline 401, a heater 45 connected to the main pipeline 401, and a second three-way valve 402 provided at the outlet end of the heater 45. The second three-way valve 402 is connected to a first branch pipeline 41 and a second branch pipeline 42 respectively. The first branch pipeline 41 or the second branch pipeline 42 supplies hot water at different pressures to the brewing assembly 30 to make high-pressure or low-pressure beverages. Specifically, different pressures can be achieved by setting different conduction pressures on the check valve 416 and the first one-way valve 421.
[0065] In this embodiment, a stable and centralized heating channel is formed by the main pipeline 401 and the heater 45. After the water is heated, it flows to the second three-way valve 402 and then to different branch pipelines. Through the first branch pipeline 41 and the second branch pipeline 42, high-pressure or relatively low-pressure hot water can be output under the same heat source conditions to achieve differentiated extraction.
[0066] For example, when extracting espresso, the water pump pressure can be maintained at around 9 to 12 bar using a high-pressure method to obtain rich oils and flavor; while when a lighter flavor extraction is needed, a lower pressure water flow can be used to avoid bitterness caused by over-extraction.
[0067] This implementation provides the beverage machine 200 with more flexible pressure selection, without the need for additional heating or pressurization devices, thus meeting users' needs for making different coffee flavors and significantly improving the diversity and quality of beverage extraction while ensuring the compact structure of the whole machine.
[0068] Through the aforementioned pressure differential branch design, it can also be used in conjunction with a power source 25 (such as a water pump) to quickly switch between different pressure ranges, thereby achieving a stable and efficient thermal extraction process.
[0069] In the above embodiment, a first check valve 421 is provided on the second branch pipeline 42. The first check valve 421 is used to restrict the flow from the first branch pipeline 41 to the second three-way valve 402 through the first check valve 421.
[0070] By adding the first one-way valve 421 to the second branch pipe 42, when the first branch pipe 41 is under high pressure (such as during high-pressure coffee making), the water flow is effectively blocked, preventing backflow through the second branch pipe 42 to the second three-way valve 402. This ensures the independent flow direction and stable pressure of each branch pipe, avoiding mutual interference between water flows in different pipes. Simultaneously, when extraction is required at a relatively low pressure using the second branch pipe 42, it also prevents residual hot water in the pipe from flowing back into the first branch pipe 41.
[0071] In the above embodiment, a third three-way valve 425 is provided on the second branch pipeline 42. The third three-way valve 425 includes a pressure relief port 426, which is connected to the wastewater pan 46.
[0072] By adding the third three-way valve 425 to the second branch pipe 42, residual liquid or hot water can be quickly discharged to the wastewater pan 46, thereby achieving immediate pressure relief and emptying of the branch pipe without affecting the normal operation of other pipes, and further avoiding unstable brewing and safety hazards caused by pressure accumulation.
[0073] This embodiment, by providing a pressure relief port 426 in the third three-way valve 425, in conjunction with the previously provided first three-way valve 411, check valve 416 and first one-way valve 421, enriches the reliable pressure relief strategy for multi-branch pipelines, and is especially suitable for the pressure relief needs after the completion of hot extraction processes at different pressures, thereby improving the safety and controllability of the pipeline system.
[0074] Taking coffee making as an example, refer to Figure 5When high-pressure coffee needs to be made, the power source 25 draws water from the water supply source 20 and sends it to the heater 45, as shown by the arrow in the figure. After the water is heated by the heater 45, it flows through the second three-way valve 402 to the first three-way valve 411 on the first branch pipe 41. The check valve 416 allows one-way communication from the first branch pipe 41 to the delivery pipe 43, thus entering the delivery pipe 43 and finally being delivered to the brewing assembly 30. (Refer to...) Figure 6 If low-pressure coffee needs to be made, the power source 25 draws water from the water supply source 20 and sends it to the heater 45, as shown by the arrow in the figure. After the water is heated by the heater 45, it flows through the second three-way valve 402 to the third three-way valve 425 on the second branch pipe 42. After passing through the three-way pipe 423 and the second one-way valve 432, it flows into the delivery pipe 43 and is finally delivered to the brewing assembly 30.
[0075] In the specific structure of this utility model, through the coordinated configuration of the first branch pipe 41 and the second branch pipe 42, water flows at different pressures can be independently achieved on a single device. This satisfies the needs of both high-pressure and low-pressure beverages without causing a decline in extraction quality due to pipe mixing or pressure differences. The addition of a first three-way valve 411, a check valve 416, a second three-way valve 402, a first one-way valve 421, a second one-way valve 432, a pressure relief pipe 26, and a third one-way valve 263 at key nodes significantly reduces the risks of backflow, backflow, and overpressure, providing a stable and controllable water environment for the extraction process. Simultaneously, it allows users to flexibly switch between the water tank 21 and the external water source 22, and in the event of overpressure, excess water can be pumped back upstream of the power source 25 for recycling, further improving resource utilization.
[0076] Especially in semi-automatic coffee machine scenarios, the second one-way valve 432 on the delivery line 43 can prevent liquid or coffee residue in the brewing assembly 30 from being drawn back into the upstream line when the power source 25 stops or the line pressure changes, ensuring system cleanliness and the stability of subsequent extraction. On the one hand, it can prevent the line from being contaminated by the high temperature or impurity-containing liquid in the brewing assembly 30, and on the other hand, it also helps to maintain the cleanliness of the heater 45 and related branch lines.
[0077] In this embodiment, the beverage machines 100 and 200 can ensure that the water flow always flows in the expected direction when making beverages of different properties, prevent backflow in the pipeline, and maintain the pipeline unobstructed and pressure stable, thereby stabilizing the output flow and pressure, avoiding differences in taste or safety hazards when preparing beverages of different properties in the future, and significantly improving the extraction effect and safety of use.
[0078] The beverage machines 100 and 200 of this invention integrate cold brewing, hot brewing, hot water, and steaming functions into a single device without requiring large-scale modifications to the water tank 21 structure or the addition of a complex control system. Alternatively, they can integrate high-pressure extraction, low-pressure extraction, hot water, and steaming functions into a single device. The appropriate three-way valve can be quickly switched according to the required function, simplifying operation and maintaining a stable pressure and temperature suitable for coffee extraction. When extraction stops or abnormal pressure occurs, the second one-way valve 432 promptly prevents backflow, ensuring the cleanliness and safety of all parts of the machine. In summary, the beverage machines 100 and 200 of this invention have achieved significant improvements in structural compactness, functional versatility, and ease of use, becoming a more competitive multi-functional beverage machine solution.
[0079] It should be understood that although this specification describes embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This way of describing the specification is only for clarity. Those skilled in the art should regard the specification as a whole. The technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.
[0080] The detailed descriptions listed above are merely specific descriptions of feasible implementations of this utility model, and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this utility model. All equivalent implementations or modifications made without departing from the spirit of this utility model should be included within the scope of protection of this utility model.
Claims
1. A beverage machine, comprising: Water supply source; Brewing components for making beverages; A water supply pipeline connects the water source and the brewing assembly; A power source is provided in the water supply pipeline to deliver water from the water supply source to the brewing assembly; The feature is that a heater is provided on the water supply pipeline, the heater is used to heat the water from the water supply pipeline to supply the brewing assembly, the water supply pipeline includes a first branch pipeline, a second branch pipeline and a delivery pipeline; the delivery pipeline is located upstream of the brewing assembly, and the first branch pipeline and the second branch pipeline are respectively connected to the delivery pipeline to supply water to the brewing assembly; The first branch pipeline is also provided with a multi-way valve and a check valve. The check valve is connected between the multi-way valve and the delivery pipeline. The second branch pipeline is connected to the delivery pipeline downstream of the check valve. The check valve is used to restrict the flow from the second branch pipeline to the multi-way valve.
2. The beverage machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heater is installed on the first branch pipe, and the multi-way valve is a first three-way valve connected between the heater and the delivery pipe. The water supply pipe is also provided with a second three-way valve, which is connected to the first branch pipe and the second branch pipe respectively. The second three-way valve is configured to deliver liquids of different temperatures to the brewing component through the first branch pipe or the second branch pipe to make high-temperature or low-temperature beverages.
3. The beverage machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water supply pipeline also includes a main pipeline, and the heater is connected to the main pipeline. The outlet end of the heater is provided with a second three-way valve, which is connected to the first branch pipeline and the second branch pipeline respectively. The first branch pipeline or the second branch pipeline supplies hot water at different pressures to the brewing component to make high-pressure beverages or low-pressure beverages.
4. The beverage machine according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The second branch pipeline is equipped with a first check valve, which is used to restrict the flow from the first branch pipeline to the second three-way valve.
5. The beverage machine according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The second branch pipeline is equipped with a third three-way valve, which includes a pressure relief port connected to the wastewater pan.
6. The beverage machine according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The multi-way valve includes a first inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet. The first inlet is connected to the heater, the first outlet is connected to the delivery pipeline, and the second outlet is connected to the wastewater pan. The check valve is used to restrict the flow of the first outlet and the second outlet from the second branch pipeline.
7. The beverage machine according to claim 6, characterized in that, A second check valve is provided on the delivery pipeline. The conduction pressure of the second check valve is greater than the back pressure of the multi-way valve from the first outlet to the first inlet. The second check valve is used to restrict the flow from the brewing component to the delivery pipeline.
8. The beverage machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first branch pipe, the second branch pipe, and the delivery pipe are connected by a tee pipe. The second branch pipe is equipped with a first check valve, and the delivery pipe is equipped with a second check valve and a pressure sensor. The second check valve is located between the tee pipe and the pressure sensor.
9. The beverage machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3 and 8, characterized in that, It also includes a pressure relief pipeline connected to the water supply pipeline, a flow meter is provided between the water supply source and the power source, one end of the pressure relief pipeline is connected downstream of the power source, and the other end of the pressure relief pipeline is connected upstream of the flow meter; a third check valve is provided on the pressure relief pipeline, the conduction pressure of the third check valve is less than the preset pressure of the water supply pipeline and greater than the brewing pressure of the brewing component.
10. The beverage machine according to claim 9, characterized in that, The water supply source includes a water tank and an external water source. Either the water tank or the external water source is connected to the water supply pipeline. A multi-port pipe is connected to the water supply pipeline. The multi-port pipe is located upstream of the flow meter. The other end of the pressure relief pipeline is connected to the multi-port pipe.