Reservoir device and beverage machine

Abstract

The utility model provides a kind of storage device and beverage machine, storage device includes: base;Material box subassembly, detachably set in base, material box subassembly includes material box, material door and operating element, material door is movably connected in material box, the bottom of material box is equipped with discharge gate;Operating element drives material door to rotate relative to material box to open or close discharge gate;Detection element is set in base;Base is further equipped with trigger and limiting structure, limiting structure extends along the circumference of the pivot of material door, material door at least part is inserted into limiting structure and is connected with trigger, limiting structure has limiting stroke and unlocking position, material door is limited and separated from base within limiting stroke;Material door is allowed to separate from base in unlocking position;When material door drives trigger to rotate within limiting stroke to open discharge gate, trigger triggers detection element.In limiting stroke, material box subassembly cannot be accidentally disassembled, material door drives trigger to trigger detection element on base, realize accurate detection to the opening and closing state of material door.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of beverage preparation technology, and in particular to a material storage device and a beverage machine. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of beverage preparation technology, storage devices are generally used for storing and managing the raw materials used in beverage preparation. These storage devices typically include components such as storage boxes and dispensing gates, and are widely used in automatic beverage machines such as home, commercial, or business coffee machines to achieve precise storage and dispensing of raw materials.

[0003] Existing material storage devices often suffer from unreasonable structural design. For example, the material box assembly may be accidentally disassembled when opened or closed due to unclear positioning structure, or users may have difficulty identifying the specific location, leading to misoperation and reducing the user experience and reliability of the equipment. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this utility model is to provide a material storage device and a beverage machine, which solves the problems of easy accidental disassembly of the material box component and unclear positioning of the opening and closing state of the discharge port in the existing material storage device.

[0005] To achieve one of the above-mentioned objectives, this utility model provides a material storage device, comprising:

[0006] Base;

[0007] A material box assembly is detachably mounted on the base. The material box assembly includes a material box and a material door. The material door is movably connected to the material box, and the bottom of the material box is provided with a material outlet.

[0008] The detection element is disposed on the base;

[0009] The material box assembly also includes an operating component connected to the material gate, the operating component being configured to operably drive the material gate to rotate relative to the material box to open or close the discharge port;

[0010] The base is also provided with a trigger and a limiting structure. The limiting structure extends circumferentially along the rotation axis of the material gate. The material gate at least partially extends into the limiting structure and connects with the trigger. The limiting structure has a limiting stroke and an unlocking position. The material gate is restricted from separating from the base within the limiting stroke. The material gate is allowed to separate from the base in the unlocking position. When the material gate drives the trigger to rotate within the limiting stroke to open the discharge port, the trigger triggers the detection element.

[0011] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows: through the limiting structure and triggering element set on the base, the rotation position of the material gate is clear, and the material box assembly cannot be accidentally disassembled within the limiting stroke; the material gate drives the triggering element to trigger the detection element on the base, thereby realizing accurate detection of the opening and closing state of the material gate, improving the reliability of the material storage device and avoiding misoperation.

[0012] As a further improvement of one embodiment of the present invention, the material gate is provided with a first connecting part, and the trigger is provided with a second connecting part. The first connecting part and the second connecting part are axially inserted along the rotating shaft of the material gate. Within the limiting stroke, the limiting structure restricts the material gate from separating from the trigger along the rotating shaft. In the unlocked position, the material gate is allowed to separate from the trigger along the rotating shaft.

[0013] As a further improvement of one embodiment of the present utility model, the base is provided with a recess for installing the material box assembly, the limiting structure is disposed on the side wall of the recess along the radial direction of the rotating shaft of the material gate, and the trigger is rotatably disposed on the outside of the recess.

[0014] As a further improvement of one embodiment of the present invention, the limiting structure includes a limiting hole extending circumferentially along the rotation axis of the material gate, the limiting hole radially penetrating the sidewall of the recess along the rotation axis of the material gate, and the triggering element extending into the limiting hole and connecting with the material gate.

[0015] As a further improvement of one embodiment of the present invention, the limiting structure further includes a stop structure. Along the axial direction of the rotating shaft of the material gate, the stop structure is disposed at the upper edge of the limiting hole and interferes with the material gate. The limiting hole limits the rotation stroke of the material gate, and the circumferential overlap area of ​​the limiting hole and the stop structure limits the limiting stroke. One circumferential end of the stop structure forms a clearance structure that overlaps circumferentially with the limiting hole, and the clearance structure limits the unlocking position.

[0016] As a further improvement of one embodiment of the present invention, along the axial direction of the rotating shaft of the material gate, the base includes an upper shell and a lower shell connected to each other, the upper shell and the lower shell together define the limiting hole, and the stop structure is disposed on the upper shell; the side wall of the recess is provided with a stepped portion, the stepped portion is disposed on the lower shell, and a part of the stop structure is supported on the stepped portion.

[0017] As a further improvement of one embodiment of the present invention, the stop structure and the limiting hole are integrally formed on the side wall.

[0018] As a further improvement of one embodiment of the present invention, the base is characterized in that a guide groove is provided on the base, the guide groove extends along the outer peripheral surface of the side wall, the trigger is disposed in the guide groove and rotates along the guide groove; a through hole is provided at the bottom of the guide groove, the extension direction of the through hole is consistent with the guide groove, the trigger is provided with a snap-fit ​​part, the snap-fit ​​part passes through the through hole and snaps onto the base, and the snap-fit ​​between the snap-fit ​​part and the base restricts the movement of the trigger along the axial direction of the rotating shaft.

[0019] As a further improvement of one embodiment of the present invention, a positioning mechanism is provided between the trigger and the guide groove. The positioning mechanism includes a positioning groove and a positioning protrusion that cooperates with the positioning groove. The positioning groove is provided on the wall of the through hole, and the positioning protrusion is provided on the snap-fit ​​part. The trigger rotates along the guide groove to make the positioning protrusion snap into the positioning groove or separate from the positioning groove. When the trigger triggers the detection element, the positioning protrusion snaps into the positioning groove.

[0020] As a further improvement of one embodiment of the present invention, the guide groove includes a bottom surface, the trigger is configured as an arc-shaped strip, the trigger includes a flat plate portion and a side plate portion disposed on one side of the flat plate portion, the side plate portion is clearance-fitted with the outer peripheral surface of the side wall, and the flat plate portion is supported above the bottom surface; the trigger is provided with at least two trigger portions, and the trigger portions protrude radially outward from the side plate portion along the rotating axis of the material gate.

[0021] As a further improvement of one embodiment of the present invention, the outer peripheral walls of the base and the material box are provided with a limiting groove on one and a limiting rib on the other. The limiting rib is inserted into the limiting groove to restrict the rotation of the material box relative to the base.

[0022] As a further improvement of one embodiment of the present invention, the detection element includes a first detection element and a second detection element; the first detection element and the second detection element are spaced apart along the circumferential direction of the rotating shaft of the material gate; the material gate drives the trigger to rotate in a first direction to trigger the first detection element, and the material gate drives the trigger to rotate in the opposite direction in the first direction to simultaneously trigger the first detection element and the second detection element.

[0023] By rotating the trigger element in different directions through the material gate to trigger different detection elements, it is possible to clearly distinguish between normal material discharge and raw material cleaning modes, ensuring the cleanliness and purity of raw materials when changing materials, effectively preventing the mixing of different types of raw materials, and improving the user experience and the stability of equipment operation.

[0024] This utility model also provides a beverage machine, including a grinding device and a material storage device as described in any of the above embodiments. The grinding device is installed on the base, and the material storage device is disposed above the grinding device. The grinding device includes a motor and a grinding element driven by the motor, and the detection element is electrically connected to the motor. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a material storage device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the storage device along line AA.

[0027] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 An exploded three-dimensional diagram of the storage device.

[0028] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the base portion of the storage device.

[0029] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 A schematic diagram of another structural form of the base of the storage device in the diagram.

[0030] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 An exploded view of the trigger and base of the central storage device.

[0031] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 An exploded view of the trigger and base from another perspective.

[0032] Figure 8 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the material box assembly of the material storage device.

[0033] Figure 9 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing the material gate of the medium storage device in the unlocked position in conjunction with the trigger.

[0034] Figure 10 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing the material gate and trigger of the medium-sized material storage device in the position of opening the discharge port.

[0035] Figure 11 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing the material gate and trigger of the medium-sized material storage device in the bean-cleaning position.

[0036] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the base and material gate of a material storage device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the base and material gate of a material storage device according to another embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0038] 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.

[0039] This utility model provides a material storage device 100, for example, a material storage device 100 used in beverage equipment such as coffee machines to store and manage raw materials (such as coffee beans, grains and other granular raw materials).

[0040] Reference Figures 1 to 3 The storage device 100 includes a base 20, a material box assembly 30 detachably mounted on the base 20, and a detection element 40 mounted on the base 20. The material box assembly 30 includes a material box 32 and a material gate 34. The material gate 34 is movably connected to the material box 32. The bottom of the material box 32 is provided with a discharge port 321 for feeding raw materials into the storage device 100.

[0041] In this embodiment, the material box assembly 30 further includes an operating member 36 connected to the material gate 34. The operating member 36 is configured to operably drive the material gate 34 to rotate relative to the material box 32, thereby opening or closing the discharge port 321. The rotation axis of the material gate 34 is referenced to... Figure 2 The Y-axis is shown. For example, the operating element 36 can be set as a knob structure. When the user rotates the operating element 36, it drives the material gate 34 to rotate within a specific angle range, thereby realizing the opening or closing action of the discharge port 321. This facilitates precise control of the output of raw materials. Specifically, when the discharge port 321 is open, the raw materials in the material box assembly 30 can be output, while when the discharge port 321 is closed, the raw materials in the material box assembly 30 cannot be output.

[0042] The operating component 36 can be disposed inside the material box 32. The operating component 36 is connected to the material gate 34 via a connecting shaft 346, and the operating component 36 drives the material gate 34 to rotate via the connecting shaft 346. Disposing the operating component 36 inside the material box 32 can prevent the user from accidentally operating the material gate 34 from the outside.

[0043] In this embodiment, a trigger 21 and a limiting structure 23 are also provided on the base 20. The limiting structure 23 extends circumferentially along the rotation axis of the material gate 34, and the material gate 34 at least partially extends into the limiting structure 23 and connects with the trigger 21. The limiting structure 23 has a limiting stroke and an unlocking position. The material gate 34 is restricted from separating from the base 20 within the limiting stroke. When the material gate 34 opens the discharge port 321, it is located within the limiting stroke, ensuring that the material box assembly 30 will not be accidentally disassembled from the base 20 when the discharge port 321 is open. In the unlocking position, the material gate 34 is allowed to separate from the base 20 to achieve safe disassembly of the material box assembly 30.

[0044] The storage device 100 of this embodiment, through the limiting structure 23 and trigger 21 set on the base 20, has clear position control and status detection capabilities in practical applications. The rotation position of the material gate 34 is clear, and the material box assembly 30 cannot be accidentally disassembled within the limiting stroke. When the material gate 34 drives the trigger 21 to rotate within the limiting stroke to open the discharge port 321, the trigger 21 triggers the detection element on the base 10, realizing accurate detection of the opening and closing state of the material gate 34, improving the reliability of the storage device 100 and avoiding misoperation.

[0045] The linkage design of the aforementioned operating component 36, limiting structure 23, and trigger component 21 not only improves the safety of the connection between the material box assembly 30 and the base 20, avoiding the risk of accidental disassembly during user operation, but also effectively avoids misoperation problems caused by unclear positions during material feeding, significantly improving the overall safety and reliability of the storage device 100. Furthermore, integrating the limiting structure 23 and trigger component 21 into the base 20 reduces additional fixing components (such as clips and screws), thus reducing the size and cost of the storage device 100.

[0046] In one embodiment, the material gate 34 is provided with a first connecting portion 341, and the trigger member 21 is provided with a second connecting portion 210. The first connecting portion 341 and the second connecting portion 210 are axially connected along the rotation axis of the material gate 34. Within the limiting stroke, the limiting structure 23 restricts the material gate 34 and the trigger member 21 from separating along the rotation axis, preventing the material gate 34 and the trigger member 21 from separating along the rotation axis within the limiting stroke of the limiting structure 23. However, when the material gate 34 is in the unlocked position, the material gate 34 is allowed to separate from the trigger member 21 along the rotation axis, that is, the first connecting portion 341 and the second connecting portion 210 are allowed to separate along the rotation axis, facilitating the user to safely remove the material box assembly 30 from the base 20.

[0047] The material gate 34 has a radial protrusion on its edge. The first connecting part 341 is constructed as a slot on the radial protrusion, and the second connecting part 210 is constructed as a protrusion. Along the rotation axis of the material gate 34, the protrusion and the slot can be inserted to fix the first connecting part 341 and the second connecting part 210 circumferentially along the rotation axis of the material gate 34.

[0048] Continue to refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 The base 20 has a recess 22 for mounting the material box assembly 30, and a limiting structure 23 is disposed on the side wall 221 of the recess 22. Along the radial direction of the rotating shaft of the material gate 34, the trigger 21 is rotatably disposed on the outside of the recess 22. Disposing the limiting structure 23 on the side wall 221 of the recess 22 reduces the need for additional fasteners, making the overall structure more compact. Disposing the trigger 21 on the outside of the recess 22 avoids interference between the trigger 21 and the internal space of the material box 32, ensuring unobstructed flow at the outlet 321 and preventing material blockage.

[0049] Specifically, the limiting structure 23 includes a limiting hole 231 extending circumferentially along the rotation axis of the material gate 34, which radially penetrates the side wall 221 of the recess 22 along the rotation axis of the material gate 34. The trigger member 21 extends into the limiting hole 231 and connects to the material gate 34 to achieve effective linkage between the material gate 34 and the trigger member 21.

[0050] The limiting hole 231 extends circumferentially, structurally limiting the rotation stroke of the material gate 34 to prevent damage to the component due to excessive rotation by the user. The trigger 21 extends into the limiting hole 231 and is linked with the material gate 34 to ensure that the opening and closing action of the material gate 34 is strictly synchronized with the trigger signal, avoiding misoperation.

[0051] Furthermore, the limiting structure 23 also includes a stop structure 232. Along the axial direction of the rotating shaft of the material gate 34, the stop structure 232 is disposed at the upper edge of the limiting hole 231 and interferes with the material gate 34 to restrict the separation of the material gate 34 from the base 20. Specifically, the limiting hole 231 limits the rotational stroke of the material gate 34, and the circumferential overlap area between the limiting hole 231 and the stop structure 232 limits the limiting stroke of the material gate 34. Through the circumferential overlap of the stop structure 232 and the limiting hole 231, a dual constraint of circumferential and axial forces is formed, making the structure of the storage device 100 more compact. The stop structure 232 is constructed as a baffle rib, which protrudes downwards.

[0052] To facilitate the safe disassembly of the material box assembly 30, a clearance structure 222 is specially formed at one circumferential end of the stop structure 232, which overlaps circumferentially with the limiting hole 231. This clearance structure 222 defines the unlocking position, allowing the material gate 34 to disengage from the limiting structure 23 for disassembly of the material box assembly 30. The clearance structure 222 automatically aligns the material gate 34 during disassembly and assembly of the material box assembly 30, eliminating the need for manual alignment by the user, making the disassembly of the material box assembly 30 convenient and reliable. The clearance structure 222 is constructed as a clearance groove or a notch on the stop structure 232, allowing the first connecting part 341 of the material gate 34 to engage or disengage with the second connecting part 210 through the clearance groove or notch.

[0053] In one embodiment, along the axial direction of the rotating shaft of the material gate 34, the base 20 includes an upper housing 201 and a lower housing 202 connected to each other. The upper housing 201 and the lower housing 202 together define a limiting hole 231, and a stop structure 232 is disposed on the upper housing 201. A stepped portion 223 is provided on the side wall 221 of the recess 22, and the stepped portion 223 is disposed on the lower housing 202. A portion of the stop structure 232 is supported on the stepped portion 223. The stepped portion 223 and a portion of the stop structure 232 form a supporting fit, which effectively improves the overall stability of the stop structure 232. The upper housing 201 and the lower housing 202 are separately formed, and the upper housing 201 and the lower housing 202 together define the limiting hole 231, which can simplify the mold complexity. The stepped portion 223 supports the stop structure 232, which can enhance the resistance to deformation and make the structure reliable.

[0054] Reference Figure 5 In another alternative, the stop structure 232 and the limiting hole 231 are integrally formed on the side wall 221 of the recess 22 to further simplify the manufacturing process and reduce manufacturing costs.

[0055] Reference Figure 6 and Figure 7 In one embodiment, the base 20 is provided with a guide groove 24, which extends along the outer peripheral surface of the sidewall 221 of the recess 22. The trigger 21 is disposed within the guide groove 24, and the trigger 21 can rotate stably along the guide groove 24. The guide groove 24 can limit the movement path of the trigger 21 and constrain the radial wobble of the trigger 21, thereby ensuring that the rotation of the trigger 21 is stable and reliable, the triggering of the detection element 40 is more reliable, and the signal can be accurately fed back.

[0056] Optionally, the bottom of the guide groove 24 is provided with a through hole 241, the extension direction of the through hole 241 being consistent with the extension direction of the guide groove 24. Correspondingly, the trigger member 21 is provided with a locking part 214, which passes through the through hole 241 and locks onto the base 20. The locking part 214 and the base 20 restrict the axial movement of the trigger member 21 along the rotating shaft of the material gate 34, thereby achieving a reliable connection between the trigger member 21 and the base 20, and effectively restricting the axial movement of the trigger member 21 along the rotating shaft of the material gate 34, ensuring that the trigger member 21 is accurately and stably positioned when rotating. For example, the locking part 214 can be constructed as a hook, with the hook portion facing the inside of the recess 22 for easy locking onto the base 20.

[0057] To further improve the accuracy of position control between the material gate 34 and the trigger 21, and the user's operating feel, in one embodiment, a positioning mechanism is provided between the trigger 21 and the guide groove 24. The positioning mechanism includes a positioning groove 242 and a positioning protrusion 215 that cooperates with the positioning groove 242. The positioning groove 242 is disposed on the wall of the through hole 241, and the positioning protrusion 215 is disposed on the snap-fit ​​portion 214 of the trigger 21, specifically on the side of the snap-fit ​​portion 214 where the hook portion is provided. When the trigger 21 rotates along the guide groove 24, the positioning protrusion 215 can snap into the positioning groove 242 or separate from the positioning groove 242. When the trigger 21 triggers the detection element 40, the positioning protrusion 215 snaps into the positioning groove 242 to clearly distinguish between each position. When the positioning protrusion 215 cooperates with the positioning groove 242, a "click" sensation is generated, indicating to the user that the operation is in place. For example, the positioning of the material gate 34 at the open and closed positions of the discharge port 321 is clear and accurate, avoiding misoperation.

[0058] In this embodiment, the trigger 21 is configured as an arc-shaped strip structure, including a flat plate portion 216 and a side plate portion 217 disposed on one side of the flat plate portion 216. The side plate portion 217 and the outer peripheral surface of the side wall 221 of the recess 22 are fitted with a clearance fit. The flat plate portion 216 is supported above the bottom surface of the guide groove 24. The structure of the trigger 21 and the fit with the guide groove 24 ensure that the trigger 21 is easy to install and rotates smoothly.

[0059] The trigger member 21 is provided with at least two trigger parts, which extend radially outward from the side plate part 217 along the rotation axis of the material gate 34 to ensure that the detection element 40 provided on the base 20 can be accurately and separately triggered when the material gate 34 is rotated to different positions.

[0060] At least two trigger portions include a first trigger portion 211 and a second trigger portion 212, which are spaced apart on the side plate portion 217. A portion of the side plate portion 217 extends radially along the pivot of the material gate 34 to form a trigger portion. The at least two trigger portions may also include a third trigger portion 213, which is disposed above the flat plate portion 216 and can be configured as an independent component connected to the trigger member 21. For example, the third trigger portion 213 can be integrally formed with the second connecting portion 210 and installed as an independent component with the flat plate portion 216, thereby facilitating the manufacturing of the trigger member 21.

[0061] In addition, in one embodiment, a limiting groove 224 is provided on one of the outer peripheral wall of the material box 32 and the base 20, and a limiting rib 324 is provided on the other. The limiting rib 324 inserted into the limiting groove 224 can effectively limit the rotation of the material box 32 relative to the base 20, ensure the stability of the position of the material box 32 after installation, and further prevent the risk of user misoperation.

[0062] Reference Figure 5 and Figure 8 In one embodiment, between the material gate 34 and the material box 32, one of them is provided with a stop protrusion 345, and the other is provided with a stop groove 325. When the material gate 34 is rotated relative to the material box 32 to at least one of the positions of opening the discharge port 321, closing the discharge port 321, and the preset clear bean position (see description below), the stop protrusion 345 is engaged in the stop groove 325, thereby increasing the sense of stop when the user rotates the operating member 36 and improving the user experience.

[0063] The base 20 and the trigger 21, as well as the material box 32 and the material gate 34, are respectively equipped with concave and convex stop structures, which improve the user's feel and the clarity of position confirmation when operating the material storage device 100, and enhance the sense of stop during rotation. This design not only allows the user to intuitively perceive the position of the material gate 34 when the discharge port 321 is fully open, fully closed, or in the bean-cleaning position, but also effectively prevents excessive rotation caused by user misoperation, avoids unintended accidental triggering of the bean-cleaning mode, and further improves the safety and operating experience of the material storage device 100.

[0064] In addition, to ensure more reliable installation of the material gate 34, the material box 32 includes a box body 320 and a lower cover 322 installed at the bottom of the box body 320. The lower cover 322 includes an annular plate 323 located at the bottom. The hollow structure of the annular plate 323 will not affect the material feeding at the outlet 321. The material gate 34 is located between the annular plate 323 and the box body 320, ensuring that the material gate 34 will not separate from the material box 32 when the material box assembly 30 is installed and disassembled as a whole.

[0065] Reference Figures 9 to 11In one embodiment, the detection element 40 includes a first detection element 41 and a second detection element 42. The first detection element 41 and the second detection element 42 are arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the rotating axis of the material gate 34 to identify different positions of the material gate 34. Specifically, when the material gate 34 drives the trigger 21 to rotate in the first direction, the trigger 21 triggers the first detection element 41. For example, when the material gate 34 rotates to the position where the discharge port 321 is open, the first detection element 41 is triggered to detect that the material gate 34 is in the open discharge port 321 state, and the machine can then proceed with the subsequent grinding operation. When the material gate 34 rotates in the opposite direction of the first direction, the trigger 21 can simultaneously trigger the first detection element 41 and the second detection element 42. For example, when the material gate 34 rotates in the opposite direction to a preset position, the first detection element 41 and the second detection element 42 are simultaneously triggered to detect that the material gate 34 is in a specific position, and the machine recognizes and enters the operation corresponding to that specific position. For example, a specific location can be a bean cleaning location, corresponding to a bean cleaning mode. In the bean cleaning mode, residual raw materials that have been output by the storage device 100 to the grinding device described below but have not been ground by the grinding device and are still remaining at the grinding device can be effectively ground, cleaned and discharged.

[0066] For example, Figure 9 The diagram shows the material gate 34 in the unlocked position, which is also the initial position of the material box assembly 30 installed on the base 20. At this position, the material gate 34 closes the outlet 321. Rotating the operating element 36 causes the material gate 34 to rotate along a first direction (e.g., clockwise), which in turn causes the trigger element 21 to rotate to the desired position. Figure 10 As shown, when the discharge port 321 is opened, the second trigger 212 triggers the first detection element 41. When the material gate 34 rotates in the opposite direction of the first direction (e.g., counterclockwise), the material gate 34 drives the trigger 21 to rotate as shown. Figure 11 As shown in the bean-cleaning position, the first triggering unit 211 triggers the first detection element 41, and the third triggering unit 213 triggers the second detection element 42. The simultaneous triggering of the first detection element 41 and the second detection element 42 can accurately provide feedback on the bean-cleaning position of the feed gate 34.

[0067] By rotating the trigger element 21 in different directions through the material gate 34 to trigger different detection elements 40, it is possible to clearly distinguish between normal discharge and bean cleaning mode, ensure the cleanliness and purity of raw materials when changing raw materials, effectively prevent the mixing of different types of raw materials, and improve the user experience and the stability of equipment operation.

[0068] Reference Figure 12 and Figure 13In one embodiment, based on the above-mentioned storage device 100, two different specific structural schemes of the limiting structure 23 are further provided to meet the different needs of users in the bean cleaning operation mode, thereby enhancing the applicability and operational flexibility of the storage device 100.

[0069] Reference Figure 12 In the first solution, the circumferential overlap between the limiting hole 231 in the limiting structure 23 of the base 20 and the clearance structure 222 has a large size. That is, the clearance structure 222 extends a preset distance in the opposite direction from the unlocking position along the first direction. When the operating member 36 drives the material gate 34, which in turn drives the trigger member 21 to rotate in the opposite direction of the first direction to the bean cleaning position, the first connecting part 341 of the material gate 34 can still be aligned with the clearance structure 222 on the base 20. This allows the material box assembly 30 to be separated from the base 20 even in the bean cleaning mode, thus allowing the user to directly remove the material box assembly 30. This solution is particularly suitable for application scenarios that require frequent changes in raw material types, making it easier for users to quickly clean or maintain the material box assembly 30 and improving operational efficiency.

[0070] Reference Figure 13 In the second scheme, the circumferential overlap between the limiting hole 231 of the limiting structure 23 of the base 20 and the clearance structure 222 has a small size. That is, the distance the clearance structure 222 extends circumferentially along the rotation of the material gate 34 is approximately equal to the size of the first connecting part 341. When the material gate 34 rotates to the bean cleaning position, the first connecting part 341 of the material gate 34 is still restricted by the stop structure 232 at the edge of the limiting hole 231, keeping the material box assembly 30 connected to the base 20 and preventing it from being disassembled. The material box assembly 30 can only be disassembled when the material gate 34 rotates to the position where the outlet 321 is completely closed. This scheme effectively avoids the risk of the material box assembly 30 accidentally falling off during the bean cleaning process and is particularly suitable for application scenarios that require ensuring operational safety and the stability of the material box assembly 30.

[0071] The two different sizes of limiting structures 23 mentioned above provide users with flexible choices, effectively meeting the specific requirements of the storage device 100 for safety, convenience and reliability in different application scenarios, and further improving the functionality and scope of application of this application.

[0072] In the above embodiments, the material box assembly 30, the trigger 21, and the limiting structure 23 on the base 20 work together to ensure that the state of the material box assembly 30 between different operating positions (i.e., the limiting stroke and the unlocking position) is clear and the position is precise. This effectively prevents users from accidentally disassembling the material box assembly 30 or accidentally opening the discharge port 321, significantly improving the safety and reliability of the material storage device 100. In addition, the material gate 34 drives the trigger 21 to trigger the detection element 40 on the base 20, accurately distinguishing between the normal discharge state and the bean cleaning state, preventing the mixing of new and old raw materials, ensuring the quality and flavor of the raw materials, simplifying the maintenance operation process, and improving the user's operating experience and the stability of equipment operation.

[0073] This utility model also provides a beverage machine, particularly a beverage machine suitable for grinding and brewing raw materials such as coffee beans. Specifically, the beverage machine includes a grinding device and a storage device 100 as described above. The grinding device is mounted on a base 20, and the storage device 100 is positioned above the grinding device. The grinding device mainly includes a motor and grinding elements driven by the motor. A detection element 40 on the base 20 is electrically connected to the motor of the grinding device to achieve automatic control of the operation of the grinding device.

[0074] This embodiment ensures that the grinding device only starts operating when the material gate 34 opens the discharge port 321 and the material storage device 100 is ready to discharge material through the linkage control between the material storage device 100 and the grinding device. This improves the safety and reliability of the beverage machine operation and avoids equipment damage or usage risks caused by misoperation.

[0075] The grinding device typically employs a grinding disc or similar structure to grind granular raw materials (such as coffee beans) stored in the material box 32 of the material storage device 100 into powder for subsequent brewing or processing. The material box assembly 30 of the material storage device 100 is stably mounted on the base 20 via the recess 22, ensuring accurate feeding of raw materials into the grinding device.

[0076] Furthermore, to achieve effective linkage control between the storage device 100 and the grinding device, the detection element 40 on the base 20 is electrically connected to the motor in the grinding device. When the user rotates the material gate 34 relative to the material box 32 in the first direction via the operating component 36 to open the discharge port 321, the material gate 34 simultaneously drives the trigger component 21 to rotate within its limit stroke. The trigger part on the trigger component 21 precisely triggers the first detection element 41 on the base 20, which then sends a start signal to the motor, causing the grinding element to start working and realize the grinding and output of the raw material in the material box 32. Conversely, when the material gate 34 closes the discharge port 321, the trigger component 21 no longer triggers the first detection element 41, and the motor stops running because it does not receive the trigger signal from the first detection element 41, thereby preventing accidental discharge or misoperation and significantly improving the safety of the equipment.

[0077] Meanwhile, the beverage machine also offers a bean-cleaning mode. When the operating component 36 drives the material gate 34, which in turn drives the trigger component 21 to rotate in the opposite direction to the bean-cleaning position, the trigger part on the trigger component 21 simultaneously triggers the first detection element 41 and the second detection element 42 on the base 20. These two detection elements 40 simultaneously send signals to the motor to enter the bean-cleaning mode. In this mode, the grinding device continues to operate, effectively grinding, cleaning, and discharging the residual raw materials that have been output from the storage device 100 to the grinding device but have not been ground and remain at the grinding device. This bean-cleaning mode can effectively prevent the mixing of new and old raw materials, ensuring the purity of the raw material quality and further improving the user experience and raw material processing quality of the beverage machine. In addition, to improve the clarity and comfort of the user's operation of the linkage between the storage device 100 and the grinding device, a positioning mechanism is set between the guide groove 24 on the base 20 and the trigger component 21, clearly indicating different operating positions to the user, reducing the risk of misoperation, and improving the overall ease of use and safety of the equipment.

[0078] Through the linkage structure between the storage device 100 and the grinding device, it is ensured that the motor of the grinding device can only start when the material gate 34 opens the discharge port 321 and is in the correct discharge position. This avoids the risks caused by accidental output of raw materials and equipment malfunction, significantly improving the safety and operational reliability of the beverage machine. Furthermore, the clean-up mode of the above embodiment accurately identifies residual raw materials by simultaneously triggering the first detection element 41 and the second detection element 42 through the trigger 21, thereby achieving thorough cleaning of residual raw materials. This effectively avoids the mixing of new and old raw materials, improves the consistency and stability of beverage quality, and significantly optimizes the user's operating experience and the ease of equipment maintenance.

[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 material storage device, comprising: Base; A material box assembly is detachably mounted on the base. The material box assembly includes a material box and a material door. The material door is movably connected to the material box, and the bottom of the material box is provided with a material outlet. The detection element is disposed on the base; The material box assembly is characterized in that it further includes an operating component connected to the material gate, the operating component being configured to operably drive the material gate to rotate relative to the material box, so as to open or close the discharge port; The base is also provided with a trigger and a limiting structure. The limiting structure extends circumferentially along the rotation axis of the material gate. The material gate at least partially extends into the limiting structure and connects with the trigger. The limiting structure has a limiting stroke and an unlocking position. The material gate is restricted from separating from the base within the limiting stroke. The material gate is allowed to separate from the base in the unlocking position. When the material gate drives the trigger to rotate within the limiting stroke to open the discharge port, the trigger triggers the detection element.

2. The storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The material gate is provided with a first connecting part, and the trigger is provided with a second connecting part. The first connecting part and the second connecting part are inserted into each other along the rotating shaft of the material gate. Within the limiting stroke, the limiting structure restricts the material gate from separating from the trigger along the rotating shaft. In the unlocked position, the material gate is allowed to separate from the trigger along the rotating shaft.

3. The storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base has a recess for mounting the material box assembly, the limiting structure is disposed on the side wall of the recess along the radial direction of the rotating shaft of the material gate, and the trigger is rotatably disposed on the outside of the recess.

4. The storage device as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The limiting structure includes a limiting hole extending circumferentially along the rotation axis of the material gate, the limiting hole radially penetrating the sidewall of the recess along the rotation axis of the material gate, and the trigger part extending into the limiting hole and connecting with the material gate.

5. The storage device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The limiting structure further includes a stop structure. Along the axial direction of the rotating shaft of the material gate, the stop structure is disposed at the upper edge of the limiting hole and interferes with the material gate. The limiting hole limits the rotation stroke of the material gate, and the circumferential overlap area of ​​the limiting hole and the stop structure limits the limiting stroke. One circumferential end of the stop structure forms a clearance structure that overlaps circumferentially with the limiting hole, and the clearance structure limits the unlocking position.

6. The storage device according to claim 5, characterized in that: Along the axial direction of the material gate's rotating shaft, the base includes an upper housing and a lower housing connected to each other, the upper housing and the lower housing jointly defining the limiting hole, and the stop structure disposed on the upper housing; the sidewall of the recess has a stepped portion, the stepped portion is disposed on the lower housing, and a portion of the stop structure is supported on the stepped portion, or... The stop structure and the limiting hole are integrally formed on the side wall.

7. The storage device according to any one of claims 3-6, characterized in that, The base is provided with a guide groove, which extends along the outer peripheral surface of the side wall. The trigger is disposed in the guide groove and rotates along the guide groove. The bottom of the guide groove is provided with a through hole, the extension direction of the through hole is consistent with the guide groove, the trigger is provided with a snap-fit ​​part, the snap-fit ​​part passes through the through hole and snaps into the base, the snap-fit ​​part and the base restrict the movement of the trigger along the axis of the rotating shaft.

8. The storage device according to claim 7, characterized in that, A positioning mechanism is provided between the trigger and the guide groove. The positioning mechanism includes a positioning groove and a positioning protrusion that cooperates with the positioning groove. The positioning groove is disposed on the wall of the through hole, and the positioning protrusion is disposed on the snap-fit ​​portion. The trigger rotates along the guide groove to cause the positioning protrusion to snap into the positioning groove or separate from the positioning groove. When the trigger triggers the detection element, the positioning protrusion snaps into the positioning groove, and / or... The guide groove includes a bottom surface, the trigger is configured as an arc-shaped strip, the trigger includes a flat plate portion and a side plate portion disposed on one side of the flat plate portion, the side plate portion is clearance-fitted with the outer peripheral surface of the side wall, and the flat plate portion is supported above the bottom surface; the trigger is provided with at least two trigger portions, the trigger portions protruding radially outward from the side plate portion along the rotating axis of the material gate.

9. The storage device according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The detection element includes a first detection element and a second detection element; the first detection element and the second detection element are spaced apart along the circumferential direction of the rotating shaft of the material gate; the material gate drives the trigger to rotate in a first direction to trigger the first detection element, and the material gate drives the trigger to rotate in the opposite direction in the first direction to simultaneously trigger the first detection element and the second detection element.

10. A beverage machine, characterized in that, The device includes a grinding apparatus and a storage device as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the grinding apparatus is mounted on the base and the storage device is disposed above the grinding apparatus; the grinding apparatus includes a motor and a grinding element driven by the motor, and the detection element is electrically connected to the motor.

Images