Dosing mechanism and beverage machine

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of feeding mechanism and beverage machine, wherein the feeding mechanism includes: rack;Guiding component, lower end is the lower end surface of the pipe shell part of part cylindrical surface;Rotary spoon, with the surrounding shell of fixed on the transmission shaft, the axis of this surrounding shell is coaxial with the part cylindrical surface of the lower end surface, and sealingly cooperates with the lower end surface;The outer surface of surrounding shell has a groove;Driving displacement assembly, drive the transmission shaft rotation to make the rotary spoon have the displacement stroke determined by first stop position and second stop position;Wherein, in the first stop position, the groove is covered by the pipe shell part, so that powder enters groove, and in the second stop position, groove is released from the covered state of the pipe shell part. According to the feeding mechanism of the utility model, feeding is relatively smooth.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to a feeding mechanism for feeding beverages into a beverage machine, and also to a beverage machine equipped with the feeding mechanism. Background Technology

[0002] For example, in a brewing coffee machine, coffee grounds are pre-filled in a designated container, which is either fixed to the machine or mounted upside down to allow for feeding by gravity. Since feeding requires a degree of control to prevent uncontrollable feed rates, the machine body includes a base for the upside-down container. Below this base is a screw conveyor, either manual or electric, whose inlet receives the base and feeds a predetermined amount of coffee grounds into a mixing container located within the machine's housing. This mixing container is used to mix the coffee grounds with water. In this configuration, the screw conveyor's outlet is typically located directly above the mixing container, and the water used for brewing is usually hot water (generally between 85°C and 92°C). Steam is generated during the injection of hot water into the mixing container. It should be noted that coffee grounds are relatively hygroscopic, and this moisture can easily clump together at the screw conveyor outlet, causing blockages. Even if the powder has absorbed moisture and not dried, it should be known that the conveying capacity of a screw conveyor is greatly affected by the moisture content of the powder.

[0003] Furthermore, for example, screw conveyors, the amount of powder they feed into a mixing container is not only positively correlated with their rotation speed, but also negatively correlated with the moisture content of the powder. In other words, although screw conveyors are essentially precision feeding devices, their actual feeding accuracy is greatly affected by the moisture content of the powder, and they often cannot achieve precise feeding. Moreover, the defects of easy clogging in environments with high moisture content are difficult to solve.

[0004] It should be noted that screw conveyors are precision feeding devices. However, for beverages, the feeding accuracy requirement is relatively low. Moreover, in industry, screw conveyors are often used in conjunction with metering devices, rather than simply relying on controlling their rotation speed to achieve metering. Therefore, configuring them as the feeding mechanism of a beverage machine to achieve precise control of the feeding amount is not accurate. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a feeding mechanism that provides relatively smooth feeding. This invention also provides a beverage machine equipped with this feeding mechanism.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a feeding mechanism is provided, comprising: frame; A guide component, fixed to the frame, is used to receive powder, and the lower end of the guide component is a vertical tube shell that discharges the received powder. The lower end face of the tube shell is a partially cylindrical surface, and the axis of the partially cylindrical surface is perpendicular to the axis of the tube shell. The rotating spoon is mounted on the frame via a drive shaft and is located on the lower side of the tube shell. The rotating spoon has a casing fixed to the drive shaft. The casing is a cylindrical casing or a partially cylindrical casing, and the axis of the casing is coaxial with the partially cylindrical surface of the lower end face and is sealed to the lower end face. The outer surface of the casing has a groove. The drive displacement assembly drives the drive shaft to rotate so that the rotating spoon has a displacement stroke determined by the first stop and the second stop. In the first stop position, the groove is covered by the tube shell, allowing powder to enter the groove. In the second stop position, the groove is removed from the covered state of the tube shell, allowing the powder in the groove to flow out under gravity.

[0007] Optionally, the displacement stroke is 60°~135°.

[0008] Optionally, the groove is defined by a bottom wall and side walls, and the bottom wall is a flat bottom wall; The sidewall is an enclosure that forms a surrounding structure at the edge of the bottom wall; the enclosure may be a complete enclosure or an incomplete enclosure. If it is an incomplete enclosure, the enclosure is open on one side, and the open side is the side that rotates out when the groove changes position from the first stop to the second stop.

[0009] Optionally, the angle between the bottom wall and the side wall is 75° to 90°.

[0010] Optionally, the bottom wall and the side wall are directly connected or have a transition arc.

[0011] Optionally, when the sidewall is an incomplete enclosure, the angle between the normal of the bottom wall and the corresponding radial line is 8° to 27°.

[0012] Optionally, the circumferential dimension of the groove is 1 to 2 times the axial dimension of the casing.

[0013] Optionally, the inner surface of the groove has a friction-reducing coating.

[0014] Optionally, the drive displacement component is an electronically controlled or manually controlled displacement component; If it is a manual positioner, the corresponding drive positioner is a handle installed at one end of the drive shaft.

[0015] Optionally, a stop is provided on the handle, drive shaft, or housing, and a constraint is provided on the frame corresponding to the first stop and the second stop to limit the displacement stroke.

[0016] Optionally, if a manual displacement assembly is used, a torsion spring is provided for resetting the enclosure; The torsion spring is fitted onto the drive shaft, with one torsion arm connected to the frame and the other torsion arm connected to the drive shaft, handle, or housing.

[0017] Optionally, when the enclosure is a partially cylindrical enclosure, the central angle corresponding to its bottom surface is 165°~215°.

[0018] Optionally, the casing and the drive shaft are connected by spokes.

[0019] Optionally, the enclosure and the lower end face are either a first friction pair formed by direct engagement or a second friction pair with a sealing element.

[0020] Optionally, at least one friction interface of the first friction pair is determined to have a friction-reducing coating; The sealing element used in the second friction pair is a sealing ring disposed on the lower end face.

[0021] Optionally, the sealing ring is a silicone skirt attached to the lower end face of the substrate.

[0022] Optionally, the lower end of the shell portion is a single-layer shell, a double-layer shell, or a triple-layer shell; The corresponding lower end face has a single-ring lower end face, a double-ring lower end face, or a triple-ring lower end face; If the lower end face has two or three rings, at least the innermost lower end face shall be in contact with the enclosure.

[0023] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a beverage machine is provided, including the feeding mechanism described in the first aspect of the present invention.

[0024] According to the feeding mechanism of this utility model embodiment, a rotating scoop is used for feeding, with one scoop of material fed each time the scoop rotates. When the scoop returns to its original position, the groove on the scoop used to hold the powder is shielded by the lower end of the guiding component, preventing moisture from entering the guiding component and thus preventing powder clumping. Furthermore, because the feeding of the rotating scoop depends on its volume and relies on the natural fall of the powder, unlike screw conveyors which rely on compression for feeding, the feeding is relatively smooth. Attached Figure Description

[0025] The following figures are drawings of one or more embodiments of the present utility model. The following description of the figures is exemplary and does not constitute a limitation on the protection scope of the present utility model. The various components or structures that cooperate with each other in the figures do not constitute a proportional limitation.

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the beverage machine structure in one embodiment.

[0027] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the feeding mechanism and the mixing chamber in one embodiment, and a powder bottle is also shown in the diagram.

[0028] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the rotating spoon structure in one embodiment, which also shows a torsion spring for resetting the rotating spoon.

[0029] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the first three-dimensional structure of the guide component in one embodiment.

[0030] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the second three-dimensional structure of the guide component in one embodiment.

[0031] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the guide component and the rotating spoon in one embodiment, and the figure shows the unloading position of the rotating spoon.

[0032] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the guide component and the rotating spoon in one embodiment, and the figure shows the material picking position of the rotating spoon.

[0033] In the diagram: 1. Tray, 2. Drinking area, 3. Control panel mounting base, 4. Knob, 5. Housing, 6. Bottle holder, 7. Powder bottle, 8. Maintenance port, 9. Sealing cap, 10. Exhaust vent, 11. Indicator arrow, 12. Raised stripe, 13. Button, 14. Shift fork, 15. Drive shaft, 16. Torsion spring, 17. Spoke, 18. Middle seat sleeve, 19. Lower seat sleeve, 20. Outer shell, 21. Bottom wall, 22. Side wall, 23. Spoon, 24. Mixing chamber, 25. Shaft head, 26. Outer fin plate, 27. Inner reinforcing plate, 28. Shaft body, 29. Outer mating surface, 30. Inner lower seat sleeve, 19. Lower seat sleeve, 31. Positioning anti-rotation rib, 32. Single-sided buckle, 33. Stop, 34. Inner mating surface, 35. Support, 36. Seat hole. Detailed Implementation

[0034] To facilitate understanding of this utility model, a more detailed description is provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that "frame" is a general term used in the field of mechanism analysis to refer to relatively statically determinate components, and does not specifically refer to any particular component, such as... Figure 1 The casing 5 shown can be used as Figure 2 The base on which the drive shaft 15 is directly mounted can also be the base on which the drive shaft 15 is indirectly mounted. Other relatively static components, including the housing 5, can be used as the frame if they are located in the design position of the drive shaft 15 and are suitable as its mounting base.

[0035] Given that, in the embodiments of this utility model, the definition of "up" and "down" corresponds to the flow of powder by gravity, it should be understood that flow by gravity only requires a height difference, not an absolute up or down. Therefore, in the embodiments of this utility model, "up," "down," and other terms such as "left," "right," "inner," "outer," "front," and "back," as well as similar expressions, are for illustrative and explanatory purposes.

[0036] Similarly, statements that are mutually explanatory, such as vertical or horizontal, are also for the purpose of explanation or clarification.

[0037] Additionally, to facilitate the description of the relationship between one component or component and another component or component shown in the accompanying drawings, spatially relative terms, such as "lower," "upper," and similar terms, may be used in embodiments of this invention. It should be understood that spatially relative terms are intended to cover different orientations of the device during use and operation, in addition to those depicted in the accompanying drawings. For example, if the accompanying drawings... Figure 3 The component in the image is upside down, and the component described as being "below" other components or components may then be oriented "above" other components or components.

[0038] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this specification have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used in the embodiments of this invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the invention.

[0039] Furthermore, as a special note, the technical features involved in the different embodiments of the present invention described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0040] It should be understood that in the field of mechanics, standard geometric terms are typically used to describe approximate mechanical structures, without implying that the mechanical mechanism possesses the exact geometric characteristics corresponding to those terms. For example, the bolt head of a hexagonal head bolt is actually a hexagonal prism, and the end of the bolt head is rounded. The same applies to cylindrical surfaces, as mentioned in this utility model. For example... Figure 6 The lower end face of the middle and lower seat sleeve 19 is similar to the surface formed by cutting off the transverse cylindrical portion of the lower end of the lower seat sleeve 19, for example, a cylindrical tube.

[0041] Figure 6 The image shown is a projection of the guide component and the rotating spoon in the axial direction of the rotating spoon. Through the projection, the lower end face of the lower seat 19 appears as an arc. The projection of the cylinder used to cut off the lower end of the guide component at the lower end of the lower seat 19 can be either arc or circular, corresponding to the rotating spoon whose main body is cylindrical.

[0042] And for Figure 6The main body of the rotating spoon, namely the outer shell 20 shown in the figure, is represented as a partially cylindrical shell with a partially cylindrical surface.

[0043] Figure 1 The beverage machine shown is mainly used to illustrate the feeding mechanism in this embodiment of the present invention. Such beverage machines are generally equipped with a powder box or powder bottle 7, which serves as a hopper assembly or an external feeding component. In this embodiment of the present invention, the guiding component can be part of the hopper or a part extending from the hopper, such as a discharge pipe or a discharge nozzle.

[0044] In the embodiments of this utility model, the focus is on the description of the beverage machine feeding mechanism. For other parts of the beverage machine, only the parts related to the realization of the purpose of the feeding mechanism are described in the embodiments of this utility model, and the other parts will not be described in detail.

[0045] Figure 1 In the middle, shielded by the casing 5, the feeding mechanism is Figure 1 Only the knob 4, which serves as a handle, can be observed in the figure. The powder bottle 7 in the figure is a feeding component, and the sealing cap 9 serves as a cap for extending the connection to, for example, the inlet of the powder bottle 7.

[0046] exist Figure 1 The illustrated beverage machine has two feeding mechanisms. In some embodiments, the two feeding mechanisms are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the left and right center surfaces of the beverage machine. Figure 2 The mixing compartment 24 shown in the example is positioned horizontally centered on the beverage machine. Figure 2 A feeding mechanism is positioned on the left side of the mixing chamber 24 in the left-right direction, and the scoop 23 is currently in the unloading state.

[0047] like Figure 2 As shown, since external feeding components such as powder bottle 7 are not well-suited for direct cooperation with the rotating spoon in this embodiment, it is necessary to provide an independent guiding component. In some embodiments, the guiding component also serves as a receiving component for the powder bottle 7 to be installed on the beverage machine.

[0048] In addition, for example, if the feeding component is constructed as a powder hopper, the guiding component can be formed as the bottom of the powder hopper, or it can be a component not included in the powder hopper. The two are connected and connected to the corresponding cavities to export the powder material in the powder hopper.

[0049] The main functional part of the guide component in the embodiments of this utility model is its part that cooperates with the rotating spoon. The guide component can firstly seal with the rotating spoon so that a relatively reliable dynamic seal can be formed between the guide component and the rotating spoon when the rotating spoon is rotating, so that at least powder cannot be leaked. At the same time, it is even better if it can effectively block the entry of water vapor.

[0050] Accordingly, the guiding component is primarily a relatively fixed part, mounted on the frame, such as... Figure 5 As shown, in Figure 5 In the illustrated structure, the guide component is a variable diameter structure with two main tube segments and a step between them, namely the stop 33 shown in the figure. The relatively thinner tube segment is shown as the middle sleeve 18 in the figure, and a positioning mounting hole is provided on the upper cover plate of the housing 5, for example. The middle sleeve 18 mates with the positioning mounting hole, and the side of the middle sleeve 18 has a positioning anti-rotation rib 31. An anti-rotation groove is provided on the wall of the positioning mounting hole to mate with the positioning anti-rotation rib 31.

[0051] The upper end of the middle seat cover 18 is provided with a single-sided buckle 32. After the upper end of the middle seat cover 18 protrudes upward from the positioning and mounting hole, it is restrained by the single-sided buckle 32 and will not fall down. The stop 33 is used to limit the upward movement of the component.

[0052] exist Figure 2 In the illustrated structure, the guide component is in Figure 5 The seat hole 36 is used to receive the lower end of the powder bottle 7, mainly the bottle mouth, to receive the powder. When, for example, the powder bottle 7 is removed, the seat hole 36 is sealed with the sealing cap 9. Since the description of the feeding mechanism is focused on the embodiments of this utility model, how the seat hole 36 cooperates with the powder bottle 7 to receive the powder is not part of the improvement of this utility model and will not be elaborated here. As mentioned above, in the embodiments of this utility model, the key point is the cooperation relationship between the guide component and the rotating spoon. Therefore, furthermore, the lower end of the guide component is configured as a tube shell, which is a vertical structure to facilitate the discharge of powder by gravity.

[0053] It should be noted that the determination of vertical or horizontal orientation is primarily based on the main axis of the relevant components. Figure 6 In the diagram, the axis of the guide component with a tubular structure is a vertical axis, representing a typical vertical structure. It should be noted that in the mechanical field, vertical and horizontal structures are not strictly required to be either vertical or horizontal.

[0054] Figure 6 In the middle, the components that make up the guiding parts, such as Figures 4-7 The component with a tubular shell structure illustrated in the figure has a lower part shown as a lower sleeve 19. This lower sleeve 19 is a circular tube sleeve in the figure. If its lower end face is flat, the solid part is an annular structure, and the inner hole of the annular structure is the lower opening of the lower sleeve 19. To allow it to mate with a rotating ladle, the flat end face is concave, forming a partial cylindrical surface. Ideally, the axis of this partial cylindrical surface is perpendicular to the axis of the tubular shell. As mentioned earlier, the axis of the tubular shell can be defined as the main axis for ease of distinction.

[0055] In a preferred embodiment, the guide component can be an engineering plastic part as a whole, and can be integrally injection molded. Regarding the forming of the partial cylindrical surface, it can be directly formed during the forming of the guide component. Alternatively, the partial cylindrical surface can be machined by cutting on a tubular shell structure with flat end faces.

[0056] exist Figure 6 and Figure 7 In the illustrated structure, the axial view is equivalent to the guide component and the rotating spoon in action. In the planar orthographic view shown in the figure, the lower end of the guide component is an arc-shaped structure, and the outer contour of the rotating spoon is an arc-shaped structure. Since there is a third dimension, namely the axial dimension, the part of the guide component shown as an arc-shaped structure in the figure corresponds to the aforementioned partial cylindrical surface, while the part of the rotating spoon shown as an arc-shaped structure in the figure corresponds to the shell with a partial cylindrical surface.

[0057] The rotating spoon is mounted on the frame via the drive shaft 15. Since the movement of the rotating spoon is a relatively simple component with negligible load, the drive shaft 15 can be formed into a rotating pair using a simple shaft-hole fit. The structure corresponding to this rotating pair is a sliding bearing.

[0058] If smoothness is taken into consideration, for example, wear-resistant sleeves, such as nylon sleeves or polytetrafluoroethylene sleeves, can be inserted into the holes on the housing 5 or the structural parts fixed to the housing 5 for mating with the drive shaft 15, to construct a sliding bearing.

[0059] If cost control is appropriate, the drive shaft 15 can also be assembled on a housing 5, for example, using a relatively expensive rolling bearing.

[0060] The aforementioned polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is known as the king of plastics and is currently the material used to make friction interfaces with a relatively low coefficient of friction, such as skateboards. In daily life, the surface coating of non-stick pans is generally made of PTFE coatings.

[0061] Nylon is another type of engineering plastic with relatively low cost and a relatively low coefficient of friction, and it has a relatively wide range of applications in the manufacture of skateboards and linings.

[0062] Other materials, such as modified polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and other wear-resistant coatings that can be used to effectively reduce the coefficient of friction when constructing friction pairs, can also be used if they meet food-grade requirements.

[0063] From a positional perspective, the rotating spoon is located below the tube housing; here, the tube housing specifically refers to the lower part of the guiding component. The rotating spoon, which mates with the lower end face of the tube housing, has a casing fixed to the drive shaft 15. This casing is a cylindrical casing or a partially cylindrical casing, such as... Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 The example of the outer shell 20 structure shown has a fan-shaped part corresponding to its bottom surface. In this case, the outer shell 20 is a partially cylindrical shell.

[0064] For the purposes of this utility model, the rotating spoon needs to ensure a sealed connection with the lower opening of the tube shell throughout its entire working stroke; otherwise, material leakage will occur. Therefore, the larger the central angle corresponding to the end face of the shell, the larger the working stroke of the rotating spoon (the working stroke here is obviously the angle difference corresponding to the angle amount). Thus, the minimum value of the central angle corresponding to the shell depends on the size of the inner tube portion in the tube shell used to discharge powder. Based on this, those skilled in the art should have a clear understanding.

[0065] Furthermore, under these conditions, the enclosure can be relatively large, and can be a complete cylindrical enclosure, i.e., a tubular enclosure. In terms of material usage, the smaller the central angle corresponding to the enclosure, the less material is needed. Figure 6 In the illustrated structure, the enclosure is a partially cylindrical enclosure with a central angle of 210° as shown in the figure. This central angle can be larger, such as 215°, or it can be a full enclosure of 360°.

[0066] Regarding the size of the central angle corresponding to the casing, it needs to be considered that when the spoon part 23 of the rotating spoon rotates to the state covered by the casing, corresponding to the first stop position of the rotating spoon, it is necessary to ensure that the casing of the rotating spoon can cover the lower opening of the guide member from the bottom, and that the spoon part 23 is completely covered by the lower end of the guide member. Furthermore, the rotating spoon is in... Figure 7 In the illustrated state, the spoon part 23 of the rotating spoon is fully rotated out, and the casing of the rotating spoon should still be able to cover the lower opening of the guide member from the bottom. At this time, it corresponds to the second stop position of the rotating spoon, which is used for unloading the powder in the spoon part 23.

[0067] The first and second stops not only determine the working stroke of the rotating spoon, but also, in conjunction with the size of the lower opening of the guide component, determine the minimum size of the rotating spoon's casing, which corresponds to the aforementioned central angle. At this point, the minimum central angle should not be less than 120°.

[0068] Correspondingly, the shell of the rotating spoon is the part that mates with the cylindrical surface of the rotating spoon. Therefore, as a design requirement, the axis of the shell is collinear with the axis of the lower end face. Under assembly conditions, the better the coaxiality between the cylindrical surface and the shell, the easier it is to achieve a seal between the rotating spoon and the guide component.

[0069] exist Figure 2 and Figure 3In the illustrated structure, the enclosure, including the outer shell 20, is connected to the drive shaft 15 via spokes 17. The enclosure and drive shaft 15 can be integrally injection molded using an injection molding machine.

[0070] Regarding the seal between the rotating spoon and the guide component, it is obviously a dynamic seal. Since the rotation amount of the rotating spoon is not large and the rotation is not frequent, and it is obviously not like the speed of hundreds or thousands of revolutions per minute in engineering machinery, the seal between the shell of the rotating spoon and the lower end face is relatively easy to achieve.

[0071] Furthermore, regarding the seal between the rotating spoon and the guiding component, the primary requirement is sealing the powder, which is the minimum standard. The next requirement is sealing the moisture, which is a more demanding seal. Considering only the powder seal, a contact seal is sufficient. It should be noted that coffee powder, for example, typically has a particle size of 0.6-0.8mm. Although common coffee powders contain a small amount of fine powder with a particle size of 0.25mm, a mechanical contact seal is perfectly adequate to meet the technical requirements for preventing powder leakage. For other brewing products such as milk powder, the particle size is mostly above 800 mesh (corresponding to a particle size of 15μm), but a mechanical contact seal can still achieve a leak-proof seal.

[0072] If sealing against moisture is a concern, then sealing components, such as rubber rings or other seals with sealing interfaces, need to be considered.

[0073] In summary, the first friction pair formed by direct engagement between the enclosure and the lower end face is either a first friction pair or a second friction pair with a sealing element. If a first friction pair formed by direct engagement is used, then in a more preferred embodiment, a friction-reducing coating, such as a polytetrafluoroethylene coating or a nylon coating, needs to be prepared on the corresponding friction interface.

[0074] Regarding friction pairs, as long as one of the friction interfaces has a friction-reducing coating, the friction coefficient of the friction pair can be effectively reduced. In some embodiments, it is determined that both friction interfaces of the corresponding friction pair have friction-reducing coatings.

[0075] In some embodiments, namely the aforementioned configuration of the second friction pair, the sealing element used is a sealing ring disposed on the lower end face, which enables a better seal. The sealing element can extend beyond the mating clearance, achieving a dynamic seal similar to that under tight-fitting conditions.

[0076] In some embodiments, the sealing ring is a silicone skirt attached to the lower end face of the substrate. The silicone itself is soft, and with the skirt, a relatively good seal can be achieved without excessively increasing friction.

[0077] exist Figure 4In the illustrated structure, the lower end of the shell portion adopts a double-shell structure. In some embodiments, a single-shell or triple-shell structure can also be used. Except for the innermost shell, the remaining shells constitute a functional shell of a labyrinth sealing structure.

[0078] When there are multiple shells, the lower end face of the innermost shell is in contact with the surrounding shell.

[0079] In addition, such as Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments of the beverage machine of this utility model, a suction device can be provided for the space inside the casing 5, especially the space where the mixing chamber 24 is located, to discharge the water vapor in the corresponding area through, for example, the exhaust window 10. At this time, the sealing requirements between the rotating spoon and the guiding component are reduced accordingly.

[0080] Regarding the spoon part 23 of the spoon, in Figure 2 and Figure 3 The illustrated structure shows a semi-enclosed groove. The groove can also be a fully enclosed groove. The semi-enclosed groove is advantageous for reducing the size of the casing, that is, the requirement for the second stop is relatively low, or in other words, the working stroke of the rotating spoon does not need to be too large, and the powder can be discharged smoothly. This will be explained in detail below.

[0081] Furthermore, regarding the displacement of the rotating spoon between the first and second stops, a drive displacement assembly is provided to drive the drive shaft 15 to rotate, thereby giving the rotating spoon the displacement stroke determined by the first and second stops. Since frequent use is not required, the drive displacement assembly is preferably a manual displacement assembly, such as... Figure 2 Knob 4 is shown in the image.

[0082] Figure 3 The image shows that the end of the drive shaft 15 is a profiled shaft head 25, which can be used to connect the knob 4 via a profiled connection. The knob-type structure has a certain retro feel and is relatively aesthetically pleasing.

[0083] In terms of control method, for example, for milk powder, if three scoops of milk powder need to be added, the knob 4 can be turned back and forth three times to complete the feeding.

[0084] Figure 1 and Figure 2 In this design, knob 4 is a handle-like structure, which can also be a flat, finger-grip design. However, from an aesthetic point of view, knob 4 with a cylindrical profile is preferable.

[0085] Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the middle, the outer contour of the knob 4 is a knob 4 with raised stripes 12, or it can be other knobs 4 with knurled structure, or it can be a smooth knob.

[0086] Additionally, knob 4 has an indicator arrow 11 to indicate the state of the rotating spoon controlled by knob 4.

[0087] exist Figure 2 In the illustrated structure, the knob 4 is also equipped with a lever 13 and a fork 14, which are used to achieve different purposes. One or all of them can be selected.

[0088] The actuator 13 mainly cooperates with a limiting structure or component provided on, for example, the housing 5, to determine the first stop and the second stop through mechanical limiting. The actuator 13 serves as the limiting structure.

[0089] Additionally, the knob 13 can be located, for example, on the knob 4, on the drive shaft 15, or on the body of the rotating spoon, for example... Figure 2 On the outer shell 20.

[0090] The shift fork 14 is used to actuate, for example, a limit switch, to facilitate the integration of electrical controls to achieve, for example, water supply or other control methods. For example, adding powder before water is advantageous for suppressing or preventing moisture from entering, for example, the guide components.

[0091] At the same time, the shift fork 14 can also serve as a hard limit switch 13, so there is no need to set up a separate switch 13.

[0092] The fork 14 and the lever 13 are only used here to indicate that certain specific functions can be achieved by means of such design. As for how to extend the functions, it is irrelevant to the improvement of this utility model and will not be described in detail here.

[0093] Based on the above description, it can be seen that in the first stop position, for example, the spoon part 23 constituting the groove is covered by the tube shell part, allowing the powder to enter the spoon part. In the second stop position, the groove is removed from the covered state of the tube shell part. At this time, for example, the outer surface of the outer shell 20 blocks the lower end of the guide member, and at the same time, for example, the spoon part 23 is exposed after losing the cover of the guide member. Then, the spoon rotates to a state suitable for the powder in the groove to flow out under gravity, and at this time, the position corresponding to the second stop position is reached.

[0094] As mentioned earlier, dry powders often have good flowability. For example, food-grade powders such as coffee powder, fruit powder, and milk powder often have good flowability.

[0095] Regarding the groove, if it is rotated to be directly below the rotating spoon in the operating state, the powder can obviously be discharged by gravity. However, discharging the powder from the groove does not require the groove to be directly below the rotating spoon at the moment. For example... Figure 2 and Figure 3 The bottom wall 21 only needs to have an angle with the horizontal plane greater than the friction angle between the powder and the horizontal plane.

[0096] As a design element, in the groove feeding state, the bottom wall 21 of the groove can be approximately horizontal, corresponding to... Figure 6 As shown, after the groove is rotated out from the lower end of the guide component, the angle between it and the horizontal plane should be greater than the aforementioned friction angle. In other words, when the amount of rotation of the drive shaft 15 from its initial position (corresponding to the first stop point, assuming that the bottom wall 21 is in a horizontal state at this time) is less than or equal to 90°, the angle between the bottom wall 21 and the horizontal plane is equal to the rotation angle of the drive shaft 15. When the drive shaft 15 rotates further, the bottom wall 21 is in a state similar to overturning, which can be represented by a negative angle with the horizontal plane, to indicate that it exhibits different dynamics.

[0097] Based on the above considerations, the displacement stroke can optionally be 60°~135°. As described above, 60° corresponds to the angle between the bottom wall 21 and the horizontal plane, which is 60°, and 135° corresponds to the angle between the bottom wall 21 and the horizontal plane, which is -45°.

[0098] In a preferred embodiment, the displacement stroke is controlled to be less than or equal to 90°.

[0099] Furthermore, a groove can be a fully enclosed wall or a semi-enclosed wall, such as... Figure 3 The spoon section 23 shown is a scoop-shaped structure with three walls, and the default side of the wall is the powder discharge side.

[0100] If the enclosure is a fully enclosed structure, the angle between the side wall 22 on the discharge side and the horizontal plane needs to be considered. In this case, there are higher requirements for the rotation angle of the rotating spoon's displacement stroke.

[0101] Furthermore, the groove is defined by a bottom wall 21 and a side wall 22, and the bottom wall 21 is preferably a flat bottom wall to facilitate the discharge of powder.

[0102] In summary, the side wall 22 is a wall that forms an enclosing structure at the edge of the bottom wall. This wall can be a complete wall or an incomplete wall. Here, a complete wall is a wall with a fully enclosed structure, and an incomplete wall is preferably a wall with three sides enclosed and one side left unenclosed, namely the aforementioned spoon-shaped structure 23.

[0103] If it is an incomplete enclosure, the enclosure is open on one side, and the open side is the side that rotates out when the groove changes position from the first stop to the second stop.

[0104] Regarding the angle between the bottom wall 21 and the side wall 22, it is preferred to be not less than 75°, and it is even more preferred to be the vertical wall relative to the bottom wall 21.

[0105] To reduce the embedding of powder, there is a transition arc between the bottom wall 21 and the side wall 22. In some embodiments, the bottom wall 21 and the side wall 22 can also be directly connected.

[0106] Furthermore, when the side wall 22 is an incomplete enclosure, the angle between the normal to the bottom wall 21 and the corresponding radial line is 8°~27°, and the corresponding state of the spoon-shaped portion is... Figure 3 In the example shown, the spoon portion is formed by a bevel cut. Figure 3 For example, the corresponding radial line is determined by the line connecting the default edge of the enclosure and the center line of the drive shaft 15. Under this condition, the discharge of powder can still be relatively sufficient even with a relatively small displacement stroke.

[0107] Especially when the spoon is operated manually, the comfort of manual operation is relatively good when the displacement stroke is small.

[0108] In addition, Figure 3 In the illustrated structure, the scoop portion 23 used as the groove has a larger circumferential dimension than its axial dimension in the casing, or they can be equal. However, the circumferential dimension of the scoop portion 23 should not be too large, and the ratio of the two dimensions should not be greater than 2. Otherwise, the design of the corner stroke will be greatly affected. The main consideration is the amount of corner required when the scoop portion 23 is completely covered or completely disengaged.

[0109] In addition, Figure 2 and Figure 3 In the illustrated structure, a torsion spring 16 is also provided for resetting the rotating spoon. The corresponding reset position is the first stop point of the rotating spoon, at which point the spoon portion 23 is in a state covered by the guide member. The torsion spring 16 keeps the rotating spoon in a relatively stable state at the first stop point, preventing the spoon portion 23 from being completely or partially dislodged from the state covered by the guide member.

[0110] Correspondingly, the torsion spring 16 is fitted onto the drive shaft 15, with one torsion arm connected to the frame and the other torsion arm connected to the drive shaft 15, the handle, or the housing.

[0111] The above description is illustrative in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and is not intended to limit the scope of this utility model. Within the concept of this utility model, the above embodiments or different embodiments can be combined without conflict. Although the utility model has been described in detail in the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. These modifications or substitutions do not cause the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model.

Claims

1. A feeding mechanism, characterized in that, include: frame; A guide component, fixed to the frame, is used to receive powder, and the lower end of the guide component is a vertical tube shell that discharges the received powder. The lower end face of the tube shell is a partially cylindrical surface, and the axis of the partially cylindrical surface is perpendicular to the axis of the tube shell. The rotating spoon is mounted on the frame via a drive shaft and is located on the lower side of the tube shell. The rotating spoon has a casing fixed to the drive shaft. The casing is a cylindrical casing or a partially cylindrical casing, and the axis of the casing is coaxial with the partially cylindrical surface of the lower end face and is sealed to the lower end face. The outer surface of the casing has a groove. The drive displacement assembly drives the drive shaft to rotate so that the rotating spoon has a displacement stroke determined by the first stop and the second stop. In the first stop position, the groove is covered by the tube shell, allowing powder to enter the groove. In the second stop position, the groove is removed from the covered state of the tube shell, allowing the powder in the groove to flow out under gravity.

2. The feeding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The displacement stroke is 60°~135°.

3. The feeding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The groove is defined by a bottom wall and side walls, and the bottom wall is a flat bottom wall; The sidewall is an enclosure that forms a surrounding structure at the edge of the bottom wall; the enclosure may be a complete enclosure or an incomplete enclosure. If it is an incomplete enclosure, the enclosure is open on one side, and the open side is the side that rotates out when the groove changes position from the first stop to the second stop.

4. The feeding mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, The angle between the bottom wall and the side wall is 75°~90°.

5. The feeding mechanism according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that, The bottom wall and the side walls are directly connected or have a transition arc.

6. The feeding mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, When the sidewall is an incomplete enclosure, the angle between the normal of the bottom wall and the corresponding radial line is 8°~27°.

7. The feeding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The circumferential dimension of the groove is 1 to 2 times the axial dimension of the casing.

8. The feeding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner surface of the groove has a friction-reducing coating.

9. The feeding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive displacement component is an electronically controlled or manually controlled displacement component; If it is a manual positioner, the corresponding drive positioner is a handle installed at one end of the drive shaft.

10. The feeding mechanism according to claim 9, characterized in that, The handle, drive shaft, or housing is provided with a stop, and the frame is provided with constraints corresponding to the first stop and the second stop to limit the displacement stroke.

11. The feeding mechanism according to claim 9, characterized in that, If a manual displacement assembly is used, a torsion spring is provided for the reset of the enclosure; The torsion spring is fitted onto the drive shaft, with one torsion arm connected to the frame and the other torsion arm connected to the drive shaft, handle, or housing.

12. The feeding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the enclosure is a partially cylindrical enclosure, the central angle corresponding to its bottom surface is 165°~215°.

13. The feeding mechanism according to claim 1 or 12, characterized in that, The casing and the drive shaft are connected by spokes.

14. The feeding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The enclosure and the lower end face are either a first friction pair formed by direct engagement or a second friction pair with a sealing element.

15. The feeding mechanism according to claim 14, characterized in that, It is determined that at least one friction interface of the first friction pair has a friction-reducing coating; The sealing element used in the second friction pair is a sealing ring disposed on the lower end face.

16. The feeding mechanism according to claim 15, characterized in that, The sealing ring is a silicone skirt attached to the lower end face of the substrate.

17. The feeding mechanism according to any one of claims 1, 14-16, characterized in that, The lower end of the tubular shell is a single-layer tubular shell, a double-layer tubular shell, or a triple-layer tubular shell. The corresponding lower end face has a single-ring lower end face, a double-ring lower end face, or a triple-ring lower end face; If the lower end face has two or three rings, at least the innermost lower end face shall be in contact with the enclosure.

18. A beverage machine, characterized in that, Includes the feeding mechanism described in any one of claims 1 to 17.

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