Peristaltic pump and beverage machine

Abstract

The application discloses a peristaltic pump and a beverage machine, which comprise a shell, a mounting cover, a buckle plate mechanism and a waterway plate; the shell is arranged on the waterway plate, the shell is internally provided with a pump pipe and a roller mechanism, the waterway plate is internally provided with an inlet channel and an outlet channel, and the two ends of the pump pipe are communicated with the inlet channel and the outlet channel respectively; one side of the mounting cover is hinged to the waterway plate, and the other side is connected with the shell through a buckle structure, so that the mounting cover covers the opening of the shell; one side of the buckle plate mechanism is hinged to the mounting cover, and the other side is used for pressing the shell and the mounting cover tightly through a clamping structure. The peristaltic pump and the beverage machine can conveniently and quickly disassemble and assemble the pump pipe.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of peristaltic pump technology, and more specifically to a peristaltic pump and a beverage machine. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous improvement of consumers' living standards, beverage machines have become an indispensable appliance in modern homes and commercial spaces, providing consumers with a diverse range of beverage options. Beverage machines use a peristaltic pump to transport liquid materials from the tank to the outlet, achieving precise material supply.

[0003] However, existing peristaltic pumps for beverage machines on the market typically require disassembling the casing to replace the tubing. The casing is mostly connected with screws, making disassembly difficult. The peristaltic pump tubing is installed on rollers inside the casing, making the installation process complex. Secondly, the connections between the tubing are generally made using connectors, which have obvious uneven steps inside the pipes, making it easy to leave cleaning dead spots. At the same time, the change in the inner diameter of the pipe at the connector makes it impossible to control the discharge speed and pressure, resulting in large accuracy errors. In addition, the water inlet pipe is single, and if the hopper is not replenished in time, the pipe will run dry, resulting in no discharge or a large discharge deviation.

[0004] To overcome the difficulty of replacing hoses, some products have improved the structure of peristaltic pumps. For example, Chinese patent CN217682210U discloses a peristaltic pump and beverage machine, which features an openable and closable pressure block and a buckle at the connector. The hose can be inserted into the buckle and easily removed. When cleaning is needed, the pressure block can be opened, the hose removed, and after cleaning, the hose can be inserted back into the buckle. While this technology makes it easier to remove and place the hose, the pressure block needs to be fixed to the body by a spring pin to achieve closure. The spring pin needs to be removed before opening the pressure block, making the structure relatively complex and hose replacement more troublesome. In addition, the above technology still does not solve the problems of cleaning dead zones and large precision errors caused by hose connection through connectors, and the problem of easy dry running due to a single water inlet pipe. Utility Model Content

[0005] In order to overcome the above-mentioned shortcomings of the prior art, this utility model provides a peristaltic pump and a beverage machine, which can more conveniently and quickly disassemble and assemble the pump tube.

[0006] The technical solution adopted by this utility model to solve its technical problem is: a peristaltic pump, including a housing, a mounting cover, a buckle mechanism and a water circuit plate;

[0007] The housing is mounted on the water channel plate, and the housing contains a pump pipe and a roller mechanism. The water channel plate contains an inlet channel and an outlet channel, and the two ends of the pump pipe are connected to the inlet channel and the outlet channel, respectively.

[0008] One side of the mounting cover is hinged to the water circuit board, and the other side is connected to the housing through a snap-fit ​​structure, so that the mounting cover covers the opening of the housing; one side of the snap-fit ​​mechanism is hinged to the mounting cover, and the other side uses a snap-fit ​​structure to press the housing and the mounting cover together.

[0009] This technical solution provides a peristaltic pump that allows for quick disassembly and replacement of the pump tube through the cooperation of the housing, mounting cover, and buckle plate mechanism. It is easy to install, securely fasten, and simple to operate. At the same time, the pump tube is directly connected to the water channel in the water circuit board, which can achieve a sealed connection at the pipe end face. There are no joints or changes in the inner diameter, thus better ensuring the accuracy and consistency of the discharge and eliminating cleaning dead corners.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment, the upper side of the housing is provided with a snap-fit ​​protrusion, and the upper side of the mounting cover is provided with a snap-fit ​​piece extending forward. The snap-fit ​​piece has a snap-fit ​​hole or snap-fit ​​groove that mates with the snap-fit ​​protrusion.

[0011] In this technology, the housing and the mounting cover are connected by the engagement of the snap-fit ​​protrusion with the snap-fit ​​sleeve hole or snap-fit ​​groove on the snap-fit ​​piece. The structure is simple, easy to assemble, and low in cost.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, locking protrusions are provided on both outer walls of the housing, and locking openings that engage with the locking protrusions are respectively provided on the lower sides of the two front arms of the snap-on mechanism. When the snap-on mechanism rotates and falls, the locking openings engage with the locking protrusions, thereby pressing the housing and the mounting cover tightly together. In this technology, the snap-on mechanism engages with the locking protrusions on the housing through the locking openings to press the housing and the mounting cover into tight contact, ensuring reliable fastening, convenient installation, and simple operation.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the peristaltic pump further includes a first rotating shaft. A pair of first shaft holes are provided on the lower rear side of the mounting cover, and a pair of mounting holes are provided on the upper rear side of the water circuit board. The first rotating shaft passes through the first shaft holes and the mounting holes to hinge the mounting cover to the water circuit board. In this technology, the mounting cover is hinged to the water circuit board through the structure of the first rotating shaft and the first shaft holes, thus allowing it to be rotatably mounted on the water circuit board. The structure is simple and rotation is convenient.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, a second pivot is provided on each of the two side plates of the mounting cover, and a pair of second pivot holes are provided at the lower part of the snap-on mechanism. The snap-on mechanism is hinged to the mounting cover through the second pivot holes and the second pivot, which has a simple structure and is easy to rotate.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment, the housing is provided with an installation groove, and the pump pipe is installed in the installation groove. The pump pipe is a U-shaped flexible tube that is symmetrical on both sides. The two ends of the pump pipe are respectively inserted into two slots on the water circuit board. The two slots are respectively connected to the feed channel and the discharge channel. The inner diameter of the feed channel and the discharge channel are the same as the inner diameter of the pump pipe.

[0016] In this technology, the pump pipe is directly connected to the inlet and outlet channels in the water circuit board without the need for joints, and the inner diameter of the pipe remains unchanged, thereby reducing the accuracy error of the discharge and avoiding cleaning dead corners.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment, the water circuit board has at least two feeding channels, each connecting to a hopper. The water circuit board also includes a water circuit on / off mechanism for controlling the flow of the feeding channels. This technology, by providing multiple feeding channels within the water circuit board and incorporating the on / off mechanism, enables switching between multiple feeding paths. Therefore, multiple hoppers can be added, preventing material shortages, increasing equipment operating time, preventing idling, and ensuring output accuracy.

[0018] In a preferred technical solution, when the water circuit board is provided with two feeding channels, the water circuit opening and closing mechanism includes a first pipe-blocking motor and a second pipe-blocking motor. The first pipe-blocking motor and the second pipe-blocking motor control the opening and closing of the two feeding channels respectively by controlling the extension and retraction of the water-blocking plate. The structure is simple and the control is convenient.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, the peristaltic pump further includes a motor for driving the roller mechanism to rotate. The motor is mounted on a mounting cover, which further facilitates the assembly and disassembly of the peristaltic pump.

[0020] A beverage machine includes a peristaltic pump as described in any of the above technical solutions.

[0021] The beverage machine in this technology uses the aforementioned peristaltic pump, which allows for easier and faster disassembly and assembly of the pump tube. At the same time, it can reduce the accuracy error of dispensing and avoid cleaning dead corners. In addition, when the peristaltic pump has multiple feeding channels, multiple material bins can be set up to prevent material shortage, increase the working time of the equipment, and prevent idling, thus ensuring dispensing accuracy.

[0022] As can be seen from the above technical solution, compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are:

[0023] The present invention provides a peristaltic pump in which the pump tube is installed on the housing. When the housing and the mounting cover are assembled, the pump tube can automatically cooperate with the roller mechanism for installation. At the same time, the housing is fixed by a snap-fit ​​and locking mechanism, making it more convenient and quick to disassemble and assemble the pump tube, thus solving the problem of inconvenient disassembly of the pump housing screws of traditional peristaltic pumps.

[0024] Furthermore, the pump pipe and the water channel in the water circuit board are connected at the end face, which solves the problem of pipe inner diameter changes that occur when connecting peristaltic pump pipes using joints or other methods in the prior art, reduces the accuracy error of material discharge, and avoids cleaning dead corners;

[0025] Furthermore, the water circuit board is equipped with at least two feeding channels. After one hopper is empty, it can automatically switch to another hopper to collect material, preventing material shortage, extending the equipment's working time, and preventing idling, thus ensuring the accuracy of material output.

[0026] A beverage machine using the aforementioned peristaltic pump allows for easier and quicker disassembly and assembly of the pump tubing.

[0027] In addition, other advantages of this invention will be set forth in the description which follows, in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of this invention. Attached Figure Description

[0028] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the peristaltic pump of this utility model;

[0030] Figure 2 This is another overall structural diagram of the peristaltic pump of this utility model;

[0031] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the peristaltic pump of this utility model;

[0032] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the installation structure of the pump casing and pump pipe of this utility model;

[0033] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the internal water circuit of the water circuit board of this utility model;

[0034] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Housing; 11. Snap-fit ​​protrusion; 12. Positioning protrusion; 2. Mounting cover; 21. Snap-fit ​​piece; 22. First shaft hole; 3. Snap-fit ​​mechanism; 31. Positioning opening; 32. Second shaft hole; 4. Water channel plate; 40. Water blocking plate; 41. Feed channel; 42. Discharge channel; 43. Mounting hole; 44. First pipe-blocking motor; 45. Second pipe-blocking motor; 5. Pump pipe; 6. Roller mechanism; 7. Motor. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0036] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on this utility model. Furthermore, in the description of this utility model, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0037] Reference Figure 1-5 This invention describes a peristaltic pump and a beverage machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. The beverage machine can be a household beverage machine or a commercial beverage machine, such as a milk tea machine or a juice machine.

[0038] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1-5 As shown, a peristaltic pump includes a housing 1, a mounting cover 2, a snap-on mechanism 3, and a water circuit plate 4;

[0039] The housing 1 is mounted on the water channel plate 4. The housing 1 contains a pump pipe 5 and a roller mechanism 6. The water channel plate 4 contains a feed channel 41 and a discharge channel 42. The two ends of the pump pipe 5 are connected to the feed channel 41 and the discharge channel 42, respectively.

[0040] One side of the mounting cover 2 is hinged to the water channel plate 4, and the other side is connected to the housing 1 through a snap-fit ​​structure, so that the mounting cover 2 covers the opening of the housing 1; one side of the snap-fit ​​mechanism 3 is hinged to the mounting cover 2, and the other side is pressed between the housing 1 and the mounting cover 2 through a snap-fit ​​structure.

[0041] The housing 1 and the mounting cover 2 are both mounted on the water circuit plate 4. The pump pipe 5 is mounted on the housing 1. The roller mechanism 6 is mounted on the side of the mounting cover 2 facing the housing 1. When the housing 1 and the mounting cover 2 are closed together, the pump pipe 5 and the roller mechanism 6 are located in the cavity formed by the housing 1 and the mounting cover 2, that is, inside the housing 1. When the roller mechanism 6 rotates, it squeezes the pump pipe 5 to realize fluid transportation. The feed channel 41 and the discharge channel 42 are water channels built into the water circuit plate 4. The water circuit plate 4 is also provided with feed holes and discharge holes for connecting to external pipelines. The feed channel 41 is connected to the hopper through the feed hole and the discharge channel 42 is connected to the discharge pipeline through the discharge hole. One side of the mounting cover 2 is hinged to the water circuit plate 4, and one side of the buckle mechanism 3 is hinged to the mounting cover 2. By pulling up the buckle mechanism 3 and the mounting cover 2 in sequence, the housing 1 can be easily removed and the pump pipe 5 replaced.

[0042] In specific implementation, the inner side of the housing 1 can be provided with an installation groove, and the pump pipe 5 is inserted into the installation groove; the pump pipe 5 can be a U-shaped flexible hose that is symmetrical on both sides, and the installation groove is the same shape as the pump pipe 5, which is a U-shaped groove, so that after the U-shaped flexible hose is installed, its arc apex is located inside the arc top of the installation groove; the inlet end and outlet end of the pump pipe 5 are directly connected to the inlet channel 41 and outlet channel 42 in the water circuit plate 4 respectively, without the need for a connector; the inner diameter of the inlet channel 41 and outlet channel 42 is preferably the same as the inner diameter of the pump pipe 5, which can avoid the discharge accuracy error and cleaning dead corner caused by the change of inner diameter; in addition, the inlet channel 41 in the water circuit plate 4 can be one, two or more, and each inlet channel 41 corresponds to an inlet hole on the water circuit plate 4. The inlet hole is connected to the hopper, and the peristaltic pump can switch between hoppers by controlling the opening and closing of the inlet channel 41.

[0043] The peristaltic pump provided in this embodiment allows for quick and easy replacement of the pump pipe 5 through the cooperation of the housing 1, the mounting cover 2, and the buckle mechanism 3. The installation is convenient, the fastening is reliable, and the operation is simple. At the same time, the pump pipe 5 is directly connected to the water channel in the water channel plate 4, which can achieve a sealed connection of the pipe end face without joints or changes in inner diameter, thereby better ensuring the accuracy and consistency of material output and eliminating cleaning dead corners.

[0044] In this embodiment, the upper side of the housing 1 is provided with a buckle protrusion 11, and the upper side of the mounting cover 2 is provided with a forward-extending buckle piece 21. The buckle piece 21 is provided with a buckle sleeve hole or buckle groove that cooperates with the buckle protrusion 11.

[0045] The buckle protrusion 11 can be a raised rectangular or circular protrusion, and the shape of the buckle sleeve hole or buckle groove matches the buckle protrusion 11, and can be rectangular or circular.

[0046] In the above embodiments, the housing 1 and the mounting cover 2 are connected by the engagement of the snap protrusion 11 with the snap sleeve hole or snap groove on the snap piece 21. The structure is simple, easy to assemble, and low in cost.

[0047] In this embodiment, the outer walls on both sides of the housing 1 are respectively provided with locking protrusions 12, and the two front arms of the buckle mechanism 3 are respectively provided with locking openings 31 that engage with the locking protrusions 12; when the buckle mechanism 3 rotates and falls, the locking openings 31 lock the locking protrusions 12, so that the housing 1 and the mounting cover 2 are pressed together.

[0048] The locking protrusion 12 can be a cylindrical protrusion, and the locking opening 31 can be an arc-shaped opening with its top arc-shaped portion engaging with the locking protrusion 12, applying downward and rightward pressure to the housing 1, thereby pressing the housing 1 tightly against the mounting cover 2 and securely mounting it on the water circuit plate 4.

[0049] In the above embodiments, the snap-on mechanism 3 engages with the snap-on protrusion 12 on the housing 1 through the snap-on opening 31 to press the housing 1 and the mounting cover 2 into tight contact, which is reliable, convenient to install and easy to operate.

[0050] In this embodiment, the peristaltic pump also includes a first rotating shaft. A pair of first shaft holes 22 are provided on the lower rear side of the mounting cover 2, and a pair of mounting holes 43 are provided on the upper rear side of the water circuit plate 4. The first rotating shaft passes through the first shaft holes and the mounting holes 43 to hinge the mounting cover 2 to the water circuit plate 4.

[0051] In the above embodiments, the mounting cover 2 is hinged to the water circuit plate 4 through the structure of the first rotating shaft and the first shaft hole 22, so that it can be rotatably mounted on the water circuit plate 4. The structure is simple and the rotation is convenient.

[0052] In this embodiment, the two side plates of the mounting cover 2 are respectively provided with second rotating shafts, and the lower part of the buckle mechanism 3 is provided with a pair of second shaft holes 32. The buckle mechanism 3 is hinged to the mounting cover 2 through the second shaft holes 32 and the second rotating shafts. The structure is simple and easy to rotate.

[0053] Specifically, the snap-on mechanism 3 is mounted on the mounting cover 2, and the second shaft hole 32 of the snap-on mechanism 3 is connected to the second rotating shaft on the mounting cover 2, so that the snap-on mechanism 3 can rotate on the mounting cover 2. The second rotating shaft can be a protruding rotating shaft integrally formed with the side plate of the mounting cover 2, or it can be a rotating shaft mounted on the side plate of the mounting cover 2 through a shaft hole or other means.

[0054] In this embodiment, the housing 1 is provided with an installation groove, and the pump pipe 5 is inserted into the installation groove. The pump pipe 5 is a U-shaped flexible tube that is symmetrical on both sides.

[0055] The two ends of the pump pipe 5 are respectively inserted into two slots on the water circuit plate 4. The two slots are connected to the feed channel 41 and the discharge channel 42 respectively. The inner diameter of the feed channel 41 and the discharge channel 42 are the same as the inner diameter of the pump pipe 5.

[0056] The end faces of the pump pipe 5 at both ends are in direct contact with the bottom end faces of the two slots of the water circuit board 4. In specific implementation, the two ends of the pump pipe 5 extending out of the housing 1 can be provided with connecting sleeves. The connecting sleeves are provided at both ends of the pump pipe 5, and can be integrally formed with the pump pipe 5 or sleeved at both ends of the pump pipe 5.

[0057] The outer diameter of the connecting sleeve is the same as the inner diameter of the slot on the water circuit board 4, so that when the two ends of the pump pipe 5 are inserted into the slot, the bottom end face of the connecting sleeve is sealed and fitted with the bottom end face of the slot, and the side wall of the connecting sleeve is sealed and fitted with the inner side wall of the slot.

[0058] In the above embodiments, the pump pipe 5 is directly connected to the feed channel 41 and the discharge channel 42 in the water circuit board 4 without the need for joint connection, and the inner diameter of the pipe remains unchanged, thereby reducing the accuracy error of the discharge and avoiding cleaning dead corners.

[0059] In this embodiment, the water circuit plate 4 is provided with at least two feeding channels 41, each feeding channel 41 is used to connect a hopper, and the water circuit plate 4 is provided with a water circuit on / off mechanism for controlling the opening and closing of the feeding channels 41.

[0060] The water circuit switching mechanism can be a solenoid valve, a motor switching assembly, or a cylinder switching assembly.

[0061] The above embodiment provides multiple feeding channels 41 in the water circuit plate 4 and a water circuit on / off mechanism on the water circuit plate 4 to control the opening and closing of the feeding channels 41, which can realize the switching of multiple feeding channels. Therefore, multiple hoppers can be set up to prevent material shortage, increase equipment working time, prevent idling, and ensure discharge accuracy.

[0062] In this embodiment, when the water circuit plate 4 is provided with two feeding channels 41, the water circuit opening and closing mechanism includes a first pipe blocking motor 44 and a second pipe blocking motor 45. The first pipe blocking motor 44 and the second pipe blocking motor 45 control the opening and closing of the two feeding channels 41 respectively by controlling the extension and retraction of the water blocking plate 40. The structure is simple and the control is convenient.

[0063] The first pipe-blocking motor 44 and the second pipe-blocking motor 45 are installed on the water circuit plate 4 and are respectively located above the two feed channels 41. The water-blocking plate 40 connected to the lower end of the first pipe-blocking motor 44 and the second pipe-blocking motor 45 can extend and retract to block the water passage of the feed channel 41, thereby realizing the on / off control of the feed channel 41.

[0064] In this embodiment, the peristaltic pump also includes a motor 7 for driving the roller mechanism 6 to rotate. The motor 7 is mounted on the mounting cover 2, which further facilitates the assembly and disassembly of the peristaltic pump.

[0065] The mounting cover 2 has a through hole through which the motor shaft of the power supply 7 passes. The motor shaft extends into the cavity formed by the housing 1 and the mounting cover 2 through the through hole. The roller mechanism 6 is mounted on the motor shaft. When the motor 7 is working, the roller mechanism 6 rotates under the drive of the motor shaft.

[0066] Based on the above embodiments, the working principle of the peristaltic pump is as follows: When assembling the peristaltic pump, the pump tube 5 is first installed into the housing 1, and then the housing 1 is installed on the mounting cover 2. The protruding buckle protrusion 11 on the housing 1 is engaged with the buckle sleeve hole or buckle groove on the mounting cover 2. Then, the buckle plate mechanism 3 is pulled down. When the locking opening 31 on both sides of the buckle plate mechanism 3 rotates and falls, it locks the locking protrusion 12 on the housing 1, thereby pressing the housing 1.

[0067] When replacing the pump tube 5 of the peristaltic pump, pull open the two front arms of the buckle mechanism 3 to disengage the locking opening 31 from the locking protrusion 12, then rotate the mounting cover 2 along the axis to pull it up, remove the housing 1, and then remove the pump tube 5 from the housing 1 to replace it with a new pump tube 5.

[0068] In practice, the opening and closing of the two feed channels 41 can be controlled by the first pipe-blocking motor 44 and the second pipe-blocking motor 45, so that the peristaltic pump can control the entry and exit of the hopper at any time during use.

[0069] In another embodiment, the present invention provides a beverage machine that includes a peristaltic pump as described in any of the above embodiments, which can more conveniently and quickly disassemble and assemble the pump tube 5; at the same time, it can reduce the accuracy error of dispensing and avoid cleaning dead corners; in addition, when the peristaltic pump has multiple feeding channels 41, multiple material bins can be set up to prevent material shortage, increase the working time of the equipment, and at the same time prevent idling and ensure dispensing accuracy.

[0070] In practice, the aforementioned beverage machines can be either household or commercial beverage machines, such as milk tea machines and juice machines.

[0071] Other components and operations of the peristaltic pump and beverage machine according to the embodiments of this utility model are known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0072] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0073] In the description of this specification, references to the terms "embodiment," "specific embodiment," "example," etc., refer to a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example that is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention.

[0074] In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the terms used do not necessarily refer to the same embodiments or examples. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined with each other in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples without interference or contradiction.

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