Pump unit for beverage vending machines, beverage vending machine and method for operating a beverage vending machine

Abstract

The invention relates to a pump unit (100) for a beverage vending machine, wherein the pump unit (100) comprises a container (120) designed to receive a fluid, at least one connection (125) for receiving and / or discharging a fluid from and / or into the container (120), a piston (115) for drawing a fluid into the container (120) and / or pushing fluids out of the container (120), and a heating element (130) arranged in the container (120) and designed to heat a fluid arranged in the container (120).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a pump unit for a beverage vending machine, a beverage vending machine and a method for operating a beverage vending machine.

[0002] DE 10 2015 101 666 A1 discloses a beverage vending machine with a pump and a flow heater, by means of which water can be heated.

[0003] The approach presented here aims to create an improved pump unit for a beverage vending machine, an improved beverage vending machine, and an improved method for operating a beverage vending machine.

[0004] According to the invention, this problem is solved by an improved pump unit for a beverage vending machine, an improved beverage vending machine, and an improved method for operating a beverage vending machine with the features of the main claims. Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention are described in the dependent claims.

[0005] The advantage achievable with the invention consists of the individual design and control of a beverage preparation process as well as a technically simple solution for the conveyance of fluids in a beverage preparation process.

[0006] The approach presented here creates a pump unit for a beverage vending machine, the pump unit comprising the following features: a container designed to hold a fluid; at least one connection for receiving and / or discharging a fluid from the container and / or into the container; a piston to draw fluid into the container and / or push fluids out of the container; and a heating element which is arranged in the container and is designed to warm, heat or evaporate a fluid arranged in the container.

[0007] The fluid can be water, another liquid, air, water vapor, or a combination thereof.

[0008] According to one embodiment, the pump unit can be designed to pump water from a water tank, through the container, and into a brewing unit. According to one embodiment, the beverage dispenser can be designed as a fully automatic coffee machine. According to an alternative embodiment, the beverage dispenser can also comprise only a base station. According to one embodiment, the container can be made of glass. This embodiment can be particularly advantageous because it eliminates or minimizes heat loss through the use of aluminum components. According to one embodiment, the connection can be arranged on the container. The connection can be located at one end of the container, which may be cylindrical, for example. The piston can be made of stainless steel, for example, and, for example, by means of a vacuum created within the container, transport fluids into and out of the container through the connection.According to one embodiment, the heating element can be designed as a heating coil. In another embodiment, the heating element can be arranged at or in close proximity to the connection. The reciprocating pump replaces the otherwise often present flow pump and the instantaneous water heater. In one embodiment, the reciprocating pump additionally incorporates a heating coil, so that this pump can be designed as a type of boiler.

[0009] Because the heating element can be arranged adjacent to the connection according to one embodiment, the heating element can thus act as a flow heater and include an integrated heat source with boiler functionality.

[0010] To drive the piston, the pumping device can, according to one embodiment, include an electric motor. According to one embodiment, the electric motor can be configured to execute a reciprocating movement of the piston via a gear ratio. For the sake of functional integration, ideally, the motor that operates the process engineering unit can also be used, for example, to drive the grinder of a coffee machine as a beverage preparation device.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the pumping device includes sensors for detecting the position of the piston in order to determine its position within the container. This embodiment offers the advantage of being able to easily determine the current quantity of fluid in the container by measuring the piston's position. The output quantity can be continuously determined via the piston's position.

[0012] The pump unit can also be equipped with sensors to determine the position of the piston using operating data from the electric motor. According to one embodiment, the sensors can, for example, detect the motor's rotational speed. This eliminates the need for costly separate or additional components for detecting the piston's position.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the piston can include a hollow shaft, in particular one shaped to guide compressed air or steam into or out of the container. In another embodiment, the hollow shaft has an external thread to allow it to move in and out of the container. This enables more precise steam generation through metered water quantities and targeted heating. Furthermore, the pressure of the fluid can be regulated by influencing the piston movement.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the pump unit can include at least one temperature sensor designed to detect the temperature of the fluid in the container. According to one embodiment, this allows it to determine when the fluid has reached a desired temperature and can be directed to a brewing unit.

[0015] According to one embodiment, a beverage vending machine can include a variant of the pump unit presented herein. According to one embodiment, the beverage vending machine can include a distributor configured to direct fluid from a water tank into the container via the connection of the pump unit, or to direct fluid from the connection into a brewing unit of the beverage vending machine, in particular wherein the distributor has a first distributor connection for receiving fluid from the water tank and a second distributor connection for dispensing the fluid into the brewing unit. According to one embodiment, the distributor connection has a connection to the container, a connection to the water tank, and a connection to the brewing unit.

[0016] Furthermore, a method for operating a beverage vending machine is presented, which may include a step of moving a piston in a first direction of movement to draw a specific quantity of fluid into a container. The method may further include a step of switching on or operating a heating unit and a step of ejecting the fluid from the container by moving the piston in a second direction of movement opposite to the first. According to one embodiment, the switching on or operating step is performed in response to the moving step. According to another embodiment, the ejection step can be performed in response to the fluid reaching a specific temperature. Such an embodiment also allows the advantages presented here to be realized simply and efficiently.

[0017] The approach presented here further creates a control unit designed to execute, control, and implement the steps of a variant of the method presented here in appropriate devices. This embodiment of the invention, in the form of a device, also allows the underlying problem to be solved quickly and efficiently.

[0018] The control unit can be configured to read input signals and use these input signals to determine and provide output signals. An input signal can, for example, be a sensor signal readable via an input interface of the control unit. An output signal can be a control signal or a data signal that can be provided at an output interface of the control unit. The control unit can be configured to determine the output signals using a processing instruction implemented in hardware or software. For example, the control unit can include a logic circuit, an integrated circuit, or a software module and may be implemented as a discrete component or comprised of a discrete component.

[0019] A computer program product or computer program with program code that can be stored on a machine-readable medium such as semiconductor memory, hard disk memory, or optical memory is also advantageous. If the program product or program is executed on a computer or control unit, it can be used to carry out, implement, and / or control the steps of the method according to one of the embodiments described herein.

[0020] Although the described approach is based on a household appliance, the approach described here can be used accordingly in connection with a commercial or professional device, for example a medical device, such as a cleaning or disinfection device, a small sterilizer, a large-capacity disinfector or a container washing system.

[0021] An embodiment of the invention is shown purely schematically in the drawings and is described in more detail below. It shows Fig. 1 a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of a pump unit; Fig. 2 a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of a beverage vending machine; and Fig. 3 an exemplary embodiment of a flowchart of a method for operating a beverage vending machine.

[0022] Fig. Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of a pump unit 100. The pump unit 100 has an electric motor 105 to drive a hollow shaft 110, which can also be closed, for example, by means of a valve (not shown). The hollow shaft 110 ensures that a piston 115 is moved, or can be moved, within a container 120. A fluid can be moved into and out of the container 120 via a connection 125. A heating element 130 is also arranged at the connection 125. A distributor 135 is located outside the container 120, which is connected to a water tank 140 and a brewing unit.

[0023] In one embodiment, the electric motor 105 is connected to the hollow shaft 110 via a gear transmission 145, which comprises two plates. In this embodiment, the two plates are round and have teeth on their edges, so that the plates function, for example, as gears. The two plates are arranged adjacent to each other, and the teeth of the plates mesh, so that the gear transmission 145 acts as a gear drive. The rotational movement of the electric motor 105 sets the gear transmission 145 in motion. This guides the hollow shaft 110, which, for example, has an external thread, in the second plate of the gear transmission 145, which forms a hole for the hollow shaft 110. The external thread allows the hollow shaft 110 to perform a vertical movement.Since the piston 115 is arranged on the hollow shaft 110, it is moved along with the movement of the hollow shaft 110. According to one embodiment, the piston 115 is guided within the container 120 by the movement of the hollow shaft 110. The movement of the piston 115, according to another embodiment, ensures that a fluid, such as water, is either drawn in from the water tank 140 or forced into the brewing unit. Air can also be drawn in and expelled from the environment. For this purpose, the pump unit 100, according to another embodiment, has a distributor 135. The distributor 135 is designed, for example, to regulate the direction in which fluid is directed. For instance, fluid is directed from the water tank 140 into the container 120, or fluid is directed from the container 120 into the brewing unit.The piston pump is designed to draw a precise amount of water into the cylinder, which is shaped like a 120-liter container, then heat it if necessary, and pump it to the brewing chamber by means of a piston. This allows the flow rate and brewing pressure to be determined very precisely during, for example, the brewing of coffee.

[0024] According to one embodiment, the piston 115 is designed to fill the container 120 with water and then empty it again. While the water is being drawn into the container 120, it is heated by the heating element 130, according to one embodiment. Heating can also be activated during water intake. According to one embodiment, the heating element 130 is designed as a heating coil located adjacent to the connection 125 to directly heat the water when it is in the container 120. During the heating process, steam may be generated, which is to be discharged from the container 120. The system consisting of the piston 115 and cylinder, container 120, with the integrated heating element 130, serves not only for metering and hot water generation but also for steam generation. In this case, a defined quantity of water is brought to a boil by the heating element 130.The resulting steam is collected in container 120. According to one embodiment, container 120 has openings. The steam can be released for further process steps through corresponding openings in container 120 and valve positions. The corresponding pressure in the cylinder can be influenced by the amount of water, the heating energy, the heating time, and the valve opening intervals. Furthermore, this system offers the possibility of very agilely influencing the pressure level through the piston movement, which would not be possible using only classic process parameters such as heating power.

[0025] After the water has been heated, the piston 115 is returned to the position it was in before drawing water into the container 120. The fluid is then directed through the connection 125 and via the distributor 135 into the brewing unit.

[0026] Thus, a tube representing a cylinder function is shaped as a container 120 according to one embodiment. A reciprocating piston 115 moves within the tube, and a heating element 130 is also located within the tube. The tube has a connection to the fluid system, for example, the water tank 140, a connection to the beverage outlet, or various valves.

[0027] This setup enables the following functionality. The piston 115 is moved by an electric motor 105, which can be configured, for example, as a direct drive, gear drive, belt drive, or toggle lever mechanism. The piston's position is known via sensors or by reading the motor data. By detecting the motor's angle of rotation, the volume of air or water that the piston draws in and expels can be determined. When the nominal volume of water is drawn in, it already flows past the heating element 130 and begins to absorb heat. Once the required volume of water has been drawn into the cylinder, it is heated to the desired temperature inside the cylinder by the heating element 130 and a temperature sensor. Only when the target temperature is reached is the water expelled at the desired flow rate.Very low, very high, and dynamic volume flows of both water and air can be achieved. This is also possible through the control or regulation of the rotation angle of the electric motor 105.

[0028] As shown, this system allows all process variables to be adjusted independently. However, if required, the system can also implement coupled process variables, for example, by introducing heat during water discharge. This could, in certain cases, result in a shorter overall process time.

[0029] Fig. Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of a beverage vending machine 200. The beverage vending machine 200 has a water tank 140, which is connected to the rest of the fluid system via the pump unit 100. The pump unit 100 then delivers the fluid to the brewing unit 205, which is connected to an outlet 210.

[0030] The beverage vending machine 200, according to one embodiment presented here, is designed as a fully automatic coffee machine. Water is drawn from the water tank 140 to the pump unit 100 and heated there. According to one embodiment, the brewing water is then directed to the brewing unit 205. In the brewing unit 205, coffee is prepared, which is then dispensed via the outlet 210. The beverage vending machine 200 has a control unit 215 to control the process. According to one embodiment, the concept describes a module for implementing the process engineering in a beverage maker. Various process parameters, such as water pressure, atmospheric pressure, temperature, volumetric flow rate, and delivery rate, are to be represented flexibly and independently of one another across a very wide range.To accommodate the widest possible range of preparation processes, this solution aims to decouple the individual process parameters from one another, allowing them to be individually adjusted and controlled. This also reduces the development and parameterization effort required for the system.

[0031] Fig.Figure 3 shows an embodiment of a flowchart for a method 300 for operating a beverage vending machine. According to one embodiment, the method 300 for operating a beverage vending machine comprises a step 301 of moving a piston in a first direction of movement to draw a specific quantity of fluid into a container. Following step 301 of movement, a step 303 of switching on a heating unit is executed. Subsequently, according to one embodiment, a step 305 of ejecting the fluid from the container is executed by moving the piston in a second direction of movement, opposite to the first. QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 10 2015 101 666 A1

[0002]

Claims

[1] Pump unit (100) for a beverage vending machine (200), wherein the pump unit (100) comprises the following features: a container (120) designed to hold a fluid; at least one connection (125) for receiving and / or discharging a fluid from the container (120) and / or into the container (120); a piston (115) to draw a fluid into the container (120) and / or to push fluids out of the container (120); and a heating element (130) which is arranged in the container (120) and is designed to heat a fluid arranged in the container (120). [2] Pump unit (100) according to claim 1, characterized by that the heating element (130) is located close to the connection (125). [3] Pump unit (100) according to claim 1 or 2, with an electric motor (105) to drive the reciprocating piston (115). [4] Pump unit (100) according to one of the preceding claims, with a sensor for detecting a position of the piston (115) in order to detect a position of the piston (115) in the container (120). [5] Pump unit (100) according to claims 3 and 4, wherein the sensor system is designed to determine the position of the piston (115) using operating data of the electric motor (105). [6] Pump unit (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the piston (115) comprises a hollow shaft (110), in particular that the hollow shaft (110) is shaped to guide compressed air and / or steam into and / or out of the container (120). [7] Pump unit (100) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising at least one thermosensor configured to detect the temperature of the fluid in the container (120). [8] Vending machine (200) with a pump unit (100) according to one of claims 1 to 7. [9] Vending machine (200) according to claim 8, with a distributor (135) configured to supply a fluid from a water tank (140) to the container (120) via the connection (125) of the pump unit (100), and / or to supply a fluid from the connection (125) to a brewing unit (205) of the vending machine (200), in particular wherein the distributor (135) has a first distributor connection for receiving a fluid from the water tank (140), and a second distributor connection for supplying the fluid to the brewing unit (205). [10] Method (300) for operating a beverage vending machine (200) according to one of claims 8 or 9, wherein the method (300) comprises the following steps: Moving (301) a piston (115) in a first direction of movement to draw a certain amount of fluid into a container (120); Switching on (303) or operating the heating element (130) in the container (120); and Ejection (305) of the fluid from the container (120) by moving the piston (115) in a second direction of movement opposite to the first direction of movement. [11] Control unit (215) configured to perform and / or control the steps of the method (300) according to any of the preceding claims in corresponding units. [12] Computer program product with program code for carrying out the method (300) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, when the computer program product is executed on a control unit (215) according to claim 11.

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