Beverage supply device

Abstract

To reduce a burden of an operator and suppress loss of opportunity of supplying a beverage.SOLUTION: A beverage supply device 1 comprises: a beverage extraction part 11 that extracts the beverage from a raw material and hot water; and a storage box 12 that stores an extraction residue generated by extraction of the beverage by the beverage extraction part 11, both provided inside a device body 1a. The beverage supply device supplies the beverage extracted in the beverage extraction part 11 to a container C placed on a beverage supply part 2 provided in the device body 1a. A control part 15 is provided that predicts a full time when the storage box 12 becomes full from raw material discharge amount data 16b obtained from a past raw material discharge record and, if the predicted full time matches a preset busy time zone, carries out a notification operation urging disposal of the extraction residue stored in the storage box 12 before the busy time zone begins.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a beverage supply device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a beverage supply device extracts a beverage in a beverage extraction unit disposed inside the device body, supplies the extracted beverage to a container such as a cup, and stores extraction residues generated by the extraction of the beverage by the beverage extraction unit in a storage box. In this beverage supply device, when the integrated value of the payout amount of the raw material with respect to the beverage extraction unit becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, an alarm indicating that the storage box is full is output to prompt the waste disposal operation of the extraction residues stored in the storage box (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, in the above beverage supply device, since an alarm indicating that the storage box is full is output when the integrated value of the payout amount of the raw material becomes equal to or greater than the threshold value, the following problems exist. That is, when the timing of outputting the alarm is in a busy time zone such as a store where the beverage supply device is installed, having an operator such as a store employee perform the waste disposal operation not only places an excessive burden on the operator but also causes a problem of loss of beverage supply opportunities due to the waste disposal operation.

[0005] In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a beverage supply device capable of reducing the burden on the operator and suppressing the loss of beverage supply opportunities.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, a beverage supply device according to the present invention includes a beverage extraction unit that extracts a beverage from raw materials and hot water, and a storage box that stores extraction residues generated by the extraction of the beverage by the beverage extraction unit, inside a device main body. The beverage supply device supplies the beverage extracted by the beverage extraction unit to a container placed on a beverage supply unit provided on the device main body. The control unit predicts the full cup time when the storage box becomes full from the raw material dispensing amount data obtained from past raw material dispensing records. When the predicted full cup time corresponds to a preset busy time zone, the control unit is characterized by including a control unit that performs a notification operation to prompt the disposal of the extraction residues stored in the storage box before the start of the busy time zone.

[0007] Further, in the present invention, in the above beverage supply device, the control unit calculates the dispensing amount per unit time from the raw material dispensing amount data, and predicts the full cup time from the calculated dispensing amount per unit time, which is characterized.

[0008] Further, in the present invention, in the above beverage supply device, the control unit is characterized by causing the display means to display the full cup time.

[0009] Further, in the present invention, in the above beverage supply device, the control unit predicts the remaining supply number when the storage box becomes full from the raw material dispensing amount data, and is characterized by causing the display means to display the supply number.

Effects of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, the control unit predicts the full cup time when the storage box becomes full from the raw material dispensing amount data obtained from past raw material dispensing records. When the predicted full cup time corresponds to a preset busy time zone, the control unit performs a notification operation to prompt the disposal of the extraction residues stored in the storage box before the start of the busy time zone. Therefore, it is possible to avoid performing the extraction residue disposal work during the busy time zone, thereby reducing the burden on the operator and suppressing the loss of beverage supply opportunities.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, a preferred embodiment of the beverage supply device according to the present invention will be described in detail.

[0013] FIGS. 1 and 2 each show a beverage supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external configuration, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing a characteristic control system.

[0014] The beverage supply device 1 exemplified here is, for example, a coffee machine installed in a store such as a convenience store or a family restaurant, and supplies a beverage (coffee) to a container C such as a cup placed on a vending stage S.

[0015] Here, the vending stage S is provided in a beverage supply unit 2 formed on the front surface of the device main body 1a of the beverage supply device 1, and the beverage supply unit 2 is an area opened and closed by an opening / closing door 3. The beverage supply device 1 includes a beverage extraction unit 11, a storage box 12, a display unit 13, a dispensing time measurement unit 14, a control unit 15, and a storage unit 16.

[0016] The beverage extraction unit 11 extracts a beverage such as coffee from raw materials such as ground coffee beans and hot water, and is disposed inside the device main body 1a. The beverage extracted by the beverage extraction unit 11 is discharged and supplied to the container C through a nozzle 4 provided in the beverage supply unit 2.

[0017] The storage box 12 is provided inside the apparatus main body 1a. This storage box 12 stores the extraction residue generated by the extraction of the beverage by the beverage extraction unit 11.

[0018] The display unit 13 is provided on the front surface of the apparatus main body 1a, above the beverage supply unit 2. This display unit 13 is configured by, for example, a liquid crystal touch panel, and displays various information in accordance with commands given from the control unit 15, and input operations such as touch operations are possible. When an input operation such as a touch operation is performed on such a display unit 13, it sends an input signal to the control unit 15.

[0019] The dispensing time measurement unit 14 measures the dispensing time of the raw material used for one extraction of the beverage in the beverage extraction unit 11. This dispensing time measurement unit 14 sends the measured dispensing time to the control unit 15 as a measurement signal.

[0020] The control unit 15 comprehensively controls the operations of each part of the beverage supply apparatus 1 according to the programs and data stored in the storage unit 16. Incidentally, the storage unit 16 stores dispensing amount integrated value data 16a and raw material dispensing amount data 16b.

[0021] The dispensing amount integrated value data 16a relates to the integrated value of the dispensing amount of the raw material used for the extraction of the beverage. More specifically, it relates to the integrated value of the dispensing amount of the raw material after the extraction residue stored in the storage box 12 has been discarded. The raw material dispensing amount data 16b relates to the dispensing amount of the raw material obtained from the past raw material dispensing record (for example, for one month).

[0022] The above control unit 15 has a supply processing unit 15a, a calculation processing unit 15b, a prediction processing unit 15c, and a determination processing unit 15d. The supply processing unit 15a controls the extraction and supply of the beverage in the beverage extraction unit 11. The supply processing unit 15a also has a function of calculating the dispensing amount of the raw material from the dispensing time measured by the dispensing time measurement unit 14 during the extraction of the beverage, and updating the dispensing amount integrated value data 16a in the storage unit 16 by integrating this dispensing amount.

[0023] The calculation processing unit 15b calculates the discharge amount per unit time, for example, the discharge amount per hour in the future, from the raw material discharge amount data 16b stored in the storage unit 16. The prediction processing unit 15c predicts the full time when the storage box 12 will be full of the extracted residue from the integrated discharge amount data 16a stored in the storage unit 16 and the discharge amount per unit time (the discharge amount per hour in the future) calculated through the calculation processing unit 15b.

[0024] The determination processing unit 15d determines whether or not the full time predicted through the prediction processing unit 15c corresponds to a preset busy time zone of the store (for example, 8:00 - 9:00, 12:00 - 13:00, etc.).

[0025] Note that the control unit 15 may be realized by, for example, causing a processing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) to execute a program, that is, by software, or by hardware such as an IC (Integrated Circuit), or by using a combination of software and hardware.

[0026] In the beverage supply device 1 having the above configuration, the beverage (coffee) can be supplied to the container C as follows.

[0027] When the display unit 13 is touch-operated by the user, the supply processing unit 15a of the control unit 15 to which an input signal is given causes the beverage extraction unit 11 to discharge a predetermined amount of raw material (ground coffee beans) and introduce a predetermined amount of hot water, and extracts the beverage (coffee) in the beverage extraction unit 11.

[0028] Note that the discharge time measurement unit 14 measures the discharge time of the raw material for the beverage extraction unit 11 and sends the measured measurement time to the control unit 15 as a measurement signal. Thereby, the supply processing unit 15a calculates the discharge amount from the measurement time included in the measurement signal, integrates the calculated discharge amount, and updates the integrated discharge amount data 16a in the storage unit 16.

[0029] Then, the supply processing unit 15a discharges the beverage extracted by the beverage extraction unit 11 into the container C placed on the bend stage S from the nozzle 4. Thereby, the container C is supplied with the beverage. After that, the supply processing unit 15a stores the extraction residue generated by the extraction of the beverage in the beverage extraction unit 11 in the storage box 12.

[0030] In addition, the control unit 15 performs the following full cup time prediction process each time beverage is supplied until a predetermined time (for example, 30 minutes) before the above-mentioned busy time zone.

[0031] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the processing content of the full cup time prediction process performed by the control unit 15 shown in FIG. 2.

[0032] In FIG. 3, the control unit 15 reads out the payout amount integrated value data 16a and the raw material payout amount data 16b from the storage unit 16 (step S101), and calculates the payout amount per unit time (for example, the payout amount per hour in the future) from the raw material payout amount data 16b through the calculation processing unit 15b (step S102).

[0033] Then, the control unit 15 predicts the full cup time when the storage box 12 is full of extraction residue from the payout amount integrated value data 16a and the payout amount per unit time (the payout amount per hour in the future) calculated by the calculation processing unit 15b through the prediction processing unit 15c (step S103).

[0034] The control unit 15 that has predicted the full cup time in this way determines whether or not the full cup time predicted by the prediction processing unit 15c corresponds to the busy time zone of the preset store through the determination processing unit 15d (step S104).

[0035] When the full cup time does not correspond to the busy time zone (step S104: No), the control unit 15 returns the procedure without performing the processes described later and ends the current process.

[0036] On the other hand, when the full time corresponds to a busy time period (step S104: Yes), the control unit 15 performs a notification operation to cause the display unit 13 to display a message prompting the disposal of the extracted residue stored in the storage box 12 (step S105), and then returns the procedure to end the current process.

[0037] According to this, it is possible to make an operator such as a store employee recognize that the extracted residue stored in the storage box 12 is approaching full, and the disposal operation of the extracted residue becomes possible.

[0038] As described above, according to the beverage supply device 1 which is an embodiment of the present invention, the control unit 15 predicts the full time when the storage box 12 becomes full from the raw material dispensing amount data 16b obtained from the past raw material dispensing results, and when the predicted full time corresponds to a preset busy time period, a notification operation is performed to prompt the disposal of the extracted residue stored in the storage box 12 before the start of the busy time period. Therefore, it is possible to avoid performing the disposal operation of the extracted residue during the busy time period, thereby reducing the burden on the operator and suppressing the loss of beverage supply opportunities.

[0039] As described above, the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications can be made.

[0040] In the above-described embodiment, a notification operation is performed to cause the display unit 13 of the beverage supply device 1 to display a message prompting the disposal of the extracted residue stored in the storage box 12. However, in the present invention, as long as it is a notification operation to prompt the disposal of the extracted residue, it may be displayed on a display means of a terminal device such as a tablet that can be seen by the operator, instead of the display unit 13 of the beverage supply device 1. Also, not limited to the display of the display means, a notification operation may be performed by generating a buzzer sound.

[0041] Although not particularly mentioned in the above-described embodiments, in the present invention, the control unit may cause the display means to display the full time, or may predict the number of supplies until the storage box becomes full from the raw material discharge amount data and cause the display means to display the number of supplies. Further, in the present invention, the current usage capacity or the empty capacity of the storage box may be caused to be displayed on the display means.

Explanation of Signs

[0042] 1... Beverage supply device, 1a... Device main body, 2... Beverage supply unit, 3... Opening / closing door, 4... Nozzle, 11... Beverage extraction unit, 12... Storage box, 13... Display unit, 14... Discharge time measurement unit, 15... Control unit, 15a... Supply processing unit, 15b... Calculation processing unit, 15c... Prediction processing unit, 15d... Judgment processing unit, 16... Storage unit, 16a... Integrated discharge amount value data, 16b... Raw material discharge amount data, C... Container, S... Vending stage.

Claims

1. a beverage extraction unit that extracts a beverage from raw materials and hot water; a storage box that stores the extraction residue generated by the extraction of the beverage by the beverage extraction unit; A beverage supply device that is provided inside the device main body and supplies the beverage extracted by the beverage extraction unit to a container placed on a beverage supply unit provided on the device main body, predicting the full time when the storage box will be full from the raw material dispensing amount data obtained from the past raw material dispensing results, and if the predicted full time corresponds to a preset busy time zone, a control unit that performs a notification operation to prompt the disposal of the extraction residue stored in the storage box before the start of the busy time zone. The beverage supply device is characterized by comprising:

2. The beverage supply device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit calculates the dispensing amount per unit time from the raw material dispensing amount data and predicts the full time from the calculated dispensing amount per unit time.

3. The beverage supply device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the control unit causes the display means to display the full time.

4. The beverage supply device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the control unit predicts the remaining number of supplies when the storage box will be full from the raw material dispensing amount data and causes the display means to display the number of supplies.

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