Carbonated water maker

Abstract

This design suppresses the decrease in the gas strength of the generated carbonated water while also facilitating maintenance of the device's internal components. [Solution] The carbonated water production apparatus comprises a carbonated water production means for producing carbonated water and a water supply means for pouring the carbonated water produced by the carbonated water production means into a container, wherein the water supply means is positioned near the bottom of the carbonated water production means. The apparatus also comprises a cooling means for cooling water and a housing that houses at least the carbonated water production means, the cooling means, and the water supply means, wherein the housing is arranged in the order of the carbonated water production means, the water supply means, and the cooling means from the top of the housing.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to a carbonated water production apparatus that produces carbonated water and performs water injection.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, due to the refreshing effect and health consciousness, the needs for sugar-free carbonated water (hereinafter referred to as carbonated water) have been increasing. Carbonated water is used in a wide range of fields, such as in addition to beverages, for face washing and bathing. Along with this, various carbonated water production apparatuses are provided not only for business use but also for general households.

[0003] A carbonated water production apparatus dissolves carbon dioxide gas in cold water under pressure to produce carbonated water, and injects the produced carbonated water into a container. Such a carbonated water production apparatus generally supplies cold water and carbon dioxide gas to a tank to produce carbonated water. The produced carbonated water varies depending on the temperature of the cold water supplied to the tank and the pressure in the tank at the time of supplying the carbon dioxide gas. In particular, when producing carbonated water by supplying cold water with the tank filled with carbon dioxide gas, the pressure of the carbon dioxide gas filled in the tank fluctuates when the cold water is supplied, and thus the quality of the produced carbonated water fluctuates. Therefore, for example, it has been proposed to detect the water level of the carbonated water produced in the tank and supply cold water in accordance with the fluctuation of the water level of the carbonated water by water injection, thereby suppressing the pressure fluctuation of the carbon dioxide gas in the tank (see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The invention described in Patent Document 1 maintains the quality (gas strength) of the carbonated water produced by suppressing fluctuations in the pressure of carbon dioxide gas in the tank. However, while the quality of the carbonated water produced is maintained in the invention described in Patent Document 1, it does not disclose a configuration to suppress the loss of carbon dioxide gas from the carbonated water during the process of pouring the carbonated water from the tank, which would otherwise reduce the gas strength of the carbonated water.

[0006] Furthermore, in the invention described in Patent Document 1, the water supply unit, chilled water generation unit (chilled water tank), carbonation tank, and cooling mechanism unit are arranged in that order from the top of the device. The cooling water cooled in the cooling mechanism unit is circulated to evaporators installed in the respective cooling tank and carbonation tank, thereby cooling the liquid (water) in the chilled water tank and carbonation tank. As the evaporators described above generally use metal copper pipes, the chilled water tank and carbonation tank are integrated with the cooling mechanism unit, resulting in a complex arrangement of each part inside the device. As a result, maintenance work such as removing and installing each part becomes extremely difficult.

[0007] This invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its objective is to provide a carbonated water production apparatus that suppresses the decrease in the gas strength of the produced carbonated water while also facilitating maintenance of the inside of the apparatus. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, the carbonated water production apparatus of the present invention comprises a carbonated water production means for producing carbonated water, and a water supply means for pouring the carbonated water produced by the carbonated water production means into a container, wherein the water supply means is arranged near the bottom of the carbonated water production means. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, the decrease in the gas strength of the generated carbonated water is suppressed, while at the same time, maintenance of the inside of the device is made easier. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing one configuration of a carbonated water production apparatus, with the front door closed. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing the front door of a carbonated water maker in the open position. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view showing one configuration of a water filling box. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view showing one component of the water filling box as seen from below. [Figure 5] This diagram shows one configuration of the intake and exhaust passages and water channels in a carbonated water production system. [Figure 6] Figure 6(a) is a perspective view showing the layout configuration on the front side of the carbonated water production device, and Figure 6(b) is a perspective view showing the layout configuration on the rear side of the carbonated water production device. [Figure 7] Figure 7(a) shows the layout configuration on the left side of the carbonated water maker, Figure 7(b) shows the layout configuration on the front of the carbonated water maker, and Figure 7(c) shows the layout configuration on the right side of the carbonated water maker. [Figure 8] This diagram shows the arrangement of the pressurized tank and the water supply box. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] The carbonated water production apparatus of this embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0012] The carbonated water production apparatus 10 of this embodiment is connected to an externally installed RO water generator 200 (see Figure 5), and produces carbonated water using RO water generated by the RO water generator 200, and pours the produced carbonated water into, for example, a pressure-resistant bottle 210 (see Figure 3). The RO water generator 200 is a device that produces pure water (RO water) by filtering, for example, tap water or natural water using an RO (Reverse Osmosis) membrane. Note that the carbonated water production apparatus 10 does not need to be connected to the RO water generator 200, and may be connected to, for example, a water tank filled with tap water, natural water, or the RO water described above, or to a water tap.

[0013] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the carbonated water production apparatus 10 has a rectangular enclosure 11 as its exterior, with the vertical direction as its longitudinal direction. The enclosure 11 consists of a front door 12 and the apparatus body 13. The front door 12 rotates around one end of the apparatus body 13 in the width direction (right side in Figure 1) between a closed position that shields the interior of the apparatus body 13 and an open position that exposes the interior of the apparatus body 13.

[0014] The front door 12 includes a touch panel 21, a QR (Quick Response) code reader 22, an IC (Integrated Circuit) card reader 23, and a water supply box 24. The water supply box 24 is located in the center of the front door 12 in the vertical direction (up and down direction as shown in Figure 1), and the touch panel 21, QR code reader 22, and IC card reader 23 are located above the water supply box 24. The touch panel 21, QR code reader 22, and IC card reader 23 are installed from the back of the front door 12. When the touch panel 21, QR code reader 22, and IC card reader 23 are installed from the back of the front door 12, they are covered by a cover 30.

[0015] When the cover 30, for example, is rotated to the open position by rotating the front door 12, it is exposed above the water filling box 24 and to the left of the pressurized tank 36. Therefore, after the front door 12 is rotated to the open position, by removing the cover 30 from the front door 12, the touch panel 21, the QR code reader 22, and the IC card reader 23 are exposed, enabling maintenance of these components.

[0016] The touch panel 21 displays information based on the operating state of the carbonated water manufacturing apparatus 10 and information read by the QR code reader 22 and the IC card reader 23. Further, the touch panel 21 displays selection buttons (not shown) for selecting the gas strength (GV) of the carbonated water and the amount of carbonated water that can be purchased, as necessary, and accepts input operations based on the display.

[0017] The QR code reader 22 reads the QR code (registered trademark) displayed on the portable terminal owned by the purchaser or the QR code printed on a receipt or the like. The QR code indicates, for example, information on the carbonated water purchased by the purchaser (the amount of carbonated water and the gas strength).

[0018] The IC card reader 23 reads the information stored in the IC chip embedded in the IC card. Instead of the IC card reader 23, a magnetic card reader that reads magnetic cards may be used.

[0019] In the present embodiment, the carbonated water manufacturing apparatus 10 having the QR code reader 22 and the IC card reader 23 is described as an example, but a carbonated water manufacturing apparatus having at least one of the QR code reader 22 or the IC card reader 23 may also be used.

[0020] The water filling box 24 houses a pressure-resistant bottle 210 for injecting carbonated water. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the water filling box 24 has a box body 25, a water filling door 26, and a drain tray 27. The box body 25 is a hollow box-shaped component with an open front. The box body 25 has an internal space large enough to accommodate a dedicated pressure-resistant bottle 210 compatible with the carbonated water production device 10.

[0021] The box body 25 has an opening 31 on its upper surface 25a. The opening 31 allows for the insertion of a water supply pipe 112 (see Figure 5), which is connected to the lower part of the pressurized tank 36, described later. Here, the opening 31 is positioned offset towards the hinge portion 32 that rotatably connects the water supply door 26 to the box body 25, that is, offset towards the pivot point of the water supply door 26 (offset to the left in Figures 3 and 4).

[0022] The water-filled door 26 is attached to the box body 25 by a hinge portion 32 provided at the left end in Figures 3 and 4. Therefore, the water-filled door 26 rotates between a closed position and an open position, centered on the left end in Figure 3. When the water-filled door 26 is in the closed position, it shields the inside of the box body 25.

[0023] The water inlet door 26 is normally held in the closed position by a locking mechanism (not shown), and when the pressure-resistant bottle 210 is installed in the water inlet door 26 or when the pressure-resistant bottle 210 is removed from the water inlet door 26, the locking mechanism is released, allowing the door to rotate to the open position.

[0024] When the water-fill door 26 is in the open position, the retaining pieces 33 and support guides 34 positioned inside the box body 25 and on the inner surface 26a of the water-fill door 26 are exposed. Here, the retaining pieces 33 and support guides 34 function as bottle holders for holding the pressure-resistant bottle 210.

[0025] The retaining piece 33 holds the neck portion 210b of the pressure-resistant bottle 210. The retaining piece 33 has a notch 33a. The notch 33a is into which the neck portion 210b of the pressure-resistant bottle 210 is inserted when the pressure-resistant bottle 210 is held in the water-filling door 26. When the neck portion 210b of the pressure-resistant bottle 210 is inserted into the notch 33a, the flange portion 210c provided on the neck portion 210b of the pressure-resistant bottle 210 abuts against the peripheral edge of the upper surface of the notch 33a. Therefore, the neck portion 210b of the pressure-resistant bottle 210 is prevented from falling out of the retaining piece 33.

[0026] The support guide 34 supports the lower side surface of the pressure-resistant bottle 210, in which the neck portion 210b is inserted into the notch 33a of the retaining piece 33. The support guide 34 is, for example, a metal rod, such as stainless steel, that has been bent multiple times so that both ends extend in the same direction and parallel to each other.

[0027] When the pressure-resistant bottle 210 is held in the water-filling door 26, the pressure-resistant bottle 210 is held by the aforementioned retaining piece 33 and support guide 34 in an inclined state such that the water inlet 210a, which is provided at one end in the extending direction, is positioned toward the hinge portion 32. When the water-filling door 26 is rotated to the closed position, the pressure-resistant bottle held in the water-filling door 26 by the retaining piece 33 and support guide 34 will have its water inlet 210a positioned below the water-filling pipe 112 (see Figure 8).

[0028] In this embodiment, the lower side surface of the pressure-resistant bottle 210 is supported by the support guide 34. However, if the pressure-resistant bottle 210 can be held by the retaining piece 33 alone, the support guide 34 can be omitted. Also, although the support guide 34 is designed to support the lower side surface of the pressure-resistant bottle 210, the position in which the support guide 34 supports the pressure-resistant bottle 210 is not limited to this. The configuration of the retaining piece 33 and the support guide 34 is shown as an example, and any structure that can hold the pressure-resistant bottle 210 is acceptable. Therefore, the retaining piece 33 and the support guide 34 may be integrated into a single unit.

[0029] The drain tray 27 collects the carbonated water or RO water that is drained into the water filling box 24 and drains it to the outside. The drain tray 27 also collects the carbonated water that leaks from the water filling port 210a of the pressure-resistant bottle 210 when a cap (not shown) is attached to the water filling port 210a of the pressure-resistant bottle 210 and drains it to the outside.

[0030] Returning to Figure 2, when the front door 12 is rotated from the closed position to the open position, the front door 12 exposes the pressurized tank 36, sterilization filter 37, etc. on the rear side. At the same time, the main body of the device 13 exposes the water storage tank 38, cooler (chiller) 39, intake duct 40, etc.

[0031] The pressurized tank 36 is supplied with RO water and carbon dioxide, and carbonated water is produced inside the tank. Therefore, the pressurized tank 36 can store the supplied RO water and the carbonated water produced inside the tank. The sterilization filter 37 filters the RO water cooled by the cooler 39 to sterilize the RO water and remove impurities.

[0032] The water storage tank 38 stores RO water supplied from, for example, an RO water generator 200 connected to a carbonated water production device 10, and sends the stored RO water toward the pressurized tank 36. The cooler 39 cools the RO water flowing toward the pressurized tank 36 by exchanging heat with the RO water sent from the water storage tank 38.

[0033] Here, the pressurized tank 36 is located behind the front door 12 and near the top of the water supply box 24. Additionally, a sterilization filter 37 is located to the right of the water supply box 24.

[0034] The water storage tank 38 is positioned in the center of the device body 13 in the vertical direction. Here, the water storage tank 38 is positioned below the pressurized tank 36 when the front door 12 is held in the closed position. It is preferable that the water storage tank 38 is positioned so that it is below the pressurized tank 36 when the front door 12 is held in the closed position, and can be attached and detached (removed and installed) from the opening (front side) of the device body 13 when the front door 12 is rotated to the open position.

[0035] The cooler 39 is positioned at the lower end of the main body 13 of the carbonated water production apparatus 10. Although the cooler 39 is positioned at the lower end of the main body 13, it is preferable that it be positioned so that it can be attached to and detached (removed and installed) from the opening (front side) of the main body 13 when the front door 12 is rotated to the open position.

[0036] Although not shown in the diagram, an intake fan is provided on the front of the cooler 39, and an exhaust fan is provided on the rear of the cooler 39. The intake fan draws in air from the front of the carbonated water production device 10 and sends it to the cooler 39. The exhaust fan sends the air that has been sent towards the cooler 39 to the outside from the rear of the carbonated water production device 10. By arranging the intake fan and exhaust fan on the front and rear of the cooler 39, more air is drawn in from outside the carbonated water production device 10, thereby improving the cooling efficiency of the RO water in the cooler 39.

[0037] The intake duct 40 is located in front of the intake fan. An air filter (not shown in the illustration) is installed in the intake duct 40. The air filter removes dust contained in the air taken into the carbonated water production device 10 from the intake duct 40 when the intake fan is running. As described above, the air filter is exposed from the main body 13 of the device when the front door 12 is rotated to the open position. In other words, the air filter is positioned so that it can be easily replaced.

[0038] Next, the configuration of the carbonated water production apparatus 10 described above will be explained using Figure 5. In Figure 5, the signal flow is shown by a dotted line.

[0039] The carbonated water production apparatus 10 includes a cylinder unit 41, a supply and exhaust unit 42, a water supply unit 43, a cooling unit 44, a sterilization filter 37, a pressurized tank unit 45, a control unit 46, and the like.

[0040] The cylinder unit 41 vaporizes the liquefied carbon dioxide stored in the gas cylinder 51 and supplies it to the intake / exhaust unit 42. The cylinder unit 41 includes a gas cylinder 51 and a pressure reducing valve unit 52. The gas cylinder 51 stores liquefied carbon dioxide inside. The gas cylinder 51 has a container valve 53, which is connected to the pressure reducing valve unit 52.

[0041] The pressure reducing valve unit 52 sends carbon dioxide gas supplied from the gas cylinder 51 to the supply and exhaust unit 42. The pressure reducing valve unit 52 has pressure gauges 55 and 56, a pressure reducing valve 57, and a manual valve 58 in the gas passage 54. When the gas cylinder 51 side is considered upstream, the pressure reducing valve unit 52 is arranged from upstream in the order of pressure gauge 55, pressure reducing valve 57, pressure gauge 56, and manual valve 58. Pressure gauge 55 measures the pressure of the carbon dioxide gas supplied to the pressure reducing valve 57. Pressure gauge 56 measures the pressure of the carbon dioxide gas supplied from the pressure reducing valve 57.

[0042] The pressure reducing valve 57 adjusts the pressure of the supplied carbon dioxide gas so that the pressure of the carbon dioxide gas supplied to the supply and exhaust unit 42 is, for example, 1 MPa. The pressure reduction adjustment of the carbon dioxide gas is performed, for example, by an operator visually confirming the measurement value from a pressure gauge 56. The manual valve 58 is connected to the gas passage 60 located between the cylinder unit 41 and the supply and exhaust unit 42. The manual valve 58 is normally kept in the open position.

[0043] The intake and exhaust unit 42 supplies carbon dioxide gas supplied from the pressure reducing valve unit 52 to the pressurized tank unit 45 during the generation of carbonated water and when carbonated water is poured. The intake and exhaust unit 42 also supplies carbon dioxide gas sent out from the pressurized tank unit 45 to the cooling unit 44 during the generation of carbonated water. Furthermore, the intake and exhaust unit 42 discharges carbon dioxide gas sent out from the pressurized tank unit 45 during depressurization or complete discharge. Complete drainage refers to the discharge of all RO water stored in the water storage tank 38, which will be described later.

[0044] The intake and exhaust unit 42 is positioned between the cylinder unit 41 and the pressurized tank unit 45. The intake and exhaust unit 42 has gas passages 61, 62, 63 and exhaust passages 64, 65.

[0045] When the cylinder unit 41 is considered upstream, the gas passage 61 is connected to gas passage 60 at its upstream end and to the one-way valve 103 of the pressurized tank unit 45 at its downstream end. The gas passage 61 is arranged in the following order from upstream: manual valve 67, gas filter 68, pressure switch (PS) 69, and control valve 70.

[0046] The manual valve 67 is located at the upstream end of the gas passage 61. The manual valve 67 is connected to the pressure reducing valve unit 52 via the gas passage 60. The manual valve 67 is normally held in the open position. The gas filter 68 removes impurities contained in the carbon dioxide flowing through the gas passage 61. The pressure switch 69 turns on when the pressure in the gas passage 61 exceeds a certain pressure (e.g., 0.8 MPa) and outputs an ON signal to the control unit 46. The control valve 70 is open, for example, when carbonated water is produced.

[0047] The gas passage 62 is connected to the gas passage 61 at its upstream end and to the one-way valve 105 of the pressurized tank unit 45 at its downstream end. The gas passage 62 is connected to the gas passage 61, for example, between the pressure switch 69 and the control valve 70.

[0048] The gas passage 62 is arranged from the upstream side with a control valve 71 and a pressure reducing valve 72. The control valve 71 is open, for example, when carbonated water is being injected. The pressure reducing valve 72 reduces the pressure of the carbon dioxide gas supplied to the pressurized tank unit 45.

[0049] The upstream end of gas passage 63 is connected to gas passage 61. The downstream end of gas passage 63 is inserted into the reservoir of the cooler of the cooling unit 44. Like gas passage 62, gas passage 63 is connected to gas passage 61, for example, between the pressure switch 69 and the control valve 70.

[0050] The gas passage 63 has a control valve 73 and an orifice valve 74 arranged from the upstream side. The control valve 73 opens, for example, when the cooling water stored in the cooling tank of the cooler 39 becomes supercooled. The orifice valve 74 adjusts the flow rate of carbon dioxide gas supplied to the cooler 39.

[0051] When the pressurized tank unit is considered the upstream side of the exhaust passage 64, the water separator 75, the control valve 76, and the silencer 77 are arranged in that order from the upstream side.

[0052] The water separator 75 separates the liquid contained in the carbon dioxide discharged from the pressurized tank 36. The separated liquid is drained through a drain channel 78 connected to the water separator 75. Downstream, the drain channel 78 connects to an overflow drain channel 94 connected to the cooler 39. Therefore, the liquid drained from the water separator 75 flows into the overflow drain channel 94 and is then drained to the outside.

[0053] The control valve 76 is open, for example, when the pressure in the pressurized tank 36 is reduced or when all of the gas is drained. The silencer 77 silences the noise generated when carbon dioxide gas is discharged from the pressurized tank 36.

[0054] The exhaust passage 65 is connected at its upstream end to the exhaust passage 64 between the water separator 75 and the control valve 76. The exhaust passage 65 is also connected at its downstream end to the gas passage 63 downstream of the orifice valve 74.

[0055] The exhaust passage 65 is equipped with a relief valve 79. The relief valve 79 opens when the pressure in the exhaust passage 65 reaches, for example, 0.5 MPa during the production of carbonated water. When the relief valve 79 is open, the internal pressure of the pressurized tank 36 is maintained at a constant pressure.

[0056] The water supply unit 43 is a unit that receives RO water supplied to the carbonated water production device 10 and, if necessary, supplies the received water to the pressurized tank unit 45. The timing of supplying the received RO water downstream includes, for example, when carbonated water is produced, when rinsing, and when all water is drained. Rinsing refers to, for example, washing the inside of the pressurized tank 36 with RO water stored in the storage tank.

[0057] The water supply unit 43 has a water channel 80 connected to the RO water generator 200. When the RO water generator 200 side is considered upstream, the water channel 80 is arranged in the following order from upstream: control valve 81, one-way valve 82, flow meter 83, pressure switch (PS) 84, and control valve 85.

[0058] The control valve 81 is open when RO water is supplied from the RO water generator 200. The one-way valve 82 prevents backflow of RO water to the RO water generator 200. The flow meter 83 measures the flow rate of RO water flowing through the water channel 80 and outputs the measurement signal to the control unit 46. The pressure switch 84 turns on when the pressure value of the RO water flowing through the water channel 80 exceeds a preset pressure value (for example, 0.2 MPa) and outputs an ON signal to the control unit 46. The preset pressure value is the pressure value of the RO water at which the RO water is supplied at a speed sufficient to be supplied toward the pressurized tank 36. The control valve 85 is open, for example, during carbonated water generation, rinsing, and total drainage.

[0059] Waterway 80 connects waterways 86 and 87 between the one-way valve 82 and the flow meter 83. Waterway 86 is connected to the water storage tank 38. Waterway 86 has a manual valve 88. The manual valve 88 is normally in the open position and is closed when the water storage tank 38 is replaced or for other purposes.

[0060] The water storage tank 38, although not shown in the illustration, has a balloon inside that functions as a diaphragm. The water storage tank 38 functions as a carbonated water generating means as described in the claim. The water storage tank 38 stores RO water when the balloon contracts due to the pressure of the water supplied to the water storage tank 38. The water storage tank 38 also discharges the stored RO water when the contracted balloon expands at predetermined timings. These predetermined timings are, for example, during carbonated water generation, rinsing, and total drainage. The flow rate of RO water when it is discharged from the water storage tank 38 is, for example, 1 to 2 L / min.

[0061] The waterway 87 is a drainage channel for draining RO water, for example, from the waterway 80 or the RO water stored in the storage tank 38. The waterway 87 has a manual valve 89. The manual valve 89 is normally kept in a closed position.

[0062] The cooling unit 44 is positioned between the water supply unit 43 and the pressurized tank unit 45. The cooling unit 44 has a cooler 39. The cooler 39 cools the cooling water stored in the water tank using a compressor (not shown), and cools the RO water by exchanging heat with the RO water flowing through a water channel 91 inserted inside the cooler 39. The cooler 39 cools the RO water from, for example, 25°C to 4°C. The cooler 39 has a water thermometer 39a. The water thermometer 39a outputs a temperature signal indicating the temperature of the stored cooling water to the control unit 46. The water channel 91 is connected to the control valve 85 of the water supply unit 43 on the upstream side and to the sterilization filter 37 on the downstream side.

[0063] The cooler 39 is connected to a drain channel 92. The drain channel 92 has a manual valve 93. The manual valve 93 is normally held in a closed position and is switched to an open position, for example, when draining the cooling water stored in the cooler 39's reservoir.

[0064] The cooler 39 is connected to an overflow drain channel 94. The overflow drain channel 94 drains the cooling water stored in the cooler 39's reservoir when the amount of cooling water stored in the cooler 39's reservoir exceeds a predetermined amount. The overflow drain channel 94 has a drain trap 95. The drain trap 95 blocks any odors from the downstream side of the drainage path. The drain trap 95 may also be designed to prevent gases from leaking out of the drain channel 94. Upstream of the drain trap 95, the drain channel 94 is connected to a ventilation channel 96. The ventilation channel 96 facilitates the flow of drainage water in the drain channel 94 and protects the water seal in the drain trap 95. The ventilation channel 96 may also be provided to allow fresh air to circulate in the drain channel 94 and ventilate the drain channel 94. Furthermore, the overflow drain channel 94 connects to a drain channel 78 that is connected to the water separator 75, upstream of the point where the ventilation channel 96 is connected.

[0065] The sterilization filter 37 is connected to the water channel 91 at its upstream end and to the water channel 97 at its downstream end. The sterilization filter 37 filters the RO water cooled by the cooler 39 to remove bacteria and other contaminants contained in the RO water. The sterilization filter 37 is a filter having a hollow fiber membrane bundle, which is made by bundling hollow fiber membranes, each having multiple openings with a diameter of 0.2 μm, into a cylindrical shape. Note that the size of the openings provided in the hollow fiber membrane does not need to be limited to 0.2 μm; for example, any opening of 0.45 μm or less, which is generally considered to have a sterilization effect, is acceptable.

[0066] The pressurized tank unit 45 generates carbonated water using RO water and carbon dioxide supplied to the pressurized tank 36. The pressurized tank unit 45 has air supply passages 99, 100, a water supply passage 101, and an exhaust passage 102.

[0067] The air intake passage 99 is connected to a one-way valve 103 on the upstream side and a discharge nozzle 104 installed inside the pressurized tank 36 on the downstream side. The one-way valve 103 is connected to the gas passage 61 of the air intake / exhaust unit 42 to prevent backflow of carbon dioxide gas flowing through the air intake passage 99.

[0068] The air intake passage 100 is connected to a one-way valve 105 on the upstream side and a pressurized tank 36 on the downstream side. The one-way valve 105 is connected to the gas passage 62 of the air intake / exhaust unit 42 to prevent backflow of carbon dioxide gas flowing through the air intake passage 100. The air intake passage 100 is equipped with an orifice valve 106. The orifice valve 106 adjusts the flow rate of carbon dioxide gas flowing through the air intake passage 100.

[0069] The water supply channel 101 is connected to a one-way valve 107 on its upstream side and to a discharge nozzle 108 installed at the bottom of the pressurized tank 36 on its downstream side. The one-way valve 107 is connected to the water channel 97.

[0070] The exhaust passage 102 is connected to the top of the pressurized tank 36 on its upstream side and to the one-way valve 109 on its downstream side, with the pressurized tank 36 being the upstream side. The one-way valve 109 prevents the backflow of carbon dioxide gas toward the intake and exhaust unit 42. The one-way valve 109 is connected to the water separator 75 of the intake and exhaust unit 42 via the exhaust passage 110.

[0071] The pressurized tank 36 has ejection nozzles 104 and 108 inside. The ejection nozzle 104 is positioned at the top of the pressurized tank 36. The position in which the ejection nozzle 104 is installed is, for example, such that the outlet of the ejection nozzle 104 is immersed in the RO water stored inside the pressurized tank 36. The ejection nozzle 104 ejects carbon dioxide gas supplied from the cylinder unit 41 into the RO water stored inside the pressurized tank 36. Here, the ejection nozzle 104 functions as the carbonated water generating means and nozzle described in the claim.

[0072] The discharge nozzle 108 is located at the bottom of the pressurized tank 36. The discharge nozzle 108 discharges RO water supplied from the water supply unit 43 into the pressurized tank 36, upwards. Here, the flow rate of RO water supplied into the pressurized tank 36 is, for example, 1 to 2 L / min.

[0073] The pressurized tank 36 has a pressure switch (PS) 111 in addition to the discharge nozzles 104 and 108. The pressure switch 111 turns on when the pressure in the pressurized tank 36 exceeds a certain value and outputs an ON signal to the control unit 46.

[0074] A water inlet pipe 112 is connected to the bottom of the pressurized tank 36. The water inlet pipe 112 discharges RO water or carbonated water stored in the pressurized tank 36. The water inlet pipe 112 has a control valve 113. The control valve 113 is open, for example, during rinsing, total draining, and carbonated water injection. When the control valve 113 is open, RO water or carbonated water stored in the pressurized tank 36 flows out from the water inlet pipe 112. Here, when carbonated water is injected, if a pressure-resistant bottle 210 is set in the water inlet door 26 of the water inlet box 24, the carbonated water is injected into the pressure-resistant bottle 210 via the water inlet pipe 112. Also, when the control valve 113 is open during rinsing or total draining, the RO water flowing out from the water inlet pipe 112 is received by a drain tray 27 located at the bottom of the water inlet box 24 and drained to the outside.

[0075] Finally, the structure of the carbonated water maker 10 will be explained using Figures 6 and 7. In manufacturing the carbonated water maker 10, the water filling box 24 is positioned approximately in the center of the front door 12 in the vertical direction of the carbonated water maker 10. In other words, by positioning the water filling box 24 approximately in the center of the front door 12 in the vertical direction, it becomes easier for the purchaser to open and close the water filling door 26 and to install the pressure-resistant bottle 210 into the water filling door 26.

[0076] Accordingly, the pressurized tank 36 is positioned on the rear side of the front door 12, near the top of the water filling box 24. The pressurized tank 36 is positioned offset to the left of the center in the width direction of the front door 12, that is, from the center in the width direction of the front door 12. By positioning the pressurized tank 36 offset to the free end from the center in the width direction of the front door 12, it becomes possible to arrange other components (in this embodiment, the touch panel 21, QR code reader 22, and IC card reader 23) on the back side of the front door 12. In addition, the width of the water filling box 24 in the short direction is set to be narrower than the width of the front door 12. Therefore, it becomes possible to arrange the sterilization filter 37 on the right side of the water filling box 24 on the back side of the front door 12, that is, at the end on the rotation center side of the front door 12.

[0077] As described above, the pressurized tank 36 is positioned near the top of the water filling box 24. This is to prevent carbon dioxide from escaping from the carbonated water when the carbon dioxide generated in the pressurized tank 36 is poured into the pressure-resistant bottle 210. For example, the carbonated water generated in the pressurized tank 36 is pressed by the carbon dioxide supplied to the pressurized tank 36 and poured into the pressure-resistant bottle 210 via the water filling pipe 112. As shown in Figure 8, it is desirable to make the length L1 of the water filling pipe 112 as short as possible so that the gas strength of the carbonated water does not decrease during the process of pouring the carbonated water into the pressure-resistant bottle 210, that is, so that carbon dioxide does not escape from the carbonated water. In addition, the inner diameter D1 of the water filling pipe 112 is set to be 10 mm or more as an example, and to be smaller in diameter than the inner diameter of the water filling port 210a of the pressure-resistant bottle 210.

[0078] Furthermore, the cooler 39 is positioned at the lower end of the main body 13 of the device. Since the cooler 39 cools the cooling water stored in the water tank using a compressor, the cooler 39 is heavy and there is a risk of cooling water leakage. Therefore, by positioning the cooler 39 at the lower end of the main body 13 of the device, the center of gravity of the carbonated water production device 10 can be lowered, preventing the carbonated water production device 10 from tipping over. In addition, even if cooling water leaks due to damage to the cooler 39, other units will not be flooded by the cooling water. Moreover, the cooler 39 has the advantage of being easily removed through the opening of the main body 13 while the front door 12 is held in the open position, making maintenance easier.

[0079] Furthermore, the water storage tank 38 is positioned above the cooler 39, and below the pressurized tank 36 located on the front door 12 when the front door 12 is held in the closed position. This arrangement has the advantage of making maintenance easier, as the pressurized tank 36 and the pressurized tank 36 are exposed when the front door 12 is rotated to the open position.

[0080] In the main unit 13, an electrical box 115 housing the control unit 46 and a valve holder 116 for holding various valves in the carbon dioxide supply and exhaust passages are positioned above the water storage tank 38. By positioning the electrical box 115 and the valve holder 116 above the cooler 39 and water storage tank 38, it is prevented that leaked cooling water or RO water will come into contact with the electrical box 115 and the valve holder 116 in the event of a leak due to damage to the cooler 39 or water storage tank 38. Furthermore, since the electrical box 115 and the valve holder 116 are located in the upper space of the main unit 13, they are exposed when the front door 12 is rotated to the open position. This makes it easier to perform maintenance on the various valves held in the electrical box 115 and the valve holder 116.

[0081] Thus, in the carbonated water production apparatus 10, the units are arranged in the following order from top to bottom in the vertical direction of the carbonated water production apparatus 10: pressurized tank 36, water storage tank 38, sterilization filter 37, and cooler 39. At this time, the pressurized tank 36, water supply box 24, and sterilization filter 37 are located in the front door 12, and the water storage tank 38 and cooler 39 are located in the main body of the apparatus 13. Therefore, the piping constituting the water passage 97 between the cooler 39 and the sterilization filter 37, the piping constituting the gas passages 61 and 62 provided in the supply and exhaust unit 42, and the piping constituting the exhaust passage 110 are arranged across the front door 12 and the main body of the apparatus 13. As a result, when the front door 12 is opened, each of the above-mentioned units is exposed. At this time, the number of pipes arranged across the front door 12 and the main body of the apparatus 13 can be minimized. As a result, when performing maintenance on the units of the carbonated water production apparatus 10 by opening the front door 12, the target unit can be accessed without removing other units, making maintenance work easier.

[0082] <Summary of Embodiments> This invention relates to a carbonated water production apparatus that generates and dispenses carbonated water.

[0083] While there are devices that control the quality (gas strength) of the carbonated water produced by suppressing fluctuations in the carbon dioxide pressure inside the tank, no configuration has been disclosed to suppress the decrease in the gas strength of the carbonated water caused by carbon dioxide escaping during the process of pouring the carbonated water from the tank.

[0084] Furthermore, if the device is structured so that the water supply unit, chilled water generation unit (chilled water tank), carbonation tank, and cooling mechanism are arranged in that order from the top, and the cooling water cooled by the cooling mechanism is circulated to evaporators installed in the respective chilled water tank and carbonation tank to cool the liquid (water) in the chilled water tank and carbonation tank, the following problems arise. For example, since metal copper pipes are generally used for evaporators, the chilled water tank and carbonation tank become an integrated structure with the cooling mechanism, and the arrangement of each part inside the device becomes complex. As a result, maintenance work such as removing and installing each part becomes extremely difficult.

[0085] This invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to suppress the decrease in the gas strength of the generated carbonated water while also making it easier to maintain the inside of the device.

[0086] The carbonated water production apparatus 10 described above includes a pressurized tank 36 for generating carbonated water and a water inlet pipe 112 for pouring the carbonated water generated in the pressurized tank 36 into a pressure-resistant bottle 210, with the water inlet pipe 112 positioned near the bottom of the pressurized tank 36.

[0087] This configuration allows for a shorter injection path for carbonated water generated inside the pressurized tank 36, which in turn prevents carbon dioxide from escaping during injection and reduces the decrease in gas strength of the carbonated water injected into the pressure-resistant bottle 210.

[0088] Furthermore, it includes a cooler 39 for cooling water, and a housing 11 that houses at least a pressurized tank 36, a cooler 39, and a water injection pipe 112. The housing 11 is arranged in the order of pressurized tank 36, water injection pipe 112, and cooler 39 from the top of the housing 11.

[0089] This configuration makes maintenance easier by placing the heavy cooler 39, which is unlikely to be replaced, at the bottom of the housing 11, and the pressurized tank 36 and sterilization filter 37, which require frequent maintenance and replacement, above it.

[0090] Furthermore, the housing 11 includes a device body 13 with an open front, and a front door 12 that rotates between a closed position that shields the inside of the device body 13 and an open position that exposes the inside of the device body 13. The cooler 39 is located in the device body 13, and the pressurized tank 36 and water injection pipe 112 are located in the front door 12.

[0091] With this configuration, the relatively lightweight pressurized tank 36 and sterilization filter 37 are placed on the front door 12, and the heavier cooler 39 is placed on the main body of the device 13, allowing the front door 12 of the carbonated water production device 10 to rotate stably between the open and closed positions.

[0092] Furthermore, by positioning the cooler 39 on the main body 13 and the pressurized tank 36 and water inlet pipe 112 on the front door 12, the cooler 39, pressurized tank 36, and water inlet pipe 112 are exposed when the front door 12 is rotated to the open position. In this state, it becomes easy to remove the cooler 39 from the main body 13 and install it back into the main body 13. As a result, maintenance work on the cooler 39 becomes easier. At the same time, it becomes easy to attach and detach the pressurized tank 36 and water inlet pipe 112 from the back of the front door 12, thus facilitating maintenance work on the pressurized tank 36 and water inlet pipe 112 as well. [Explanation of symbols]

[0093] 10…Carbonated water maker 11…Storage unit 12…Front door 13…Main unit of the device 24...Water filling box 25... Box body 26...Water-filled door 36… Pressurized tank 37… Sterilization filter 38...Water storage tank 39...Cooler 112…Water injection pipe 210... Pressure-resistant bottle

Claims

1. A means for generating carbonated water, A water supply means for pouring the carbonated water produced by the carbonated water generating means into a container, A water storage method for storing water supplied from an external source, A cooling means for cooling the water that is sent from the water storage means to the carbonated water generating means, A housing that houses the carbonated water generating means, the water supply means, the water storage means, and the cooling means, It has, The water injection means is positioned adjacent to and below the carbonated water generating means. The carbonated water generating means, the water storage means, and the cooling means are arranged in this order from the top of the storage body. A carbonated water production apparatus characterized by the following features.

2. In the carbonated water production apparatus according to claim 1, It further has a storage section for housing a control unit that controls the water storage means, The storage section is positioned above the water storage means. A carbonated water production apparatus characterized by the following features.

3. In the carbonated water production apparatus according to claim 2, The aforementioned storage unit is The main body has an open front, It has a front door that rotates between a closed position that shields the interior of the main body and an open position that exposes the interior of the main body, The storage compartment, the water storage means, and the cooling means are arranged in the main body. The carbonated water generating means and the water dispensing means are located in the front door. A carbonated water production apparatus characterized by the following features.

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