Liquid supply device

Abstract

To obtain a liquid supply device that can supply cooled liquid and reduce the burden of maintaining hygiene. [Solution] The refrigerated storage unit 12 is configured to be cool and dark inside, and stores a storage container 90 containing a beverage as a liquid for supply inside. A weighing mechanism 40 provided inside the refrigerated storage unit 12 measures the mass of the object to be weighed, including the storage container 90 containing the beverage, and an injection mechanism 50 provided in the storage container 90 can inject the beverage in the storage container 90 into the supply container 100 by gravity, and can also stop the injection. The supply control unit determines the amount of beverage injected from the injection mechanism 50 into the supply container 100 based on the decrease in the measured value of the weighing mechanism 40, and controls the amount of beverage injected from the injection mechanism 50 into the supply container 100.

Description

【Technical Field】 【0001】 The present invention relates to a liquid supply device. 【Background Art】 【0002】 Liquid supply devices capable of supplying cooled liquid are known (see, for example, Patent Document 1 below). As such a liquid supply device, for example, there is a device configured to store liquid in a tank in a cold storage and pump the liquid in the tank when the liquid is supplied. 【Prior Art Documents】 【Patent Documents】 【0003】 【Patent Document 1】 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-133578 【Summary of the Invention】 【Problems to be Solved by the Invention】 【0004】 However, in such a device, in order to maintain the sanitary state, regular sterilization cleaning and the like are required for the pumping components such as pipes, and the maintenance burden is large. 【0005】 In consideration of the above facts, an object of the present invention is to obtain a liquid supply device capable of supplying cooled liquid and reducing the burden for maintaining the sanitary state. 【Means for Solving the Problems】 【0006】 A liquid supply device according to a first embodiment includes: a refrigerated storage unit configured to be cool and dark inside and storing a storage container containing a liquid to be supplied inside; a weighing mechanism provided inside the refrigerated storage unit for measuring the mass of an object to be measured, including the storage container containing the liquid; an injection mechanism provided in the storage container and configured to inject the liquid from the storage container into a container to be supplied, which is set below the storage container, by gravity, and which can stop the injection; and a supply control unit that determines the amount of liquid injected from the injection mechanism into the container to be supplied based on the decrease in the measured value of the weighing mechanism, and controls the amount of liquid to be injected from the injection mechanism into the container to be supplied. 【0007】 According to the first embodiment of the liquid supply device, the refrigerated storage compartment is configured to be cool and dark inside, and stores a storage container containing the liquid to be supplied inside. This allows the liquid to be cooled and its freshness to be maintained. A weighing mechanism provided inside the refrigerated storage compartment measures the mass of the object to be weighed, including the storage container containing the liquid. An injection mechanism provided in the storage container allows the liquid from the storage container to be injected by gravity into a supply container set below the storage container, and also allows the injection to be stopped. Furthermore, the supply control unit determines the amount of liquid injected from the injection mechanism into the supply container based on the decrease in the measured value of the weighing mechanism, and controls the amount of liquid injected from the injection mechanism into the supply container. As a result, cooled liquid can be supplied, and because there is no pressure feeding mechanism, the burden of maintaining hygienic conditions can be reduced. 【0008】 The liquid supply device of the second embodiment includes a sterilization device, which is located inside the refrigerated storage compartment and sterilizes the liquid outlet portion of the injection mechanism and its vicinity. 【0009】 According to the second embodiment of the liquid supply device, a sterilization device placed inside the refrigerated storage compartment sterilizes the liquid outlet portion of the injection mechanism and its vicinity, making it possible to easily maintain the sanitary condition of the liquid outlet portion of the injection mechanism and its vicinity. 【0010】 A liquid supply device of a third embodiment includes, in the first or second embodiment, a mounting section on which the container to be supplied is placed, and a moving mechanism for moving the mounting section between a mounting position which is outside the refrigerated storage compartment and is a position where a user places the container to be supplied, and an injection position which is inside the refrigerated storage compartment and is a position where liquid is injected into the container to be supplied by the injection mechanism. 【0011】 According to the third embodiment of the liquid supply device, the container to be supplied is placed on the mounting section. The moving mechanism moves the mounting section between a mounting position, which is outside the refrigerated storage compartment and where the user places the container to be supplied, and an injection position, which is inside the refrigerated storage compartment and where the liquid is injected into the container by the injection mechanism. This prevents the user from touching the liquid outlet portion of the injection mechanism and its vicinity, making it easier to maintain the sanitary condition of the liquid outlet portion of the injection mechanism and its vicinity. 【0012】 In the fourth embodiment of the liquid supply device, in the third embodiment, the refrigerated storage compartment houses a plurality of the storage containers, and the injection position is set to a single location. 【0013】 According to the liquid supply device of the fourth embodiment, the refrigerated storage compartment houses multiple storage containers, and the injection position is set to a single location, so that multiple cooled liquids can be supplied and the movement of the mounting part by the moving mechanism can be simplified. 【0014】 The liquid supply device of the fifth embodiment, in any one of the first to fourth embodiments, comprises a metering mechanism comprising: a holder that holds the outer circumference of the storage container; a slide mechanism that supports the holder so as to be movable in a direction including a vertical component; and a load cell capable of measuring the mass of the entire movable part made movable by the slide mechanism. 【0015】 According to the fifth embodiment of the liquid supply device, a holder holds the outer circumference of the storage container, and a sliding mechanism supports the holder so that it can move in a direction including a vertical component. A load cell is capable of measuring the mass of the entire movable part made movable by the sliding mechanism. This makes it possible to precisely measure the mass of the object to be measured, including the storage container containing the liquid. 【0016】 The liquid supply device of the sixth embodiment is configured such that, in the fifth embodiment, the liquid is sake and the storage container is either a 720ml bottle or a 1.8L bottle, and the holder is configured to receive the largest diameter portion and the mouth portion of the one bottle in an obliquely downward position. 【0017】 According to the liquid supply device of the sixth embodiment, the liquid to be supplied is sake, the storage container is either a 720ml bottle or a 1.8L bottle, and the holder is configured to receive the widest diameter portion and the mouth portion of the aforementioned bottle in an angled downward position. Therefore, since the purchased sake bottle can be used as the storage container as is, it is easier to maintain hygiene compared to when the liquid is transferred to a separate storage container. 【0018】 The seventh embodiment of the liquid supply device, in any one of the first to sixth embodiments, comprises an injection cap having a cap body fitted onto the mouth of the storage container; a liquid injection portion formed integrally with the cap body and including a flexible injection tube portion extending outside the storage container to connect the inside and outside of the storage container; and an air vent portion formed integrally with the cap body and including an air vent tube portion having a smaller diameter than the injection tube portion and extending into the storage container to connect the inside and outside of the storage container to discharge air from inside the storage container; and a flow path opening and closing mechanism switchable between a first state that closes the flow path of the liquid injection portion by sandwiching the injection tube portion, and a second state that releases the first state. 【0019】 According to the liquid supply device of the seventh aspect, the injection mechanism includes an injection cap and a flow path opening / closing mechanism. The injection cap has a cap body, a liquid injection part, and an air vent part. The cap body is fitted into the mouth of the storage container. The liquid injection part includes a flexible injection tube part integrally formed with the cap body and extending outside the storage container to communicate the inside and outside of the storage container. The air vent part includes an air vent tube part integrally formed with the cap body, having a smaller diameter than the injection tube part, and extending into the storage container to communicate the inside and outside of the storage container and discharge the air inside the storage container. Also, the flow path opening / closing mechanism can be switched between a first state in which the flow path of the liquid injection part is closed by sandwiching the injection tube part and a second state in which the first state is released. Thereby, when the injection cap is attached to the storage container, by switching the flow path opening / closing mechanism, it is possible to execute injecting the liquid inside the storage container and stopping the injection. 【Advantages of the Invention】 【0020】 According to the liquid supply device of the present invention, it has an excellent effect that it is possible to supply a cooled liquid and reduce the burden for maintaining a sanitary state. 【Brief Description of the Drawings】 【0021】 [Figure 1] It is a perspective view showing a beverage supply device as a liquid supply device according to an embodiment as seen from an obliquely front side. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view showing the beverage supply device of FIG. 1 as seen from an obliquely back side. [Figure 3] It is a perspective view showing the state where the front door of the beverage supply device of FIG. 1 is opened as seen from an obliquely front side. [Figure 4] It is a perspective view showing the main mechanism of the beverage supply device of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] It is a perspective view of a half cross-section showing an enlarged left half when the container loading / unloading mechanism of FIG. 4 is viewed from the front. [Figure 6]It is a perspective view of a half cross-section showing the right half when the front door of the beverage supply device of FIG. 1 is opened and viewed from the front. [Figure 7] It is a perspective view showing one of the metering mechanisms of FIG. 4 and its surrounding part enlarged. [Figure 8] It is a perspective view showing the injection cap of the injection mechanism enlarged. [Figure 9] It is a perspective view showing a pinch as a flow path opening / closing mechanism in the first state and its surrounding part. [Figure 10] It is a perspective view showing a pinch as a flow path opening / closing mechanism in the second state and its surrounding part. [Figure 11] It is a perspective view showing a sterilization device arranged inside the refrigerated storage and its surrounding part. [Figure 12] It is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the control device. [Figure 13] It is a flowchart showing an example of supply control processing by the control device. 【Mode for Carrying Out the Invention】 【0022】 The beverage supply device as a liquid supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 13. The beverage supply device according to the present embodiment is a device for supplying a beverage as a liquid. In each figure, some reference numerals may be omitted for the sake of clarity of the drawing. 【0023】 (Configuration of the Embodiment) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the beverage supply device 10 according to the present embodiment as viewed from the obliquely front side, and FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the beverage supply device 10 as viewed from the obliquely rear side. The beverage supply device 10 is sometimes referred to as a beverage server. The beverage supply device 10 shown in Figures 1 and 2 has a refrigerated storage compartment 12. The refrigerated storage compartment 12 constitutes the housing of the beverage supply device 10 and is configured to be cool and dark inside. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, a Peltier mechanism 14 is provided on the upper rear side of the refrigerated storage compartment 12. This Peltier mechanism 14 cools the inside of the refrigerated storage compartment 12 and releases the heat inside the refrigerated storage compartment 12 to the outside. A rear cover 15 is attached to the rear side of the refrigerated storage compartment 12, covering the Peltier mechanism 14 and having ventilation holes 15A. 【0024】 As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the front of the main section 12A of the refrigerated storage compartment 12, from the top to the middle in the vertical direction, protrudes forward of the device beyond the lower section 12B of the refrigerated storage compartment 12. A front door 16 that can be opened and closed is provided on the front side of the main section 12A of the refrigerated storage compartment 12. The front door 16 is a door that can open to one side (for example, to the right) and has a double-wall structure with an insulating layer in between. Although not shown in the figures, the refrigerated storage compartment 12 is equipped with an opening / closing detection sensor that detects the opening and closing of the front door 16. As shown in Figure 1, a control panel 17 (simplified in the figure) is provided on the front door 16. This control panel 17 has a user interface function and includes, for example, a liquid crystal display 17A with a touch panel that enables user touch operation, and buttons 17B that the user can press. 【0025】 Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the refrigerated storage unit 12 with its front door 16 open, viewed from a diagonal front side. As shown in Figure 3, a container storage platform 18 is horizontally positioned at the lower end of the main section 12A of the refrigerated storage unit 12. This container storage platform 18 divides the interior of the refrigerated storage unit 12 vertically. As a result, the refrigerated storage unit 12 has a box-shaped main box 20 that opens towards the front of the device with the container storage platform 18 as the lower wall. The main box 20 has a double-wall structure with an insulating layer in between. The container storage platform 18 is also configured to be retractable towards the front of the device. 【0026】 On the front side of the lower part 12B of the refrigerated storage compartment 12, a pair of left and right bulkheads (partition walls) 22 are provided to separate the inside from the outside of the compartment, except for the middle section in the left-right direction, and a revolving door (swivel bulkhead) 24 is provided in the middle section in the left-right direction. The revolving door 24 is configured to rotate around a pivot axis 38X provided in the center of its door width direction and can be positioned to align with the pair of left and right bulkheads 22. By positioning the revolving door 24 to align with the pair of left and right bulkheads 22, the inside and outside of the refrigerated storage compartment 12 can be separated (or, in other words, cold air cannot leak out). As a result, a sub-box 26 is provided in the lower part 12B of the refrigerated storage compartment 12. 【0027】 On the other hand, a rectangular flat base plate 28 is horizontally provided at the lower end of the beverage supply device 10, and legs 29 are provided near the four corners of the lower surface of the base plate 28. The base plate 28 constitutes the bottom plate portion 28A of the subbox 26, and also constitutes an extension portion 28B that extends forward from the bottom plate portion 28A of the subbox 26. The front end position of the extension portion 28B is set, for example, to correspond to the front end position of the main box 20. 【0028】 A disc-shaped turntable (rotating table) 32 is horizontally positioned on the substrate 28. The turntable 32 is fixed to the lower end of the revolving door 24. Part of the turntable 32 is a mounting section 34 on which a container 100 (see Figure 1, in Figure 1 an example of a single-spouted container) that will receive the beverage is placed. Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the main mechanism of the beverage supply device 10. As shown in Figure 4, a pair of holder sections 36 for holding the container 100 (see Figure 1) are provided on both the left and right sides of the mounting section 34. 【0029】 The turntable 32 constitutes part of the container loading / unloading mechanism 30, which is a moving mechanism. Figure 5 shows an enlarged perspective view of the left half of the container loading / unloading mechanism 30 when viewed from the front. Figure 6 shows a perspective view of the right half of the beverage supply device 10 when viewed from the front, with the front door 16 open. For convenience, the illustration of the heat insulating layer provided inside the container storage platform 18, etc., is omitted in Figures 5 and 6. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the container loading / unloading mechanism 30 has a pivot drive mechanism 38 including a pivot axis 38X. The pivot drive mechanism 38 is a drive mechanism that rotates the turntable 32 and the revolving door 24 by 180°, for example, by rotating the pivot axis 38X. 【0030】 As shown in Figure 5, the slewing drive mechanism 38 is composed of, for example, a servo motor 38M, a reduction gear pair 38G (drive gear 38G1, driven gear 38G2), a self-lubricating bush 38B, and a slewing shaft 38X. The servo motor 38M is built into and fixed to the container storage base 18. The drive gear 38G1, which is one of the gears of the reduction gear pair 38G, is provided on the output shaft of the servo motor 38M. The driven gear 38G2, which is the other gear of the reduction gear pair 38G, is provided on the slewing shaft 38X and meshes with the drive gear 38G1. The slewing shaft 38X is inserted through the self-lubricating bush 38B, which is fixed to the container storage base 18. The reduction gear pair 38G and other components of the slewing drive mechanism 38, which are located above the container storage base 18, are covered by a cover 39. In the diagram, to make the diagram easier to understand, parts inside the cover 39 that are hidden by the cover 39 are also shown with solid lines. 【0031】 On the other hand, as shown in Figure 3, the refrigerated storage unit 12 stores multiple storage containers 90 containing beverages as liquids for supply inside the main box 20. The storage position of the storage containers 90 is higher than the upper end position of the containers to be supplied 100 (see Figure 1) placed on the mounting section 34. For example, the number of storage containers 90 stored in the refrigerated storage unit 12 is six. For example, the beverage for supply is sake, and for example, the storage containers 90 are beverage bottles, specifically 720ml bottles. For example, each of the multiple storage containers 90 contains a different brand of sake. Also, when changing the storage containers 90, the container storage stand 18 is pulled forward. 【0032】 Furthermore, a weighing mechanism 40 is provided inside the main box 20 of the refrigerated storage unit 12 to measure the mass of the object to be weighed, including the storage container 90 containing the beverage. The weighing mechanism 40 is designed to perform constant measurement when the device is in operation. Figure 7 shows an enlarged perspective view of one of the weighing mechanisms 40 and its surrounding area. As shown in Figure 7, the weighing mechanism 40 comprises a container holder 42 as a holder that holds the outer circumference of the storage container 90, a slide mechanism 44 that supports the container holder 42 so that it can move in a direction including a vertical component (here, a direction along the central axis of the storage container 90), and a load cell 46 capable of measuring the mass of the entire movable part made movable by the slide mechanism 44. 【0033】 The container holder 42 holds the storage container 90 such that its central axis is oblique to the vertical. The storage container 90 is held in an oblique downward position such that its mouth 96 faces the center of the container storage base 18 (see Figure 6). The container holder 42 comprises a first holder 42A that receives the maximum diameter portion 92 of the storage container 90 in the oblique downward position, and a second holder 42B that receives the mouth portion 94 of the storage container 90 in the oblique downward position. Both the first holder 42A and the second holder 42B are plate-shaped members made of resin. The first holder 42A and the second holder 42B have concave arc portions formed on them that correspond to a part of the outer circumference of the storage container 90, and these arc portions serve as surfaces that receive the storage container 90. The container holder 42 can stabilize the position of the storage container 90 by holding the storage container 90 with the first holder 42A and the second holder 42B. 【0034】 The slide mechanism 44 comprises a pair of linear shafts 44A connecting the base end of a first holder 42A and the base end of a second holder 42B, and linear guides 44B provided at the longitudinal intermediate portion of each of the pair of linear shafts 44A. The linear guides 44B are grippable members that can be used as oil-free bushings, and have a cylindrical portion 44B1 through which the linear shafts 44A are inserted, and a flange portion 44B2 protruding from one axial end of the cylindrical portion 44B1. The linear guides 44B are capable of free sliding relative to the linear shafts 44A along the axial direction of the linear shafts 44A. 【0035】 A pair of linear guides 44B are connected by a connecting bracket 45 at the flange portions 44B2. The intermediate portion of the connecting bracket 45 in the connecting direction is supported from below by a load cell 46. The base end portion of the load cell 46 is fixed to a first support bracket 47A. As shown in Figure 4, the first support bracket 47A is fixed to a second support bracket 47B, and the second support bracket 47B is fixed to a container storage base 18. In this configuration, the load cell 46 and the like support the movement of the storage container 90, container holder 42, and linear shaft 44A shown in Figure 7 along the central axis of the storage container 90. 【0036】 A base member 47C extending in the same direction as the load cell 46 is fixed to the upper end of the first support bracket 47A. The tip of the base member 47C is positioned above the connecting bracket 45 and below the first holder 42A. An overload stopper (also called an "overload stopper") 48 is fixed to the upper surface of the tip of this base member 47C. The overload stopper 48 prevents damage to the load cell 46 caused by overload by receiving the descending first holder 42A when an overload condition occurs, such as when setting the storage container 90 into the container holder 42 (for example, when a pressing force exceeding a predetermined amount is applied by a person's hand or when an impact force exceeding a predetermined amount is applied). 【0037】 On the other hand, an injection mechanism 50 is provided at the mouth 96 of the storage container 90. The injection mechanism 50 is configured to allow the beverage inside the storage container 90 to be injected by gravity into a container to be supplied 100 (schematically shown in Figure 7), which is set below the storage container 90, and is also capable of stopping the injection. 【0038】 The injection mechanism 50 includes an injection cap 52. The injection cap 52 has a cap body 52A that fits onto the opening 96 of the storage container 90 to seal the storage container 90. Figure 8 shows an enlarged perspective view of an example of a single injection cap 52. As shown in Figure 8, the cap body 52A has multiple grooves 52A1 formed on the outer circumference of the part that is inserted into the storage container 90 (see Figure 7), along its circumferential direction. 【0039】 Furthermore, the injection cap 52 includes a beverage injection section 52B, which is a liquid injection section that connects the inside and outside of the storage container 90 (see Figure 7) and includes a flexible injection tube section 52B1 integrally formed with the cap body 52A and extending outside the storage container 90; and an air vent section 52C, which is integrally formed with the cap body 52A and includes an air vent tube section 52C1 that is smaller in diameter than the injection tube section 52B1 and extends into the storage container 90, and connects the inside and outside of the storage container 90 to discharge air from inside the storage container 90. The injection cap 52 allows for the smooth injection of an appropriate amount of beverage through the injection tube section 52B1. The injection tube section 52B1 and the air vent tube section 52C1 in the injection cap 52 are made of silicone as an example. The length of the injection tube section 52B1 can be set as appropriate. 【0040】 As shown in Figure 6, the tip of the injection tube section 52B1 is positioned inside the through-hole 18H formed in the center of the container storage base 18. Viewed from above, the tip portions of the multiple injection tube sections 52B1 are arranged in a substantially radial pattern. The through-hole 18H is formed on the upper side of a portion of the turntable 32. The aforementioned container loading / unloading mechanism 30 is configured to move the mounting section 34 of the turntable 32 between a mounting position 34X, which is outside the refrigerated storage compartment 12 and where the user places the container to be supplied 100, and an injection position 34Y, which is inside the refrigerated storage compartment 12 and where the beverage is injected into the container to be supplied 100 by the injection mechanism 50. The injection position 34Y is set to a single location. 【0041】 As shown in Figure 7, the injection mechanism 50 is equipped with a clothespin-shaped pinch 54 on the outer circumference of the injection tube section 52B1 as a flow path opening and closing mechanism. The pinch 54 can be switched between a first state 54X (see Figure 9) which closes the flow path of the beverage injection section 52B by clamping the injection tube section 52B1, and a second state 54Y (see Figure 10) which releases the first state 54X (see Figure 9). 【0042】 Figure 9 shows a perspective view of the pinch 54 and its surrounding area in the first state 54X, and Figure 10 shows a perspective view of the pinch 54 and its surrounding area in the second state 54Y. Note that in Figure 9, a part of the pinch 54 is shown in cross-section. As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the pinch 54 has a pair of clamping pieces 54B and 54C that are rotatably connected to each other via a pivot shaft 54A, and one end 54B1 and 54C1 of the pair of clamping pieces 54B and 54C constitute the clamping portion 54D. In addition, one of the clamping pieces 54B is fixed to the base plate 59. As shown in Figure 7, the base plate 59 is fixed to the first support bracket 47A. 【0043】 As shown in Figures 9 and 10, a spring plunger 56 with spring force is attached to the other end 54B2 of one of the clamping pieces 54B. The pressing portion 56A of the spring plunger 56 is located between the pair of clamping pieces 54B and 54C and is in contact with the other end 54C2 of the other clamping piece 54C. The spring plunger 56 biases the pinch 54 to the first state 54X (see Figure 9). 【0044】 Furthermore, on the other end 54C2 of the other clamping piece 54C, a roller 57A is in contact with the side opposite to the side where the pressing portion 56A of the spring plunger 56 makes contact. The axial direction of the central axis 57X of the roller 57A is set to be the same as the axial direction of the support shaft 54A. The roller 57A is provided so as to be rotatable around the central axis 57X at the tip side of the rotating arm 57B. The rotating arm 57B is provided so as to be rotatable around the axis of the rotating shaft 57C. The axial direction of the rotating shaft 57C is set to be the same as the axial direction of the central axis 57X of the roller 57A. 【0045】 The pivot shaft 57C rotates around its own axis due to the operation of the servo motor 58. When the servo motor 58 operates in the state shown in Figure 9 and the pivot shaft 57C rotates counterclockwise in the figure, the rotation of the pivot arm 57B causes the roller 57A to press against the other end 54C2 of the clamping piece 54C, as shown in Figure 10, thereby moving the pinch 54 to the second state 54Y. In other words, the servo motor 58 is a drive mechanism for moving the pinch 54 to the second state 54Y against the biasing force of the spring plunger 56. The servo motor 58 is fixed to the base plate 59. 【0046】 As shown in Figure 7, a control device 60 (shown as a block in the figure) is connected to the servo motor 58. Figure 12 shows an example of the hardware configuration of the control device 60 in a block diagram. As shown in Figure 12, the control device 60 has, as an example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 61, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 62, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 63, storage 64, and a communication interface (abbreviated as "communication I / F" in Figure 12) 65. Each component is connected to communicate with each other via a bus 66. 【0047】 ROM 62 stores various programs and data. RAM 63 temporarily stores programs or data as a working area. Storage 64 is composed of an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or SSD (Solid State Drive), etc., and stores various programs and data. CPU 61 is a central processing unit that executes various programs and controls each part. That is, CPU 61 reads programs from ROM 62 or storage 64 and executes programs using RAM 63 as a working area. CPU 61 controls each of the above components and performs various calculations according to the programs stored in ROM 62 or storage 64. 【0048】 The communication interface 65 is an interface for communicating with other devices, including the control panel 17 (see Figure 1), and uses standards such as FDDI and Wi-Fi (registered trademark). In the control device 60, as an example, the supply control program 60A is executed in response to the user's operation of the control panel 17. 【0049】 As shown in Figure 7, the control device 60 is configured to include a supply control unit 601 (shown as a block in the figure) as part of its functional configuration. The supply control unit 601 is realized when the CPU 61 shown in Figure 12 reads and executes the supply control program 60A stored in the storage 64. The supply control unit 601 shown in Figure 7 determines the amount of beverage injected from the injection mechanism 50 into the container 100 based on the decrease in the measured value of the metering mechanism 40, and controls the amount of beverage to be injected from the injection mechanism 50 into the container 100. That is, the control device 60 controls the injection mechanism 50 (more specifically, the servo motor 58 of the injection mechanism 50) so that the amount of beverage to be injected into the container 100 (for example, the amount input and instructed by the user from the liquid crystal display 17A) is injected, while referring to the measured value of the metering mechanism 40. 【0050】 Inside the refrigerated storage unit 12 shown in Figure 6, etc., a sterilization device 70, shown in Figure 11, is arranged. The sterilization device 70 is positioned to sterilize the beverage injection section 52B (the beverage outlet and its vicinity) of the injection mechanism 50. The sterilization device 70 includes an ultraviolet lamp 72 and a lampshade 74 provided above the ultraviolet lamp 72. 【0051】 The ultraviolet lamp 72 and lampshade 74 are suspended and supported by a lamp stay 76. The lamp stay 76 is a straight, plate-like member positioned to cross the upper side of a through hole 18H formed in the center of the container storage base 18, and both ends in the longitudinal direction are fixed to the upper end of the lamp bracket 78. The lamp bracket 78 is a support member that extends in the vertical direction, and the lower end of the lamp bracket 78 is fixed to the container storage base 18. 【0052】 The ultraviolet lamp 72 and lampshade 74 are fixed to the middle of the lamp stay 76 in the longitudinal direction and are positioned above the through hole 18H formed in the center of the container storage base 18. The ultraviolet lamp 72 irradiates ultraviolet light onto the tips of the multiple injection tube sections 52B1. To enhance the sterilization function, irradiation with ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet lamp 72 in the deep ultraviolet (UVC) region of 100 nm to 280 nm is particularly effective. The lampshade 74 is a shielding reflector that can be understood as a shielding reflector, and is configured to shield ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet lamp 72 from directly hitting the inside of the storage container 90, and to concentrate the reflected light onto the tips of the multiple injection tube sections 52B1 (in other words, to limit the irradiation range). 【0053】 The ultraviolet lamp 72 is connected to the control device 60 shown in Figure 12. The control device 60 is capable of communicating with an open / close detection sensor (not shown) that detects the opening and closing of the front door 16 (see Figure 1). When the open / close detection sensor detects that the front door 16 has been opened, the control device 60 stops the irradiation by the ultraviolet lamp 72 shown in Figure 11. 【0054】 (Supply control processing by control device 60) Next, the supply control process by the control device 60 shown in Figure 12 will be explained. 【0055】 Figure 13 shows a flowchart illustrating an example of the supply control process performed by the control device 60 shown in Figure 12. The CPU 61 reads the supply control program 60A from the storage 64, loads it into the RAM 63, and executes it, thereby performing the supply control process by the control device 60. When the container to be supplied 100 is placed on the mounting unit 34 shown in Figure 1, and a user performs an input operation for beverage supply from the liquid crystal display 17A (see Figure 1), for example, the execution of the supply control process shown in Figure 13 begins. 【0056】 In step S101, the CPU 61 receives and acquires data from the liquid crystal display 17A. In step S102, the CPU 61 controls the servo motor 38M (see Figure 5) to rotate the turntable 32 by 180°. 【0057】 In step S103, the CPU 61 controls the servo motor 58 (see Figure 7) so that a predetermined amount of beverage is injected (supplied) from the injection mechanism 50 to the container 100, based on the data acquired in step S101. For example, if the data acquired in step S101 indicates that the brand of sake to be supplied is brand A, the CPU 61 controls the servo motor 58 connected to the injection mechanism 50 so that a predetermined amount of beverage is injected from the injection mechanism 50, which is located in the storage container 90 containing sake of brand A, to the container 100. At this time, the CPU 61 also determines the amount of beverage injected from the injection mechanism 50 to the container 100 based on the decrease in the measured value of the measuring mechanism 40, and controls the amount of beverage to be injected from the injection mechanism 50 to the container 100. 【0058】 In step S104, the servo motor 38M (see Figure 5) is controlled to rotate the turntable 32 by 180°. As a result of the execution of step S104, the supply container 100 returns to the position shown in Figure 1, so that the user can receive the supply container 100 with the beverage supplied. After the execution of step S104 shown in Figure 13, the CPU 61 terminates the processing based on the supply control program 60A. 【0059】 (Effects and mechanisms of the embodiment) Next, the operation and effects of this embodiment will be described. 【0060】 In the beverage supply device 10 of this embodiment shown in Figure 1, as described above, the refrigerated storage compartment 12 is configured to be cool and dark inside, and as shown in Figure 3, it stores a storage container 90 containing the beverage to be supplied inside. This allows the beverage to be cooled and its freshness to be maintained. A weighing mechanism 40 provided inside the refrigerated storage compartment 12 measures the mass of the object to be weighed, including the storage container 90 containing the beverage. An injection mechanism 50 provided in the storage container 90, shown in Figure 6, can inject the beverage from the storage container 90 into a supply container 100 set at a predetermined position (injection position 34Y) below the storage container 90 by gravity, and can also stop the injection. Here, the supply control unit 601 shown in Figure 7 determines the amount of beverage injected from the injection mechanism 50 into the supply container 100 based on the decrease in the measured value of the weighing mechanism 40, and controls the amount of beverage injected from the injection mechanism 50 into the supply container 100. As a result, it is possible to supply chilled beverages, and because there is no pressure feeding mechanism, the burden of maintaining hygiene can be reduced. 【0061】 Furthermore, in this embodiment, the ultraviolet lamp 72 shown in Figure 11, which is placed inside the refrigerated storage unit 12 shown in Figure 1, sterilizes the beverage injection section 52B (the beverage outlet and its vicinity) of the injection mechanism 50, making it easy to maintain the hygienic condition of the beverage injection section 52B. 【0062】 Furthermore, in this embodiment, the container loading / unloading mechanism 30 shown in Figure 6 moves the loading section 34 on which the container to be supplied 100 is placed between a loading position 34X, which is outside the refrigerated storage unit 12 and is the position where the user places the container to be supplied 100, and an injection position 34Y, which is inside the refrigerated storage unit 12 and is the position where the beverage is injected into the container to be supplied 100 by the injection mechanism 50. This prevents the user from touching the beverage injection section 52B of the injection mechanism 50, making it easier to maintain the hygiene of the beverage injection section 52B. In addition, in this embodiment, there is no need to open or close the front door 16 of the refrigerated storage unit 12 when injecting the beverage, so the temperature environment inside the main box 20 of the refrigerated storage unit 12 is basically not changed, making it possible to further maintain freshness and improve the hygiene environment. 【0063】 Furthermore, in this embodiment, the refrigerated storage unit 12 stores multiple storage containers 90, and the injection position 34Y is set to a single location, so that multiple chilled beverages can be supplied and the movement of the mounting section 34 by the container loading / unloading mechanism 30 can be simplified. 【0064】 Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, the container holder 42 holds the outer circumference of the storage container 90, and the sliding mechanism 44 supports the container holder 42 so that it can move in a direction including the vertical component. In addition, the load cell 46 is capable of measuring the mass of the entire movable part that is made movable by the sliding mechanism 44. This makes it possible to precisely measure the mass of the object to be measured, including the storage container 90 containing the beverage. 【0065】 Furthermore, in this embodiment, the beverage to be supplied is sake, the storage container 90 is a 720ml bottle, and the container holder 42 is configured to receive the maximum diameter portion 92 and the mouth portion 94 of the 720ml bottle, which is the storage container 90, in a diagonally downward position. Therefore, since the purchased 720ml bottle of sake can be used as the storage container 90 as is, it is easier to maintain hygiene compared to when the beverage is transferred to a separate storage container. 【0066】 As explained above, the beverage supply device 10 of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, etc., makes it possible to supply chilled beverages and reduce the burden of maintaining hygiene. This makes it relatively easy to maintain the quality (prevent deterioration) of the beverages provided. 【0067】 In this embodiment, the cap body 52A of the injection cap 52 shown in Figure 7 is fitted onto the mouth 96 of the storage container 90. Also, as shown in Figure 8, the beverage injection section 52B, which is integrally formed with the cap body 52A, includes a flexible injection tube section 52B1 that extends outside the storage container 90 (see Figure 7), thus connecting the inside and outside of the storage container 90. Furthermore, the air vent section 52C, which is integrally formed with the cap body 52A, includes an air vent tube section 52C1 that has a smaller diameter than the injection tube section 52B1 and extends into the storage container 90 (see Figure 7), thus connecting the inside and outside of the storage container 90 and discharging air from inside the storage container 90. In addition, the pinch 54, which is a flow path opening and closing mechanism shown in Figure 7, can be switched between a first state 54X (see Figure 9) that closes the flow path of the beverage injection section 52B by sandwiching the injection tube section 52B1, and a second state 54Y (see Figure 10) that releases the first state (see Figure 9). As a result, by attaching the injection cap 52 to the storage container 90 shown in Figure 7, the beverage in the storage container 90 can be injected and stopped by switching the pinch 54. 【0068】 Furthermore, the beverage supply device 10 of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, etc., allows for the automatic supply of a specified amount of beverage, thereby improving yield and reducing costs. In addition, for example, in proportional supply devices that use pump pressure to supply beverages, the mainstream is to manage the pump pressure time in order to automatically supply a specified amount. However, the beverage supply device 10 of this embodiment can stably and accurately supply a specified amount automatically compared to such devices, and thus enables the stabilization of the supply amount. 【0069】 Furthermore, the beverage supply device 10 of this embodiment does not require mechanisms such as a pressure pump or pipe cleaning pipelines, thus reducing the complexity of the device and lowering the manufacturing cost of the device. 【0070】 Furthermore, if restaurants and other establishments utilize the beverage dispensing device 10 of this embodiment, they can store beverages such as sake, which are prone to deterioration due to environmental changes such as temperature, humidity, air, and sunlight, in a favorable environment for extended periods. In addition, it becomes possible to dispense individual portions, such as one go (180 ml), without requiring additional human intervention. Moreover, since the beverage dispensing device 10 can also dispense a mixture of multiple beverages of different brands, it is possible to expand the variety of beverage products that can be supplied (in other words, expand the choices of beverage products that can be supplied), making it possible to meet the needs of many customers with a small inventory of various types of beverages. This can also contribute to improving product competitiveness. 【0071】 Furthermore, the beverage supply device 10 of this embodiment can reduce labor in injection and supply operations and sterilization and cleaning operations, thereby contributing to improved working conditions for service personnel, alleviation of labor shortages, and reduction of labor costs. 【0072】 (Modifications of the embodiments, etc.) In the embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 13, the example given was that the beverage in the storage container 90 of the beverage supply device 10 is sake. However, the beverage supplied as the liquid in the storage container of the beverage supply device, as a liquid supply device, may be a beverage other than sake, such as whiskey, liquor, tea, or fruit juice. 【0073】 Furthermore, although the above embodiment was described using the example of a case where the liquid supply device is a beverage supply device 10, the liquid supply device may be a device that supplies liquids other than beverages, such as perfume, liquid raw materials for lipstick, or liquid dyes. In other words, the liquid supplied in the storage container of the liquid supply device may be a liquid other than a beverage, such as perfume, liquid raw materials for lipstick, or liquid dyes. 【0074】 Furthermore, although the above embodiment was described using the example of a 720ml bottle as the storage container 90 stored in the refrigerated storage unit 12, if the beverage to be supplied is alcohol, the storage container stored in the refrigerated storage unit may be a 1.8L bottle. In that case, the container holder can be configured to receive the widest diameter portion and the mouth portion of the 1.8L bottle in an angled downward position. In such a modified example, the 1.8L bottle of sake purchased can be used as the storage container as is, making it easier to maintain hygiene compared to when the beverage is transferred to a separate storage container. 【0075】 Furthermore, as another variation, the storage containers stored in the refrigerated storage unit may be glass bottles other than 180ml bottles, such as 180ml bottles, or storage containers other than glass bottles, such as pouch packs, PET bottles, or metal cans (e.g., steel cans, aluminum cans, etc.). 【0076】 Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the example given for the container 100 receiving the beverage as a liquid was a sake carafe, but the container receiving the liquid may be a ceramic sake carafe other than a sake carafe, such as a sake bottle, or a container other than a ceramic sake carafe, such as a glass bottle (e.g., decanter, carafe, pitcher, perfume bottle, liquid dye bottle, various liquid raw material bottle, etc.), tea set (e.g., teapot, pot, etc.), or cups (e.g., mug, glass, etc.). 【0077】 Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the weighing mechanism 40 has a container holder 42 that holds the outer circumference of the storage container 90. However, as a modification of the above embodiment, the weighing mechanism may be configured to include, for example, a mechanism that suspends and supports the storage container instead of the container holder 42. 【0078】 Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the container loading / unloading mechanism 30, which serves as the moving mechanism, rotates a turntable 32 equipped with a mounting section 34. However, as a modification of the above embodiment, the moving mechanism may be a mechanism that reciprocates the mounting section. Another modification is to set the position where the user places the container to be supplied and the position where the beverage is injected into the container by the injection mechanism to the same location, and to omit the moving mechanism that moves the mounting section. 【0079】 Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the refrigerated storage unit 12 stores six (six) storage containers 90, but as a modification of the above embodiment, the number of storage containers stored in the refrigerated storage unit may be more than six, or it may be just one. 【0080】 Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the refrigerated storage unit 12 stores a plurality of storage containers 90, and the injection position 34Y is set to one location. While this configuration is preferred, as a modification of the above embodiment, a configuration in which the refrigerated storage unit stores a plurality of storage containers, and the injection position is set for each storage container, can also be adopted. 【0081】 Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the injection mechanism 50 is configured to include an injection cap 52 and a pinch 54, and while this configuration is preferred, it is also possible to use, for example, another opening and closing mechanism for opening and closing the beverage flow path instead of the pinch 54. 【0082】 Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a sterilization device 70 is arranged inside the refrigerated storage compartment 12 to sterilize the beverage outlet portion of the injection mechanism 50 and its vicinity. While this configuration is preferred, a modified version of the above embodiment may also be adopted in which the sterilization device 70 is not provided. 【0083】 Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the beverage supply device 10 automatically supplies beverages based on instruction information input from the liquid crystal display 17A of the control panel 17, for example. However, as a modification of the above embodiment, the beverage supply device may, for example, receive instruction information from an external device and automatically supply beverages based on that instruction information. 【0084】 Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the supply control program 60A for controlling the supply of beverages is stored in the storage 64 of the control device 60, but the supply control program 60A may be stored in the ROM 62 instead of the storage 64 of the control device 60. 【0085】 Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the refrigerated storage unit 12 has a structure equipped with a Peltier mechanism 14, but as a modification of the above embodiment, the refrigerated storage unit may be cooled by, for example, a compressor mechanism instead of the Peltier mechanism 14. 【0086】 Furthermore, the processing that the CPU 61 reads and executes in the above embodiment may be executed by various processors other than the CPU. Examples of such processors include GPUs (Graphics Processing Units), ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays), etc. Also, the operation of the processors in the above embodiment may be performed by multiple processors located in physically separate locations working together. 【0087】 Furthermore, the supply control program 60A of the above embodiment may be provided in a form recorded on a recording medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory) or DVD-ROM (Digital Versatile Disc Read Only Memory). Alternatively, the program may be provided in a form that can be downloaded from an external device via a network. In other words, the supply control program 60A can be provided as a program product. Note that a program product includes any form of product for providing the program. 【0088】 Furthermore, the above embodiments and the various modifications described above can be combined as appropriate. 【0089】 Although an example of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above, and it is of course possible to implement it in various ways without departing from its spirit. [Explanation of symbols] 【0090】 10 Beverage supply device (liquid supply device) 12 Refrigerated storage 30. Container loading / unloading mechanism (mobilization mechanism) 34 Mounting section 34X Mounting position 34Y Injected position 40 Metering mechanism 42 Container holder 44. Sliding mechanism 46 load cells 50 Injection mechanism 52 Injection cap 52A Cap Body 52B Beverage injection part (liquid injection part) 52B1 Injection tube section 52C Air vent section 52C1 Air vent tube section 54. Pinch (flow path opening / closing mechanism) 54X First State 54Y Second State 70 Sterilizer 90 storage containers 92 Maximum diameter part 94 Mouth area 96 Mouth 100 Container to be supplied 601 Supply Control Unit

Claims

[Claim 1] A refrigerated storage unit configured to maintain a cool, dark interior, which houses storage containers containing liquids for supply, A weighing mechanism is provided inside the refrigerated storage unit for measuring the mass of the object to be weighed, including the storage container containing the liquid. An injection mechanism is provided in the storage container and configured to allow the liquid in the storage container to be injected by gravity into a supply container set below the storage container, and to allow the injection to be stopped. A supply control unit determines the amount of liquid injected from the injection mechanism into the supply container based on the decrease in the measured value of the metering mechanism, and controls the amount of liquid to be injected from the injection mechanism into the supply container. A liquid supply device having the following features. [Claim 2] The liquid supply device according to claim 1, further comprising a sterilization device disposed inside the refrigerated storage compartment for sterilizing the liquid outlet portion of the injection mechanism and its vicinity. [Claim 3] A mounting section on which the container to be supplied is placed, A moving mechanism moves the mounting section between a mounting position, which is outside the refrigerated storage compartment and is where the user places the container to be supplied, and an injection position, which is inside the refrigerated storage compartment and is where the liquid is injected into the container to be supplied by the injection mechanism. A liquid supply device according to claim 1, having the following features. [Claim 4] The liquid supply device according to claim 3, wherein the refrigerated storage unit houses a plurality of the storage containers, and the injection position is set to one location. [Claim 5] The aforementioned measuring mechanism is, A holder that holds the outer circumference of the storage container, A slide mechanism supports the holder so that it can move in a direction including the vertical component, A load cell capable of measuring the mass of the entire movable part that is movable by the aforementioned sliding mechanism, A liquid supply device according to claim 1, comprising: [Claim 6] The aforementioned liquid is Japanese sake, and the aforementioned storage container is either a 720ml bottle or a 1.8L bottle. The liquid supply device according to claim 5, wherein the holder is configured to receive the maximum diameter portion and the mouth portion of the one bottle in an obliquely downward position. [Claim 7] The injection mechanism is An injection cap having: a cap body that fits onto the mouth of the storage container; a liquid injection portion that includes a flexible injection tube portion formed integrally with the cap body and extending outside the storage container, thereby connecting the inside and outside of the storage container; and an air vent portion that includes an air vent tube portion formed integrally with the cap body and having a smaller diameter than the injection tube portion and extending into the storage container, thereby connecting the inside and outside of the storage container and discharging air from inside the storage container; A flow path opening / closing mechanism that can switch between a first state in which the flow path of the liquid injection section is closed by sandwiching the injection tube section, and a second state in which the first state is released, A liquid supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising:

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