Dispensing Server

Abstract

The present invention provides a dispensing server capable of precisely switching the dispensing state of beverages and other items. [Solution] The dispensing server comprises a housing having a main body having a storage space in which a container is housed, and a lid that opens and closes the storage space, and a dispensing switching device 7 attached to a storage section between the main body and the lid, which includes a switching mechanism that changes the state of the dispensing path through which the contents taken out of the container inside the housing are guided according to the operation of an operating member to switch the dispensing state of the contents, the operating member is provided on the storage section side, and the operating member and the switching mechanism are connected in a manner that allows for coordination, and a positioning mechanism 50 is provided to position the switching mechanism at a fixed position within the storage section.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a server for pouring out contents such as beverages in a container.

Background Art

[0002] As a server for pouring out beverages, a pouring switching device is arranged in a storage part between a main body part and a lid part of a housing, and by that pouring switching device, a tube connected to a beverage container in the main body part is deformed so as to be crushed according to an operation of a predetermined operation member, thereby changing a state of a pouring path formed in the tube to switch pouring of a beverage or its foam and stopping of the pouring. A pouring server is known (see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the conventional dispensing server described above, the dispensing switching device is located in the housing, and this device is equipped with a switching mechanism that includes a retaining member for deforming the tube. The operating member for switching the dispensing state is located on the housing side, for example, on the lid side, and the operating member and the switching mechanism are connected in a coordinated manner. On the other hand, some clearance may be set between the housing and the dispensing switching device. Therefore, the position of the switching mechanism may shift within the housing. If the switching mechanism is misaligned, a misalignment will occur in the positional relationship between the operating member and the switching mechanism, which may prevent the beverage dispensing state from being switched correctly. For example, foam dispensing is achieved by deforming the tube so that a tiny orifice is created in the dispensing path within the tube. If the switching mechanism is misaligned, a misalignment will occur in the positional relationship between the tube retainer for deforming the tube and the operating member, which may cause the size of the orifice to deviate from the original value intended in the design, and the desired foam may not be dispensed. If the retaining member used to switch between dispensing and stopping the beverage becomes misaligned, even if the operating member is held in the dispensing stop position, the dispensing path within the tube may not be completely closed, potentially causing beverage leakage.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a dispensing server that can accurately switch the dispensing state of beverages and other items to be dispensed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A dispensing server according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a housing having a main body having a storage space in which a container is housed, and a lid for opening and closing the storage space, and a dispensing switching device attached to a storage section between the main body and the lid, which includes a switching mechanism that changes the state of the dispensing path through which the contents taken out of the container in the housing are guided in accordance with the operation of an operating member to switch the dispensing state of the contents, wherein the operating member is provided on the storage section side, and the operating member and the switching mechanism are linkedly connected, and the dispensing server further comprises a positioning mechanism for positioning the switching mechanism at a fixed position within the storage section. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] A vertical cross-sectional view of a beverage server according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] A perspective view showing the beverage dispenser with the storage compartment open. [Figure 3] A perspective view of the stop valve that is installed in the storage compartment. [Figure 4] A perspective view showing the stop valve in the open position. [Figure 5] A perspective view showing the stop valve switching mechanism in a disassembled state. [Figure 6] An enlarged view showing the main parts of the switching mechanism in a disassembled state, in a half-cross-sectional view. [Figure 7] An enlarged view showing the main parts of the switching mechanism in its assembled state, in a half-cross-sectional view. [Figure 8] This diagram shows the tube retainer for foam dispensing retracted from the tube. [Figure 9] This diagram shows the state in which an orifice has been formed by deforming the tube with a tube holder for foam dispensing. [Figure 10] A diagram showing the restraining mechanism and positioning mechanism of the opening and closing section of a stop valve. [Figure 11] A diagram showing the fixing part of the restraint mechanism provided on the storage unit side. [Figure 12] A diagram showing the positional relationship between the hook arm of the restraint mechanism and the fixing part on the storage unit side. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] Figure 1 shows one configuration of the dispensing server according to the present invention as a beverage server. The beverage server 1 comprises a housing 3 that houses a bottle 2, an example of a beverage container filled with beer, or a beer-like sparkling beverage; a gas supply device 4 that sends dispensing gas, such as carbon dioxide, into the bottle 2; a dispensing tube 6 that guides the beverage dispensed from the bottle 2 by gas pressure to a dispensing outlet 5; and a stop valve 7, an example of a dispensing switching device for switching between dispensing or stopping the dispensing of beverage or beverage foam via the tube 6. The inside of the tube 6 corresponds to an example of a dispensing path. Figure 1 shows the beverage server 1 standing upright on a suitable mounting surface. Hereinafter, the left-right direction in Figure 1 will be referred to as the front-back direction of the beverage server 1, the up-down direction in Figure 1 will be referred to as the up-down direction of the beverage server 1, and the direction perpendicular to the plane of Figure 1 will be referred to as the left-right direction of the beverage server 1.

[0009] The housing 3 comprises a generally cylindrical main body 3a having a storage space S for housing the bottle 2, and a lid 3b for opening and closing the storage space S. The lid 3b is connected to the main body 3a in a manner that allows it to rotate around a hinge 3c at the rear end of the housing 3 (opposite the spout 5). By opening the lid 3b, the bottle 2 can be inserted into and removed from the storage space S. A cooling unit 8 for the bottle 2 is also arranged inside the main body 3a. The bottle 2 is made of resin, for example.

[0010] A cap 10 is detachably attached to the opening of bottle 2. A down tube 11 for dispensing beverage from bottle 2 is connected to the bottom of cap 10. As shown in Figure 2, a gas tube 12 for supplying gas from a gas supply device 4 into bottle 2 is also connected to cap 10. A beverage dispensing tube 10a is provided at the top of cap 10 for dispensing beverage from bottle 2 by gas pressure. One end of dispensing tube 6 is connected to the dispensing tube 10a. Tube 6 is made of a flexible resin material along its entire length. The spout 5 is formed at the tip of tube 6.

[0011] As shown in Figure 1, a storage compartment 13 for housing the stop valve 7 is provided between the main body 3a and the lid 3b of the housing 3. The storage compartment 13 includes a receiving portion 14 provided on the main body 3a and a covering portion 15 provided on the lid 3b. By closing the lid 3b, the receiving portion 14 and the covering portion 15 are joined together and the storage compartment 13 is closed. By opening the lid 3b, the covering portion 15 separates upward from the receiving portion 14 and the storage compartment 13 opens. Figure 2 shows the storage compartment 13 in the open state. In the state shown in Figure 2, the stop valve 7 is attached to the receiving portion 14, and then the covering portion 15 is closed, storing the stop valve 7 inside the storage compartment 13.

[0012] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the stop valve 7 includes a base 20 and an opening / closing section 21. The base 20 is mounted on a receiving section 14 of the storage section 13. The opening / closing section 21 is rotatably fitted onto the hinge shaft 20a of the base 20, allowing it to be opened and closed around the hinge shaft 20a. Figure 3 shows the closed state with the opening / closing section 21 closed, and Figure 4 shows the open state with the opening / closing section 21 open. As shown in Figure 4, the stop valve 7 is provided with a tube holder 22. The tube holder 22 includes a lower holder 23 as a component of the base 20 and an upper holder 24 as a component of the opening / closing section 21. The hinge shaft 20a is provided on the lower holder 23, and the upper holder 24 is rotatably fitted onto its hinge shaft 20a. The opening / closing section 21 is further provided with a cap 25. The cap 25, when combined with the upper holder 24, can be opened and closed integrally with the upper holder 24 around the hinge axis 20a. The upper holder 24 is connected to the cap 25 by closing the opening portion of the cap 25. When the opening / closing part 21 is closed and the lower holder 23 and the upper holder 24 are in close contact, the lower holder 23 and the cap 25 are connected in the vertical direction to form the housing 26, which is the outer shell of the stop valve 7.

[0013] The lower holder 23 and the upper holder 24 are provided with tube grooves 23a and 24a, respectively, which have a roughly semicircular cross-sectional shape. The cross-sectional shapes of the tube grooves 23a and 24a are shown in Figures 8 and 9. By opening the opening / closing section 21 and inserting the tube 6 into the tube groove 23a of the lower holder 23, and then closing the opening / closing section 21, the tube 6 fits into the tube groove 24a of the upper holder 24, and the tube 6 is held between the lower holder 23 and the upper holder 24. In other words, the opening / closing section 21 can be opened and closed between an open state for passing the tube 6 through the stop valve 7 and a closed state for holding the tube 6 in cooperation with the base 20.

[0014] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the lower holder 23 is further provided with a guide tube 23b. The internal space of the guide tube 23b is connected to the tube groove 23a. As shown in Figure 1, when the stop valve 7 is attached to the storage section 13, the guide tube 23b is inserted inside the guide tube 14a provided in the receiving section 14 of the housing 3. The tube 6 connected to the cap 10 is extended almost horizontally along the front-rear direction and introduced into the stop valve 7. The tube 6 introduced into the stop valve 7 is bent downward inside the stop valve 7 and inserted into the guide tube 23b, with its tip exposed from the guide tube 23b and functioning as the spout 5.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1, within the opening / closing portion 21 of the stop valve 7, a switching mechanism 30 is provided between the upper holder 24 and the cap 25. The switching mechanism 30 changes the deformation amount of the tube 6 according to the operation of the operation lever 16 to switch between a state of discharging a beverage or its foam and a state of stopping the discharge. As an example, when the operation lever 16 is at the discharge stop position P0 where it is substantially upright in the vertical direction, the tube 6 is crushed so that the inside of the tube 6 is completely closed to stop the discharge of the beverage and the foam. When the operation lever 16 is tilted to the beverage discharge position P1 in front of the discharge stop position P0, the deformation amount of the tube 6 is changed so that the internal flow path of the tube 6 is sufficiently opened to allow the discharge of the beverage. When the operation lever 16 is tilted to the foam discharge position P3 behind the discharge stop position P0, the deformation amount of the tube 6 is changed so that a minute orifice is formed in the tube 6 to allow the discharge of the foam. The operation lever 16 is an example of an operation member provided on the covering portion 15.

[0016] FIGS. 5 to 7 show the details of the switching mechanism 30. FIG. 5 shows the disassembled state of the switching mechanism 30, FIG. 6 is an enlarged view showing a main part in the disassembled state of the switching mechanism 30 in a semi-sectional state, and FIG. 7 is an enlarged view showing a main part in the assembled state of the switching mechanism 30 in a semi-sectional state. As shown in these figures, the switching mechanism 30 includes a slider 31, a first tube presser 32, a second tube presser 33, and a coil spring 33. The tube pressers 32 and 33 are parts for contacting and deforming the tube 6 and correspond to an example of a pressing member. The slider 31 is a part for converting the operation of the operation lever 16 into the operation of the tube pressers 32 and 33. The coil spring 32 is an elastic part that applies a force in a direction of pushing the first tube presser 32 toward the tube 6.

[0017] The slider 31 is arranged to be sandwiched between the upper holder 24 and the cap 25, and is provided so as to be movable in the front-rear direction with respect to the upper holder 24 and immovable in the vertical direction. The slider 31 is formed with a first insertion hole 31a and a second insertion hole 31b penetrating the slider 31 in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 7, a drive portion 17a at the lower end of the lever shaft 17 of the operation lever 16 is fitted into the first insertion hole 31a. A spherical fulcrum portion 17b is provided at an intermediate position of the lever shaft 17.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 1, the lever shaft 17 is attached to the lid portion 3b so as to be operable in the front-rear direction about the fulcrum portion 17b by fitting the fulcrum portion 17b into the covering portion 15 of the housing 3. As shown in FIG. 5, the cap 25 is provided with an insertion hole 25a. By closing the lid portion 3b, the drive portion 17a of the lever shaft 17 is inserted into the first insertion hole 31a of the slider 31 through the insertion hole 25a of the cap 25. Thereby, the operation lever 16 and the switching mechanism 30 are connected in an operable manner. In a state where the operation lever 16 and the slider 31 are connected, when the operation lever 16 is operated in the front-rear direction, the slider 31 moves in the front-rear direction in conjunction with the operation. When the operation lever 16 is operated from the pouring stop position P0 to the beverage pouring position P1, the slider 31 moves backward, and when the operation lever 16 is operated from the pouring stop position P0 to the foam pouring position P2, the slider 31 moves forward.

[0019] Returning to FIGS. 5 to 7, the first tube presser 32 and the second tube presser 33 are inserted into the second insertion hole 31b of the slider 31. Drive portions 32a and 33a are formed at the upper portions of the first tube presser 32 and the second tube presser 33, respectively, and presser portions 32b and 33b are formed at the lower portions of the drive portions 32a and 33a. The presser portions 32b and 33b project into the tube groove 24a through the through holes 24b and 24c of the upper holder 24. FIG. 4 shows a state where the presser portions 32b and 33b project into the tube groove 24a.

[0020] As shown in Figure 5, cam grooves 32c are formed on both sides of the drive unit 32a of the first tube retainer 32, and cams 33c are formed on both sides of the drive unit 33a of the second tube retainer 33. When the tube retainers 32 and 33 are inserted into the second insertion hole 31b, the cam 31c formed on the side of the second insertion hole 31b of the slider 31 fits into the cam groove 32c of the first tube retainer 32, and the cam 33c of the second tube retainer 33 fits into the cam groove 31d formed on the side of the second insertion hole 31b. The cam grooves 32c and cam 31c convert the forward and backward movement of the slider 31 into the up and down movement of the first tube retainer 32. Also, the cams 33c and cam grooves 31d convert the forward and backward movement of the slider 31 into the up and down movement of the second tube retainer 33. The correspondence between the forward and backward movement of the slider 31 and the operation of each tube retainer 32, 33 is as follows.

[0021] When the slider 31 is in the position corresponding to the dispensing stop position P0 of the operating lever 16, the cam groove 32c of the first tube retainer 32 is located some distance above the cam 31c of the slider 31. In this state, the first tube retainer 32 is pushed downward by the coil spring 33. At this time, the retaining portion 32b of the first tube retainer 32 crushes the tube 6 held in the tube grooves 23a and 24a of the lower holder 23 and upper holder 24 so that its interior is completely closed. As a result, it becomes impossible for the beverage to pass through the tube 6, and the dispensing stop state is achieved. The cam 31c of the slider 31 and the cam groove 32c of the first tube retainer 32 are formed in a roughly triangular shape with the top being the apex. Therefore, when the slider 31 moves forward or backward from the position corresponding to the dispensing stop position P0, the first tube retainer 32 moves upward against the coil spring 33. As a result, the amount of compression of the tube 6 by the pressing portion 32b of the first tube holder 32 is reduced, allowing the beverage to pass through the tube 6.

[0022] On the other hand, the cam 33c of the second tube retainer 33 and the cam groove 31d of the slider 31 are inclined to slope downward toward the rear end of the slider 31. Therefore, when the slider 31 moves forward, the second tube retainer 33 moves downward, and when the slider 31 moves backward, the second tube retainer 33 moves upward. When the slider 31 is in the position corresponding to the beverage dispensing position P1 of the operating lever 16, the second tube retainer 33 retracts upward so as not to obstruct the flow of beverage in the tube 6. For example, when the operating lever 16 is in the beverage dispensing position P1, the second tube retainer 33 is held in a position where the retaining portion 33b is in contact with the upper end of the tube 6 in its non-deformed state, or at a position above the tube 6, as shown in Figure 8.

[0023] On the other hand, when the operating lever 16 is operated to the foam dispensing position P2, the second tube retainer 33 descends as shown in Figure 9, so that the tube 6 is sandwiched between the retainer portion 33b and the tube groove 23a of the lower holder 23, and the upper and lower inner surfaces of the tube 6 are in close contact with each other. The lower end of the retainer portion 33b is formed as a tapered projection with a diameter smaller than the diameter of the tube 6. Therefore, in the state shown in Figure 9, both sides of the tube 6 are deformed so as to curl upward in the area on the side of the retainer portion 33b, and tiny orifices 6a are formed inside the deformed portion. As the beverage passes through these orifices 6a, foam is generated in the beverage and dispensed from the dispensing port 5.

[0024] As shown in Figure 10, the beverage server 1 is further provided with a restraining mechanism 40 for restraining the opening / closing part 21 of the stop valve 7 in a closed state. The restraining mechanism 40 includes a hook arm 41 provided on the cap 25 side of the opening / closing part 21 and a fixing part 42 provided on the receiving part 14 side of the storage part 13. The hook arm 41 is made of an elastic material. For example, the hook arm 41 is made of a resin molded product having appropriate elasticity. The hook arm 41 is attached to the cap 25 via a support shaft 43 and is rotatable about the support shaft 43. The hook arm 41 includes a pair of arm parts 44 extending toward the receiving part 14, a connecting part 45 connecting the arm parts 44, a claw part 46 provided at the lower end of each arm part 44, and a spring part 47 provided on the back side of each arm part 44, i.e., the side facing the cap 25.

[0025] The spring portion 47 is formed integrally with the arm portion 44 so as to be bent back from the upper end of the arm portion 44 toward the rear side, and functions as a leaf spring that generates an elastic restoring force that returns the arm portion 44 to the rear side. The free end of the spring portion 47 is inserted into the spring receiving groove 25b of the cap 25, thereby constraining the free end to the cap 25. Therefore, the hook arm 41 can rotate around the support shaft 43 while elastically deforming the bent portion of the spring portion 47. An inclined surface 46a is formed on the lower surface of the claw portion 46, which recedes upward as it moves away from the rear of the cap 25.

[0026] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 11, one fixing portion 42 is provided at each position corresponding to the arm portion 44 of the hook arm 41. The fixing portion 42 is provided with a hole 42a for passing the claw portion 46 through, which penetrates the fixing portion 42 in the front-rear direction. On the upper surface side of the fixing portion 42, an inclined surface 42b is formed that protrudes upward toward the rear end side of the receiving portion 14. In the opening and closing direction of the opening and closing portion 21, the position where the inclined surface 42b of the fixing portion 42 is highest, that is, the position that protrudes the most toward the hook arm 41 side in the opening and closing direction, corresponds to the top 42c of the fixing portion 42.

[0027] In the above restraint mechanism 40, the initial position of the hook arm 41 is defined as the position when the spring portion 47 is not deformed and no elastic restoring force is generated. The release position is defined as the position when the spring portion 47 is deformed and the hook arm 41 is displaced toward the cap 25. By displacing the hook arm 41 between its initial position and the release position, the claw portion 46 and the fixing portion 42 can be engaged to restrain the opening / closing portion 21 in a closed state. To open the opening / closing portion 21, the hook arm 41 should be pushed to the release position and the opening / closing portion 21 should be rotated upward.

[0028] The initial position of the hook arm 41 is set as follows in relation to the fixing part 42. That is, as shown in Figure 12, when the opening / closing part 21 is operated so that the hook arm 41 contacts the fixing part 42 of the other side while the hook arm 41 is held in the initial position, the positional relationship between the hook arm 41 and the fixing part 42 is set such that the contact position between the hook arm 41 and the fixing part 42 is shifted towards the release position side from the top 42c of the fixing part 42.

[0029] By setting the positional relationship between the hook arm 41 and the fixing part 42 as described above, even if the lid 3b is closed without the claw part 46 properly engaging with the fixing part 42, it is possible to eliminate the risk of the hook arm 41 interfering with and being damaged by the lid 3b. That is, when the stop valve 7 is attached to the receiving part 14 of the storage part 13 and the lid 3b is closed, the stop valve 7 is covered by the cover part 15 of the storage part 13. If the opening / closing part 21 is not properly closed, the cap 25 may interfere with the cover part 15, or the hook arm 41 itself may interfere with the lid 3b. In that case, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 12, if the contact position between the hook arm 41 and the fixing part 42 when the hook arm 41 is in its initial position is located on the opposite side of the release position from the top part 42c of the fixing part 42, the hook arm 41 may deform in the opposite direction to the release position, i.e., in the direction of arrow R in Figure 12, and go over the fixing part 42, potentially damaging the hook arm 41. In contrast, if the positional relationship between the hook arm 41 and the fixing part 42 is set as described above, even if the opening / closing part 21 is not properly closed, an effect will occur that displaces the hook arm 41 in the direction of arrow F toward the release position. This makes it possible to prevent damage to the hook arm 41. The inclined surface 46a of the claw part 46 and the inclined surface 42b of the fixing part 42 function as examples of inclined surfaces that guide the hook arm 41, which acts as a movable latching part, toward the release position. This reliably eliminates the risk of the hook arm 41 being unintentionally displaced toward the opposite side of the release position.

[0030] In the above-described restraint mechanism 40, the hook arm 41 corresponds to an example of a first latching part provided on the opening / closing part 21 side, and the fixing part 42 corresponds to an example of a second latching part provided on the storage part 13 side. Furthermore, the hook arm 41 corresponds to an example of a movable latching part, and the fixing part 42 corresponds to an example of a mating latching part that the movable latching part is to engage with. In addition, the hole 42a of the fixing part 42 functions as an example of a recess into which the claw part 46 of the hook arm 41, which is a movable latching part, engages, and the spring part 47 functions as an example of a spring mechanism. Note that the spring mechanism may be provided as a separate part from the first latching part. For example, a spring component such as a coil spring may be placed between the hook arm 41 and the cap 25, and when the hook arm 41 is pushed from the initial position to the release position, the spring component may be elastically deformed to generate an elastic restoring force for the hook arm 41 toward the initial position. However, providing the spring part 47 integrally has the advantage of reducing the number of parts.

[0031] Returning to Figure 10, the beverage server 1 is further provided with a positioning mechanism 50 that positions the switching mechanism 30 in a fixed position within the storage section 13. As an example, the positioning mechanism 50 is configured to position the switching mechanism 30 housed in the opening / closing section 21 in a fixed position by screwing a bolt 51 provided on the cover 15 of the storage section 13 and pushing the housing 26 toward the receiving section 14, thereby restraining the housing 26 to the receiving section 14. By pushing the opening / closing section 21 side of the housing 26, i.e., the cap 25, with the bolt 51, the entire opening / closing section 21, including the switching mechanism 30, is pushed toward the receiving section 14. As a result, the lower holder 23 is securely in contact with the receiving section 14, and the entire stop valve 7 is restrained on the receiving section 14. Therefore, even if a gap G is created between the stop valve 7 and the storage section 13, the stop valve 7 is prevented from floating away from the receiving section 14 within the storage section 13. In addition, the opening / closing section 21 is prevented from floating away from the base 20 of the stop valve 7, i.e., the lower holder 23. These actions eliminate or reduce the risk of misalignment in the positional relationship between the switching mechanism 30 and the drive unit 17a of the operating lever 16, or between the switching mechanism 30 and the tube 6 passed through the stop valve 7, and maintain these positional relationships in the positional relationship intended in the design.

[0032] As described above, the switching mechanism 30 is configured to switch between dispensing and stopping the dispensing of a beverage or its foam by operating the tube retainers 32 and 33 in response to the operation of the operating lever 16, thereby changing the amount of deformation of the tube 6. If the positional relationship between the switching mechanism 30 and the drive unit 17a of the operating lever 16, or the positional relationship between the switching mechanism 30 and the tube 6 passed through the stop valve 7, deviates from the positional relationship intended in the design due to manufacturing errors, assembly errors, etc., there is a risk that the dispensing state of the beverage or its foam will change from the intended state, making it impossible to correctly change the dispensing state.

[0033] For example, with respect to the second tube retainer 33, its position needs to be adjusted so that a tiny orifice 6a is created inside the tube 6. If the positional relationship described above is misaligned, the size of the orifice 6a will change significantly, and the foam dispensing state may become unstable. For example, if the entire stop valve 7 lifts off the receiving part 14, a misalignment occurs in the positional relationship between the operating lever 16 and the slider 31, causing the position of the second tube retainer 33 at the foam dispensing position P2 to shift and resulting in an error in the size of the orifice 6a. Alternatively, if the opening / closing part 21 lifts off the base 20 of the stop valve 7, a misalignment occurs in the positional relationship between the operating lever 16 and the slider 31, and furthermore, a misalignment occurs in the positional relationship between the second tube retainer 33 and the tube 6, resulting in an error in the size of the orifice 6a.

[0034] Furthermore, with respect to the first tube retainer 32, if there is a misalignment in the positional relationship between the operating lever 16 and the slider 31, the tube 6 may not be completely closed at the dispensing stop position P0, potentially causing beverage leakage. The same applies if the opening / closing part 21 is lifted relative to the base 20. To address these issues, the positioning mechanism 50 positions the switching mechanism 30 in a fixed position, thereby eliminating or reducing misalignments in the positional relationship between the operating lever 16 and the tube retainers 32 and 33, and between the tube retainers 32 and 33 and the tube 6, allowing these positional relationships to be set to the relationship intended in the design. Therefore, with the beverage server 1 of this embodiment, it is possible to accurately switch the dispensing state of the beverage and its foam in response to the operation of the operating lever 16, thereby stabilizing the dispensing state of the beverage and its foam.

[0035] The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and may be implemented in any form with appropriate modifications or changes. For example, the positioning mechanism 50 is not limited to a configuration in which the entire stop valve 7 is pressed against the receiving part 14 by a bolt 51. An elastic member such as a spring or rubber may be placed on the inner surface of the cover part 15, and when the lid part 3b is closed, the elastic member is deformed, and the switching mechanism 30 is positioned in a fixed position by utilizing the elastic restoring force associated with the deformation to press the housing 26 of the stop valve 7 against the receiving part 14. Alternatively, a cable tie capable of holding the entire stop valve 7 may be provided in the storage part 13, and the cap 25 may be pulled towards the receiving part 14 using the cable tie. The positioning mechanism 50 may be provided to press the entire stop valve 7 towards the cover part 15 to position the switching mechanism 30 in a fixed position. The positioning mechanism is not limited to a configuration in which the stop valve 7 is pressed downward from the cover part 15 toward the receiving part 14. For example, the positioning mechanism may be configured to press or pull the stop valve 7 in the left-right direction or upward to position the switching mechanism 30 in a fixed position. In any case, the positioning mechanism can be modified as appropriate, as long as the switching mechanism can be positioned to keep the positional relationship between the operating member and the switching mechanism, or the positional relationship between the dispensing path and the switching mechanism constant.

[0036] The dispensing switching device is not limited to the stop valve 7 of the above form. The dispensing switching device may be configured as appropriate, as long as it has a switching mechanism that can change the state of the dispensing path in response to the operation of an operating member, thereby switching the dispensing state of the contents such as a beverage, and that is connected in conjunction with an operating member on the storage side. For example, with respect to foam generation, the switching mechanism is not limited to the example in which the center of the tube is crushed with a tube presser to create orifices on both sides. The switching mechanism may be configured to press down on both sides of the tube with a tube presser to create an orifice in the center of the tube. The dispensing path is not limited to the example in which it is formed inside the tube. For example, a dispensing path communicating with the tube may be provided inside the stop valve 7. In that case, for example, the state of the dispensing path may be changed by changing the opening degree of the valve body that opens and closes the dispensing path inside the stop valve 7 in response to the operation of an operating member.

[0037] The switching mechanism does not necessarily need to be configured to dispense foam from beverages. As is clear from the fact that in the above-described configuration, problems such as beverage leakage can occur even if the position of the first tube retainer 32 is misaligned, problems caused by misalignment of the switching mechanism are not limited to the foam generation function. Therefore, the present invention is applicable to various types of dispensing servers, insofar as it includes a switching mechanism that can switch the dispensing state of beverages, etc., regardless of whether or not there is a foam dispensing function.

[0038] The dispensing switching device is not limited to examples having an openable / closable opening / closing section. For example, in the above configuration, if the tube retainers 32 and 33 can be retracted from the insertion hole of the tube 6, the opening / closing section 21 can be omitted by fixingly connecting the base 20 and the cap 25 to form a housing 26, and configuring the stop valve 7 so that the tube 6 passes from one end to the other end of the housing 26. Even in that case, the positioning mechanism 50 can stabilize the dispensing as long as there is a possibility of misalignment such as the stop valve 7 floating up inside the storage section 13.

[0039] Even if an opening / closing section is provided in the dispensing switching device, it is not necessarily required that the opening / closing section be configured to open toward the lid. In the above configuration, the storage section 13 may be configured such that the lid 3b side becomes the receiving section 14 and the main body 3a side becomes the covering section 15, the base 20 of the stop valve 7 may be attached to the receiving section 14 on the lid 3b side, and the opening / closing section 21 may be configured to open toward the covering section 15 on the main body 3a side. The base 20 does not necessarily need to be provided as a separate part from the receiving section 14 or the covering section 15 of the storage section 13. The base 20 may be integrated with the receiving section 14, and the opening / closing section 21 may be connected to the integrated base in an openable / closable manner. In that case as well, the base 20 may be integrated with either the main body 3a side or the lid 3b side. The opening / closing section 21 does not necessarily need to be provided so as to be rotatable about a hinge shaft 20a. The opening / closing section 21 may be made separable from the base 20, and the opening / closing section 21 may be fitted into the base 20 when the tube 6 is installed.

[0040] The dispensing server of the present invention is not limited to examples where it is configured as a beverage server for dispensing beverages in a container. The dispensing target may be various types of liquids other than beverages, such as pharmaceutical drugs, cosmetic liquids, and seasonings. The dispensing target is not limited to liquids, as long as the dispensing state can be switched in accordance with the change in the state of the dispensing path by the switching mechanism, and various contents such as semi-solids, gels, and slurries may be set as the dispensing target.

[0041] It is not necessarily required that the entire dispensing path for beverages or other liquids from a container be composed of flexible tubing. At least a portion of the dispensing path may be composed of rigid piping components made of hard resin or metal. For example, tubing 6 may be used only in the portion passing through the stop valve 7, with rigid piping components used as part of the dispensing path at least before or after this point.

[0042] Various aspects of the present invention derived from the embodiments and modifications described above are described below. In the following description, corresponding components shown in the accompanying drawings are indicated in parentheses to facilitate understanding of each aspect of the present invention, but this does not mean that the present invention is limited to the illustrated forms.

[0043] A dispensing server (1) according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a housing (3) having a main body (3a) having a storage space (S) in which a container (2) is housed, and a lid (3b) for opening and closing the storage space, and a dispensing switching device (7) attached to a storage section (13) between the main body and the lid, which includes a switching mechanism (30) that changes the state of the dispensing path through which the contents taken out of the container in the housing are guided in accordance with the operation of an operating member (16) to switch the dispensing state of the contents, wherein the operating member is provided on the storage section side, and the operating member and the switching mechanism are linkedly connected, and the dispensing server further comprises a positioning mechanism (50) for positioning the switching mechanism at a fixed position within the storage section.

[0044] According to the above embodiment, by positioning the switching mechanism in a fixed position within the storage section using the positioning mechanism, the risk of misalignment in the positional relationship between the operating member and the switching mechanism can be eliminated or reduced, and the positional relationship can be set to the relationship intended in the design. Therefore, it is possible to accurately switch the dispensing state in response to the operation of the operating member.

[0045] In the above embodiment, the following matters may be further added. These various matters may be applied in appropriate combinations, provided they do not conflict with each other.

[0046] The dispensing switching device has a housing (26) that houses the switching mechanism, and the positioning mechanism may be provided to position the switching mechanism in the fixed position by restraining the housing to a receiving portion (14) provided on the main body side or the lid side of the storage section. In this case, by restraining the housing to the receiving portion, the switching mechanism housed in the housing is positioned in the fixed position within the storage section.

[0047] The dispensing switching device has an opening / closing section (21), the switching mechanism is arranged within the opening / closing section, and the positioning mechanism may be provided to push the opening / closing section toward a receiving section (14) provided on the main body side or the lid side of the storage section to position the switching mechanism in the fixed position. This eliminates or reduces the risk of the opening / closing section shifting position by pushing it toward the receiving section, and allows the switching mechanism within the opening / closing section to be positioned in the fixed position within the storage section. Since displacement of the opening / closing section, such as the opening / closing section lifting up, can also be prevented, it is possible to switch the dispensing state more accurately.

[0048] The operating member may be provided on either the lid or the main body of the storage unit, and the dispensing switching device may be located on the other side of either the lid or the main body of the storage unit, and the operating member and the switching mechanism may be connected in a manner that allows them to work together when the lid is closed. By positioning the switching mechanism in a fixed position in the storage unit, it is possible to eliminate or reduce the risk of misalignment in the positional relationship between the operating member and the switching mechanism when the lid is closed.

[0049] The switching mechanism may include at least one pressing member (32, 33), and the operation of the operating member may be converted into the operation of the pressing member so as to change the state of the dispensing path by deforming the tube forming the dispensing path in conjunction with the operation of the operating member. If a misalignment occurs in the positional relationship between the operating member and the switching mechanism, a misalignment will also occur in the positional relationship between the operating member and the pressing member. However, by positioning the switching mechanism in a fixed position within the storage unit using a positioning mechanism, the risk of a misalignment occurring in the positional relationship between the operating member and the switching mechanism on the storage unit side can be eliminated or reduced, making it possible to set the positional relationship between the operating member and the pressing member to the relationship intended in the design. [Explanation of symbols]

[0050] 1. Beverage dispenser 2 bottles 3 cabinets 3a Main body 3b Lid 6 tubes 7 Stop valve 13 Storage Unit 14 Receiving part 15 Covering part 16 Operating levers 21 Opening / Closing Section 26 Housing 30 Switching mechanism 40 Restraint mechanism 41 Hook Arm 42 Fixed part 42a Hole in the fixing part 42c Top of the fixing part 46 Claw part 47 Spring section 50 Positioning mechanism

Claims

1. A housing comprising a main body having a storage space in which a container is housed, and a lid that opens and closes the storage space, The device includes a dispensing switching device that is attached to a storage section between the main body and the lid, and includes a switching mechanism that changes the state of the dispensing path through which the contents removed from the container in the housing are guided, in accordance with the operation of an operating member, thereby switching the dispensing state of the contents, The dispensing server is provided on the storage side, and the dispensing server is connected in a manner that allows the operating member to work in conjunction with the switching mechanism. A dispensing server further comprising a positioning mechanism for positioning the switching mechanism in a fixed position within the storage section.

2. The dispensing switching device has a housing that accommodates the switching mechanism. The dispensing server according to claim 1, wherein the positioning mechanism is provided to restrain the housing to a receiving portion provided on the main body side or the lid side of the storage portion, thereby positioning the switching mechanism to the fixed position.

3. The aforementioned dispensing switching device has an opening and closing section. The switching mechanism is located within the opening / closing section. The dispensing server according to claim 1, wherein the positioning mechanism is provided to push the opening / closing part toward a receiving part provided on the main body side or the lid side of the storage part to position the switching mechanism in the fixed position.

4. The operating member is provided on either the lid portion or the main body portion of the storage unit. The dispensing switching device is located on the other side of either the lid or the main body of the storage unit. The dispensing server according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the operating member and the switching mechanism are connected in a manner that allows them to work together when the lid is closed.

5. The dispensing server according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the switching mechanism includes at least one pressing member, and the operation of the operating member is converted into the operation of the pressing member such that the state of the dispensing path is changed by the pressing member deforming the tube forming the dispensing path in conjunction with the operation of the operating member.

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