Liquid supply device

Abstract

To obtain a liquid supply device that can reduce the burden of maintaining sanitary conditions and stabilize the liquid supply rate. [Solution] The refrigerated storage unit houses a storage container 90 containing a beverage, which is the liquid to be supplied. The injection mechanism 40 injects the beverage from the storage container 90 into the supply container 100 by pressurizing gas into the storage container 90. The weighing mechanism 62 measures the mass of the object to be weighed, including the supply container 100 into which the beverage has been injected. Furthermore, the supply control unit 501 determines the amount of beverage injected from the injection mechanism 40 into the supply container 100 based on the measurement value from the weighing mechanism 62 and controls the amount of beverage to be injected from the injection mechanism 40 into the supply container 100.

Description

Technical Field

[0006]

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

Background Art

[0002] There is a liquid supply device having a tank in the device for supplying liquid (for example, see Patent Document 1 below). As such a device, for example, there is one configured to suck and pump the liquid in the tank with a suction pump, and to supply a predetermined amount of the liquid in the tank by driving the suction pump for a predetermined time.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in such a device, since the liquid passes through the suction pump, in order to maintain the sanitary state, it is necessary to regularly sterilize and wash the inside of the suction pump, etc., and the burden of maintenance is large. Moreover, it is not easy to stably supply a certain amount of liquid by driving the suction pump for a predetermined time, so there is room for improvement in stabilizing the liquid supply amount.

[0005] In consideration of the above facts, an object of the present invention is to obtain a liquid supply device capable of reducing the burden for maintaining the sanitary state and stabilizing the liquid supply amount.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] According to the first embodiment of the liquid supply device, the storage compartment houses a storage container containing the liquid to be supplied. An injection mechanism provided inside the storage compartment injects the liquid from the storage container into the supply container by pressurizing gas into the storage container. In this first embodiment, since a suction pump is not used for liquid injection, it is possible to eliminate the flow of liquid through the suction pump, and it becomes unnecessary to periodically sterilize and clean the inside of the suction pump, thus providing superior hygiene management and reducing the burden of maintaining hygienic conditions.

[0008] Furthermore, a weighing mechanism located inside the storage compartment measures the mass of the object to be weighed, including the container into which the liquid has been injected. In addition, the supply control unit determines the amount of liquid injected from the injection mechanism into the container based on the measurement value from the weighing mechanism and controls the amount of liquid injected from the injection mechanism into the container. This ensures that the supply amount of liquid injected from the injection mechanism into the container is stable.

[0009] In the second embodiment of the liquid supply device, the storage compartment is a refrigerated storage compartment configured such that the interior is cool and dark, as in the first embodiment.

[0010] According to the liquid supply device of the second embodiment, the storage compartment is a refrigerated storage compartment configured to be cool and dark inside, so that the liquid in the storage container can be cooled and the freshness of the liquid can be maintained.

[0011] The liquid supply device of the third embodiment includes a sterilization device, in the first or second embodiment, which is located inside the storage compartment and sterilizes the liquid outlet portion of the injection mechanism and its vicinity.

[0012] According to the third embodiment of the liquid supply device, a sterilization device located inside the 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.

[0013] The liquid supply device of the fourth embodiment has a moving mechanism that moves the container to be supplied between an injection position, which is the position where the container to be supplied is placed when liquid is injected into the container by the injection mechanism, and a delivery position, which is set to a position different from the injection position and where the container to be supplied is placed when the container to be supplied is delivered.

[0014] According to the liquid supply device of the fourth embodiment, the moving mechanism moves the container to be supplied between an injection position, which is the position where the container to be supplied is placed when liquid is injected into the container by the injection mechanism, and a delivery position, which is set to a different position from the injection position and where the container to be supplied is placed when it is handed over. 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.

[0015] In the fifth embodiment of the liquid supply device, the storage compartment houses a plurality of the storage containers, and the injection position is set to a single location.

[0016] According to the fifth embodiment of the liquid supply device, the storage compartment houses multiple storage containers, and the injection position is set to a single location, so that multiple types of liquids can be supplied and the movement of the supply containers by the moving mechanism can be simplified.

[0017] The liquid supply device of the sixth embodiment, in any one embodiment of the first to fifth embodiments, comprises a metering mechanism comprising a support member for supporting the container to be supplied, and a load cell that supports the support member and is capable of measuring the total mass of the support member and the object supported by the support member. In the sixth embodiment, "object supported by the support member" refers to the container to be supplied in an empty state if the container does not contain liquid, and to the container to be supplied in a state containing liquid if the container contains liquid.

[0018] According to the liquid supply device of the sixth embodiment, a support member supports the container to be supplied, and a load cell supports the support member. The load cell is capable of measuring the total mass of the support member and the object supported by the support member. This makes it possible to precisely measure the mass of the object to be measured, including the container to be supplied with liquid.

[0019] The seventh embodiment of the liquid supply device, in any one embodiment of the first to sixth embodiments, comprises an injection cap having an air pump, a cap body fitted onto the mouth of the storage container, an air pumping tube integrally provided with the cap body and connected to the air pump for introducing air pressurized by the air pump into the storage container, and an injection tube integrally provided with the cap body, inserted into the storage container and extending outside the storage container, having an injection port for injecting liquid into the supply container, wherein the injection port of the injection tube is set to be higher than the liquid level inside the storage container.

[0020] According to the seventh embodiment of the liquid supply device, the injection mechanism comprises an air pump and an injection cap, the injection cap having a cap body, an air pressure supply tube and an injection tube. The cap body is fitted onto the mouth of the storage container. The air pressure supply tube is integrally provided with the cap body and connected to the air pump to introduce air pressurized by the air pump into the storage container. The injection cap is integrally provided with the cap body and inserted into the storage container, and extends outside the storage container to inject liquid into the container through the injection port. Here, the injection port of the injection tube is set to be higher than the liquid level inside the storage container. This prevents excess liquid from flowing out due to the siphon principle when liquid injection from the injection port of the injection tube is completed.

[0021] The liquid supply device of the eighth embodiment, in the seventh embodiment, has a moving mechanism that moves the container to be supplied between an injection position, which is the position where the container to be supplied is placed when liquid is injected into the container by the injection mechanism, and a delivery position, which is set to a position lower than the injection position and where the container to be supplied is placed when it is delivered.

[0022] According to the eighth embodiment of the liquid supply device, the moving mechanism moves the container to be supplied between an injection position, which is the position where the container to be supplied is placed when liquid is injected into the container by the injection mechanism, and a delivery position, which is set lower than the injection position and is the position where the container to be supplied is placed when it is handed over. This makes it possible to set the delivery position at a height that is easy for the user to handle, even if the injection position is set at a high position considering the height of the injection port of the injection tube in the seventh embodiment. [Effects of the Invention]

[0023] The liquid supply device according to the present invention has the excellent effect of reducing the burden of maintaining sanitary conditions and stabilizing the amount of liquid supplied. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0024] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing a beverage supply device as a liquid supply device according to an embodiment, seen from an obliquely front side. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing a part of the internal mechanism of the beverage supply device of FIG. 1, seen from an obliquely front side. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view showing a part of the internal mechanism of the beverage supply device of FIG. 1, seen from a side more lateral than FIG. 2. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram of an injection mechanism and the like of the beverage supply device of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view showing an enlarged injection cap of the injection mechanism. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view showing a part of the injection mechanism of the beverage supply device of FIG. 1, seen from an obliquely lateral side. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view showing the moving mechanism of the beverage supply device of FIG. 1, seen from an obliquely front side. [Figure 8] This is a perspective view showing a main part of the moving mechanism and the metering mechanism of the beverage supply device of FIG. 1, seen from an obliquely lateral side. [Figure 9] This is a view seen from the direction of arrow 9 in FIG. 8. [Figure 10] This is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the control device. [Figure 11] This is a flowchart showing an example of the supply control process by the control device.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0025] <U+ A 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 11. The beverage supply device according to this embodiment is a device for supplying a beverage as a liquid. In each figure, some reference numerals may be omitted for ease of viewing the drawings.

[0026] (Configuration of the Embodiment) Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the beverage supply device 10 according to this embodiment, viewed from the oblique front side. The beverage supply device 10 is sometimes also referred to as a beverage server. The beverage supply device 10 shown in Figure 1 has a refrigerated storage compartment 12 as a storage compartment. The refrigerated storage compartment 12 constitutes the housing of the beverage supply device 10 and is configured to keep the inside cool and dark. Although not shown in the figure, a Peltier mechanism is provided on the rear side of the refrigerated storage compartment 12. This Peltier mechanism cools the inside of the refrigerated storage compartment 12 and releases the heat inside the refrigerated storage compartment 12 to the outside.

[0027] The refrigerated storage unit 12 comprises a box-shaped main box 14 that opens to the front of the device, and a front door 16 positioned in front of the main box 14 that can open and close the opening of the main box 14. The main box 14 has a double-wall structure with an insulating layer in between. The front door 16 is a door that can open to one side (for example, to the right) and also has a double-wall structure with an insulating layer in between. Although not shown in the figures, the refrigerated storage unit 12 is equipped with an opening / closing detection sensor that detects the opening and closing of the front door 16.

[0028] The front door 16 is equipped with a control panel 18 (shown in a simplified form in the figure). This control panel 18 functions as a user interface and includes, for example, a liquid crystal display 18A with a touch panel that allows user touch operation, and buttons 18B that the user can press.

[0029] At the bottom of the front door 16, an opening 20 (which can also be understood as a "small window") is formed, penetrating the door in the direction of the door thickness, for inserting and removing the container to be supplied 100 (shown as a dashed line in the figure, with a single opening as an example). For example, a transparent, manually operated shutter (door) 22 that can be raised and lowered is positioned at the opening 20. The opening 20 can be opened and closed by the shutter 22 which slides up and down. A handle 24 is attached to the lower end of the shutter 22, allowing the user to open and close the shutter 22 by grasping the handle 24. In this way, the structure allows the container to be supplied 100 to be inserted and removed while maintaining the refrigeration function by providing the shutter 22 at the opening 20.

[0030] Figure 2 shows a perspective view of part of the internal mechanism of the beverage supply device 10, viewed from the oblique front side. In Figure 2, the external shape of the refrigerated storage unit 12 is simplified and shown with a dashed line. As shown in Figure 2, the refrigerated storage unit 12 stores multiple storage containers 90 inside. The storage containers 90 contain beverages as liquids for supply. The number of storage containers 90 that can be stored in the refrigerated storage unit 12 is, for example, six (six bottles). The beverages for supply are, for example, sake, and the storage containers 90 are, for example, glass bottles (e.g., 720ml bottles) 90A and paper cartons 90B. Each of the multiple storage containers 90 contains, for example, a different brand of sake.

[0031] Figure 3 shows a perspective view of part of the internal mechanism of the beverage dispensing device 10, viewed from a side angle compared to Figure 2. For convenience, the storage container 90 (paper carton 90B) shown on the right side of Figure 2 is omitted in Figure 3. As shown in Figure 3, a shelf 26 is provided in the middle of the beverage dispensing device 10 in the vertical direction. The shelf 26 is fixedly supported by the device frame 28. A roughly rectangular hole 26H is formed through the center of the shelf 26 in the width direction of the device, and storage containers 90 can be placed on both sides in the width direction of the device.

[0032] A vertical wall-shaped center cover 30 is attached to the upper side of the shelf board 26, in the middle of the width direction of the device. In Figure 3, for convenience, only the outline of the center cover 30 is shown, and its surrounding structure is illustrated as if viewed through the center cover 30. The center cover 30 has a cover body 30A that is roughly U-shaped and open on the front side of the device when viewed from above. The cover body 30A is fixed to the edges of the hole 26H in the shelf board 26 on both sides in the left-right direction of the device and on the rear side in the front-rear direction of the device. The open side of the cover body 30A on the front side of the device is closed by a front cover (not shown). In addition, a partition portion 30B that separates the storage containers 90 front to back protrudes from the lower part of the cover body 30A. Furthermore, an upper plate 32 is fixed on the upper end surface of the cover body 30A so as to close the upper open portion of the cover body 30A.

[0033] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, multiple (six in total) injection mechanisms 40 are provided on the top plate 32 inside the refrigerated storage compartment 12. Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram of the configuration including the injection mechanisms 40. As shown in Figure 4, the injection mechanism 40 comprises an air pump 42 and an injection cap 44, and the injection cap 44 has a cap body 44A, an air pressure supply tube 44B, and an injection tube 44C. The injection mechanism 40 is configured to inject the liquid inside the storage container 90 into the supply container 100 by pressurizing gas into the storage container 90. In Figure 4, the direction of flow of the pressurized gas is indicated by arrow f1, and the direction of flow of the liquid is indicated by arrow f2.

[0034] As shown in Figure 2, the air pump 42 is attached to the upper plate 32. The air pump 42 is a small air pump, and as an example, it is a diaphragm-type air pump (more broadly, a positive displacement gas pump). That is, the air pump 42 has a pump chamber formed inside a housing 42H, which is provided with an inlet 42A and an outlet 42B. Although not shown in the figure, the pump chamber is partitioned by an elastic diaphragm and a drive unit that reciprocates the diaphragm, and the air pump 42 is configured to draw in and discharge air by the reciprocating motion of the diaphragm. The inlet 42A and outlet 42B of the air pump 42 are located on the upper side of the air pump 42.

[0035] Furthermore, the lower part of the air pump 42 penetrates the upper plate 32 and is positioned below the upper plate 32. A case-shaped pump cover 38 is fixed to the underside of the upper plate 32 so as to cover the lower parts of the six air pumps 42 together. As shown in Figures 4 and 6, the air pumps 42 are connected to the control device 50 (shown as a block in the figures). The control of the air pumps 42 by the control device 50 will be described later.

[0036] Figure 5 shows an enlarged perspective view of the injection cap 44. The injection cap 44 is also sometimes referred to as an injection nozzle or pourer. The cap body 44A of the injection cap 44 shown in Figure 5 is an insertion stopper, which is fitted into the opening 90M of the storage container 90 (see Figure 2) and positioned to seal the storage container 90. The air supply tube 44B is integrally provided with the cap body 44A and is connected to the air pump 42 (see Figure 2) (see Figure 4) to introduce air pressurized by the air pump 42 into the storage container 90 (see Figure 2). The air supply tube 44B has a smaller diameter than the injection tube 44C.

[0037] Furthermore, the injection tube 44C is made of silicone and is integrally provided with the cap body 44A, inserted into the storage container 90 (see Figure 2), and extends outside the storage container 90, with an injection port 44C1 for injecting liquid into the supply container 100 as shown in Figure 6. As schematically shown in Figure 4, the tip portion 44C2 of the injection tube 44C that is placed inside the storage container 90 is positioned near the bottom of the storage container 90. In addition, the injection port 44C1 of the injection tube 44C is set to be higher than the liquid level 94 inside the storage container 90.

[0038] As shown in Figure 6, a disc member 34 is fixed to the upper surface of the upper plate 32, and the disc member 34 is positioned to cover a through hole (not shown) formed in the upper plate 32. Multiple (six in this embodiment) circular holes 34H are formed through the disc member 34, arranged concentrically when viewed from above. One of the injection tubes 44C of the multiple injection mechanism 40 passes through each of the multiple circular holes 34H. As a result, the injection ports 44C1 of the multiple injection tubes 44C are arranged concentrically when viewed from below. A cylindrical member 36 is also fixed to the outer peripheral end of the lower surface of the disc member 34. The cylindrical member 36 is positioned with its vertical direction as the cylindrical axis and covers the outer peripheral side of the multiple injection tubes 44C. The majority of this cylindrical member 36 is positioned below the upper plate 32.

[0039] In Figure 6, for convenience, the components near the pump cover 38 are shown as if viewed through the pump cover 38. A circular hole 38H, the same size as the inner diameter of the cylindrical member 36, is formed through the bottom 38B of the pump cover 38. The circular hole 38H of the pump cover 38 is positioned to align with the lower end opening of the cylindrical member 36. In addition, the ends of the multiple injection tubes 44C on the injection port 44C1 side are positioned below the circular hole 38H of the pump cover 38.

[0040] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, a sterilization device 48 is located inside the refrigerated storage compartment 12. As shown in Figure 6, the sterilization device 48 is attached to the lower side of the upper plate 32. The sterilization device 48 has an ultraviolet lamp 48A that passes through a circular hole 38J formed through the bottom 38B of the pump cover 38 and is positioned to protrude from the circular hole 38J.

[0041] The ultraviolet lamp 48A is positioned to sterilize the liquid outlet portion (inlet 44C1) of the injection mechanism 40 and its vicinity. In other words, the ultraviolet lamp 48A focuses the ultraviolet light on the inlet 44C1 of all injection mechanisms 40 and their vicinity. To enhance the sterilization function, irradiation with ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet lamp 48A in the deep ultraviolet (UVC) region of 100 nm to 280 nm is particularly effective. Furthermore, the cover body 30A of the center cover 30, as shown in Figure 2, and the front cover (not shown) that closes the front of it, prevent ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet lamp 48A from reaching the inside of the storage container 90 (shielding it).

[0042] As shown in Figure 6, the sterilization device 48 is connected to the control device 50. The control device 50 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 50 stops irradiation by the ultraviolet lamp 48A shown in Figure 6.

[0043] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, the beverage supply device 10 has a moving mechanism 60 for moving the container to be supplied 100. Figure 7 shows a perspective view of the overall configuration of the moving mechanism 60 as seen from the oblique front side. The moving mechanism 60 is a mechanism that moves the container to be supplied 100 between the injection position 100X, which is the position where the container to be supplied 100 is placed when liquid is injected into the container to be supplied 100 by the injection mechanism 40 (see Figure 6, etc.), and the transfer position 100Y, which is set to a different position from the injection position 100X and is the position where the container to be supplied 100 is placed when it is transferred. The moving mechanism 60 can also be understood as a transport mechanism.

[0044] The injection position 100X is a location that includes the vicinity of and directly below the injection port 44C1 shown in Figure 6, and can also be understood as the loading position. In this embodiment, the injection position 100X is set to a single location. The transfer position 100Y shown in Figure 7 is set at a lower position than the injection position 100X, and for example, it is set in the lower area of ​​the device, and can also be understood as the unloading position. Furthermore, the moving mechanism 60 in this embodiment can also be understood as a lifting mechanism.

[0045] Figure 8 shows a perspective view of the main part and surrounding part of the moving mechanism 60 as seen from an oblique side. Figure 9 shows a view from the direction of arrow 9 in Figure 8. As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the moving mechanism 60 includes a container holder 64 as a support member for supporting the container to be supplied 100, a holder support part 65 that supports the container holder 64, a guide part 70 that guides the holder support part 65 in the vertical direction, and a vertical drive mechanism 72 that moves the holder support part 65 along the guidance direction of the guide part 70.

[0046] The container holder 64 is formed in a roughly C-shaped arm form, with the front side of the device open when viewed from above, and holds the outer circumference of the container to be supplied 100. The holder support part 65 includes a load cell 66 to which the container holder 64 is attached, a slide part 67 to which the load cell 66 is attached and which is movable along the guidance direction of the guide part 70, and a driven part 68 to which the slide part 67 is attached and which is moved by the driving force of the lifting drive mechanism 72.

[0047] The load cell 66 supports the container holder 64 and is capable of measuring the total mass of the container holder 64 and the object it supports. In this embodiment, the container holder 64 and the load cell 66 constitute a weighing mechanism 62. The weighing mechanism 62 is installed inside the refrigerated storage unit 12 (see Figure 1) and measures the mass of the object to be weighed, including the container 100 into which the liquid has been injected.

[0048] As shown in Figure 9, the slide portion 67 includes a slider 67A and an L-shaped slide bracket 67B to which the slider 67A is fixed. As shown in Figure 8, the slide bracket 67B is fixed to an L-shaped load cell bracket 66B which is fixed to the lower surface of the load cell 66. As shown in Figure 9, the driven portion 68 includes an L-shaped belt bracket 68A fixed to the slide bracket 67B and a belt clip 68B fixed in a position opposite to the portion of the belt bracket 68A that extends in the left-right direction.

[0049] As shown in Figure 8, the guide section 70 is composed of a straight guide rail that extends along the vertical direction of the device (more specifically, slightly inclined towards the rear of the device toward the upper side of the device). As shown in Figure 9, the slider 67A of the holder support section 65 is slidably positioned within the rail of the guide section 70 along the extending direction of the guide section 70. A stopper 71 is fixed to the longitudinal end of the guide section 70.

[0050] As shown in Figure 8, the lifting drive mechanism 72 comprises an endless band-shaped timing belt 74, a drive pulley 76 and a driven pulley 77 around which the timing belt 74 is wound, and a servo motor 78 whose shaft is coupled to the drive pulley 76. The timing belt 74 is positioned parallel to the guide section 70. The guide section 70 and the timing belt 74 are positioned inside the C-shaped channel-shaped elongated member 80 shown in Figure 7. The elongated member 80 extends along the vertical direction of the device (more specifically, slightly inclined towards the rear of the device toward the upper side of the device), with the open side facing the rear of the device when viewed in its extending direction. An elongated hole 80H is formed through the center of the width direction on the front side of the elongated member 80. The longitudinal direction of the elongated hole 80H is the same as the longitudinal direction of the elongated member 80. This elongated hole 80H is formed to a width that allows the load cell 66 to move along the longitudinal direction of the elongated member 80.

[0051] As shown in Figure 9, the timing belt 74 is fixed with the belt bracket 68A and belt clip 68B of the driven portion 68 of the holder support portion 65 sandwiched between them. As shown in Figure 8, the lower end of the timing belt 74 is wrapped around the drive pulley 76. The upper end of the timing belt 74 is wrapped around the driven pulley 77.

[0052] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the servo motor 78 is positioned on the opposite side of the drive pulley 76 from the guide section 70. As shown in Figure 7, the servo motor 78 is covered by a motor cover 79. For convenience, Figure 7 shows the inside of the motor cover 79 as if it were transparent (Figure 3 is similar). The servo motor 78 is capable of forward and reverse rotation. The forward and reverse rotation of the servo motor 78 causes the timing belt 74 shown in Figure 8 to move circumferentially, enabling the holder support section 65 and the container holder 64 to move linearly back and forth (more specifically, up and down).

[0053] As shown in Figure 8, a control device 50 (shown as a block in the figure) is connected to the load cell 66 and the servo motor 78. Figure 10 shows an example of the hardware configuration of the control device 50 in a block diagram. As shown in Figure 10, the control device 50 has, as an example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 51, ROM (Read Only Memory) 52, RAM (Random Access Memory) 53, storage 54, and a communication interface (abbreviated as "communication I / F" in Figure 10) 55. Each component is connected to communicate with each other via a bus 56.

[0054] ROM 52 stores various programs and data. RAM 53 temporarily stores programs or data as a working area. Storage 54 is composed of an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or SSD (Solid State Drive), etc., and stores various programs and data. In this embodiment, as an example, a supply control program 50A is stored in storage 54. CPU 51 is a central processing unit that executes various programs and controls each part. That is, CPU 51 reads a program from ROM 52 or storage 54 and executes the program using RAM 53 as a working area. CPU 51 controls each of the above components and performs various calculations according to the program stored in ROM 52 or storage 54.

[0055] The communication interface 55 is an interface for communicating with other devices, including the control panel 18 (see Figure 1), and uses standards such as FDDI and Wi-Fi (registered trademark). In the control device 50, as an example, a supply control program 50A is executed in response to user operations on the control panel 18.

[0056] As shown in Figure 4, the control device 50 is configured to include a supply control unit 501 (shown as a block in the figure) as part of its functional configuration. The supply control unit 501 is realized when the CPU 51 shown in Figure 10 reads and executes a supply control program 50A stored in the storage 54. The supply control unit 501 shown in Figure 4 determines the amount of liquid injected from the injection mechanism 40 into the container 100 based on the measured value of the metering mechanism 62 (shown as a block in Figure 4) and controls the amount of liquid to be injected from the injection mechanism 40 into the container 100. That is, the control device 50 controls the air pump 42 of the injection mechanism 40 so that the amount of beverage to be injected into the container 100 (for example, an amount input and instructed by the user from the liquid crystal display 18A) is injected, while referring to the measured value of the load cell 66 (shown as a block in Figure 4) of the metering mechanism 62.

[0057] (Supply control processing by control device 50) Next, the supply control process by the control device 50 shown in Figure 10 will be explained.

[0058] Figure 11 shows a flowchart illustrating an example of the supply control process performed by the control device 50 shown in Figure 10. The CPU 51 reads the supply control program 50A from the storage 54, loads it into the RAM 53, and executes it, thereby performing the supply control process by the control device 50. When the container to be supplied 100 is set in the container holder 64 shown in Figure 1, and the user performs an input operation for beverage supply from the liquid crystal display 18A, for example, the execution of the supply control process shown in Figure 11 begins.

[0059] In step S101, the CPU 51 receives and acquires data from the liquid crystal display 18A. In step S102, the CPU 51 controls the servo motor 78 (see Figure 8) to raise the container holder 64 to the upper stop position (the position where the container to be supplied 100 is placed at the injection position 100X).

[0060] In step S103, the CPU 51 controls the air pump 42 (see Figure 4) so ​​that a predetermined amount of a predetermined beverage is injected (supplied) from the injection mechanism 40 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 51 controls the air pump 42 of the injection mechanism 40 so that a predetermined amount of beverage is injected from the injection mechanism 40, which is located in the storage container 90 containing sake of brand A, to the container 100. At this time, the CPU 51 also determines the amount of liquid injected from the injection mechanism 40 to the container 100 based on the measurement value of the metering mechanism 62 and controls the amount of liquid to be injected from the injection mechanism 40 to the container 100.

[0061] In step S104, the CPU 51 controls the servo motor 78 (see Figure 8) to lower the container holder 64 to the lower stop position (the position where the container to be supplied 100 is placed at the handover position 100Y). As a result of the execution of step S104, the container to be supplied 100 returns to the handover position 100Y shown in Figure 1, so that the user can receive the container to be supplied 100 with the beverage supplied. After the execution of the process in step S104 shown in Figure 11, the CPU 51 terminates the processing based on the supply control program 50A.

[0062] (Effects and mechanisms of the embodiment) Next, the operation and effects of this embodiment will be described.

[0063] According to the beverage supply device 10 shown in Figure 1 of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the refrigerated storage unit 12 stores a storage container 90 containing the beverage, which is the liquid to be supplied, inside. As schematically shown in Figure 4, the injection mechanism 40 injects the beverage from the storage container 90 into the supply container 100 by pressurizing gas into the storage container 90, thereby creating a pressure difference. In this way, since no suction pump or valve is used for injecting the beverage, it is possible to prevent the beverage from flowing through the suction pump or valve, and it becomes unnecessary to periodically sterilize and clean the inside of the suction pump or valve. Therefore, it is superior in terms of hygiene management and reduces the burden of maintaining a hygienic state.

[0064] Furthermore, the weighing mechanism 62 measures the mass of the object to be weighed, including the container 100 into which the beverage has been injected. In addition, the supply control unit 501 determines the amount of beverage injected from the injection mechanism 40 into the container 100 based on the measurement value of the weighing mechanism 62 and controls the amount of beverage to be injected from the injection mechanism 40 into the container 100. As a result, since no one has to open or close the opening / closing part for beverage injection when the beverage is injected, it is advantageous for maintaining freshness and a hygienic environment, and the amount of beverage supplied can be stabilized.

[0065] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the storage container 90 is stored in the refrigerated storage unit 12 shown in Figure 1. Therefore, the beverage inside the storage container 90 can be cooled and its freshness can be maintained.

[0066] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 6, a sterilization device 48 is arranged inside the refrigerated storage compartment 12 to sterilize the beverage outlet portion (inlet 44C1) of the injection mechanism 40 and its vicinity. This makes it easy to maintain the sanitary condition of the beverage outlet portion (inlet 44C1) of the injection mechanism 40 and its vicinity.

[0067] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the moving mechanism 60 shown in Figure 7 moves the container to be supplied 100 between the injection position 100X, which is the position where the container to be supplied 100 is placed when liquid is injected into the container to be supplied 100 by the injection mechanism 40 (see Figure 6, etc.), and the delivery position 100Y, which is set to a different position from the injection position 100X and is the position where the container to be supplied 100 is placed when it is handed over. This prevents the user from touching the beverage outlet portion (inlet 44C1) of the injection mechanism 40 shown in Figure 6 and its vicinity, making it easier to maintain the sanitary condition of the beverage outlet portion (inlet 44C1) of the injection mechanism 40 and its vicinity.

[0068] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, since the moving mechanism 60 moves the container to be supplied 100 between the injection position 100X and the handover position 100Y, it becomes unnecessary to open and close the front door 16 of the refrigerated storage unit 12 (see Figure 1) immediately before beverage injection, thereby suppressing changes in the temperature environment inside the refrigerated storage unit 12. Therefore, it becomes possible to further maintain freshness and improve the hygienic environment.

[0069] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the refrigerated storage unit 12 stores multiple storage containers 90, and as shown in Figure 3, the injection position 100X is set to a single location. Therefore, multiple types of beverages can be supplied, and the movement of the supply containers 100 by the moving mechanism 60 can be simplified.

[0070] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 8, the container holder 64 supports the container to be supplied 100, and the load cell 66 supports the container holder 64. The load cell 66 is capable of measuring the total mass of the container holder 64 and the object it supports. This makes it possible to precisely measure the mass of the object to be measured, including the container to be supplied 100 containing the beverage.

[0071] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as schematically shown in Figure 4, the injection mechanism 40 comprises an air pump 42 and an injection cap 44, the injection cap 44 having a cap body 44A, an air supply tube 44B, and an injection tube 44C. The cap body 44A is fitted into the mouth 90M of the storage container 90. The air supply tube 44B is integrally provided with the cap body 44A and connected to the air pump 42 to introduce air pressurized by the air pump 42 into the storage container 90. The injection cap 44 is integrally provided with the cap body 44A and inserted into the storage container 90, and extends outside the storage container 90 to inject the beverage into the container to be supplied 100 through the injection port 44C1. Here, the injection port 44C1 of the injection tube 44C is set to be higher than the liquid level 94 inside the storage container 90. Therefore, it is possible to prevent more than the required amount of beverage from flowing out due to the siphon principle when the beverage injection from the inlet 44C1 of the injection tube 44C is completed.

[0072] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, the moving mechanism 60 moves the container to be supplied 100 between the injection position 100X and the handover position 100Y, which is set to a lower position than the injection position 100X. This allows the handover position 100Y to be set to a height that is easy for the user to handle, even if the injection position 100X is set to a high position considering the height of the injection port 44C1 of the injection tube 44C.

[0073] As explained above, the beverage supply device 10 according to this embodiment, shown in Figures 1 to 11, makes it possible to reduce the burden of maintaining hygiene and stabilize the supply amount of beverages (liquids in a broad sense).

[0074] Furthermore, since the beverage supply device 10 of this embodiment can automatically supply a specified amount of beverage, yield can be improved and costs can be reduced.

[0075] 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.

[0076] 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.

[0077] (Modifications of the embodiments, etc.) In the embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 11, 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.

[0078] 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.

[0079] Furthermore, although the above embodiment described the case in which the storage containers 90 stored in the refrigerated storage unit 12 are glass bottles 90A and paper cartons 90B, the storage containers stored in the storage unit may be other types of storage containers, such as pouch packs, PET bottles, or metal cans (e.g., steel cans, aluminum cans, etc.). Also, although the above embodiment describes the glass bottle 90A as a 720ml bottle, the storage container may be a glass bottle other than a 720ml bottle, such as a 180ml bottle or a 1.8L bottle.

[0080] 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.).

[0081] Furthermore, although a refrigerated storage unit 12 is used as the storage unit in the above embodiment, if there is no need to cool the liquid, such as when providing the liquid at room temperature, a storage unit without a refrigeration function may be used.

[0082] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a sterilization device 48 is arranged inside the refrigerated storage compartment 12 to sterilize the liquid outlet portion (inlet 44C1) of the injection mechanism 40 and its vicinity. While this configuration is preferred, a modified version of the above embodiment may be adopted in which the sterilization device 48 is not provided.

[0083] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a moving mechanism 60 is provided to move the container to be supplied 100 between the injection position 100X and the handover position 100Y. While this configuration is preferred, as a modification of the above embodiment, a mechanism equivalent to the moving mechanism 60 is not provided, and the injection position, which is the position where the container to be supplied (100) is placed when liquid is injected into the container to be supplied (100) by the injection mechanism (40), and the handover position, which is the position where the container to be supplied (100) is placed when it is handed over, are set to the same position.

[0084] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the delivery position 100Y is set at a lower position than the injection position 100X, and this configuration is preferred. However, as a modification of the above embodiment, a configuration can also be adopted in which the delivery position is set at the same height as the injection position but at a different position from the injection position.

[0085] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the moving mechanism 60 moves the container to be supplied 100 back and forth linearly between the injection position 100X and the handover position 100Y. However, as a modification of the above embodiment, the moving mechanism may also be structured to have a turntable equipped with a mounting section on which the container to be supplied (100) is placed, and the container to be supplied (100) is rotated between the injection position and the handover position by rotating the turntable.

[0086] 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 storage unit may be more than six, or it may be just one.

[0087] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the refrigerated storage unit 12 stores a plurality of storage containers 90, and the injection position 100X 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.

[0088] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the weighing mechanism 62 has a container holder 64 that holds the outer circumference of the container to be supplied 100. However, as a modification of the above embodiment, the weighing mechanism may be configured to include, for example, a mechanism for suspending and supporting the container to be supplied or a mechanism for supporting the container to be supplied with a tray, instead of the container holder 64.

[0089] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the weighing mechanism 62 is configured to include a load cell 66, and this configuration is preferred. However, as a modification of the above embodiment, the weighing mechanism may also be configured in which a spring scale or the like is used instead of the load cell 66.

[0090] In the above embodiment, the injection mechanism 40 comprises an air pump 42 and an injection cap 44, and the injection cap 44 has a cap body 44A, an air pressurizing tube 44B, and an injection tube 44C. While this configuration is preferred, as a modification of the above embodiment, for example, a configuration can be adopted in which a first tube connected to the air pump and which introduces the air pressurized by the air pump into the inside of the storage container, and a second tube that passes the liquid inside the storage container and injects it into the supply container are separately connected to the storage container.

[0091] In the above embodiment, the inlet 44C1 of the injection tube 44C is set to be higher than the liquid level 94 in the storage container 90, and this configuration is preferred. However, as a modification of the above embodiment, a configuration can also be adopted in which the inlet (44C1) of the injection tube (44C) is set to a position at the same height as the liquid level in the storage container 90 when no liquid has yet been discharged from the storage container 90, or at a position slightly lower than the liquid level.

[0092] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the beverage supply device 10 automatically supplies beverages based on instruction information input from the liquid crystal display 18A of the control panel 18, 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.

[0093] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the supply control program 50A for controlling the supply of beverages is stored in the storage 54 of the control device 50, but the supply control program 50A may be stored in the ROM 52 instead of the storage 54 of the control device 50.

[0094] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the refrigerated storage unit 12 has a structure equipped with a Peltier mechanism, but as a modification of the above embodiment, the refrigerated storage unit may be cooled by, for example, a compressor mechanism instead of a Peltier mechanism.

[0095] Furthermore, the processing that the CPU 51 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.

[0096] Furthermore, the supply control program 50A 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 50A can be provided as a program product. Note that a program product includes any form of product for providing the program.

[0097] Furthermore, the above embodiments and the various modifications described above can be combined as appropriate.

[0098] 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]

[0099] 10 Beverage supply device (liquid supply device) 12 Refrigerated storage (storage) 40 Injection mechanism 42 Air pump 44 Injection cap 44A Cap Body 44B Air pressure supply tube 44C injection tube 44C1 Inlet (liquid outlet) 48 Sterilizer 60 Moving mechanism 62 Measuring mechanism 64 Container holder (support member) 66 load cells 90 storage containers 94 Liquid level 100 Container to be supplied 100X injection position 100Y Handover Position 501 Supply Control Unit

Claims

1. A storage compartment that houses containers containing the liquid to be supplied, An injection mechanism is provided inside the storage compartment and injects the liquid inside the storage container into the container to be supplied by pressurizing gas into the storage container, A weighing mechanism is provided inside the aforementioned storage facility for measuring the mass of an object to be weighed, including a supply container into which liquid has been injected. A supply control unit determines the amount of liquid injected from the injection mechanism into the supply container based on the measurement 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.

2. The liquid supply device according to claim 1, wherein the storage container is a refrigerated storage container configured to be cool and dark inside.

3. The liquid supply device according to claim 1, further comprising a sterilization device disposed inside the storage compartment for sterilizing the liquid outlet portion of the injection mechanism and its vicinity.

4. The liquid supply device according to claim 1, further comprising a moving mechanism for moving the container to be supplied between an injection position, which is the position where the container to be supplied is placed when liquid is injected into the container by the injection mechanism, and a delivery position, which is set to a position different from the injection position and where the container to be supplied is placed when it is delivered.

5. The liquid supply device according to claim 4, wherein the storage compartment houses a plurality of the storage containers, and the injection position is set to one location.

6. The aforementioned measuring mechanism is, A support member that supports the container to be supplied, A load cell that supports the support member and is capable of measuring the total mass of the support member and the object supported by the support member, A liquid supply device according to claim 1, comprising:

7. The injection mechanism is Air pump and An injection cap comprising: a cap body fitted onto the mouth of the storage container; an air pumping tube integrally provided with the cap body and connected to the air pump to introduce air pressurized by the air pump into the storage container; and an injection tube integrally provided with the cap body, inserted into the storage container and extending outside the storage container, having an injection port for injecting liquid into the container to be supplied, Equipped with, The liquid supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the inlet of the injection tube is set to be higher than the liquid level in the storage container.

8. The liquid supply device according to claim 7, further comprising a moving mechanism for moving the container to be supplied between an injection position, which is the position where the container to be supplied is placed when liquid is injected into the container by the injection mechanism, and a delivery position, which is set to a position lower than the injection position and where the container to be supplied is placed when it is delivered.

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