Coffee making equipment

Abstract

To provide a coffee production device capable of providing drip coffee which is ideal for a customer.SOLUTION: A coffee production device comprises: a tank 110; a supply part 115; a water meter 120; a thermometer 125; a heater 130; a pump 135; a shutter 185 for operating so as to mechanically block between a coffee dripper 175 and a coffee server 180; a gravimeter 190 detecting weight of the coffee server 180; and a control unit 200 for controlling operations of the supply part 115, the heater 130, the pump 135, and the shutter 185, on the basis of detection values of the water meter 120, the thermometer 125, and the gravimeter 190, and a coffee recipe for brewing drip coffee which is ideal for a customer.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a coffee making device for providing drip coffee in a shop. [Background technology]

[0002] Recent coffee machines include, for example, a coffee machine having a structure as disclosed in Patent Document 1. This coffee machine has a heating system for dynamic heat management and is of professional specifications that can heat distilled water to an optimal temperature quickly and reliably. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-39859 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The coffee machine disclosed in Patent Document 1 can heat distilled water to the optimum temperature quickly and reliably, so that beverages that require a stable distillation temperature, such as espresso, milk coffee, and cappuccino, can be provided in ideal conditions.

[0005] However, to provide drip coffee in an ideal state, it is necessary to change the optimum heating temperature and supply amount of distilled water in response to customer requests depending on the type of coffee beans, the way the coffee beans are ground, etc. Also, there are individual differences in preferred types of coffee beans and how the coffee beans are ground for drip coffee, and the optimum heating temperature and supply amount of distilled water set as default may not necessarily be the optimum value for the customer.

[0006] Therefore, even if the technology of the coffee machine of Patent Document 1 is simply applied, drip coffee may not be provided in an ideal state for the customer.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a coffee making device that can provide ideal drip coffee to customers. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to achieve the above object, the coffee making apparatus of the present invention includes a supply unit that supplies water from a water source to a first tank, a first water meter that detects the amount of water in the first tank, a first thermometer that detects the water temperature in the first tank, a first heater that heats the water in the first tank, a first pump that supplies the hot water in the first tank to a second tank, a second water meter that detects the amount of water in the second tank, a second thermometer that detects the water temperature in the second tank, a second heater that heats the hot water in the second tank, a second pump that supplies the hot water in the second tank to a drip nozzle, a flow meter that detects the flow rate of the hot water in the drip nozzle, a shutter that is arranged below the drip nozzle and operates to mechanically isolate between a coffee dripper that contains ground coffee and a coffee server that receives coffee dripped from the coffee dripper, and prevents coffee dripped from the coffee dripper from dripping into the coffee server while the shutter is isolated, a weight meter that detects the weight of the coffee server, and a supply unit. and a control unit that controls the operation of the supply unit so that the amount of water in the first tank is maintained within a certain range based on the detection value of the first water meter, the operation of the first heater so that the water temperature of the first tank becomes a first set temperature based on the detection value of the first thermometer, the operation of the first pump so that the amount of water in the second tank is maintained within a certain range based on the detection value of the second water meter, the operation of the second heater so that the water temperature of the second tank becomes a second set temperature higher than the first set temperature based on the detection value of the second thermometer, the operation of the second pump so that the drip timing and drip amount are determined based on the flow rate of hot water from the drip nozzle detected by the flow meter, and the operation of the shutter so that the operation timing is determined based on the drip amount of hot water from the drip nozzle detected by the flow meter and the weight of the coffee server detected by the weight meter.The control unit has a memory unit that stores a coffee recipe for brewing an ideal drip coffee for a customer, the coffee recipe including at least a second set temperature of hot water, a dripping timing and amount of hot water, and control parameters related to the operation timing of the shutter, taking into consideration the type of coffee beans, the roasting degree, and the grind size, and the control unit reads the control parameters included in the coffee recipe from the memory unit, controls the operation of the second heater so that the temperature of the hot water in the second tank detected by the second thermometer becomes the second set temperature of the control parameters, and controls the operation of the second pump so that the temperature of the hot water in the second tank detected by the flow meter becomes the second set temperature of the control parameters. the control unit controls the operation of the shutter to match the operation timing of the control parameters based on the amount of hot water dripped from the drip nozzle detected by the flow meter and the weight of the coffee server detected by the weighing meter, and when the water temperature of the second tank detected by the second thermometer can no longer maintain the second set temperature of the control parameters while the second pump is operating, the control unit controls the operation of the second pump to reduce the flow rate of hot water supplied to the drip nozzle. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the coffee making device of the present invention, the control unit controls the temperature of the coffee brewer based on the detected values ​​of the water meter, the thermometer, and the weight meter and a coffee recipe for brewing an ideal drip coffee for the customer. Brewing Drip Coffee This allows us to provide our customers with the ideal drip coffee.

[0011] According to the coffee making device of the present invention, the control unit determines whether or not the coffee is to be brewed based on the detection values ​​of the first water meter, the first thermometer, the second water meter, the second thermometer, the flow meter, and the weight meter, and a coffee recipe for brewing an ideal drip coffee for the customer. Brewing Drip Coffee This allows us to provide our customers with the ideal drip coffee. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a coffee making device according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a coffee making device according to a second embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 11 is a block diagram of a control system of the coffee making device of the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE DISCLOSURE Hereinafter, an embodiment of a coffee making device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings, divided into embodiment 1 and embodiment 2. (Overall configuration of coffee making device) FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a coffee making device according to a first embodiment.

[0014] 2, the coffee making device 100 includes a supply unit 115, a tank 110, and a control unit 200. The control unit 200 controls the overall operation of the coffee making device 100.

[0015] The supply unit 115 supplies water from the water source 105 to the tank 110. The water source 105 is, for example, tap water, well water, or mineral water stored in a tank. If the water source 105 is tap water, a commercial water pipe is directly connected to the supply unit 115. If the water source 105 is well water, a pump that pumps water from the well is connected to the supply unit 115. If the water source 105 is mineral water, a tank that stores the mineral water (if the height of the tank is higher than the height of the tank 110) is directly connected to the supply unit 115, and a pump that pumps water from a tank that stores the mineral water (if the height of the tank is the same as or lower than the height of the first tank 110) is connected to the supply unit 115.

[0016] The supply unit 115 is provided in a water passage that connects the water source 105 and the tank 110. The supply unit 115 is, for example, a solenoid, a flow rate valve, or a pump that can open and close this water passage. The operation of the supply unit 115 is controlled by the control unit 200.

[0017] Tank 110 converts room temperature water supplied from water source 105 into hot water of, for example, 80° C. to 98° C. and stores it. For this reason, tank 110 has a water level meter 120 that detects the amount of water in tank 110, a thermometer 125 that detects the temperature of the water in tank 110, and a heater 130 that heats the water in tank 110.

[0018] The water meter 120 is a sensor that detects how much water is stored in the tank 110. The water meter 120 may be, for example, a water level sensor that detects the water level in the tank 110, or a flow rate sensor that detects the flow rate of water at the inlet and outlet of the tank 110.

[0019] The thermometer 125 is a sensor that detects the water temperature in the tank 110, and is a temperature sensor that uses a thermocouple or a thermistor. The heater 130 is an electric heater that is provided in the tank 110 and heats the water in the tank 110.

[0020] The amount of water in the tank 110 detected by the water gauge 120 and the water temperature in the tank 110 detected by the thermometer 125 are transmitted to the control unit 200. In addition, the operation of the heater 130 is controlled by the control unit 200.

[0021] The control unit 200 checks the amount of water in the tank 110 detected by the water level meter 120 to control the operation of the supply unit 115 so that the amount of water in the tank 110 is maintained within a certain range. The control unit 200 also checks the water temperature in the tank 110 detected by the thermometer 125 to control the operation of the heater 130 so that the water temperature in the tank 110 is maintained at 80°C to 98°C, which is suitable for brewing coffee.

[0022] As shown in Fig. 1, coffee making apparatus 100 has pump 135, drip nozzle 160, shutter 185, and weighing scale 190. Pump 135 is provided in a water passage connecting drip nozzle 160, and supplies hot water from tank 110 to drip nozzle 160. Pump 135 can detect the flow rate of hot water flowing to drip nozzle 160 from parameters of the number of revolutions of pump 135 and the amount of water made up per revolution. Therefore, in embodiment 1, no flow meter is provided for detecting the flow rate of hot water flowing to drip nozzle 160. The operation of pump 135 is controlled by control unit 200.

[0023] The shutter 185 is installed between the coffee dripper 175 and the coffee server 180. The coffee dripper 175 is installed below the drip nozzle 160 and contains coffee ground by a grinder such as a coffee mill. The coffee server 180 is installed below the shutter 185 and receives the coffee dripped from the coffee dripper 175.

[0024] The shutter 185 operates to mechanically isolate the coffee dripper 175 and the coffee server 180. Hot water is dripped from the drip nozzle 160 intermittently or continuously based on the customer's coffee recipe. The dripped hot water is poured onto the coffee powder in the coffee dripper 175. If the shutter 185 does not isolate the coffee dripper 175 and the coffee server 180, the coffee dripped from the coffee dripper 175 is collected in the coffee server 180. On the other hand, while the shutter 185 isolates the coffee dripper 175 and the coffee server 180, the coffee dripped from the coffee dripper 175 falls onto the shutter 185. The coffee that falls onto the shutter 185 is discharged through a discharge path not shown.

[0025] The shutter 185 is provided to prevent bitter coffee from dripping into the coffee server 180 while the coffee is steaming or just before the coffee extraction is completed. By operating the shutter 185 at the appropriate timing, the taste and flavor of the coffee is not compromised, and it is possible to extract coffee with the ideal taste and flavor for the customer. Since the operation timing of the shutter 185 is important for extracting coffee with the ideal taste and flavor, the control unit 200 controls it based on the coffee recipe. (Basic operation of coffee making equipment) Assume that tank 110 is filled with a certain amount of water from water source 105 via supply 115 and that the water is heated to a temperature between 80°C and 98°C.

[0026] First, when a customer comes to the store, the store clerk asks the customer about the type of coffee beans, roast level, grind size, etc., prepares coffee powder according to the customer's preference, and sets it in the coffee dripper 175. Next, the store clerk sets the coffee server 180 under the coffee dripper 175.

[0027] When the weighing scale 190 detects the coffee server 180, the control unit 200 reads a default coffee recipe, and the control unit 200 uses the control parameters contained in the coffee recipe to control the operation of the heater 130, the pump 135, and the shutter 185. Note that there are several default coffee recipes provided corresponding to combinations of coffee bean types, roast levels, grind size, etc. The control parameters differ for each coffee recipe.

[0028] When operating the pump 135, the control unit 200 checks the flow rate of hot water from the drip nozzle 160 from the rotation speed of the pump 135, and controls the operation of the pump 135 so that the drip timing and drip amount are in accordance with the control parameters.

[0029] When brewing drip coffee, a constant amount of hot water is slowly dripped onto the coffee grounds from the drip nozzle 160, the dripping of hot water is stopped for a short period of time to steam the coffee grounds, and then hot water is dripped again from the drip nozzle 160 onto the coffee grounds.

[0030] When dripping hot water from drip nozzle 160 onto coffee grounds, control unit 200 controls the operation of pump 135 so that hot water is dripped intermittently or continuously from drip nozzle 160 based on the control parameters of drip timing and drip amount.

[0031] When the control unit 200 detects that the drip amount of the control parameter has been reached, it operates the shutter 185 to cut off communication between the coffee dripper 175 and the coffee server 180. At this time, the coffee dripped from the coffee dripper 175 falls onto the shutter 185, but the coffee that has fallen onto the shutter 185 is discharged to the outside. The action of the shutter 185 prevents coffee with an unpleasant taste, such as bitterness, from dripping into the coffee server 180 just before the coffee extraction is completed.

[0032] The shutter 185 may be operated not only immediately before the coffee extraction is completed, but also while the coffee is steaming. This is because the coffee dripped from the coffee dripper 175 while the coffee is steaming may affect the flavor of the coffee dripped into the coffee server 180. In this manner, drip coffee according to the coffee recipe is provided to the customer. (Overall configuration of coffee making device) FIG. 2 is an overall configuration diagram of the coffee making device of the second embodiment.

[0033] 2, the coffee making device 100 includes a supply unit 115, a first tank 110, and a control unit 200. The control unit 200 controls the overall operation of the coffee making device 100.

[0034] The supply unit 115 supplies water from the water source 105 to the first tank 110. The water source 105 is, for example, tap water, well water, or mineral water stored in a tank. If the water source 105 is tap water, a commercial water pipe is directly connected to the supply unit 115. If the water source 105 is well water, a pump that pumps water from the well is connected to the supply unit 115. If the water source 105 is mineral water, a tank that stores the mineral water (if the height of the tank is higher than the height of the first tank 110) is directly connected to the supply unit 115, and a pump that pumps water from a tank that stores the mineral water (if the height of the tank is the same as or lower than the height of the first tank 110) is connected to the supply unit 115.

[0035] The supply unit 115 is provided in a water passage that connects the water source 105 and the first tank 110. The supply unit 115 is, for example, a solenoid, a flow rate valve, or a pump that can open and close this water passage. The operation of the supply unit 115 is controlled by the control unit 200.

[0036] The first tank 110 converts room temperature water supplied from the water source 105 into hot water, for example, at about 60°C to 70°C (first set temperature), and stores the hot water. For this reason, the first tank 110 has a first water gauge 120 that detects the amount of water in the first tank 110, a first thermometer 125 that detects the temperature of the water in the first tank 110, and a first heater 130 that heats the water in the first tank 110.

[0037] The first water meter 120 is a sensor that detects how much water is stored in the first tank 110. The first water meter 120 may be, for example, a water level sensor that detects the water level in the first tank 110, or a flow rate sensor that detects the flow rate of water at the inlet and outlet of the first tank 110.

[0038] The first thermometer 125 is a sensor that detects the water temperature in the first tank 110, and is a temperature sensor that uses a thermocouple or a thermistor. The first heater 130 is an electric heater that is provided in the first tank 110 and heats the water in the first tank 110.

[0039] The amount of water in the first tank 110 detected by the first water gauge 120 and the water temperature in the first tank 110 detected by the first thermometer 125 are transmitted to the control unit 200. In addition, the operation of the first heater 130 is controlled by the control unit 200.

[0040] The control unit 200 checks the amount of water in the first tank 110 detected by the first water gauge 120 to control the operation of the supply unit 115 so that the amount of water in the first tank 110 is maintained within a certain range. In addition, the control unit 200 checks the water temperature in the first tank 110 detected by the first thermometer 125 to control the operation of the first heater 130 so that the water temperature in the first tank 110 is maintained at about 60°C to 70°C (first set temperature).

[0041] 2, coffee making device 100 has first pump 135 and second tank 140. First pump 135 supplies hot water from first tank 110 to second tank 140. First pump 135 is provided in a water passage connecting first tank 110 and second tank 140. The operation of first pump 135 is controlled by control unit 200.

[0042] The second tank 140 stores the hot water supplied from the first pump 135 as hot water at, for example, 80°C to 98°C (second set temperature). For this reason, the second tank 140 has a second water level gauge 145 that detects the amount of water in the second tank 140, a second thermometer 150 that detects the temperature of the water in the second tank 140, and a second heater 155 that heats the hot water in the second tank 140. The capacity of the second tank 140 is smaller than the capacity of the first tank 110. It is preferable that the amount of heat generated by the second heater 155 is larger than the amount of heat generated by the first heater 130. This is to make it easier to control the temperature of the hot water in the second tank 140.

[0043] The second water meter 145 is a sensor that detects how much hot water is stored in the second tank 140. The second water meter 145 may be, for example, a water level sensor that detects the water level in the second tank 140, or a flow rate sensor that detects the flow rate of hot water at the inlet and outlet of the second tank 140.

[0044] The second thermometer 150 is a sensor that detects the water temperature in the second tank 140, and is a temperature sensor that uses a thermocouple or a thermistor. The second heater 155 is an electric heater that is provided in the second tank 140 and heats the water in the second tank 140.

[0045] The amount of water in the second tank 140 detected by the second water gauge 145 and the water temperature in the second tank 140 detected by the second thermometer 150 are transmitted to the control unit 200. In addition, the operation of the second heater 155 is controlled by the control unit 200.

[0046] The control unit 200 monitors the amount of water in the second tank 140 detected by the second water gauge 145 and controls the operation of the first pump 135 so that the amount of water in the second tank 140 is maintained within a certain range. In addition, the control unit 200 monitors the water temperature in the second tank 140 detected by the second thermometer 150 and controls the operation of the second heater 155 so that the water temperature in the second tank 140 is maintained between 80°C and 98°C (second set temperature).

[0047] As shown in FIG. 2, the coffee making device 100 has a second pump 165, a flowmeter 170, a drip nozzle 160, a shutter 185, and a weight meter 190. The second pump 165 is provided in a water passage connecting the second tank 140 and the drip nozzle 160, and supplies hot water from the second tank 140 to the drip nozzle 160. The flowmeter 170 is provided in a water passage connecting the second pump 165 and the drip nozzle 160, and detects the flow rate of hot water from the drip nozzle 160. In the second embodiment, the second pump 165 is provided on the second tank 140 side, and the flowmeter 170 is provided on the drip nozzle 160 side. However, the flowmeter 170 may be provided on the second tank 140 side, and the second pump 165 may be provided on the drip nozzle 160 side. The operation of the second pump 165 is controlled by the control unit 200.

[0048] The shutter 185 is installed between the coffee dripper 175 and the coffee server 180. The coffee dripper 175 is installed below the drip nozzle 160 and contains coffee ground by a grinder such as a coffee mill. The coffee server 180 is installed below the shutter 185 and receives the coffee dripped from the coffee dripper 175.

[0049] The shutter 185 operates to mechanically isolate the coffee dripper 175 and the coffee server 180. Hot water is dripped from the drip nozzle 160 intermittently or continuously based on the customer's coffee recipe. The dripped hot water is poured onto the coffee powder in the coffee dripper 175. If the shutter 185 does not isolate the coffee dripper 175 and the coffee server 180, the coffee dripped from the coffee dripper 175 is collected in the coffee server 180. On the other hand, while the shutter 185 isolates the coffee dripper 175 and the coffee server 180, the coffee dripped from the coffee dripper 175 falls onto the shutter 185. The coffee that falls onto the shutter 185 is discharged through a discharge path not shown.

[0050] The shutter 185 is provided to prevent bitter coffee from dripping into the coffee server 180 while the coffee is steaming or just before the coffee extraction is completed. By operating the shutter 185 at the appropriate timing, the taste and flavor of the coffee is not compromised, and it is possible to extract coffee with the ideal taste and flavor for the customer. Since the operation timing of the shutter 185 is important for extracting coffee with the ideal taste and flavor, the control unit 200 controls it based on the coffee recipe.

[0051] The weighing scale 190 detects the weight of the coffee server 180. In the second embodiment, one drip nozzle 160 is provided, but multiple drip nozzles 160 may be provided to accommodate more customers. When multiple drip nozzles 160 are provided, it is preferable to provide a second pump 165, a flow meter 170, a shutter 185, and a weighing scale 190 for each drip nozzle 160.

[0052] The operation of second pump 165 and shutter 185 is controlled by control unit 200. First, when weighing scale 190 detects that coffee server 180 has been placed, control unit 200 operates second pump 165. Next, control unit 200 controls the operation of second pump 165 and shutter 185 based on the coffee recipe while monitoring the flow rate of hot water detected by flowmeter 170.

[0053] (Control system configuration of coffee making device) FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control system of the coffee making device of the second embodiment.

[0054] The control unit 200 is connected to the first water meter 120, the second water meter 145, the first thermometer 125, the second thermometer 150, the flow meter 170, and the weight meter 190 as an input system. The control unit 200 is connected to the supply unit 115, the first heater 130, the second heater 155, the first pump 135, the second pump 165, and the shutter 185 as an output system. The details of these parts are as described above.

[0055] The control unit 200 controls the operation of the supply unit 115, the first heater 130, the first pump 135, the second heater 155, the second pump 165, and the shutter 185 based on the detection values ​​of the first water meter 120, the first thermometer 125, the second water meter 145, the second thermometer 150, the flow meter 170, and the weight meter 190 and on a coffee recipe for brewing the ideal drip coffee for the customer.

[0056] Specifically, the control unit 200 controls the operation of the supply unit 115 so that the amount of water in the first tank 110 is maintained within a certain range based on the detection value of the first water gauge 120. The control unit 200 controls the operation of the first heater 130 so that the water temperature in the first tank 110 is a first set temperature of about 60°C to 70°C based on the detection value of the first thermometer 125. The control unit 200 controls the operation of the first pump 135 so that the amount of water in the second tank 140 is maintained within a certain range based on the detection value of the second water gauge 145. The control unit 200 controls the operation of the second heater 155 so that the water temperature in the second tank 140 is a second set temperature of 80°C to 98°C, which is higher than the first set temperature of about 60°C to 70°C, based on the detection value of the second thermometer 150. The control unit 200 controls the operation of the second pump 165 so that the drip timing and drip amount are determined based on the flow rate of hot water in the drip nozzle 160 detected by the flow meter 170. The control unit 200 controls the operation of the shutter 185 so as to achieve a predetermined operation timing based on the amount of hot water dripped from the drip nozzle 160 detected by the flow meter 170 and the weight of the coffee server 180 detected by the weight meter 190.

[0057] The control unit 200 has a storage unit 210, a reading unit 220, a rewriting unit 230, and an output unit 240. The storage unit 210 stores a coffee recipe for brewing an ideal drip coffee for a customer. The coffee recipe includes control parameters related to at least the type of coffee beans, the roast level, and the grind size, the second set temperature of hot water, the dripping timing and amount of hot water, and the operation timing of the shutter 185.

[0058] Differences in the type, roast level, and grind size of coffee beans have a significant effect on the taste and flavor of coffee. Even if the type, roast level, and grind size of coffee beans are the same, the taste and flavor of coffee is also significantly affected by the temperature, amount, and manner in which hot water is dripped from the drip nozzle 160. For this reason, in the second embodiment, the memory unit 210 stores a second set temperature as a control parameter for the temperature of hot water in the second tank 140, taking into account the type, roast level, and grind size of coffee beans, and stores the drip timing of hot water, the drip amount of hot water, and the operation timing of the shutter 185 as control parameters for steaming coffee powder and the extraction speed of coffee, taking into account the type, roast level, and grind size of coffee beans.

[0059] The reading unit 220 can read a coffee recipe for brewing an ideal drip coffee for general customers, which is stored as a default in the storage unit 210. The reading unit 220 can also read a coffee recipe stored in the storage unit 210 of another coffee making device 100 via the output unit 240 of the other coffee making device 100 connected via a network. Furthermore, the reading unit 220 can RFID It is possible to read a coffee recipe specific to a customer that is written on a medium such as a tag, a barcode, a QR code (registered trademark), etc. In this case, the reading unit 220 is an RFID reader, a barcode reader, or a QR code reader.

[0060] The control unit 200 stores the coffee recipe read by the reading unit 220 in the memory unit 210, and the control unit 200 controls the operations of the second heater 155, the second pump 165, and the shutter 185 using the coffee recipe stored in the memory unit 210. The rewriting unit 230 rewrites the coffee recipe stored in the memory unit 210. For example, when a customer who visits the store requests that the steaming time for the coffee powder be longer or that the temperature of the hot water be lowered, the request is input by the rewriting unit 230, and the coffee recipe stored in the memory unit 210 is temporarily rewritten. The steaming time for the coffee powder is realized by changing the control parameter for the timing of dripping the hot water, and the hot water temperature is realized by changing the control parameter for the second set temperature.

[0061] The output unit 240 outputs the coffee recipe stored in the storage unit 210 to the outside. For example, when a plurality of coffee making devices 100 are connected via the Internet, the output unit 240 can output the coffee recipe stored in the storage unit 210 to the reading unit 220 of the other coffee making devices 100. The output unit 240 can also print the coffee recipe stored in the storage unit 210 as a barcode or a QR code. In this case, the output unit 240 is a printer. (Basic operation of coffee making equipment) As a premise, it is assumed that a certain amount of water is stored in the first tank 110 from the water source 105 via the supply unit 115, and that the water is heated to a first set temperature of 60°C to 70°C, and that hot water within a certain range is stored in the second tank 140 from the first tank 110 via the first pump 135, and that the hot water is further heated to a second set temperature of 80°C to 98°C.

[0062] First, when a customer comes to the store, the store clerk asks the customer about the type of coffee beans, roast level, grind size, etc., prepares coffee powder according to the customer's preference, and sets it in the coffee dripper 175. Next, the store clerk sets the coffee server 180 under the coffee dripper 175.

[0063] When the weighing scale 190 detects the coffee server 180, the control unit 200 reads a default coffee recipe from the memory unit 210, and uses the control parameters contained in the coffee recipe to control the operation of the second heater 155, the second pump 165, and the shutter 185. Note that there are several default coffee recipes provided corresponding to combinations of coffee bean types, roast levels, grind size, etc. The control parameters differ for each coffee recipe.

[0064] The control unit 200 operates the second pump 165 when the water temperature in the second tank 140 detected by the second thermometer 150 reaches the second set temperature of the control parameters and the weight meter 190 detects the coffee server 180.

[0065] When the control unit 200 operates the second pump 165, the control unit 200 monitors the flow rate of hot water from the drip nozzle 160 detected by the flow meter 170, and controls the operation of the second pump 165 so that the drip timing and drip amount are in accordance with the control parameters.

[0066] When brewing drip coffee, a constant amount of hot water is slowly dripped onto the coffee grounds from the drip nozzle 160, the dripping of hot water is stopped for a short period of time to steam the coffee grounds, and then hot water is dripped again from the drip nozzle 160 onto the coffee grounds.

[0067] When dripping hot water from drip nozzle 160 onto coffee grounds, control unit 200 controls the operation of second pump 165 so that hot water is dripped intermittently or continuously from drip nozzle 160 based on the control parameters of drip timing and drip amount.

[0068] When the amount of hot water stored in the second tank 140 decreases while the second pump 165 is operating and the hot water in the first tank 110 starts to be supplied via the first pump 135, the control unit 200 detects that the water temperature in the second tank 140 detected by the second thermometer 150 cannot maintain the second set temperature of the control parameter. In such a case, the control unit 200 controls the operation of the second pump 165 so that the flow rate of hot water supplied to the drip nozzle 160 is reduced.

[0069] When the flowmeter 170 detects that the drip amount from the drip nozzle 160 reaches the control parameter, the control unit 200 operates the shutter 185 to cut off communication between the coffee dripper 175 and the coffee server 180. The drip amount of coffee may be detected by multiplying the drive amount and drive time of the second pump 165, instead of by the flowmeter 170. At this time, the coffee dripped from the coffee dripper 175 falls onto the shutter 185, but the coffee that falls onto the shutter 185 is discharged to the outside. The action of the shutter 185 prevents coffee with a peculiar taste, such as bitterness, from dripping into the coffee server 180 just before the coffee extraction is completed. The shutter 185 may be operated not only just before the coffee extraction is completed, but also during the steaming of the coffee. This is because the coffee dripped from the coffee dripper 175 during the steaming of the coffee may also affect the flavor of the coffee dripped into the coffee server 180.

[0070] In this manner, drip coffee according to the coffee recipe is provided to the customer. The coffee making device 100 of the second embodiment can respond not only to the default coffee recipe but also to special requests from the customer. In this case, the control unit 200 operates as follows. (Special operation of the coffee maker) As a premise, it is assumed that a certain amount of water is stored in the first tank 110 from the water source 105 via the supply unit 115, and that the water is heated to a first set temperature of 60°C to 70°C, and that hot water within a certain range is stored in the second tank 140 from the first tank 110 via the first pump 135, and that the hot water is further heated to a second set temperature of 80°C to 98°C.

[0071] First, when a customer comes to the store, the store clerk asks the customer about the type of coffee beans, roast level, grind size, etc., and places the coffee powder according to the customer's preference in the coffee dripper 175. If the customer requests a special coffee recipe that is not included in the default coffee recipes, such as raising the temperature of the hot water dripped onto the coffee powder, lengthening the steaming time for the coffee powder, or operating the shutter 185 both when the coffee powder is steaming and just before the coffee extraction is completed, the store clerk inputs the request through the rewrite unit 230.

[0072] The control unit 200 temporarily rewrites the coffee recipe stored in the memory unit 210 based on the customer's request input from the rewriting unit 230. Next, when the weighing scale 190 detects the coffee server 180, the control unit 200 reads the temporarily rewritten coffee recipe from the memory unit 210. The control unit 200 uses the control parameters included in the rewritten coffee recipe to control the operation of the second heater 155, the second pump 165, and the shutter 185. The subsequent operation of the control unit 200 is as described above.

[0073] In the second embodiment, a coffee recipe created by a customer is temporarily stored in the storage unit 210, but it may be stored in the storage unit 210 together with a unique ID set for the customer. By storing the recipe in this way, the next time the customer visits the store, drip coffee can be brewed based on the customer's coffee recipe by having the reading unit 220 read the customer's ID.

[0074] Furthermore, the output unit 240 is connected to the reading units 220 of other coffee making devices 100 via the network. Therefore, all coffee recipes stored in the memory unit 210 can be shared among all coffee making devices 100 connected to the network. By reading the customer's ID, a customer can drink drip coffee brewed based on the same coffee recipe at any store.

[0075] Furthermore, the customer himself may be able to access the reading unit 220 of the coffee making machine 100 from his own personal computer or mobile phone via the network. In this way, the customer can create his favorite coffee recipe outside the store without communicating his request at the store. The coffee recipe created by the customer can be stored in the memory unit 210 of all the coffee making machines 100 together with the customer's ID. (Other special operations of the coffee maker) As a premise, it is assumed that a certain amount of water is stored in the first tank 110 from the water source 105 via the supply unit 115, and that the water is heated to a first set temperature of 60°C to 70°C, and that hot water within a certain range is stored in the second tank 140 from the first tank 110 via the first pump 135, and that the hot water is further heated to a second set temperature of 80°C to 98°C.

[0076] First, when a customer comes to the store, the store attendant asks whether the customer has a medium such as an RFID tag, a barcode, or a QR code. If the customer has any medium, the medium is read by the reading unit 220, such as an RFID reader, a barcode reader, or a QR code reader. Since the medium has a coffee recipe specific to the customer written on it, the control unit 200 brews drip coffee as described above based on the read coffee recipe.

[0077] The output unit 240 can output media such as bar codes and QR codes to the customer's personal computer or mobile phone via the network, or print them out.

[0078] As described above, according to the coffee making apparatus 100 of the second embodiment, the control unit 200 controls the operation of the supply unit 115, the first heater 130, the first pump 135, the second heater 155, the second pump 165, and the shutter 185 based on the detection values ​​of the first water meter 120, the first thermometer 125, the second water meter 145, the second thermometer 150, the flow meter 170, and the weight meter 190 and on a coffee recipe for brewing ideal drip coffee for the customer, thereby providing ideal drip coffee for the customer.

[0079] Furthermore, according to the coffee making device 100 of the second embodiment, a customer can store his / her own coffee recipe in the storage unit 210 and read it into the reading unit 220, so that an ideal drip coffee can be provided to the customer.

[0080] Although the first and second embodiments of the coffee making device according to the present invention have been described above, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the details described in the first and second embodiments above. [Explanation of symbols]

[0081] 100 Coffee making equipment 105 Water source 110 Tank, No. 1 Tank 115 Supply section 120 Water meter, 1st water meter 125 Thermometer, 1st thermometer 130 Heater, 1st Heater 135 Pump, No. 1 Pump 140 Second Tank 145 2nd water meter 150 2nd thermometer 155 Second Heater 160 Drip Nozzle 165 Second Pump 170 Flow meter 175 Coffee Dripper 180 Coffee Server 185 Shutter 190 Weight scale 200 Control section 210 Storage section 220 Reading section 230 Rewrite Unit 240 Output section

Claims

1. a supply unit that supplies water from a water source to the first tank; a first water meter for detecting a water level in the first tank; a first thermometer for detecting a water temperature of the first tank; a first heater for heating the water in the first tank; a first pump that supplies the hot water in the first tank to a second tank; a second water meter for detecting the amount of water in the second tank; a second thermometer for detecting a water temperature of the second tank; a second heater for heating the hot water in the second tank; a second pump for supplying hot water from the second tank to a drip nozzle; a flow meter for detecting a flow rate of hot water from the drip nozzle; a shutter that is arranged under the drip nozzle and operates to mechanically isolate a coffee dripper that contains ground coffee from a coffee server that receives coffee dripped from the coffee dripper, and prevents the coffee dripped from the coffee dripper from dripping into the coffee server while the shutter is in the isolation state; A weighing scale for detecting the weight of the coffee server; a control unit that controls operations of the supply unit, the first heater, the first pump, the second heater, the second pump, and the shutter, controlling an operation of the supply unit based on a detection value of the first water meter so that the water amount of the first tank is maintained within a certain range; controlling an operation of the first heater based on a detection value of the first thermometer so that the water temperature of the first tank becomes a first set temperature; controlling the operation of the first pump based on the detection value of the second water gauge so that the water volume of the second tank is maintained within a certain range; controlling an operation of the second heater based on a detection value of the second thermometer so that the water temperature of the second tank becomes a second set temperature that is higher than the first set temperature; Controlling the operation of the second pump so as to achieve a dripping timing and dripping amount determined based on a flow rate of the hot water from the drip nozzle detected by the flow meter; The operation of the shutter is controlled so as to achieve a predetermined operation timing based on the amount of hot water dripped from the drip nozzle detected by the flow meter and the weight of the coffee server detected by the weight meter; The control unit has a memory unit that stores a coffee recipe for brewing an ideal drip coffee for a customer, the coffee recipe includes at least control parameters related to a second set temperature of hot water, a dripping timing and amount of hot water, and an operation timing of the shutter, taking into consideration the type of coffee beans, the roasting degree, and the grind size; The control unit is reading control parameters included in a coffee recipe from the storage unit; Controlling the operation of the second heater so that the temperature of the hot water in the second tank detected by the second thermometer becomes a second set temperature of the control parameter; Controlling the operation of the second pump based on the flow rate of hot water from the drip nozzle detected by the flow meter so that the drip timing and drip amount of hot water dripped from the drip nozzle are the drip timing and drip amount of the control parameters; The operation of the shutter is controlled based on the amount of hot water dripped from the drip nozzle detected by the flow meter and the weight of the coffee server detected by the weight meter so that the operation timing is in accordance with the control parameters; The control unit controls the operation of the second pump so as to reduce the flow rate of hot water supplied to the drip nozzle when the water temperature in the second tank detected by the second thermometer becomes unable to maintain a second set temperature which is a control parameter while the second pump is operating.

2. 2. The coffee making device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit operates the second pump when the water temperature of the second tank detected by the second thermometer reaches a second set temperature of a control parameter and when the weight meter detects the coffee server.

3. The coffee making device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit controls the operation of the second pump so that hot water is dripped from the drip nozzle intermittently or continuously.

4. The control unit has a reading unit that reads a coffee recipe, 2. The coffee making apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit is capable of storing the coffee recipe read by the reading unit in the memory unit, and the control unit controls the operation of the second heater, the second pump, and the shutter using control parameters included in the coffee recipe stored in the memory unit.

5. 5. The coffee making device according to claim 4, wherein the reading unit is an RFID reader, a barcode reader, or a QR code reader capable of reading a coffee recipe specific to a customer that is written on a medium such as an RFID tag, a barcode, or a QR code.

6. The coffee making device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit has a rewriting unit that rewrites the coffee recipe stored in the memory unit.

7. The coffee making device according to claim 4 , wherein the control unit has an output unit that outputs the coffee recipe stored in the memory unit to an outside.

8. 8. The coffee making apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the reading unit and the output unit of each coffee making apparatus are connected via a network.

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