Chalk devices, and assemblies equipped with chalk devices for dispensing granular or powdered products, particularly for automatic beverage vending machines.

Abstract

In an automatic beverage vending machine (1), a supply assembly (18) for supplying a granular or powdered product has a supply duct (22) for supplying the granular or powdered product, and a choke device (33) configured to receive and at least partially choke an elastically deformable discharge section (25) of the supply duct (22), the choke device (33) comprising a fixed mounting frame (34), a choke member (36) and an electrically powered moving assembly (44) for moving the choke member (36) between a support position for maintaining the discharge section (25) in a product supplying state and a tipping position for elastically deforming and at least partially choking the discharge section (25).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross - reference to related applications This patent application claims the priority of Italian Patent Application No. 102021000011915, filed on May 10, 2021, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to a choke device and a feed assembly for granular or powdered products provided with such a device.

[0003] In particular, the present invention finds an advantageous but not exclusive application in the supply of granular or powdered products in automatic beverage vending machines, as will be clearly referred to hereinafter without loss of generality.

[0004] As used herein and hereinafter, the term "product" means any soluble or partially soluble or hygroscopic material, or any mixture of materials, having any particle size and functional properties that should be preserved and maintained during supply.

Background Art

[0005] As is well known, automatic beverage vending machines are usually connected to a water distribution network and generally comprise a tank for containing granular or powdered products and a feed assembly for supplying the aforementioned products.

[0006] An example of such a feed assembly is related to an espresso extraction assembly for supplying sugar or other sweetener products into a coffee cup.

[0007] Regardless of the material to be dispensed, most known feed assemblies comprise a conveying pipe having its own product discharge section that ends above the beverage container itself.

[0008] While these are universally used, many of the known supply assemblies of the types defined above suffer from major drawbacks: low efficiency and reliability.

[0009] The above stems from the fact that, in some cases, known assemblies do not allow the dosage of the supplied product to remain constant over a long period of time, and on the other hand, they cannot maintain the chemophysical and / or sensory properties of the supplied product unchanged.

[0010] As a result of tests and experiments, the applicant was able to demonstrate that the above-mentioned problem is essentially a consequence of the fact that the discharge section of the duct flows into an environment in which moist vapor is present, i.e., an environment containing some fine water particles in the suspension.

[0011] These moist vapors inevitably penetrate the duct's discharge section, especially when they are hot, gradually rise within the duct itself, coat the inner wall of the duct, and reach the product dispensing valve, if present.

[0012] With each dispensing, the inner wall of the duct gradually retains, first the highly volatile portion of the vapor, and then the less volatile portion, resulting in a gradual reduction in the passage section of the duct and creating resistance to the supply of the product. This resistance increases with each dispensing until it becomes a substantial obstacle to the supply of the product, and thus the dosage changes uncontrollably.

[0013] The finer the powder of the product, and the more sensitive its sensory quality is to humidity, the more serious this problem becomes.

[0014] For these reasons, known vending machines must undergo regular inspections, cleaning, and disinfection interventions. Each intervention inevitably involves costs, continuous machine downtime, and service interruptions.

[0015] Attempts to close duct outlet openings using external shielding plates or plugs have proven ineffective in some cases, unreliable in others, and even complex and costly.

[0016] Patent Document 1 describes a feeding device for supplying granular products, in which an elastically deformable intermediate section of a feeding tube is choked by a thrust head that moves perpendicular to the tube between two outermost positions.

[0017] Patent Document 2 describes a liquid control valve, which is preferred for applications in the field of washing machines or dishwashers for dispensing cleaning fluid by choking a liquid delivery tube by inverting a portion of the same delivery tube located upstream of the outlet section. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0018] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017119199 [Patent Document 2] UK Patent Application Publication No. 1012565 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0019] The objective of the present invention is to realize a chalk device, particularly a chalk device for automatic beverage vending machines, which will enable the above-mentioned problems to be solved in a simple, efficient, and economical manner. [Means for solving the problem]

[0020] According to the present invention, a choke assembly device is realized as claimed in claim 1.

[0021] The present invention also relates to a supply assembly for supplying granular or powdered products, particularly for an automatic beverage vending machine.

[0022] According to the present invention, a supply assembly for supplying granular or powdered products as claimed in claim 9 is realized.

[0023] Finally, the present invention relates to a supply method for supplying granular or powdered products into a container, particularly into a container of an automatic beverage vending machine.

[0024] According to the present invention, a supply method for supplying granular or powdered products into a container as claimed in claim 15 is provided.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0025] [Figure 1] A perspective view in a state where parts are removed for clarity of an automatic beverage vending machine equipped with a chalk device and a supply assembly for supplying granular or powdered products, all realized in accordance with the instructions of the present invention. [Figure 2] An enlarged perspective view showing the chalk device of FIG. 1 arranged in a functional state. [Figure 3] An enlarged perspective view showing the chalk device of FIG. 1 arranged in a functional state. [Figure 4] A plan view of the chalk device of FIG. 2. [Figure 5] A plan view of the chalk device of FIG. 3. [Figure 6] An enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 4. [Figure 7] An enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line VH-VII of FIG. 5.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0026] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings to enable those skilled in the art to manufacture and use it. Various modifications of the embodiments described will be immediately apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles disclosed can be applied to other embodiments and uses without departing from the scope of protection of the invention, as defined in the accompanying drawings. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments illustrated and described, but should be granted the broadest scope of protection according to the features disclosed and claimed.

[0027] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as those commonly used by those skilled in the art in the field of the present invention. In case of any discrepancy, the present invention shall be binding, including the definitions provided. Furthermore, examples are provided for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered limiting.

[0028] To facilitate understanding of the embodiments described herein, several specific embodiments are referenced, and specific terminology is used to describe them. The terminology used herein is intended to describe only specific implementations and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0029] In Figure 1, reference numeral 1 denotes the entire automatic beverage vending machine.

[0030] The vending machine 1 comprises, in order, an external casing or container 2 including a floor support base 3, a rear wall 4, two side walls 5, and an upper side wall 6 facing the support base 3.

[0031] The support base 3, side wall 5, and upper wall 6 define a chamber 7 that faces the rear wall, is accessed through a front or front opening 8, and is closed by a hinged door 10.

[0032] Within the chamber 7, the container 1 houses several assemblies 11 for preparing beverages and dispensing the same beverage into cups 12 (only one of which is visible in Figure 1) which are dispensed by a dispensing assembly 13, the dispensing assembly 13 being known in itself and configured to feed the cups into a compartment 14 outside the door 10.

[0033] Each assembly 11 comprises a storage tank 15 for granular or powdered material, which is placed on a shelf 15 adjacent to the upper wall 6, and a duct 16 for dispensing beverages or related products into cups 12 housed in a compartment 14.

[0034] Referring again to Figure 1, the vending machine 1 also includes a supply assembly 18 for supplying granular or powdered products.

[0035] In the example described, assembly 18 is associated with assembly 19 for the preparation and distribution of espresso coffee, which is also known by itself and will not be described in detail. In this case, assembly 18 directly dispenses a mass of granular or powdered sweetener product, such as sugar, into cup 12.

[0036] In the example described, assembly 18 comprises a sweetener product storage tank 21 placed on a shelf 15 and a supply duct 22 that guides the product along a supply path 23 toward a cup 12 (Figures 1 and 3).

[0037] The duct 23 comprises an inlet section 24 configured to receive the sweetener product from the tank 21 in a manner known by itself, and a discharge section 25 for discharging the product into the cup 12.

[0038] Preferably, the discharge section 25 is detachably connected to the inlet section 24 using a releasable joint 27, which is known in itself and conveniently of the sliding engagement type.

[0039] Preferably, the discharge section 25 is made entirely of an elastomer material and therefore of an elastically deformable material, and comprises a portion 28 that joins to the inlet section 24, an end portion 29 that defines the outlet opening 30 for the sweetener product, and an intermediate portion 31.

[0040] Alternatively, according to a modified form not shown, only the intermediate portion 31 may be made of an elastically deformable material, while the joint portion 28 and the end portion 29 may be made of different materials or may be substantially rigid tubular portions.

[0041] Referring further to Figure 1, and especially to Figures 2 and 3, the assembly 18 further comprises a choke device 33 for elastically deforming the intermediate portion 31 and choke the release section 25 at least partially, as will be apparent from the following.

[0042] The choke device 33 includes a dedicated frame 34 that is placed on a shelf 35 fixed to the container 2.

[0043] Conveniently, the frame 34 is removably connected to the shelf 35 by screws or other removable mounting devices so that it can be easily removed and replaced by opening the door 10.

[0044] Next, the choke device 33 comprises a choke member 36 which is U-shaped and has a rear mounting portion 37 that intersects with the intermediate portion 31. The rear portion 37 is hinged to the frame 34 by a hinge pin 38 which is positioned perpendicular to the path 23 and below the path 23 itself and the intermediate portion 31.

[0045] Next, the choke member 36 is provided with a front support portion 40, which has a shape that defines a recess 41, to which the rear section 29A of the end portion 29 extends. The rear section 29A is always placed on the rear wall 41A of the recess 41 and is held within the recess 41 by the collar 42.

[0046] However, the front section 41B of the same end portion 29 protrudes in a cantilevered manner beyond the choke member 36.

[0047] The rear wall 41A extends at a position spaced apart from the pin 38 (Figures 5 and 7).

[0048] The choke member 36 is rotatable relative to the frame 34 around a fixed hinge axis 38A defined by a pin 38 under the thrust of the electric actuator device 44, and rotates between a support position, shown in Figures 3, 5, and 7, which maintains the end portion 29 in a state where the product is supplied into the cup 12, and a position, shown in Figures 2, 4, and 6, which is tilted backward relative to the support position, chokes the intermediate portion 31 by elastically bending and deforming it and pushing the intermediate portion 31 itself into contact with the wall 41A, thereby separating portions of the inlet duct 24 and discharge duct 25 from the outside and effectively sealing the fluid.

[0049] Alternatively, according to a modified form not shown, the choke member 36 chokes the intermediate portion 31 without completely blocking the passage, thereby preventing the inlet section 24 from being mechanically separated from the outside in a fluid-sealed manner.

[0050] As can be seen in Figures 2 and 4, and especially in Figure 6, when the choke member 36 is positioned in an inverted position, the back surface 41A of the recessed portion 41 extends substantially vertically, and the end portion 29 extends upward by positioning its outlet 30 to face upward in the direction opposite to the cup 12.

[0051] Referring again to Figures 2 and 3, the electric actuator 44 comprises a connecting rod crank transmission 45 and an electric motor 46 for operating the connecting rod crank transmission 45.

[0052] Conveniently, the transmission 45 includes a connecting rod defined by a fork 47 having an arm pivotally attached to the rear portion 37 and positioned on opposing portions of the rear mounting portion 37, and a pair of connecting rods defined by portions of the rear portion 37 itself.

[0053] From the above, it is clear that the described choke device 33 prevents beverage vapor or spray, and generally all volatile substances at a certain temperature that are not present within the discharge area of ​​the sweetener product, i.e., within or around compartment 14, from entering the supply duct 18 through the opening 30 both before and after dispensing the product, by spraying onto the inner surface of the same supply duct or simply humidifying it.

[0054] The above stems from the fact that a portion of duct 18 near the outlet is choked and compressed until its passage section is disabled, thereby fluidly separating the supply duct from the outside.

[0055] In addition, as a result of the end portion 29 being tilted backward, the outlet opening 30 moves away from the dispensing area, and the same outlet opening 30 faces upward, further obstructing, and effectively preventing, vapor or substance present in the dispensing area from entering the end section 18.

[0056] In this way, the environment inside the duct 18 is kept dry and clean, preventing, on the one hand, some of the supplied product, which is mostly powdery, from adhering to the inner surface of the duct and crystallizing to form an uneven surface or obstruction to the free supply of the product, and on the other hand, preventing the expected changes in the chemical, physical, and sensory properties of the same product necessary to perform a predetermined sweetening operation.

[0057] Experimentally, it was possible to ensure that the internal volume of the duct 18 remained substantially dry in some cases by simply choking it, without even completely blocking the intermediate section, so that the outlet opening 30 was oriented opposite the cup 12, and generally, the choking member 36 was positioned in an area "away" from the product supply area when it was inverted. The degree of choking is variable, for example, depending on the cross-sectional area of ​​the duct, the sensitivity of the product to humidity, and the aggressiveness of damp or contaminated vapors.

[0058] From the above, it is clear that the described supply assembly 18 operates independently of the type and characteristics of the product to be supplied.

[0059] For these reasons, the described supply assembly 18 can be associated with any beverage preparation assembly located inside the automatic beverage vending machine 1, and can be used in all cases where the product is dispensed in an environment in which vapors or volatile substances may be present or sprays may be generated, regardless of the container provided to receive it, which may enter the duct through the outlet and impair the efficiency and functional reliability of the supply assembly, as well as modify both the chemistry-physical properties and the sensory quality of the product.

[0060] The fact that a releasable joint is provided between the discharge section 25 and the inlet section 24 facilitates and speeds up maintenance and / or replacement of the elastically deformable section, i.e., the section that is thus exposed to high fatigue cycles and therefore to deterioration and wear, by leaving the rest of the duct 18 unmodified.

[0061] Furthermore, replacing the discharge section 25 is simply a matter of removing the same discharge section 25 from the choke device 36, and therefore can be done without any special technical knowledge or the use of specific or specialized tools, which is always undesirable, especially in automatic beverage vending machines where there is very little room to maneuver.

[0062] Finally, the fact that the supply assembly 18 has its own mounting frame 34 and can be connected to a fixed support structure using simple screws or other equivalent releasable connection systems, and furthermore, the presence of the joint 27, allows the entire device 33 to be easily removed and replaced in a very short time.

[0063] From the above, it is also clear that modifications and alterations may be made to the described assembly 18 without thereby exceeding the scope of protection defined by the independent claims. In particular, the choke member 36 can be coupled to the frame 34 in a manner other than that described to move along a path other than the indicated path, and furthermore, it can be moved by a drive assembly without a mechanical lever transmission, for example, using an electric linear motor or a nut-screw-screw type transmission.

[0064] Furthermore, the attachment of the choke member 36 and / or to the frame 34 can also be modified so that the intermediate portion 31 is as close as possible to the exit opening 30. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0065] 1 Vending machine 2. External casing or container 3 Floor support base 4 Back wall 5 side wall 6 Upper wall 7 Chambers 8. Front or front opening 10 Hinged Doors 11 Assembly 12 cups 13 Distribution Assembly 14 compartments 15 shelves 15 Storage tanks 16 ducts 18 Assembly 21 Sweetener product storage tank 22 Supply duct 23. Supply routes 24 Entrance Section 25 Release Section 27 Releasable joints 28 Joint part 29 End section 29A Rear section 30 outlet opening 31 Middle part 33 Choke Devices 34 frames 35 shelves 36 Chalk members 37 Rear mounting section 38 Hinge pins 38A Fixed hinge shaft 40 Front support part 41 Recessed area 41A Back wall 41B Front Section 42 colors 44 Electric Actuator 45 Connecting Rod Crank Transmission 46 Electric motor 47 Forks

Claims

1. A supply assembly (18) for supplying granular or powdered products for an automatic beverage vending machine (1), the supply assembly (18) comprising a supply duct (22) for supplying the granular or powdered products and guiding the granular or powdered products along a supply path (23) toward a product discharge container (12), the supply duct (22) having a discharge section (25) defining a product outlet opening (30) toward the product discharge container (12), the discharge section (25) comprising at least one intermediate portion (31) made of an elastically deformable material and an end portion (29) defining the product outlet opening (30), the supply assembly (18) further comprising a choke device (33) configured to receive the discharge section (25), the choke device (33) The system comprises: a mounting frame (34) designed to be connected to a fixed support (35); a choke member (36) coupled to the mounting frame (34) and having a support surface (41A) for the discharge section (25); and an electric means (44) for moving the choke member (36) relative to the mounting frame (34) between a support position that maintains the discharge section (25) in a product supply state and a tilted position in which the support surface (41A) extends to a substantially vertical position, elastically deforming the intermediate portion (31) and the discharge section (25) upstream of the product outlet opening (30) in the product supply direction along the supply path (23), at least partially chokes, and maintains the upward-facing product outlet opening (30). A supply assembly (18) in which, when the choke member (36) is positioned in its tilted position, the end portion (29) is tilted backward relative to the support position and the product outlet opening (30) faces upward.

2. The assembly (18) according to claim 1, wherein when the choke member (36) is positioned in its tilted position, the intermediate portion (31) is compressed and closed against the support surface (41A), and the release section (25) is closed in a fluid-seal manner.

3. The assembly (18) according to claim 1, wherein the choke member (36) is rotatable in both directions around a hinge axis (38A) perpendicular to the supply path (23).

4. The assembly (18) according to claim 3, wherein the hinge shaft (38A) extends below the supply path (23).

5. The assembly (18) according to claim 1, wherein the supply duct (22) comprises a product inlet section (24), and a releasable connecting joint (27) is interposed between the product inlet section (24) and the discharge section (25).

6. The assembly (18) according to claim 1, further comprising hinge means (37, 38) interposed between the choke member (36) and the mounting frame (34) so ​​as to allow the choke member (36) to rotate around at least one hinge axis (38A).

7. The assembly (18) according to claim 6, wherein the hinge shaft (38A) is a shaft fixed to the mounting frame (34).

8. The assembly (18) according to claim 6, wherein the hinge shaft (38A) extends below the intermediate portion (31).

9. The assembly (18) according to claim 1, wherein the choke member (36) is hinged to the mounting frame (34) using a single fixed hinge pin (38) and protrudes from the mounting frame (34) in a cantilevered manner.

10. The assembly (18) according to claim 1, wherein the choke member (36) comprises a recessed portion (41) that at least partially houses the end portion (29) of the release section (25) and a retaining means (42) for holding the end portion (29) within the recessed portion (41), and the rear wall (41A) of the recessed portion defines the support surface.

11. The assembly (18) according to claim 1, wherein the electric means (44) comprises a connecting rod crank transmission (45) and an electric actuator (46) for operating the connecting rod crank transmission (45).

12. The assembly (18) according to claim 11, wherein the connecting rod crank transmission (45) comprises a connecting rod defined by a fork having arms positioned on both sides of the choke member (36).

13. An automatic beverage vending machine (1) comprising a storage tank (21) for granular or powdered products and a supply assembly (18) according to claim 1, wherein an inlet section (24) is configured to receive the granular or powdered products from the storage tank (21) and transport them into the discharge section (25).

14. A method for supplying a granular or powder product into a container (12) which is a cup in an automatic beverage vending machine (1) according to claim 13, the method comprising: supplying the granular or powder product toward the container (12) using a supply duct (22) having an inlet section (24) configured to receive the granular or powder product and a discharge section (25) having an end portion (29) that defines a product outlet opening (30); and the discharge section (25) having at least one intermediate portion (31) of the discharge section (25) made of an elastically deformable material A method comprising the steps of forming a middle section (31) and elastically deforming the middle section (31) with the choke device (33), thereby at least partially choke the discharge section (25) with the choke device (33) upstream of the product outlet opening (30) in the product supply direction after the administered product mass has been supplied into the container (12), wherein the elastic deformation of the middle section (31) and the choke are performed by tilting the end section (29) of the discharge section (25) backward until the product outlet opening (30) faces upward.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the elastic deformation of the intermediate portion (31) and the choke are performed to compress the intermediate portion (31) and to close the portion of the supply duct (22) located upstream of the intermediate portion (31) in a fluid-seal manner.

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