Beverage supply device

Abstract

To provide a beverage feeding apparatus whose appearance is improved and which is configured to prevent a user from touching a drainpipe arranged on an outer lower surface of a housing.SOLUTION: A beverage feeding apparatus 10 comprises: a housing 11 comprising a front panel 13; a beverage feeding part 30, provided in the housing 11, which can feed beverages; a placement part 23, provided at a front part of the housing 11, on which a container for receiving the beverages fed from the beverage feeding part 30 is placed; and leg parts 14, provided on outside lower surface of the housing 11, which make the outside lower surface separate away from an installation surface by a predetermined height, where front and lower panels 17 that conceal the leg parts 14 from a front side are provided attachably and detachably at lower parts of the front panel 13 of the housing 11.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a beverage supply device for supplying beverages.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an invention of a beverage dispenser (beverage supply device). This beverage dispenser includes a beverage supply unit provided in a housing and capable of supplying four types of beverages including water (hot water), and a placement unit provided at the front of the housing for placing a container such as a cup for receiving the beverage supplied from the beverage supply unit. By operating an operation button provided on the front panel of the housing, the beverage dispenser supplies the beverage to a container such as a cup placed on the placement unit.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Legs are provided on the outer lower surface of the housing of this type of beverage dispenser, and the outer lower surface of the housing is separated from the installation surface by these legs. A drain pipe for discharging water or hot water that has become unnecessary in the beverage supply unit and the beverage that has overflowed from the placement unit is disposed on the outer lower surface of the housing, and the drain pipe is disposed in a space formed between the outer lower surface of the housing and the installation surface by the legs. Hot water discharged from the beverage supply unit may pass through the drain pipe, and there was a risk that the user would put their hand in from the front side of the housing and touch the drain pipe through which the hot water passes. In addition, since the lower side of the housing including the drain pipe is visible, the appearance of the beverage dispenser was not good. The object of the present invention is to improve the appearance of the beverage supply device and prevent the user from touching the drain pipe disposed on the outer lower surface of the housing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a beverage supply device comprising: a housing with a front panel; a beverage supply unit provided inside the housing capable of supplying beverages using water supplied from a water source; a mounting unit provided at the front of the housing for mounting a container to receive beverages supplied from the beverage supply unit; legs provided on the outer lower surface of the housing to separate the outer lower surface from the mounting surface at a predetermined height; and a drainage channel provided on the underside of the housing that is led out from at least one of the beverage supply unit and the mounting channel, wherein a front lower panel is detachably provided at the lower part of the front panel of the housing to conceal the legs and the drainage channel from the front when installed, and the front of the front panel continues along the peripheral edge excluding the lower part Consists of protrusions that extend forward. It has a design portion with a design, and the front lower panel has a continuous edge along the periphery, excluding the upper part. It consists of a protrusion that extends forward. The present invention provides a beverage supply device characterized by having a lower design portion having a design that forms an integral design with the design portion.

[0006] In the beverage supply device configured as described above, a removable lower front panel is provided at the bottom of the housing's front panel to conceal the legs and drainage channel from the front when installed. This hides the lower legs and drainage channel of the housing, improving the appearance of the beverage supply device. Furthermore, the drainage channel, which is located at the bottom of the housing and leads out from at least one of the beverage supply section and the mounting section, is hidden from the front when the lower front panel is installed, preventing the user from touching the lower drainage channel of the housing with the lower front panel. Additionally, the front of the front panel continues along the periphery except for the bottom. Consists of protrusions that extend forward. It has a design portion with a design, and the front lower panel has a continuous edge along the periphery, excluding the upper part. It consists of a protrusion that extends forward. Since it is equipped with a lower design section that has a design that forms an integral design with the design section, the design section of the front panel and the lower design section of the front lower panel become a continuous, integrated design, further improving the appearance of the beverage supply device. Furthermore, since the design features a protruding ridge that extends forward, the strength of the front panel can be increased.

[0009] In the beverage supply device configured as described above, the lower side of the housing is provided with a cabinet for installing the beverage supply device at a height suitable for user use, and the front of the cabinet has a continuous edge along the periphery, excluding the top and bottom. It consists of a protrusion that extends forward. A cabinet design section is provided having a design that forms an integral design with the design section and the lower design section, and the front lower panel may be detachably attached to the bottom of the cabinet by removing it from the bottom of the front panel of the housing. When the beverage dispenser is installed on top of the cabinet, by removing the front lower panel from the bottom of the front panel of the housing and attaching it to the bottom of the cabinet, the front panel of the beverage dispenser, the front and front lower panel of the cabinet form an integral design that continues from the design section, the cabinet design section, and the lower design section, further improving the appearance of the beverage dispenser including the cabinet. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a front view of the beverage supply device of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a perspective view. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of the front panel shown in Figure 1 with the panel removed. [Figure 4] This is a longitudinal cross-section along line AA. [Figure 5] This is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view along the BB line. [Figure 6] This is a magnified perspective view of a portion of the rear side of the front panel, where the lower front panel is attached. [Figure 7] This is a schematic diagram showing the hot water supply section and cold water supply section connected to the raw water supply port formed in the base. [Figure 8] This is a schematic diagram of the hot water supply and cold water supply sections. [Figure 9] This is a block diagram of the control device. [Figure 10] This is a perspective view showing the beverage dispenser installed on the top of the cabinet. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] An embodiment of the beverage supply device of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The beverage supply device 10 of the present invention is also called a beverage dispenser and is capable of supplying five types of hot beverages such as hot tea, which include hot water, and five types of cold beverages such as cold tea, which include cold water, into containers such as cups. As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the beverage supply device 10 is equipped with a beverage production chamber 20 at the front of a substantially rectangular parallelepiped housing 11 for mixing powdered raw materials such as tea with hot water and / or cold water to produce beverages, and a machine room 21 at the rear of the housing 11, and the inside of the housing 11 is divided into the beverage production chamber 20 and the machine room 21 by a partition plate 22.

[0012] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the housing 11 comprises a housing body 12 with an open front and a front panel 13 that closes the front opening of the housing body 12. The front panel 13 is pivotally supported on the right side of the housing body 12 so as to be rotatable around a vertical axis. Legs 14 are provided at the four corners of the outer lower surface of the housing body 12, and the outer lower surface of the housing body 12 (housing 11) is separated from the mounting surface by a predetermined height by the legs 14.

[0013] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, an opening 13a is formed in the center of the lower part of the front panel 13 in the left-right direction, and a placement section 23 for placing a container such as a cup is provided in the lower part of the beverage production chamber 20 at the position where this opening 13a is formed. As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the placement section 23 comprises a support section 24 for placing a container such as a cup, and a cover section 25 that covers the upper side of the support section 24. The support section 24 is formed in a slatted shape so that beverages overflowing from a container such as a cup can flow downwards. A circular recess 24a is formed on the upper surface of the support section 24 to serve as a marker for placing a container such as a cup, and this circular recess 24a is located directly below the beverage dispensing section 35a from which the beverage produced in the beverage supply section 30 (described later) is poured out.

[0014] As shown in Figures 5 and 8, a drain pipe (drainage channel) 15, which is located on the underside of the housing 11, is connected to the lower part of the support base 24, and any beverages that overflow from the support base 24 are discharged to the outside of the housing 11 through the drain pipe 15. In addition, a drain pipe 58 for draining hot water and water overflowing from the hot water storage tank 41 and cooling tank 51 of the beverage supply unit 30 (described later), and a drain pipe (not shown) for draining water that has turned into water droplets during beverage production, as well as hot water and water overflowing from the mixing container 33 are connected to the lower part of the support base 24, and these hot water and water are discharged through the support base 24 and out of the drain pipe 15. A drain pipe fitting 16 is interposed in the drain pipe 15, and a drain pipe 59 for discharging hot water from the hot water storage tank 41 is connected to the drain pipe 15 by the drain pipe fitting 16. A drain valve 59a is installed in the drain pipe 59, and the hot water in the hot water storage tank 41 is discharged to the outside of the housing 11 through the drain pipe 59 and the drain pipe 15 by opening the drain valve 59a.

[0015] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a front lower panel 17 is detachably attached to the lower part of the front panel 13, and the front lower panel 17 hides most of the legs 14, the drain pipe 15, and the drain pipe fitting 16 from the front. The outer lower surface of the housing 11, including the front panel 13, is at a height that allows a user's hand to reach the installation surface, and this front lower panel 17 has the function of preventing a user's hand from reaching the underside of the housing 11. As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4, a small gap is formed between the lower end of the front lower panel 17 and the installation surface, which is not large enough for a hand to reach.

[0016] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, on the front surface of the front panel 13, a design portion 13b is formed in which a design consisting of ridges protruding forward is continuous along the peripheral edge excluding the lower portion. The design portion 13b has a right-angled triangle shape in which the cross-sectional shape in the longitudinal direction has an inclined surface arranged on the inner side. Also, on the front surface of the front lower panel 17, a lower design portion 17a having a design consisting of ridges protruding forward is formed along the peripheral edge excluding the upper portion. The lower design portion 17a has a right-angled triangle shape in which the cross-sectional shape in the longitudinal direction has an inclined surface arranged on the inner side. In the state where the front lower panel 17 is attached to the lower portion of the front panel 13, the design portion 13b of the front panel 13 becomes a continuous and integral design with the lower design portion 17a of the front lower panel 17, and an integral design in which the design portion 13b and the lower design portion 17a are continuous is arranged on the front surface of the housing 11.

[0017] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, on the lower portion of the front panel 13, substantially arc-shaped concave portions 13c that are recessed inward are formed on both the left and right sides of the opening 13a, and the concave portions 13c are formed so as to be recessed rearward continuously from the inclined surface of the design portion 13b. By forming the concave portions 13c on both the left and right sides of the opening 13a, even if the height of the opening 13a is high, the periphery of the opening 13a is less likely to be distorted. Since the concave portions 13c are formed on both sides of the mounting portion 23 in the opening 13a, ambient light can easily enter the mounting portion 23, and it is possible to easily place the container placed on the mounting portion 23 in the circular concave portion 24a.

[0018] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a flange portion 13d extending rearward is formed at the peripheral edge of the front panel 13. Similarly, a flange portion 17b extending rearward is also formed at the peripheral edge of the lower front panel 17. With the upper flange portion 17b of the lower front panel 17 abutted against the lower flange portion 13d of the front panel 13, the lower front panel 17 is detachably attached by a screw 17c inserted from above the lower flange portion 13d of the front panel 13. Also, concave portions 13c recessed rearward are formed on both left and right sides of the opening 13a at the lower part of the front panel 13. However, a notch portion 13e recessed forward is formed between the concave portions 13c on both left and right sides for arranging the placement portion 23 at the lower part of the opening 13a. Since the screw 17c is arranged on the lower side within the notch portion 13e, the screw 17c can be tightened or loosened using a tool such as a driver from above inside the notch portion 13e, and the lower front panel 17 can be easily detached from and attached to the front panel 13.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 3, a beverage supply unit 30 for supplying a beverage into a container placed on the placement portion 23 is provided in the beverage generation chamber 20. In this embodiment, four beverage supply units 30 are provided in the beverage generation chamber 20 to supply hot or cold water and four types of powder raw materials for hot or cold beverages other than hot or cold water. Since the four beverage supply units 30 other than hot or cold water have substantially the same configuration, one beverage supply unit 30 will be mainly described in the following explanation.

[0020] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the beverage supply unit 30 supplies a beverage into a container placed on the placement portion 23, and includes a beverage generation unit 31 that generates a beverage from raw material water composed of hot water and / or cold water (water) and a powder raw material of the beverage, and a beverage guide 35 that guides the beverage generated by the beverage generation unit 31 to the container on the placement portion 23. The beverage generation unit 31 includes a powder raw material container 32 that stores the powder raw material of the beverage, a mixing container 33 that mixes the powder raw material of the beverage and the raw material water, and a stirring device 34 that stirs and mixes the powder raw material and the raw material water in the mixing container 33.

[0021] The powder raw material container 32 stores powder raw materials for beverages such as tea, and is detachably attached to a base 18 in the beverage production chamber 20. A powder raw material outlet 32a is provided at the bottom of the powder raw material container 32, and the powder raw materials are discharged from the outlet 32a to the mixing container 33. A screw 32b is provided at the bottom of the powder raw material container 32, and the drive of the motor 32d is transmitted to the screw 32b via a coupling member 32c. When the screw 32b rotates due to the rotation of the motor 32d, the powder raw materials in the powder raw material container 32 are discharged from the outlet 32a into the mixing container 33.

[0022] As shown in Figure 4, the mixing container 33 stirs and mixes the powdered raw material with raw material water consisting of hot and / or cold water (water), and is detachably supported on a base 18 provided in the beverage production chamber 20. The mixing container 33 opens at the bottom of the powdered raw material container 32, and the powdered raw material discharged from the outlet 32a of the powdered raw material container 32 is carried into the mixing container 33. A discharge port 33a is formed at the bottom of the mixing container 33, and the beverage stirred and mixed in the mixing container 33 is discharged from the discharge port 33a into a beverage guide 35 provided below.

[0023] As shown in Figure 7, the base 18 is provided with a raw water supply port 18a for supplying raw water consisting of hot water and / or cold water (cold water) into the mixing container 33. The hot water supply port 18a is connected to a hot water supply unit 40 and a cold water supply unit 50, which will be described later, and hot water and / or cold water as raw water sent from the hot water supply unit 40 and / or cold water supply unit 50 are supplied to the mixing container 33 through the raw water supply port 18a.

[0024] As shown in Figure 4, the mixing container 33 is equipped with a stirring device 34. The stirring device 34 comprises a stirring motor 34a mounted on the base 18 at the rear of the mixing container 33, a rotating shaft 34d rotated by the stirring motor 34a, and a disc portion 34e provided at the tip of the rotating shaft 34d. A coupling magnet 34b is provided on the output shaft of the stirring motor 34a, and a coupling magnet 34c is provided at the base end of the rotating shaft 34d on the stirring motor 34a side. The rotating shaft 34d is detachably connected to the stirring motor 34a by the coupling magnets 34b and 34c, and the stirring motor 34a rotates the rotating shaft 34d via the coupling magnets 34b and 34c. The rotating shaft 34d extends above the discharge port 33a at the bottom of the mixing container 33, and a disc portion 34e is provided at the tip of the rotating shaft 34d above the discharge port 33a. A stirring blade 34f is provided on the underside of the disc portion 34e at the tip of the rotating shaft 34d, and the powdered raw material and raw water in the mixing container 33 are stirred and mixed by the rotation of the disc portion 34e to become a beverage.

[0025] As shown in Figure 3, the beverage guide 35 guides the beverage produced in the beverage generating unit 31 to the container placed on the mounting unit 23. The beverage guide 35 is a shallow box shape that extends from below the discharge port 33a of the mixing container 33 to the center of the front of the mounting unit 23 in the left-right direction, and is supported above the cover 25 of the mounting unit 23. The beverage guide 35 is provided with a cylindrical beverage dispensing section 35a that extends downward from above the center of the front of the mounting unit 23 in the left-right direction, and the beverage released from the mixing container 33 to the beverage guide 35 is dispensed from the beverage dispensing section 35a into the container on the mounting unit 23.

[0026] As shown in Figure 8, the hot water supply unit 40 supplies hot water which will be used as raw water for beverages to be received in a cup or other container on the mounting unit 23. The hot water supply unit 40 is equipped with a hot water storage tank 41 for storing the hot water which will be used as raw water for beverages, and a first water supply pipe 42 led out from a water supply source such as a water tap is connected to the hot water storage tank 41. First and second water supply valves 42a and 42b are interposed in the first water supply pipe 42, and water from the water supply source is supplied to the hot water storage tank 41 by opening the first and second water supply valves 42a and 42b.

[0027] The hot water storage tank 41 is equipped with a heater 43 and a temperature sensor 44. The heater 43 heats the water (hot water) in the hot water storage tank 41 to produce hot water. The temperature sensor 44 detects the temperature of the water (hot water) in the hot water storage tank 41. The heater 43 is controlled to operate based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 44, and the hot water in the hot water storage tank 41 is heated (kept warm) by the heater 43 to a temperature suitable for drinking. In addition, a water level sensor 45 is provided inside the hot water storage tank 41, and the water level sensor 45 detects the water level inside the hot water storage tank 41. The first and second water supply valves 42a and 42b are controlled to open and close according to the water level detected by the water level sensor 45, and the water (hot water) in the hot water storage tank 41 is maintained within a predetermined water level range.

[0028] A hot water supply pipe 46 is connected to the bottom of the hot water storage tank 41, and a hot water supply pump 47 is installed in the hot water supply pipe 46. The hot water in the hot water storage tank 41 is sent to the hot water supply pipe 46 by the hot water supply pump 47. In addition, the hot water supply pipe 46 is equipped with first to fifth hot water supply valves 48a to 48e, which consist of three-way valves, and first to fifth hot water supply pipes 49a to 49e are connected to the first to fifth hot water supply valves 48a to 48e. The outlet end of the first hot water supply pipe 49a is connected to the raw water supply port 18a of the left beverage supply unit 30, the outlet end of the second hot water supply pipe 49b is connected to the raw water supply port 18a of the second beverage supply unit 30 from the left, the outlet end of the third hot water supply pipe 49c is connected to the raw water supply port 18a of the third beverage supply unit 30 from the left (second from the right), and the outlet end of the fourth hot water supply pipe 49d is connected to the raw water supply port 18a of the right beverage supply unit 30. The outlet end of the fifth hot water supply pipe 49e is connected to the beverage dispensing section (not shown) of the beverage guide 35.

[0029] By operating the hot water pump 47 and opening any one of the first to fourth hot water outlet valves 48a to 48d, the hot water in the hot water storage tank 41 is supplied to the mixing container 33 through the hot water supply pipe 46 and the first to fourth hot water outlet pipes 49a to 49d corresponding to the opened first to fourth hot water outlet valves 48a to 48d. Additionally, by operating the hot water pump 47 and opening the fifth hot water outlet valve 48e, the hot water in the hot water storage tank 41 is supplied to a container such as a cup placed on the mounting section 23 through the hot water supply pipe 46 and the fifth hot water outlet pipe 49e.

[0030] As shown in Figure 8, the water supply unit 50 supplies chilled water (water) which will be used as the raw water for beverages received in containers such as cups on the mounting unit 23. The water supply unit 50 is equipped with a cooling tank 51 for generating chilled water which will be used as the raw water for beverages, and the cooling tank 51 stores cooling water. An evaporator pipe 52 for the refrigeration system is also provided inside the cooling tank 51, and the cooling water in the cooling tank 51 is cooled by the heat of vaporization of the refrigerant circulating through the evaporator pipe 52 of the refrigeration system. A water cooling pipe 53 for cooling the water which will be used as the raw water is also provided inside the cooling tank 51.

[0031] A second water supply pipe 54, which is led out from immediately downstream of the first water supply valve 42a of the first water supply pipe 42 (between the first water supply valve 42a and the second water supply valve 42b), is connected to the water inlet end of the water cooling pipe 53. Water from a water supply source such as a water tap is sent to the water cooling pipe 53 in the cooling tank 51 through a part of the first water supply pipe 42 and the second water supply pipe 54. A water supply pipe 55 is connected to the water outlet end of the water cooling pipe 53, and the chilled water cooled by the water cooling pipe 53 is sent to the water supply pipe 55. The water supply pipe 55 is provided with four branch sections 55a to 55d, and first to fifth chilled water supply valves 56a to 56e are interposed in the pipe sections led out from the branch sections 55a to 55d and the tip section 55e of the water supply pipe 55. The first to fifth chilled water supply valves 56a to 56e are connected to the first to fifth chilled water supply pipes 57a to 57e, and the outlet ends of the first to fifth chilled water supply pipes 57a to 57e are connected to the middle section of the first to fifth hot water supply pipes 49a to 49e.

[0032] By opening the first water supply valve 42a and any one of the first to fourth chilled water outlet valves 56a to 56d, water from the water source is sent to the water cooling pipe 53 of the cooling tank 51 through a portion of the first water supply pipe 42 and the second water supply pipe 54, where it is cooled and becomes chilled water. The chilled water cooled in the water cooling pipe 53 in the cooling tank 51 is supplied into the mixing container 33 through the water supply pipe 55, the first to fourth chilled water outlet pipes 57a to 57d corresponding to the opened first to fourth chilled water outlet valves 56a to 56d, and the first to fourth hot water outlet pipes 49a to 49d connected to the first to fourth chilled water outlet pipes 57a to 57d. Furthermore, by opening the first water supply valve 42a and the fifth cold water discharge valve 56e, the water from the water source is sent to the water cooling pipe 53 of the cooling tank 51 through a portion of the first water supply pipe 42 and the second water supply pipe 54, where it is cooled to become cold water. The cold water cooled in the water cooling pipe 53 within the cooling tank 51 is then supplied to a container such as a cup placed on the mounting section 23 through the water supply pipe 55, the fifth cold water discharge pipe 57e, and the fifth hot water discharge pipe 49e.

[0033] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the front panel 13 has an operation panel 60 on the upper side of the opening 13a for supplying beverages from the beverage supply unit 30. A display panel 61 for displaying the type of beverage is provided in the center of the operation panel 60 in the left-right direction, and a contact-type supply operation unit 62 and a non-contact-type supply operation unit 63 are provided adjacent to the left and right sides of the display panel 61 on the operation panel 60 as supply operation units for supplying beverages from the beverage supply unit 30.

[0034] In this embodiment, five contact-type dispensing operation units 62A to 62E for supplying cold beverages are arranged vertically on the left side of the display panel 61, and five non-contact dispensing operation units 63A to 63E for supplying the same beverages as the contact-type dispensing operation units 62A to 62E are arranged to the left of the contact-type dispensing operation units 62A to 62E. Furthermore, five contact-type dispensing operation units 62F to 62J for supplying hot beverages are arranged vertically on the right side of the display panel 61, and five non-contact dispensing operation units 63F to 63J for supplying the same beverages as the contact-type dispensing operation units 62F to 62J are arranged to the right of the contact-type dispensing operation units 62F to 62J.

[0035] The contact-type supply operation units 62A to 62D and the non-contact-type supply operation units 63A to 63D output operation signals for supplying cold beverages containing powdered raw materials produced in each of the four beverage supply units 30 arranged in order from left to right within the beverage production chamber 20, while the contact-type supply operation unit 62E and the non-contact-type supply operation unit 63E output operation signals for supplying cold water in the beverage supply unit 30. The contact-type supply operation units 62F to 62I and the non-contact-type supply operation units 63F to 63I output operation signals for supplying hot beverages containing powdered raw materials produced in each of the four beverage supply units 30 arranged in order from left to right within the beverage production chamber 20, while the contact-type supply operation unit 62J and the non-contact-type supply operation unit 63J output operation signals for supplying hot water in the beverage supply unit 30.

[0036] As shown in Figure 9, the beverage supply device 10 is equipped with a control device 70 that controls the supply of beverages to containers placed on the mounting section 23. The control device 70 is connected to a beverage raw material discharge motor 32d, a stirring motor 34a, first and second water supply valves 42a, 42b, a heater 43, a temperature sensor 44, a water level sensor 45, a hot water pump 47, first to fifth hot water discharge valves 48a to 48e, first to fifth cold water discharge valves 56a to 56e, and an operation panel section 60.

[0037] The control device 70 is equipped with a cold beverage supply means that supplies cold beverages using cold water (water) cooled in the cooling tank 51 in an amount corresponding to the capacity of a container such as a cup. When any one of the contact-type supply operation units 62A to 62D is pressed, or when an object such as a finger is held in front of any one of the non-contact-type supply operation units 63A to 63D for non-contact operation, the control device 70 activates the beverage raw material discharge motor 32d of the beverage supply unit 30 corresponding to the contact-type supply operation units 62A to 62D or the non-contact-type supply operation units 63A to 63D by executing the cold beverage supply means, and opens the first water supply valve 42a and the first to fourth cold water discharge valves 56a to 56d corresponding to the contact-type supply operation units 62A to 62D or the non-contact-type supply operation units 63A to 63D. The powdered raw materials in the powdered raw material container 32 are transferred to the mixing container 33, and the chilled water cooled in the cooling tank 51 is supplied to the mixing container 33. Furthermore, by operating the stirring motor 34a of the stirring device 34, the powdered beverage raw materials and chilled water supplied to the mixing container 33 are stirred and mixed to form a chilled beverage. The resulting chilled beverage is then poured through the beverage guide 35 into a container such as a cup on the mounting section 23, supplying the chilled beverage to the user.

[0038] The control device 70 is equipped with a cold water supply means for supplying cold water cooled in the cooling tank 51 to a container such as a cup. When the contact-type supply operation unit 62E is pressed, or when an object such as a finger is held in front of the non-contact-type supply operation unit 63E for a non-contact operation, the control device 70 opens the first water supply valve 42a and the fifth cold water discharge valve 56e for a time corresponding to the container by executing the cold water supply means. The cold water cooled in the cooling tank 51 is poured into a container such as a cup on the mounting unit 23, and cold water (cold beverage) is supplied to the user. In this embodiment, the cold beverage supply means and the cold water supply means use cold water cooled in the cooling tank 51, but are not limited to this, and room temperature water may be used instead.

[0039] The control device 70 is equipped with a hot beverage supply means that supplies hot beverages using hot water from the hot water storage tank 41 in amounts corresponding to the capacity of a container such as a cup. When any one of the contact-type supply operation units 62F to 62I is pressed, or when an object such as a finger is held in front of any one of the non-contact-type supply operation units 63F to 63I for non-contact operation, the control device 70 activates the beverage raw material discharge motor 32d of the beverage supply unit 30 corresponding to the contact-type supply operation units 62F to 62I or the non-contact-type supply operation units 63F to 63I, activates the hot water pump 47, and opens the first to fourth hot water discharge valves 48a to 48d corresponding to the contact-type supply operation units 62F to 62I or the non-contact-type supply operation units 63F to 63I. The powdered raw material in the powdered raw material container 32 is discharged into the mixing container 33, and the hot water from the hot water storage tank 41 is supplied into the mixing container 33. Furthermore, by operating the stirring motor 34a of the stirring device 34, the powdered beverage ingredients and hot water supplied to the mixing container 33 are stirred and mixed to become a hot beverage. The resulting hot beverage is then poured through the beverage guide 35 into a container such as a cup on the mounting unit 23, supplying the hot beverage to the user.

[0040] The control device 70 is equipped with a hot water supply means for supplying hot water from the hot water storage tank 41 to a container such as a cup. When the contact-type supply operation unit 62J is pressed, or when an object such as a finger is held in front of the non-contact type supply operation unit 63J for a non-contact operation, the control device 70 activates the hot water supply means, causing the hot water pump 47 to operate for a time corresponding to the container and opening the fifth hot water discharge valve 48e. The hot water from the hot water storage tank 41 is poured into a container such as a cup on the mounting unit 23, supplying hot water (hot beverage) to the user.

[0041] The beverage supply device 10 configured as described above includes a housing 11 with a front panel 13, a beverage supply unit 30 provided inside the housing 11 that can supply beverages, a mounting unit 23 provided at the front of the housing 11 for placing a container to receive beverages supplied from the beverage supply unit 30, and legs 14 provided on the outer lower surface of the housing 11 that separate the outer lower surface from the installation surface by a predetermined height. In this beverage supply device 10, a front lower panel 17 is detachably provided at the bottom of the front panel 13 of the housing 11 to hide the legs 14 from the front, so that most of the lower legs 14 of the housing 11 are not visible, improving the appearance of the beverage supply device 10.

[0042] Furthermore, in this beverage supply device 10, a drain pipe (drain channel) 15 leading out from the mounting section 23 and a drain pipe joint (drain channel) 16 for connecting a drain pipe 59 that discharges hot water from the hot water storage tank 41 constituting the beverage supply section 30 to the drain pipe 15 are provided on the lower side of the housing 11. Hot water from the hot water storage tank 41 may be discharged to the outside of the housing 11 through the drain pipe 59 and drain pipe 15, or warm beverages overflowing from containers in the mounting section 23 may be discharged to the outside of the housing 11 through the drain pipe 15. In this case, there was a risk that the user might accidentally put their hand under the housing 11 and touch the drain pipe 15 or drain pipe joint 16 through which the hot water flows. However, since a front lower panel 17 is provided at the bottom of the housing 11, the front lower panel 17 prevents the user from putting their hand under the housing 11, thus preventing the user from touching the drain pipe 15 or drain pipe joint 16 through which the hot water flows. Furthermore, when performing maintenance on the drain pipe 15 or drain pipe fitting 16, the front panel 13 can be rotated on the right side of the housing body 12, or the lower front panel 17 can be removed from the bottom of the front panel 13, allowing the user to reach under the housing 11 and perform maintenance on the drain pipe 15 or drain pipe fitting 16.

[0043] In this embodiment, a drain pipe 15 leading out from the mounting section 23 and a drain pipe joint 16 for connecting a drain pipe 59 for discharging hot water from the hot water storage tank 41 constituting the beverage supply section 30 to the drain pipe 15 are provided as drainage channels on the lower side of the housing 11. However, the embodiment is not limited to this, and only the drain pipe 15 leading out from the mounting section 23 may be provided on the lower side of the housing 11, or a drain pipe for directly draining water or hot water from the beverage supply section 30 may be provided, and even in such cases, the same effects and advantages as described above can be obtained.

[0044] Furthermore, the front surface of the front panel 13 is provided with a design portion 13b consisting of a continuous (continuing) ridge along the periphery except for the lower part, and the front surface of the front lower panel 17 is provided with a lower design portion 17a consisting of a continuous ridge along the periphery except for the upper part, forming a design integral with the design portion 13b of the front panel 13. The design portion 13b of the front panel 13 and the lower design portion 17a of the front lower panel 17 form a continuous (continuing) integral design on the front surface of the housing 11, improving the appearance of the beverage supply device 10. In addition, since the design portion 13b is a ridge that protrudes forward, the strength of the front panel 13 can be increased. Because the strength of the front panel 13 can be increased, even if the opening 13a of the front panel 13 is made larger to allow tall containers such as water bottles to be inserted into and removed from the mounting portion 23, the front panel 13 can still have sufficient strength. Furthermore, since the design portion 13b is a protruding ridge that extends forward, it becomes less likely for the user or an object held by the user to accidentally approach the detection position of the non-contact type supply operation unit 63 due to the design portion 13b that protrudes forward, thereby reducing false detections by the non-contact type supply operation unit 63.

[0045] The beverage dispenser 10 is generally installed on a surface suitable for the user's height, such as a counter or table. However, for cases where there is no counter or table, it can be installed above a cabinet 80 that allows the beverage dispenser 10 to be installed at a height suitable for user use. The cabinet 80, like the housing 11 of the beverage dispenser 10, comprises a housing body 81 that is roughly rectangular in shape with an open front, and a front panel (front of the cabinet 80) 82 that can be opened and closed to close the front opening of the housing body 81. The front panel 82 is pivotally supported on the right side of the housing body 81 so as to be rotatable around a vertical axis. In addition, legs 83 are provided at the four corners of the outer lower surface of the housing body 81, and the outer lower surface of the housing body 81 is separated from the installation surface at a predetermined height by the legs 83.

[0046] When installing the beverage dispenser 10 on top of the cabinet 80, the legs 14 are removed from the outer lower surface of the housing 11, and the front lower panel 17 is removed from the front panel 13. The beverage dispenser 10 is then installed on top of the cabinet 80 as shown in Figure 10. The front lower panel 17, which was removed from the front panel 13, can also be attached to the lower part of the front panel 82 of the cabinet 80 using the same mounting method as the front panel 13. By attaching the front lower panel 17 to the lower part of the front panel 82, most of the legs 83 of the cabinet 80 can be hidden.

[0047] Furthermore, the front of the front panel 82 of the cabinet 80 has a cabinet design portion 82a formed on the left and right sides, which are peripheral edges excluding the top and bottom, and have a design consisting of protrusions that extend forward and vertically. The cabinet design portion 82a has a design that forms an integrated design with the design portion 13b of the front panel 13 of the beverage supply device 10 and the lower design portion 17a of the front lower panel 17. When the beverage supply device 10 is installed above the cabinet 80, the design portion 13b of the front panel 13 of the beverage supply device 10, the cabinet design portion 82a of the front panel 82 of the cabinet 80, and the lower design portion 17a of the front lower panel 17 form a continuous (sequential) integrated design, improving the appearance of the beverage supply device 10 including the cabinet 80.

[0048] In the above embodiment, the design portion 13b, the lower design portion 17a, and the cabinet design portion 82a are designed as continuous protrusions, but are not limited to this, and may be designed as continuous grooves, other shapes or patterns. Also, the design portion 13b, the lower design portion 17a, and the cabinet design portion 82a are designed as continuous protrusions on the periphery of each panel, but are not limited to this, and may be designed as protrusions, recesses, other shapes or patterns intermittently arranged on the periphery of each panel.

[0049] 10...Beverage supply device, 11...Housing, 13...Front panel, 13b...Design part, 14...Legs, 15, 16...Drainage channels (first and second drainage pipes), 17...Front lower panel, 17a...Lower design part, 23...Mounting part, 30...Beverage supply unit, 80...Cabinet, 82a...Cabinet design part.

Claims

1. A housing with a front panel, A beverage supply unit is provided within the housing and capable of supplying beverages using water supplied from a water source, A mounting section is provided at the front of the housing for mounting a container that receives beverages supplied from the beverage supply unit, Legs provided on the outer lower surface of the housing, which separate the outer lower surface from the mounting surface at a predetermined height, A beverage supply device comprising a drainage channel provided on the lower side of the housing and leading out from at least one of the beverage supply unit and the above-described storage unit, A lower front panel is detachably provided at the bottom of the front panel of the housing, which conceals the legs and the drainage channel from the front when installed. The front surface of the aforementioned front panel is provided with a design portion having a design consisting of a protrusion that extends along the peripheral edge, excluding the lower part, and projects forward. A beverage supply device characterized in that the front of the front lower panel is provided with a lower design portion having a design that consists of a protrusion that extends along the peripheral edge excluding the upper part and projects forward, and that forms an integral design with the design portion.

2. In the beverage supply device according to claim 1, The lower side of the housing is provided with a cabinet for installing the beverage supply device at a height suitable for user use. The front of the cabinet is provided with a cabinet design portion having a design that consists of a projection extending forward along the peripheral edge, excluding the upper and lower parts, and forming an integral design with the design portion and the lower design portion. A beverage supply device characterized in that the front lower panel can be removed from the lower part of the front panel of the housing and detachably attached to the lower part of the cabinet.

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