Beverage dispensing device and beverage server equipped therewith

Abstract

To provide a beverage spouting device having excellent manual operability, capable of easily adjusting a foam quality, and having a high reproducibility of the adjusted foam quality.SOLUTION: A beverage spouting device 100 comprises: an operation lever 70 allowing a tilting operation; a slide piece 40 that slides forward and backward with the tilting operation of the operation lever 70; a flexible tube 11 oppositely placed in a sliding direction of the slide piece 40, having an inner cavity through which a sparkling beverage passes; an opening / closing piece 50 that advances / retreats by an action of a cam accommodating a sliding movement of the slide piece 40 corresponding to the tilting operation of the operation lever 70, and presses the flexible tube 11 by a pressing force alone of a biasing spring 51 to open / close the inner cavity; and a foam making piece 60 that advances / retreats by the action of the cam accommodating the sliding movement of the slide piece 40 corresponding to the tilting operation of the operation lever 70, and presses the flexible tube 11 by the pressing force alone of a biasing spring 61 to narrow the inner cavity to make foam.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a beverage dispensing device for pouring a foamy beverage such as beer.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a beverage dispensing device equipped with a foaming mechanism that generates beer foam in the final process of pouring beer and pours it into a glass has been proposed.

[0003] For example, the beverage dispensing device described in Patent Document 1 includes a foaming mechanism that pushes in the central portion of a beverage dispensing tube with a pushing member. The height position of the pushing member is determined according to the forward and backward tilting operation of an operation lever (driving member). According to the technique described in this document, by elastically deforming the beverage dispensing tube according to the pushing-in amount, the cross-sectional area of the tube lumen is narrowed to generate an orifice to generate foam.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the foam-making mechanism described in Patent Document 1, in order to produce foam of the desired quality, it is necessary to operate the control lever so that its tilted position is always kept in a predetermined position. As a result, the cross-sectional area (shape) of the orifice is determined by the degree of tilt of the control lever. For example, if the tilt is shallow, the cross-sectional area of ​​the orifice is large, resulting in coarse foam. In other words, since the cross-sectional area (shape) of the orifice depends on the operator's skill, it becomes difficult to adjust the foam production. Therefore, adjusting the foam quality becomes more difficult, and the foam quality also varies, so there is room for consideration in order to improve the reproducibility of the adjusted foam quality.

[0006] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 proposes an electrically controlled dispensing mechanism that electrically controls the pressure on the tube. However, the electrically controlled dispensing mechanism requires a larger drive valve compared to the mechanical type. Therefore, there is a problem in that the dispensing mechanism occupies a larger area. In addition, the operation of the electrically controlled dispensing mechanism is significantly different from that of conventional mechanical beverage dispensing devices, which can cause discomfort for the operator.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of these problems, and aims to provide a beverage dispensing device and a beverage server equipped therewith that offer excellent manual operability, easy adjustment of foam quality, and high reproducibility of the adjusted foam quality. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, a beverage dispensing device according to one aspect of the present invention is a beverage dispensing device that can switch between dispensing, stopping dispensing, and foaming of a carbonated beverage by opening and closing the lumen of a flexible tube in response to operation by an operator, comprising: an operating lever that can be operated by an operator to a dispensing position for dispensing the carbonated beverage, a foaming position for dispensing the foam of the carbonated beverage, and a stop position for stopping the dispensing and foaming of the carbonated beverage; a slide piece that slides back and forth in accordance with the operation of the operating lever; an opening and closing piece that moves back and forth in the direction opposite to the flexible tube by the action of a cam accompanying the sliding movement of the slide piece in response to the operation of the operating lever, and presses the flexible tube by the elastic force of a biasing spring alone to open and close the lumen; and a foaming piece that moves back and forth in the direction opposite to the flexible tube at a position closer to the dispensing side than the opening and closing piece by the action of a cam accompanying the sliding movement of the slide piece in response to the operation of the operating lever, and presses the flexible tube by the elastic force of a biasing spring alone to constrict the lumen and produce foam.

[0009] Furthermore, in order to solve the above problems, a beverage server according to one aspect of the present invention has a beverage dispensing device according to one aspect of the present invention.

[0010] According to one aspect of the present invention, a beverage dispensing device and a beverage server equipped therewith, in response to the operation of an operating lever by an operator, a slide piece slides, and the accompanying action of a cam moves the opening / closing piece and foam-making piece forward and backward, pressing the flexible tube, thereby enabling switching between dispensing, stopping, and foaming of effervescent beverages. Therefore, it offers excellent manual operability.

[0011] Furthermore, both the opening / closing element and the foam-making element move forward and backward due to the action of the cam accompanying the sliding movement of the slide element, and the flexible tube is pressed against the beverage outlet passage solely by the elastic force of the biasing spring. Therefore, the pressure is regulated solely by the elastic force of the biasing spring, which is preset to correspond to the profile of the cam, and not by the force applied by the operator to the operating lever. As a result, the cross-sectional area of ​​the lumen of the flexible tube after deformation by the pressing of the opening / closing element and the foam-making element can be kept almost constant and stable. Consequently, foam quality can be easily adjusted and the reproducibility of the adjusted foam quality is high, making it possible to produce foam of stable quality. Furthermore, "only the elastic force of the biasing spring" means that no other operating pressure or mechanical operating pressure is actively contributing to the biasing force. In other words, it is natural that Earth's gravity acts on the spring member, link member, or other components, and the mass of these components under Earth's gravity is included as "compression force due to spring pressure alone." [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] As described above, the present invention provides a beverage dispensing device and a beverage server equipped therewith that offer excellent manual operability, easy adjustment of foam quality, and high reproducibility of the adjusted foam quality. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of a beverage server equipped with a beverage dispensing device according to one aspect of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of a beverage dispensing device according to one aspect of the present invention. The diagram shows an enlarged view of a portion of the beverage dispensing device shown in Figure 1, with the main parts cut away. [Figure 3] This is an explanatory diagram of one embodiment of a beverage dispensing device according to one aspect of the present invention. Figure (a) is a schematic side view of a part of the beverage dispensing device of Figure 1, showing the operating state with the tap head closed. Figure (b) shows the maintenance state with the tap head open. Figure (c) is a schematic perspective view of the maintenance state of Figure (b) viewed from the upper left. [Figure 4] This is an explanatory diagram of the tube housing section of the tap base (a schematic plan view of the area indicated by arrow A in Figure 3(b)). [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the interlocking relationships of various parts according to the tilted position of the operating lever, and the diagram shows the operating lever in the stopped position. [Figure 6] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the interlocking relationships of each part according to the tilted position of the operating lever, and the diagram shows the operating lever in the dispensing position. [Figure 7]It is a schematic diagram for explaining the interlocking relationship of each part according to the tilting posture of the operation lever, and the figure shows the state where the operation lever is in the continuous pouring position. [Figure 8] It is a schematic diagram for explaining the interlocking relationship of each part according to the tilting posture of the operation lever, and the figure shows the state where the operation lever is in the foaming position. [Figure 9] It is a schematic diagram (main part cross-section of the X-X part in FIG. 2) for explaining the elastic deformation state of the flexible tube due to the forward and backward movement of the opening and closing piece, where (a) of the figure shows the pouring state where the opening and closing piece has retreated, and (b) shows the stopped state where the opening and closing piece has advanced. [Figure 10] It is a schematic diagram (main part cross-section of the Y-Y part in FIG. 2) for explaining the elastic deformation state of the flexible tube due to the forward and backward movement of the foaming piece, where (a) of the figure shows the pouring state where the foaming piece has retreated, and (b) shows the foaming state where the foaming piece has advanced.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with appropriate reference to the drawings. The foaming beverage applied to the beverage pouring device of this embodiment is a foaming beverage containing carbon dioxide gas. Representative examples of this type of foaming beverage are beer. In addition to beer, it includes beer-taste beverages (including sparkling wine, new genres, non-alcoholic beer, etc.), and other beverages that generate foam when exposed to the atmosphere. For example, as a foaming beverage such as beer, a beverage with a NIBEM value, which is used as an index value indicating its foaming property, is preferably 20 or more, more preferably 40 or more, and even more preferably 60 or more. The measurement method of the NIBEM value refers to the "Revised BCOJ Beer Analysis Method" (Japan Brewing Association, a public interest incorporated foundation).

[0015] Note that the drawings are schematic. Therefore, it should be noted that the relationship between the thickness and the planar dimensions, the ratio, etc. are different from the actual ones, and there are parts where the dimensional relationships and ratios are different between the drawings. In addition, the embodiments described below exemplify devices and methods for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and the technical idea of the present invention does not specify the material, shape, structure, arrangement, etc. of the components to the following embodiments.

[0016] [Beverage server] First, the overall structure of the beverage server will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the beverage server 1 of the present embodiment includes a holding container 3 that stores a keg 2 containing a foaming beverage inside itself, a gas supplier 4 that sends injection gas (e.g., carbon dioxide gas) into the keg 2, and a beverage injection device 100 attached to the holding container 3 for switching the injection and foaming of the foaming beverage and their stop states through a beverage guide path 10. The holding container 3 has an opening / closing door 3b provided on the side surface of its main body 3a, and devices such as a cooling unit (not shown) for the keg 2 are arranged inside the holding container 3.

[0017] A beverage extraction part 2a is provided at the upper center of the keg 2, and the air supply pipe 4a of the gas supplier 4 is piped to the side part of the beverage extraction part 2a so that gas can be supplied into the keg 2. The connection tube 13 on the proximal end side of the beverage guide path 10 is detachably attached to the upper center of the beverage extraction part 2a. The foaming beverage is pushed out from the beverage extraction part 2a of the keg 2 to the beverage guide path 10 by the gas pressure supplied from the gas supplier 4. The beverage guide path 10 is piped so as to guide the foaming beverage sent out from the keg 2 by the gas pressure to the injection port 5 of the beverage injection device 100.

[0018] The beverage injection device 100 of the present embodiment includes a tap head 20 on the injection port 5 side and a tap base 30 that covers the upper part of the tap head 20. The mounting part 32 on the proximal end side of the tap base 30 is detachably fixed, such as by screwing, to a position near the upper center of the opening / closing door 3b. Thereby, the beverage injection device 100 is attached so as to project from the side part of the main body 3a of the holding container 3.

[0019] An operating lever 70 that can be tilted is located at the top of the beverage dispensing device 100, extending upward from the tap head 20. The operator of the beverage server 1 can manually tilt the operating lever 70 from the front of the holding container 3. In addition, the operator of the beverage server 1 can access the barrel 2 inside the main body 3a by opening the opening / closing door 3b.

[0020] [Beverage pouring device] Next, the beverage dispensing device 100 described above will be explained in more detail. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the beverage dispensing device 100 of this embodiment has a housing structure formed by stacking a tap base 30 and a tap head 20 in the vertical direction. As shown in an enlarged view of the main part in Figure 2, the beverage outlet passage 10 is inserted through an insertion hole 33 on the back surface of a mounting part 32 attached to the opening / closing door 3b and guided from inside the main body 3a into the beverage dispensing device 100.

[0021] Hereinafter, the longitudinal direction of the flexible tube 11 passing through the inside of the beverage dispensing device 100 (left-right direction in Figure 2) will be referred to as the front-rear direction of the beverage server 1 and the beverage dispensing device 100. The operator's side (right side in Figure 2) will also be referred to as the front (or near), and the opposite side from the operator's side (left side in Figure 2) will be referred to as the rear (or far). The direction to the side of the flexible tube 11 will also be referred to as the left-right direction of the beverage dispensing device 100.

[0022] In this embodiment, a dispensing nozzle 90 is positioned at the tip of the flexible tube 11 on the dispensing side of the tap base 30, extending diagonally forward and downward. The dispensing nozzle 90 is formed in a frustoconical shape, with its inner diameter gradually widening from the base to the tip. The flexible tube 11 is made of a flexible, elastically deformable resin material. The flexible tube 11 is piped so as to be housed horizontally within the tap base 30 of the beverage dispensing device 100.

[0023] The flexible tube 11 is then bent downwards on the dispensing side of the tap base 30, and the tip of the flexible tube 11 is connected to the base end of the dispensing nozzle 90, which serves as the dispensing outlet 5, inside the beverage dispensing device 100. In this embodiment, an example is shown in which the dispensing nozzle 90 serves as the dispensing outlet 5 and is connected to the tip of the flexible tube 11, but this is not the only example, and the tip of the flexible tube 11 itself may also serve as the dispensing outlet 5.

[0024] The operating lever 70 described above is provided on the front upper part of the tap head 20 so that the slide piece 40 can slide. The operating lever 70 in this embodiment comprises a lever shaft 71 and a lever body 75 attached to a connecting portion 72 at the upper part of the lever shaft 71. A hemispherical pivot point 73 is provided in the middle of the lever shaft 71. Furthermore, an operating portion 74 with a spherical end face in the front-to-back direction is formed at the lower end of the lever shaft 71. The operating lever 70 is mounted at the front center of the tap head 20 in a position that allows for tilting operation in the front-to-back direction around the pivot point 73.

[0025] A slide guide portion 25 is formed inside the tap head 20, which allows the slide piece 40 to move in the sliding direction while restricting movement in other directions (see Figures 9 and 10). The slide piece 40 is housed within the tap head 20 so as to be slidable along the longitudinal direction of the flexible tube 11 along the guide surface of the slide guide portion 25. While housed in the slide guide portion 25, the slide piece 40 is held in a position in the sliding direction where no operating force is applied by the elastic force of the opening / closing spring 51 and the foaming spring 61. As an option, slide springs 41 can be provided at the front and rear of the sliding direction to restrict the position in the sliding direction.

[0026] A fitting groove 42 is formed on the upper surface of the slide piece 40, near the front, for engaging the operating lever 70 with the slide piece 40. The lever shaft 71 is assembled to the slide piece 40 such that the front and rear spherical portions of the operating part 74 slide against the inner circumferential surface of the fitting groove 42 of the slide piece 40. As a result, when the operator tilts the operating lever 70 in the forward and backward directions by hand, the slide piece 40 housed in the slide guide section 25 can slide in the forward and backward directions along the guide surface of the slide guide section 25.

[0027] As described later, the operating lever 70 of this embodiment can be tilted between a stop position P0 (see Figure 5) where the operating lever 70 is in a nearly upright position, a dispensing position P1 (see Figure 6) where the operating lever 70 is tilted forward of the stop position P0, and a foaming position P3 (see Figure 8) where the operating lever 70 is tilted backward of the stop position P0. In addition, in the beverage server 1 of this embodiment, the operating lever 70 is also configured to be tilted to a continuous dispensing position P2 (see Figure 7) which allows the dispensing state of effervescent beverages to be maintained.

[0028] As shown in Figure 3, a support shaft 23 is provided at the upper tip of the tap base 30, having an axis perpendicular to the direction of arrangement of the flexible tube 11, and a support portion 34 is formed at one end of the tap head 20, extending downward so as to fit rotatably onto the support shaft 23.

[0029] The tap head 20 has a pivot portion 34 fitted to the pivot shaft 23 in the opposite direction, and is assembled to the tap base 30 so as to be rotatable around the pivot shaft 23. As a result, the tap head 20 can be positioned in a working position locked on the tap base 30 side (Figure (a)) and a maintenance position rotatable upward relative to the tap base 30 (Figures (b), (c)).

[0030] In this embodiment, the tap head 20 is provided with an engaging claw 24 that is movable forward and backward by a compression spring, and the tap base 30 is provided with a recess that engages with the engaging claw 24. The engagement between the tap base 30 and the tap head 20 is released and opened / closed by rotating the engaging claw 24 against the compression spring of the engaging claw 24.

[0031] The opposing contact surfaces of the tap base 30 and the tap head 20 are formed as a pair of tube holding surfaces 21 and 31. As shown in Figure 4, the tube holding surface 31 is formed on the inner upper side of the tap base 30, and a tube housing section 80 is provided on the tube holding surface 31. Each part of the tube housing section 80 is capable of accommodating a beverage outlet passage 10 along the center line CL of the tube holding surface 31, which is aligned with the extending direction of the flexible tube 11 to be housed.

[0032] The beverage outlet passage 10 in this embodiment is configured to include a connecting tube 13, a tube connector 12, and a flexible tube 11. The flexible tube 11 is connected to the tip side of the connecting tube 13 via the tube connector 12 in a state of communication through which a carbonated beverage can pass. The connecting tube 13 is extended horizontally in front of the beverage dispensing device 100 and connected to the inlet side of the tube connector 12 inside the beverage dispensing device 100. The base end of the flexible tube 11 is connected to the outlet side of the tube connector 12.

[0033] By overlapping the tube-holding surfaces 21 and 31 of the tap base 30 and the tap head 20 vertically, a tube storage area is defined inside the beverage dispensing device 100 that holds the flexible tube 11 in close contact with the outer surface of the beverage outlet 10. In this embodiment, each part of the tube housing section 80 has, in order from the rear, a connecting tube housing groove 87 for housing the tip of the connecting tube 13, a flange holding section 84 that houses the flange 12a of the tube joint 12 and a joint housing section 83 that houses the cylindrical body of the tube joint 12, and a tube holding section 81 that houses the pressing portion of the flexible tube 11, which is continuous with the joint housing section 83.

[0034] The tube holding portion 81 is provided to hold the flexible tube 11 in a fixed position within the tube housing portion 80 and to stabilize the elastic deformation state when pressed by the opening / closing groove 50 and the foam-making die 60. In particular, the tube holding portion 81 of this embodiment has a pair of left and right rear holding portions 81b and a pair of left and right front holding portions 81a that clamp and hold the flexible tube 11 when it is housed in the tube housing portion 80 from the left and right. An opening / closing groove 85 is formed between the joint housing portion 83 and the rear holding portion 81b at a position facing the opening / closing die 50, and a foam-making groove 86 is formed between the rear holding portion 81b and the front holding portion 81a at a position facing the foam-making die 60.

[0035] Furthermore, the tube holding portion 81 of this embodiment is provided with a tube guide surface 88, a pair of holding plate guide surfaces 89 provided on the left and right sides of the tube guide surface 88, and a nozzle housing hole 82 opening at the extraction end, located in front of the front holding portion 81a. The tube guide surface 88 is smoothly formed to have a convex semicircular cross-sectional contour and maintains the bent state of the flexible tube 11 which is bent downwards.

[0036] The dispensing nozzle 90 connected to the tip of the flexible tube 11 is positioned such that its tip, with the outlet 5 side inserted into the nozzle housing hole 82, and a pair of nozzle retaining plates 91 protruding to the left and right at the base end of the dispensing nozzle 90 are guided by a pair of retaining plate guide surfaces 89.

[0037] Here, the slide piece 40 within the tap head 20 is positioned opposite the tube housing 80 above. On the upper surface of the slide piece 40, behind the fitting groove 42, are two substantially V-shaped cam grooves 45 and 46 formed in a predetermined cam profile. A ridge 44 is provided between the cam groove 45 and the cam groove 46.

[0038] The slide piece 40 has a cam groove 45 for the opening / closing piece 50 and a cam groove 46 for the foam-making piece 60 formed on the upper surface of the slide piece 40, and guide slots 43 extending along the sliding direction are formed vertically through the portions of the two cam grooves 45 and 46 to prevent interference with the sliding range of the slide piece 40.

[0039] Inside the tap head 20, an opening / closing piece 50 and a foam-making piece 60 are provided in order from the rear, and the cam follower portions 53 and 63 of the opening / closing piece 50 and the foam-making piece 60 are engaged so as to be able to move back and forth along the inclination (cam profile) of the cam surfaces of the respective cam grooves 45 and 46. As a result, the opening / closing piece 50 can be moved back and forth by the slide piece 40 to open and close the lumen of the flexible tube 11, and the foam-making piece 60 can be moved back and forth by the slide piece 40 to elastically deform the flexible tube 11 into a state suitable for dispensing foam.

[0040] More specifically, the opening / closing piece 50 is a member that, in front view, is roughly T-shaped, having a pressing portion 52 and a pair of cam follower portions 53 that protrude from the upper left and right sides of the pressing portion 52. The cam follower portions 53 form a convex cam follower that faces downward. The pressing portion 52 of the opening / closing piece 50 is inserted into the guide slot 43 from above the slide piece 40, and the pair of cam follower portions 53 are fitted into the rear cam groove 45.

[0041] In this installed state, the opening / closing piece 50 is constantly biased from the upper side to the lower side in the vertical direction by an opening / closing spring 51, which is a biasing spring. In this embodiment, an elastic pressure adjustment mechanism 54 is provided on the upper part of the opening / closing spring 51, which includes a push screw and a nut that fixes the screwed-in position of the push screw, making it possible to adjust the pressing force by the opening / closing spring 51.

[0042] Furthermore, the foam-making die 60 is a member that is roughly T-shaped in front view, having a pressing portion 62 and a pair of cam follower portions 63 that protrude from the upper left and right sides of the pressing portion 62. The cam follower portions 63 form a convex cam follower that faces downward. The pressing portion 62 of the foam-making die 60 is inserted into the guide slot 43 from above the slide die 40, and the pair of cam follower portions 63 are fitted into the front cam groove 46.

[0043] In this installed state, the foam-making die 60 is constantly biased from the top to the bottom in the vertical direction by a biasing spring, which is a foam-making spring 61. In this embodiment, a pressure adjustment mechanism 64 for adjusting the pressure of the foam-making spring 61 is provided on the upper part of the foam-making spring 61, which includes a push screw and a nut that fixes the screwed-in position of the push screw, making it possible to adjust the pressing force of the foam-making spring 61.

[0044] Here, as shown in Figure 10, the mechanism for narrowing the lumen of the flexible tube 11 by the reciprocating movement of the foam-making die 60 is configured such that the pressure portion 62 of the foam-making die 60 elastically deforms the flexible tube 11, thereby limiting the flow path to a single narrowed channel within the beverage outlet. In particular, the flow restriction mechanism for the flexible tube 11 has a three-point clamping structure, as shown in Figure (b), consisting of the bottom wall portion 86d of the foam-making groove 86 and a pair of left and right restricting side walls 62a and 62b formed on the inner surface of the recessed pressing portion 62 of the foam-making die 60 that are opposed to it from above and below.

[0045] Furthermore, the tube housing section 80 has a bottom wall section 86d that works in cooperation with the pressing section of the foam-making die 60 to clamp the flexible tube 11, and the pair of restricting side walls 62a and 62b are formed symmetrically with respect to the direction of movement of the foam-making die 60, and the bottom wall section 86d and the pair of restricting side walls 62a and 62b simultaneously contact the outer circumferential surface of the flexible tube 11 at three points. In order to create a three-point clamping structure, a protrusion may be provided on the lower surface of the bottom wall section 86d. However, if a protrusion is provided on the lower surface of the bottom wall section 86d, the stability of foam generation tends to decrease. For this reason, in the beverage dispensing device 100 of this embodiment, the lower surface of the bottom wall section 86d is flat.

[0046] [Operation and Effects] Next, the operation and effects of the beverage server 1 and the beverage dispensing device 100 equipped therewith in this embodiment will be described. First, the maintenance of the beverage dispensing device 100, in particular the procedure for installing the beverage outlet 10, will be described.

[0047] During maintenance of the beverage dispensing device 100 in this embodiment, the engagement claws 24 between the tap base 30 and the tap head 20 are released, and the tap head 20 is manually rotated upward and forward around the pivot 34 to open it. As a result, as shown in Figure 3(b), the space between the tap base 30 and the tap head 20 is separated, and the tube housing section 80 that holds the flexible tube 11 inside the beverage dispensing device 100 is opened and made visible.

[0048] Next, as shown in Figure 3(c), the beverage outlet passage 10 is positioned in the tube housing section 80 and the tip of the flexible tube 11 is manually inserted into the dispensing nozzle 90. Since tube holding sections 81 are formed on the left and right sides of the tube housing section 80 as clamping sections, the flexible tube 11 inserted into the tube housing section 80 is clamped from the left and right sides by the tube holding sections 81, maintaining its bent state along the tube guide surface 89 and guiding it to the base end of the dispensing nozzle 90.

[0049] Subsequently, as shown in Figure 3(a), the tap head 20 is manually rotated to the closed position so that it overlaps with the tap base 30. This allows the flexible tube 11 to pass through the predetermined position in the tube storage area without the use of tools or other equipment, and the beverage outlet passage 10 including the flexible tube 11 can be held in place by rotating the tap head 20 downward to the closed position. Note that the beverage outlet passage 10 can be removed by following the reverse procedure described above, so the explanation is omitted.

[0050] Next, the dispensing, stopping, and foaming operations of the effervescent beverage using the beverage dispensing device 100 will be explained with reference to Figures 5 to 10 as appropriate. First, when no operating force is applied to the operating lever 70 of the beverage dispensing device 100, it is in a stop position P0 where the axis of the operating lever 70 is upright, as shown in Figure 5. When the operating lever 70 is in the stop position P0, the cam follower portion 63 of the foam-making block 60 is fitted into the valley of the cam groove 46 of the slide block 40, and the cam follower portion 53 of the opening / closing block 50 is fitted into the valley of the cam groove 45 of the slide block 40.

[0051] Therefore, both the opening / closing piece 50 and the foam-making piece 60 are in a state where they are advanced in the direction opposite to the flexible tube 11. At this time, both the opening / closing piece 50 and the foam-making piece 60 are pressing the flexible tube 11 to the desired state with the elastic force of the opening / closing spring 51 and the foam-making spring 61. At this time, in the example of this embodiment, the opening / closing piece 50 completely closes the flow path at the opening / closing section, as shown in Figure 9(b).

[0052] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 10(b), the foam-making die 60 is configured to restrict the flow path in the foam-making section of the flexible tube 11 to a predetermined degree. This keeps the dispensing of the effervescent beverage stopped. In addition, the elastic pressure of the opening / closing spring 51 and the foam-making spring 61 (and the elastic pressure of the slide spring 41 if present) are balanced, allowing the operating lever 70 to stand upright in a neutral position with its axis perpendicular to the ground.

[0053] Next, in the beverage server 1 of this embodiment, when pouring a carbonated beverage into a glass, the operator presses the operating lever 70 with their hand from the neutral position to the front side (to the right in Figure 6) as viewed from the operator's side (dispensing position P1), as shown in Figure 6.

[0054] When an operating force is applied to tilt the operating lever 70 forward to the first forward-tilting position, the slide piece 40 moves backward (to the left in Figure 6) to a position corresponding to the first forward-tilting position. Consequently, due to the action of the cam described above, the convex cam follower of the opening / closing piece 50 moves along the front cam surface of the cam groove 45 of the slide piece 40 to the middle part of the front cam surface, and the flow path in the opening / closing section is opened, as shown in Figure 9(a). Furthermore, the convex cam follower of the foam-making piece 60 moves upward along the front cam surface of the cam groove 45 of the slide piece 40 to the middle part, and the flow path in the foam-making section is also opened, as shown in Figure 10(a). This allows the carbonated beverage to be poured into a glass.

[0055] In this embodiment of the beverage server 1, the operating lever 70 is configured to be tilted to a second forward-tilting position by applying an operating force that tilts the operating lever 70 further forward than the first forward-tilting position, as shown in Figure 7. Then, in the second forward-leaning position, the lever is positioned at continuous pouring position P2, which maintains the dispensing state of the effervescent beverage. In other words, when pouring an effervescent beverage into a large container such as a pitcher, the operating lever 70 is pushed by hand from the dispensing position P1 further towards the operator (to the right in Figure 7) (continuous pouring position P2), as shown in the figure.

[0056] As a result, the slide piece 40 moves further backward (to the left in Figure 7) in accordance with the second forward tilting position. Consequently, the convex cam follower of the opening / closing piece 50 moves over the front cam surface of the cam groove 45 of the slide piece 40 to the peak 44 and is pressed toward the horizontal plane at the top of the peak 44.

[0057] In this pressed state, the elastic force of the opening / closing spring 51 and the foaming spring 61 (and the elastic force of the slide spring 41 if present) are balanced, and the tilted position is maintained unless an operating force is applied to the operating lever 70. As a result, the dispensing state of the effervescent beverage is maintained until an additional operating force is applied to the operating lever 70 to return it from the continuous dispensing position P2 to the neutral stop position P0, allowing the effervescent beverage to be continuously poured into a large container such as a pitcher.

[0058] Next, in the beverage server 1 of this embodiment, when foaming a glass, the operator pushes the operating lever 70 of the beverage dispensing device 100 from the neutral position towards the back (to the left in Figure 8) as viewed from the operator's side (foaming position P3), as shown in Figure 8. This causes the slide piece 40 to move forward (to the right in Figure 8). Consequently, the convex cam follower of the opening / closing piece 50 moves upward along the rear cam surface of the cam groove 45 of the slide piece 40, and the flow path at the opening / closing part of the flexible tube 11 is opened, as shown in Figure 9(a).

[0059] Furthermore, the convex cam follower of the foam-making piece 60 is pressed against the rear cam surface of the cam groove 46 of the slide piece 40, and as shown in Figure 10(b), the flow path in the foam-making section of the flexible tube 11 is narrowed to a predetermined extent. In particular, in this embodiment, the flow path throttling mechanism, which involves the reciprocating movement of the foam-making die 60, causes the flexible tube 11 to be elastically deformed by the opposing recessed pressing portions 62 of the foam-making die 60 while it is held in the recessed housing portions of the front holding portion 81a and the rear holding portion 81b, thereby limiting a single throttling flow path within the beverage outlet passage 10. This narrows the cross-sectional area of ​​the tube's lumen, creating an orifice and generating foam, thereby enabling the desired foaming process.

[0060] Thus, according to the beverage dispensing device 100 of this embodiment, the opening / closing piece 50 can open and close the flexible tube 11 solely by the elastic force of the opening / closing spring 51 through the forward and backward movement of the flexible tube 11, which is converted by the action of the cam accompanying the sliding movement of the slide piece 40 in response to the tilting operation of the operating lever 70. Similarly, the foam-making piece 60 can create foam by squeezing the flexible tube 11 solely by the elastic force of the foam-making spring 61 through the forward and backward movement of the flexible tube 11, which is converted by the action of the cam accompanying the sliding movement of the slide piece 40 in response to the tilting operation of the operating lever 70.

[0061] In other words, the beverage dispensing device 100 of this embodiment employs a pressure adjustment method that relies solely on the spring pressure of the biasing springs 51 and 61, so that it can always apply a constant and stable pressure. Therefore, as with the technology described in Patent Document 1 as illustrated above, the cross-sectional area of ​​the lumen of the deformed flexible tube 11 can be kept almost constant and stable, regardless of the force applied by the operator. Therefore, the beverage dispensing device 100 and the beverage server 1 equipped therewith of this embodiment offer excellent manual operability, easy adjustment of foam quality, and high reproducibility of the adjusted foam quality. As a result, it is possible to dispense carbonated beverages such as beer with stable foam quality [Invention 1, Invention 13].

[0062] In this embodiment, the operating lever 70 is configured to slide the slide piece 40 in accordance with its tilting operation. However, regarding manual operability, the operating lever 70 can be configured in various ways, as long as it is a manually operable lever, not limited to tilting operation. For example, the operating lever 70 may also be configured to slide, and the slide piece 40 may be configured to slide in accordance with its sliding operation.

[0063] Furthermore, according to the beverage dispensing device 100 of this embodiment, the operating lever 70 is configured to be tiltable to a stop position P0 for stopping the dispensing and foaming of the effervescent beverage, a dispensing position P1 for dispensing the effervescent beverage, and a foaming position P3 for generating foam for the effervescent beverage before dispensing. When the operating lever 70 is in the stop position P0, the cam mechanism positions the opening / closing piece 50 and the foam-making piece 60 in a forward position relative to the flexible tube 11.

[0064] Here, for example, as in the technology described in Patent Document 1, the foam-making block 60 can also be set to the retracted position when it is at the stop position P0. However, as in this embodiment, by setting the foam-making block 60 to the forward position when it is at the stop position P0, foaming becomes possible immediately after starting the tilting operation of the operating lever 70 toward the foaming position P3. In other words, with the former setting, it is necessary to move the foam-making block 60 to the forward position before moving the opening / closing block 50 to the backward position, which causes a time lag in foam formation in response to the tilting operation of the operating lever 70. Furthermore, if the opening / closing block 50 is moved backward at the same time as the foam-making block 60 moves forward, there is a problem in that the foam quality deteriorates immediately after the tilting operation of the operating lever 70.

[0065] Furthermore, the cam mechanism of this embodiment positions the opening / closing piece 50 and the foam-making piece 60 in a retracted position relative to the flexible tube 11 when the operating lever 70 is in the dispensing position P1, and when the operating lever 70 is in the foam-making position P3, the opening / closing piece 50 is positioned in a retracted position relative to the flexible tube 11, while the foam-making piece 60 is positioned in an advanced position relative to the flexible tube 11. Therefore, the beverage dispensing device 100 of this embodiment is suitable for realizing a small and compact beverage dispensing device while maintaining the same excellent operability as conventional manual beverage dispensing devices, through the smooth interlocking operation of the tilting operation of the operating lever 70 and the corresponding cam mechanism [Invention 2].

[0066] In particular, according to the beverage dispensing device 100 of this embodiment, the operating lever 70 is in a tilting position such that when no operating force is applied to the operating lever 70, it is in a stop position P0 where its axis is upright; when an operating force is applied to tilt the operating lever 70 forward, it is in a first forward-tilted position, it is in a dispensing position P1; and when an operating force is applied to tilt the operating lever 70 backward, it is in a backward-tilted position, it is in a foaming position P3. This tilting motion makes it more suitable for realizing a small and compact beverage dispensing device while maintaining the same excellent operability as conventional manual beverage dispensing devices [Invention 3].

[0067] Furthermore, in the beverage dispensing device 100 of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, the operating lever 70 is configured to be tiltable to a continuous dispensing position P2 in which the dispensing state of the effervescent beverage is maintained, and the cam mechanism can maintain the tilted position when the operating lever 70 is in the continuous dispensing position P2 unless an operating force is applied to the operating lever 70. Therefore, the beverage dispensing device 100 of this embodiment is more convenient because the tilted position is maintained, allowing for continuous dispensing of effervescent beverages not only into glasses but also into large containers such as pitchers [Invention 4].

[0068] Furthermore, in the beverage dispensing device 100 of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 8, when the operating lever 70 is operated to the foaming position P3, the cam groove 46 for the foam-making piece 60 is set to have a wider (longer) cam profile (bottom surface of the valley) in the sliding direction than the cam groove 45 for the opening / closing piece 50, so that the cam action accompanying the sliding movement of the slide piece 40 keeps the foam-making piece 60 in a non-operating state for a longer period than the opening / closing piece 50 in the sliding direction.

[0069] Therefore, according to the beverage dispensing device 100 of this embodiment, foam can be generated even when the operating lever 70 is not fully tilted inward (when the beverage flow path 10 is not completely open). In other words, foam can be generated from a smaller tilt angle of the operating lever 70 from its neutral position. This allows for more precise adjustment of the foam generation speed (amount) in relation to the tilt angle of the operating lever, and expands the range of foam generation adjustment in relation to the tilt angle of the operating lever 70, making it easier to adjust the foam generation speed (amount) [Invention 5].

[0070] Furthermore, according to the beverage dispensing device 100 of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, it is equipped with an elastic pressure adjustment mechanism (54, 64) that adjusts the elastic pressure of the biasing springs (51, 61) by the opening / closing piece 50 or the foam-making piece 60, so that the pressing force of each can be adjusted individually. For this reason, it is suitable for easier adjustment of the dispensing amount and foam quality of effervescent beverages and for further improving the reproducibility of the adjusted dispensing amount and foam quality [Invention 6].

[0071] Here, if a hollow cylindrical flexible tube 11 is simply pressed from above and below, the cross-section of the tube's lumen after deformation becomes a laterally flattened ellipse. Therefore, even slight differences in the amount of pressure applied by the pressing member from above, or slight dimensional errors in the tube, can cause a large change in the flattened elliptical shape of the lumen after deformation, and in some cases, this can block the flow path. Furthermore, in pressing methods that create two or more throttling channels within the beverage outlet, such as the technology described in Patent Document 1, the reproducibility of the shapes of the two or more throttling channels is lower compared to the case where only one throttling channel is created. This makes it relatively difficult to adjust the foam quality, and it is also relatively difficult to improve the reproducibility of the adjusted foam quality. In particular, in the case of pressing methods such as the technology described in Patent Document 1, if the dimensional errors of the tube or resin parts are large, problems such as no foam being produced are likely to occur, and the impact of dimensional errors on foam quality is significant.

[0072] In contrast, according to the beverage dispensing device 100 of this embodiment, the mechanism for narrowing the lumen by the reciprocating movement of the foam-making die 60 is as shown in Figure 10, in which the flexible tube 11 is elastically deformed by the recessed pressing portions 62a and 62b of the foam-making die 60, thereby limiting the lumen of the flexible tube 11 to a single narrowing channel. This is more suitable for easily adjusting the foam quality and for increasing the reproducibility of the adjusted foam quality [Invention 7].

[0073] In particular, in the beverage dispensing device 100 of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 10(b), the flow path throttling mechanism for the flexible tube 11 employs a three-point clamping structure consisting of the bottom wall portion 86d of the tube housing portion 80 and a pair of left and right restricting side walls 62a and 62b formed on the inner surface of the recessed pressing portion 62 that are opposed to it above and below. As a result, the beverage dispensing device 100 of this embodiment can stabilize the cross-sectional area of ​​the tube lumen after deformation by pressing from above and below, regardless of the amount of pressure applied or dimensional errors in the tube. Therefore, it offers excellent manual operability, easy adjustment of foam quality, and high reproducibility of the adjusted foam quality, making it extremely superior for producing foam of consistent quality.

[0074] Furthermore, according to the beverage dispensing device 100 of this embodiment, since it is equipped with a tube holding part 81 that holds the flexible tube 11 in a recessed housing part, the position of the flexible tube 11 at the opposing position of the foam-making die 60 can be reliably maintained. In particular, the tube holding portion 81 of this embodiment has a front holding portion 81a that holds the flexible tube 11 in a recessed housing at a position on the front side of the foam-making die 60 in the extending direction of the flexible tube 11, and a rear holding portion 81b that holds the flexible tube 11 in a recessed housing at a position on the rear side of the foam-making die 60, separated from the front holding portion 81a in the sliding direction. Therefore, the flexible tube 11 can be reliably held at positions near the front and rear of the foam-making die 60.

[0075] Furthermore, in the beverage dispensing device 100 of this embodiment, the length of the front holding portion 81a is shorter than that of the rear holding portion 81b in the sliding direction (i.e., the direction in which the flexible tube 11 extends). This allows the flexible tube 11 to be held securely near the front and rear of the foam-making block 60 while minimizing the length of the pipeline on the extraction side. Therefore, it is suitable for easily adjusting the foam quality and producing stable foam with high reproducibility of the adjusted foam quality [Invention 8].

[0076] Furthermore, according to the beverage dispensing device 100 of this embodiment, the beverage outlet passage 10 is configured to be easily inserted into and removed from the tube housing section 80 by hand, eliminating the need for special tools or fixing parts, and providing excellent maintainability for the replacement and installation of the beverage outlet passage 10 [Invention 9].

[0077] In particular, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, the beverage outlet passage 10 is configured to include a flexible tube 11, a connecting tube 13 connected to the barrel 2, and a tube connector 12 connecting the connecting tube 13 and the flexible tube 11. Therefore, each component of the flexible tube, connecting tube, and tube connector can be individually removed for maintenance. Alternatively, the beverage outlet passage 10 may be configured as a single unit so that each component cannot be removed. However, since the beverage outlet passage 10 is more prone to soiling towards the tip (due to higher temperatures), it is preferable to configure it so that the section from the flexible tube 10 onward can be removed and replaced.

[0078] Furthermore, the tube housing section 80 is composed of, in order from the rear, a connecting tube housing groove 87 for housing the connecting tube 13, a connector housing section for housing the tube connector 12, and a tube holding section 81 for housing and holding the flexible tube 11. Therefore, it is suitable for reliably holding each component of the beverage outlet passage 10 in the desired position.

[0079] Furthermore, according to the beverage dispensing device 100 of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the housing structure is formed by stacking the tap base 30 and the tap head 20 in the vertical direction. In addition, the flexible tube 11 can be manually piped so that it is horizontally housed in the front-to-back direction within the tube housing section 80 provided inside the tap base 30, which holds the flexible tube 11 in a recessed housing section.

[0080] Furthermore, the slide piece 40 is housed inside the tap head 20 so as to be slidable along the longitudinal direction of the flexible tube 11 in the tube housing section 80, and the operating lever 70 is provided so as to be able to slide the slide piece 40 by tilting the lever 70 on the upper front part of the tap head 20 so as to be able to slide it by tilting it in the front-rear direction. Thus, by constructing the housing and main components from as few parts as possible, it is possible to reduce costs and the structure is suitable for excellent maintainability [Invention 10].

[0081] Furthermore, according to the beverage dispensing device 100 of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, a support shaft 23 having an axis perpendicular to the front-rear direction is provided on the front side of the tap base 30, and the tap head 20 is connected to the tap base 30 so as to be able to be opened and closed by a pivoting motion around the support shaft 23, and is configured to be able to be positioned in a working position locked on the tap base 30 side and a maintenance position rotated upward relative to the tap base 30, thus providing excellent maintainability for the beverage outlet passage 10 including the flexible tube 11.

[0082] In particular, according to the beverage dispensing device 100 of this embodiment, in the operating position, the tube connector 12 is held between the tap base 30 and the tap head 20, and in the maintenance position, the entire beverage outlet passage 10 is rotated in the tube housing section 80 on the upper surface of the tap base 30 to a position where it can be seen, and the beverage outlet passage 10 can be inserted into and removed from the tube housing section 80 without using tools, so that the maintainability of the beverage outlet passage 10 including the flexible tube 11 is extremely good [Invention 11].

[0083] Furthermore, according to the beverage dispensing device 100 of this embodiment, the beverage outlet passage 10 further includes a dispensing nozzle 90, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. The dispensing nozzle 90 is formed in a frustoconical shape, with its inner diameter gradually widening from the base end to the tip end, which is suitable for suppressing foam generation when dispensing beverages. In other words, if the inner diameter of the flexible tube 11 is too small relative to the flow velocity, the flow of the beverage dispensed from the outlet 5 becomes unstable, making it easier for foam to form when poured into a glass. Therefore, in the beverage dispensing device 100 of this embodiment, a dispensing nozzle 90 is provided that gradually widens the inner diameter to straighten the flow and suppress foam formation when dispensing the beverage.

[0084] Furthermore, according to the beverage dispensing device 100 of this embodiment, in the operating position, the dispensing nozzle 90 (in this example, the portion of the nozzle holding plate 91) is pressed and held between the tap base 30 and the tap head 20, and in the maintenance position, the beverage outlet passage 10 including the dispensing nozzle 90 can be inserted into and removed from the tube housing section 80 without the use of tools, making it a more suitable structure for maintenance [Invention 12].

[0085] As described above, the beverage dispensing device 100 and the beverage server 1 equipped therewith of this embodiment offer excellent manual operability, easy adjustment of foam quality, and high reproducibility of the adjusted foam quality. It should be noted that the beverage dispensing device and beverage server equipped therewith according to the present invention are not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0086] 1. Beverage dispenser 2 barrels 2a Beverage dispenser 3 Holding container 3a Main body 3b Opening and closing door 4. Gas supply unit 4a Air supply tube 5 spout 10 Beverage outlet 11 Flexible Tube 12 Tube fittings 13. Connecting tubes 20 Tap Heads 21 Tube holding surface (on the tap head side) 22 Nozzle holding arm 23 Spindle 24 Engaging claws 25 Slide guide section 30 Tap Base 31 Tube holding surface (on the tap base side) 32 Mounting part 33 Through holes 34 axis branch 40 slide pieces 41 Slide spring 42 Fitting groove 43 Guide Slots 44 Yamabe 45 cam groove 46 cam groove 50 Opening and closing parts 51 Opening / closing spring (biasing spring) 52 Pressing part 53 Cam Follower Section 54. Resilience Adjustment Mechanism 60-year-old foam piece 61 Foam spring (biasing spring) 62 Pressing part 63 Cam Follower Section 64. Resilience Adjustment Mechanism 70 Operating levers 71 Lever shaft 72 Connecting part 73. Support point 74 Acting part 75 Lever body 80 Tube housing section 81 Tube holding section 81a Front holding part 81b Rear holding part 82 Nozzle housing holes 83 Connector housing (recessed housing) 84. Flange retaining part (recessed housing part) 85 Opening / closing groove 86 Foam groove 87 Connection tube housing groove (recessed housing section) 88 Tube guide surface 89 Retaining plate guide surface 90 dispensing nozzles 91 Nozzle holding plate 100 Beverage Dispensing Equipment P0 Stop position P1 Pour position P2 continuous injection position P3 Foam position

Claims

1. A beverage dispensing device that can switch between dispensing, stopping, and foaming of effervescent beverages by opening and closing the lumen of a flexible tube in response to operator input, An operating lever that can be operated by an operator is provided at a dispensing position for dispensing the effervescent beverage, a foaming position for dispensing the foam of the effervescent beverage, and a stop position for stopping the dispensing and foaming of the effervescent beverage. A slide piece that slides back and forth in response to the operation of the aforementioned operating lever, An opening / closing piece that moves back and forth in the direction opposite to the flexible tube by the action of a cam accompanying the sliding movement of the slide piece in response to the operation of the operating lever, and presses the flexible tube with only the elastic force of the biasing spring to open and close the lumen, The system includes a foam-making component that, in response to the operation of the operating lever, moves back and forth in the direction opposite to the flexible tube at a position closer to the dispensing side than the opening / closing component, and presses the flexible tube by the elastic force of a biasing spring alone, thereby constricting the lumen and producing foam, The cam mechanism is, When the operating lever is in the stop position, the opening / closing piece and the foam-making piece are positioned in a forward position relative to the flexible tube. When the operating lever is in the dispensing position, the opening / closing piece and the foam-making piece are positioned in a retracted position relative to the flexible tube. When the operating lever is in the foaming position, the opening / closing piece is positioned in a retracted position relative to the flexible tube, and the foam-making piece is positioned in an advanced position relative to the flexible tube. The operating lever is configured to be tiltable along the sliding direction, and when the dispensing side of the effervescent beverage is facing forward and the opposite side is facing backward in the sliding direction, When no operating force is applied to the aforementioned operating lever, it is positioned in the aforementioned stop position where its axis is upright. When an operating force is applied to tilt the operating lever forward, and it is in the first forward-tilting position, it is in the dispensing position. When an operating force is applied to tilt the aforementioned operating lever backward, causing it to be in a rearward-tilted position, it is positioned in the aforementioned foam-applying position. The operating lever is configured to be tilted to a second forward-tilting position by an operating force that tilts the operating lever forward from the first forward-tilting position, and when in the second forward-tilting position, it is positioned in a continuous dispensing position in which the dispensing state of the effervescent beverage is maintained. The cam mechanism is characterized in that, when the operating lever is in the continuous dispensing position, it positions the opening / closing piece and the foam-making piece in a retracted position relative to the flexible tube, and maintains that retracted position when no operating force is applied to the operating lever.

2. A beverage dispensing device that can switch between dispensing, stopping, and foaming of effervescent beverages by opening and closing the lumen of a flexible tube in response to operator input, An operating lever that can be operated by an operator is provided at a dispensing position for dispensing the effervescent beverage, a foaming position for dispensing the foam of the effervescent beverage, and a stop position for stopping the dispensing and foaming of the effervescent beverage. A slide piece that slides back and forth in response to the operation of the aforementioned operating lever, An opening / closing piece that moves back and forth in the direction opposite to the flexible tube by the action of a cam accompanying the sliding movement of the slide piece in response to the operation of the operating lever, and presses the flexible tube with only the elastic force of the biasing spring to open and close the lumen, A foam-making component that, in response to the operation of the operating lever, moves back and forth in the direction opposite to the flexible tube at a position closer to the dispensing side than the opening / closing component, and presses the flexible tube by the elastic force of the biasing spring alone to constrict the lumen and produce foam, and Equipped with, The cam mechanism is, When the operating lever is in the stop position, the opening / closing piece and the foam-making piece are positioned in a forward position relative to the flexible tube. When the operating lever is in the dispensing position, the opening / closing piece and the foam-making piece are positioned in a retracted position relative to the flexible tube. When the operating lever is in the foaming position, the opening / closing piece is positioned in a retracted position relative to the flexible tube, and the foam-making piece is positioned in an advanced position relative to the flexible tube. The slide piece has a cam groove for an opening / closing piece formed on the upper surface of the slide piece, and a cam groove for a foam-making piece formed on the upper surface of the slide piece. The cam follower portion of the opening / closing piece and the foam-making piece are engaged with each cam groove so as to be able to move back and forth along the inclination of the cam surface. A beverage dispensing device characterized in that, when the operating lever is operated to the foaming position, the cam profile is set such that, as an action of the cam accompanying the sliding movement of the slide piece, the cam groove for the foam-making piece maintains the non-operating state of the foam-making piece for a longer period in the sliding direction than the cam groove for the opening / closing piece.

3. The beverage dispensing device according to claim 2, further comprising a resilience pressure adjustment mechanism for adjusting the resilience pressure of the biasing spring by the opening / closing piece or the foam-making piece.

4. The beverage dispensing device according to claim 2, wherein the mechanism for narrowing the lumen by the advancement and retraction of the foam-making die is to cause the flexible tube to be elastically deformed by the pressing portion of the foam-making die in a recess, thereby limiting the lumen to a single narrowing passage.

5. The tube housing section comprises a recessed housing portion for housing the flexible tube along the sliding direction, and a tube holding portion for housing and holding the flexible tube. In the aforementioned sliding direction, when the dispensing side of the effervescent beverage is positioned forward and the opposite side backward relative to the position in which the foam-making die moves forward and backward within the flexible tube, The tube holding portion includes a front holding portion that holds the flexible tube in a recessed housing at a position on the front side of the foam-making die, and a rear holding portion that holds the flexible tube in a recessed housing at a position on the rear side of the foam-making die, separated from the front holding portion in the sliding direction. The beverage dispensing device according to claim 2, wherein the length of the front holding portion in the sliding direction is shorter for the front holding portion than for the rear holding portion.

6. The beverage outlet is composed of the flexible tube, a connecting tube connected to the barrel side containing the effervescent beverage, and a tube connector connecting the connecting tube and the flexible tube. The beverage dispensing device according to claim 5, wherein the tube housing portion comprises, in order from the rear side, a connecting tube housing groove for housing the connecting tube, a connector housing portion for housing the tube connector, and a tube holding portion for housing and holding the flexible tube.

7. The device comprises a tap base and a tap head that covers the upper part of the tap base, and the housing structure is formed by stacking the tap base and the tap head in the vertical direction. The flexible tube is housed in the tube housing inside the tap base, along the sliding direction of the slide piece and horizontally. The slide piece is provided inside the tap head so as to be slidable along the longitudinal direction of the flexible tube housed in the tube housing, The beverage dispensing device according to claim 2, wherein the operating lever is provided on the upper front part of the tap head, extending upward and allowing the slide piece to be slid by tilting in the sliding direction.

8. A support shaft having an axis perpendicular to the sliding direction is provided on the front side of the tap base. The aforementioned tap head is The tap base is connected to the tap base in an openable and closable manner by a pivoting motion around the pivot shaft, and is configured to be positioned in a working position locked on the tap base side and in a maintenance position rotated upward relative to the tap base, In the aforementioned usage position, the flexible tube within the tube housing is held between the tap base and itself, The beverage dispensing device according to claim 7, wherein in the maintenance position, the entire flexible tube is rotated in the tube housing to a position where it can be seen, and the flexible tube can be inserted into and removed from the tube housing.

9. The flexible tube is further equipped with a dispensing nozzle connected to its tip. In the above-mentioned operating position, the dispensing nozzle is pressed and held between the tap base and the tap head. The beverage dispensing device according to claim 8, wherein in the aforementioned maintenance position, the dispensing nozzle can be inserted into and removed from the tube housing.

10. A beverage server characterized by having a beverage dispensing device according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

Images