Water path system and coffee machine

Abstract

Provided are a water path system and a coffee machine. The water path system comprises a water supply assembly, and further comprises: a coffee liquid pipe, wherein a first end thereof is connected to a coffee liquid outlet of a coffee brewer (1); an ice liner (4) comprising an outer chamber (9), and an inner chamber (11) arranged in the outer chamber (9), wherein a water hole (8) for making the outer chamber (9) communicated with the inner chamber (11) is formed in the chamber wall of the inner chamber (11), the outer chamber (9) is connected to the water supply assembly by means of a water supply pipe (3), so that the water supply assembly supplies water into the outer chamber (9), an evaporation pipe (18) used for cooling the water in the outer chamber (9) is provided in the outer chamber (9), and a second end of the coffee liquid pipe passes through the inner chamber (11) and is connected to a water outlet nozzle (2); a water circulation pipe (16), having a first end in communication with the bottom of the outer chamber (9), and a second end in communication with the top of the inner chamber (11); and a circulation pump (17) provided on the water circulation pipe (16) and used for providing circulation power for water in the water circulation pipe (16), so that the water in the outer chamber (9) circulates into the inner chamber (11).

Description

Water system and coffee machine Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of small household appliance technology, and in particular relates to a water system and a coffee machine. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, fully automatic coffee machines on the market typically make iced coffee by adding ice water or ice cubes directly to hot coffee. However, adding ice water or ice cubes makes the coffee weaker and less flavorful.

[0003] There are also methods that use refrigeration structures to cool hot coffee to make iced coffee, but general refrigeration structures have slow cooling speeds and poor cooling effects, which cannot meet user needs and result in a poor user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the above-mentioned problems existing in the prior art, the purpose of this application is to provide a water system and a coffee machine.

[0005] The technical solution adopted in this application embodiment is a water system for a coffee machine, the coffee machine including a body and a coffee brewer and a water outlet disposed on the body, the water system including a water supply component, and the water system further including:

[0006] The coffee liquid pipeline has its first end connected to the coffee liquid outlet of the coffee maker;

[0007] An ice chamber includes an outer chamber and an inner chamber located within the outer chamber. The inner chamber has a water hole on its wall for communication between the outer and inner chambers. The outer chamber is connected to a water supply assembly via a water supply pipe, allowing the water supply assembly to supply water to the outer chamber. An evaporation pipe is located within the outer chamber for cooling the water. A second end of the coffee liquid pipe passes through the inner chamber and is connected to a spout.

[0008] The water circulation pipeline has its first end connected to the bottom of the outer chamber and its second end connected to the top of the inner chamber.

[0009] A circulation pump, which is installed on the water circulation pipeline, is used to provide flow power for the water in the water circulation pipeline so that the water in the outer chamber circulates to the inner chamber.

[0010] The water system of this application adds an ice chamber to directly cool the hot coffee. The ice chamber is designed to include an outer chamber and an inner chamber, so that the water in the inner and outer chambers circulates and the cooling capacity of the evaporator is quickly supplied to the hot coffee, so that the hot coffee is directly turned into iced coffee without changing the strength of the coffee and preserving its richness.

[0011] In an optional embodiment, the water system further includes a first three-way valve and a first three-way pipe;

[0012] The first three-way valve is connected to the water circulation pipeline through its first port and second port, and in the direction of water flow, the first three-way valve is located downstream of the circulation pump;

[0013] The first three-way pipe connects to the coffee liquid pipeline between the coffee maker and the ice chamber via its first and second ports. The third port of the first three-way pipe connects to the third port of the first three-way valve, allowing the circulation pump to draw ice water from the outer chamber when ice coffee is not being prepared. This ice water then flows through the coffee liquid pipeline and exits from the spout. This provides ice water to the user, enhancing the functionality of the water system.

[0014] In an optional embodiment, the water system further includes a second three-way valve. The second three-way valve is connected via its first and second ports to the coffee liquid pipeline between the coffee maker and the first three-way pipe. The third port of the second three-way valve is connected to the spout via a hot coffee pipeline. This provides the user with the function of adding hot coffee to the water system.

[0015] In an optional embodiment, the water system further includes a three-way check valve, an air pump, and a pressure relief chamber. The three-way check valve is connected to the coffee liquid pipeline between the second three-way valve and the first three-way pipe via its first and second ports. The inlet of the air pump is connected to the pressure relief chamber via a first pressure relief pipe, and the outlet of the air pump is connected to the third port of the three-way check valve, so as to blow out the residual liquid in the coffee liquid pipeline through the spout after coffee making. This prevents excess water from affecting the taste of the coffee during the next brewing. It also serves to clean the coffee liquid pipeline, improving hygiene and safety.

[0016] In an optional embodiment, the water system further includes a second pressure relief pipe. The ice chamber is provided with an air inlet communicating with the outer chamber. One end of the second pressure relief pipe is connected to the air inlet, and the other end of the second pressure relief pipe is connected to the pressure relief chamber. When water is added to the outer chamber or ice water is drawn from the outer chamber and sent out from the outlet, the air in the outer chamber is discharged to the pressure relief chamber or the air in the pressure relief chamber is sent into the outer chamber through the second pressure relief pipe, so as to maintain the ice chamber at normal pressure.

[0017] In an optional embodiment, the coffee liquid pipeline includes a first pipe section, a second pipe section, and a third pipe section connected in sequence via pipe fittings. The end of the first pipe section away from the second pipe section forms the first end of the coffee liquid pipeline and is connected to the coffee liquid outlet of the coffee brewer. The second pipe section is located in the inner chamber of the ice chamber and is spiral-shaped. The end of the third pipe section away from the second pipe section is connected to the spout.

[0018] The evaporator tubes are spiral-shaped and arranged around the inner chamber. The structure is reasonable, easy to install, and provides good heat exchange.

[0019] In an optional embodiment, the inner chamber is cylindrical, and multiple rows of water holes are provided on the wall of the inner chamber. Each row of water holes extends along the axial direction of the inner chamber. The multiple rows of water holes are spirally arranged on the wall of the inner chamber, so that the water coming out of the water holes pushes the water in the outer chamber to rotate around the inner chamber in the same direction. This can quickly remove the cold air from the surface of the evaporator tube, achieving the effect of rapid and uniform cooling of the water in the outer chamber.

[0020] In an optional embodiment, the water supply assembly includes a water tank, a water pump, a coffee boiler, a third three-way valve, and a fourth three-way valve;

[0021] One end of the water supply pipeline is connected to the water tank, and the other end of the water supply pipeline is connected to the water inlet of the outer chamber. The water pump is installed on the water supply pipeline so that the water in the water tank can be sent into the outer chamber.

[0022] The third three-way valve is connected to the water supply pipeline through its first and second ports. In the water flow direction, the third three-way valve is located downstream of the water pump. The third port of the third three-way valve is connected to the inlet of the coffee boiler, and the outlet of the coffee boiler is connected to the first port of the fourth three-way valve. The second port of the fourth three-way valve is connected to the inlet of the coffee maker to provide hot water for brewing. The second port of the fourth three-way valve is connected to the pressure relief chamber through a third pressure relief pipeline. The water supply assembly can supply water to both the ice tank and the coffee maker.

[0023] In an optional embodiment, the water system further includes a steam boiler, a fifth three-way valve, and a second three-way pipe. The second three-way pipe connects to the pipeline between the coffee boiler and the third three-way valve via its first and second ports. The third port of the second three-way pipe connects to the first port of the fifth three-way valve, and the second port of the fifth three-way valve connects to the inlet of the steam boiler. The third port of the fifth three-way valve connects to the pressure relief chamber via a fourth pressure relief pipe. The steam outlet of the steam boiler is connected to the water outlet. This system can provide steam to users to meet their needs.

[0024] A coffee machine includes a body and a water supply assembly, a coffee brewer, and a water outlet disposed on the body. The coffee machine also includes the water system described in any of the above embodiments.

[0025] The coffee machine of this application embodiment can quickly cool hot coffee into iced coffee while retaining the coffee's strength and flavor, thus enhancing the user's drinking experience.

[0026] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the embodiments of this application are as follows: By adding an ice chamber to the water system of the coffee machine and an evaporator tube connected to the compressor inside the ice chamber, the coffee liquid pipeline cools the hot coffee through the ice chamber, quickly obtaining iced coffee, and the strength of the iced coffee remains unchanged, preserving the richness of the coffee, so that the coffee machine has multiple functional modes such as iced coffee, hot coffee, ice water, hot water, and steam.

[0027] It should be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and illustrative only, and are not intended to limit this application.

[0028] The overview of various implementations or examples of the technology described in this application is not a full disclosure of the entire scope or all features of the disclosed technology. Attached Figure Description

[0029] In drawings that are not necessarily drawn to scale, the same reference numerals may describe similar parts in different views. The drawings generally illustrate various embodiments by way of example rather than limitation and, together with the description and claims, serve to illustrate the claimed embodiments. Where appropriate, the same reference numerals are used in all drawings to refer to the same or similar parts.

[0030] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the water system according to an embodiment of this application.

[0031] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the ice gallbladder according to an embodiment of this application.

[0032] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the water flow direction and airflow direction for replenishing water to the ice chamber according to an embodiment of this application.

[0033] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the ice-water circulation inside the ice chamber according to an embodiment of this application.

[0034] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the water flow direction and airflow direction for preparing iced espresso in an embodiment of this application.

[0035] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the water flow direction and airflow direction for preparing iced Americano espresso in an embodiment of this application.

[0036] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the water flow direction and airflow direction of the ice water provided in the embodiment of this application.

[0037] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the water flow direction for preparing hot espresso in an embodiment of this application.

[0038] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the water flow direction and airflow direction of hot water and hot steam provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0039] Figure label:

[0040] 1-Coffee maker; 2-Water outlet; 3-Water supply line; 4-Ice chamber; 5-Water outlet surface; 6-Clearance area; 7-First surface; 8-Water hole; 9-Outer chamber; 10-Air inlet; 11-Inner chamber; 12-First pipe section; 13-Second pipe section; 14-Third pipe section; 15-Pipe connector; 16-Water circulation line; 17-Circulation pump; 18-Evaporator; 19-First three-way valve; 20-First three-way pipe; 21-Second three-way valve; 22-Hot coffee line; 23-T-way one-way valve 24-Valve; 25-Air pump; 26-Pressure relief chamber; 27-First pressure relief line; 28-Second pressure relief line; 29-Third pressure relief line; 20-Fourth pressure relief line; 31-Water tank; 32-Water pump; 33-Coffee boiler; 34-Third three-way valve; 35-Flow meter; 36-Protection valve; 37-Fourth three-way valve; 38-Steam boiler; 39-Fifth three-way valve; 40-Float; 41-First proximity switch; 42-Second proximity switch; 43-Temperature sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0041] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the described embodiments of this application without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0042] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this application shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains. The terms "first," "second," and similar terms used in this application do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Terms such as "comprising" or "including" mean that the element or object preceding the word encompasses the elements or objects listed following the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. Terms such as "connected" or "linked" are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. Terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" are used only to indicate relative positional relationships; when the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0043] To keep the following description of the embodiments of this application clear and concise, detailed descriptions of known functions and known components are omitted.

[0044] This application provides a water system that can be used in a coffee machine. The coffee machine includes a body and a coffee brewer 1 and a water outlet 2 disposed on the body.

[0045] As shown in Figure 1, the water system includes a water supply component, a coffee liquid pipeline, an ice tank 4, a water circulation pipeline 16, and a circulation pump 17. The water supply component provides brewing water to the coffee maker 1 to brew coffee liquid, which can flow out through the spout 2 for the user to drink.

[0046] The first end of the coffee liquid pipeline is connected to the coffee liquid outlet of the coffee brewer 1. The brewed coffee liquid from the coffee brewer 1 can be transported through the coffee liquid pipeline. The ice chamber 4 includes an outer chamber 9 and an inner chamber 11 located within the outer chamber 9. The inner chamber 11 has a water hole 8 on its wall for communicating with the outer chamber 9, allowing water from the inner chamber 11 to enter the outer chamber 9 through the water hole 8. The outer chamber 9 is connected to a water supply assembly via a water supply pipeline 3, allowing the water supply assembly to supply water to the outer chamber 9. An evaporation pipe 18 is located within the outer chamber 9 to cool the water inside. The second end of the coffee liquid pipeline passes through the inner chamber 11 and is connected to the water outlet 2. The first end of the water circulation pipeline 16 is connected to the bottom of the outer chamber 9, and the second end is connected to the top of the inner chamber 11. The circulation pump 17 is installed on the water circulation pipeline 16 to provide the flow power for the water in the water circulation pipeline 16 so that the water in the outer chamber 9 can circulate to the inner chamber 11.

[0047] The water system in this embodiment includes an ice chamber 4. The ice chamber 4 uses the evaporator tube 18 of the compressor to produce ice water. Thus, when the coffee brewed by the coffee maker 1 flows through the coffee liquid pipe into the inner chamber 11 of the ice chamber 4, it is cooled by the ice water to form iced coffee. Since no ice water or ice cubes are added to the coffee liquid, the concentration remains unchanged, preserving the richness of the coffee, resulting in a better taste and a better user experience. Moreover, because the water in the outer chamber 9 and inner chamber 11 of the ice chamber 4 circulates under the action of the circulation pump 17, it can quickly remove the cold air from the surface of the evaporator tube 18, achieving a rapid and uniform cooling effect for the water in the ice chamber 4, thereby achieving the purpose of quickly cooling the coffee liquid.

[0048] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG1, the water system further includes a first three-way valve 19 and a first three-way pipe 20. The first three-way valve 19 is connected to the water circulation pipe 16 through its first port and second port, and is located downstream of the circulation pump 17 in the direction of water flow. The first three-way pipe 20 is connected to the coffee liquid pipe between the coffee brewer 1 and the ice chamber 4 through its first port and second port. The third port of the first three-way pipe 20 is connected to the third port of the first three-way valve 19, so that when iced coffee is not being prepared, the circulation pump 17 can draw ice water from the outer chamber 9, allowing the ice water to flow through the coffee liquid pipe and out of the spout 2 to provide ice water to the user. The first port of the first three-way valve 19 is the inlet end, used to connect to the outlet of the circulation pump 17, the second port is normally closed, and the third port is normally open.

[0049] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG1, the water system further includes a second three-way valve 21. The second three-way valve 21 is connected to the coffee liquid pipeline between the coffee maker 1 and the first three-way pipe 20 through its first and second ports. The third port of the second three-way valve 21 is connected to the spout 2 through the hot coffee pipeline 22. In this way, the hot coffee liquid brewed by the coffee maker 1 can flow directly out of the spout 2 through the second three-way valve 21 and the hot coffee pipeline 22 to provide hot coffee to the user. The first port of the second three-way valve 21 is the water inlet, which is used to connect to the liquid outlet of the coffee maker 1. The second port is normally closed, and the third port is normally open.

[0050] In some embodiments, continuing with Figure 1, the water system further includes a three-way check valve 23, an air pump 24, and a pressure relief chamber 25. The three-way check valve 23 is connected to the coffee liquid pipeline between the second three-way valve 21 and the first three-way pipe 20 via its first and second ports, and both ports are normally open. The inlet of the air pump 24 is connected to the pressure relief chamber 25 via the first pressure relief pipe 26, and the outlet of the air pump 24 is connected to the third port of the three-way check valve 23. The third port of the three-way check valve 23 can only conduct in one direction, meaning that only air can be introduced into the coffee liquid pipeline through the first pressure relief pipe 26, while liquid in the coffee liquid pipeline cannot enter the first pressure relief pipe 26 via the three-way check valve 23. After the coffee is made, i.e., after the coffee machine stops working, air is introduced into the coffee liquid pipeline using the air pump 24 to blow out any residual liquid through the spout 2, ensuring that no excess water affects the taste of the coffee when making it next time. It also serves to clean the coffee liquid pipeline, improving hygiene and safety.

[0051] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG1, the water system further includes a second pressure relief pipe 27, and the ice tank 4 is provided with an air inlet 10 communicating with the outer chamber 9. One end of the second pressure relief pipe 27 is connected to the air inlet 10, and the other end of the second pressure relief pipe 27 is connected to the pressure relief chamber 25. When the water supply system replenishes water into the outer chamber 9, the air in the outer chamber 9 is discharged to the pressure relief chamber 25 through the second pressure relief pipe 27 to prevent high pressure from forming in the ice tank 4, which would affect water replenishment. See FIG3, where the double arrows indicate the direction of gas flow. Furthermore, when the circulating pump 17 draws ice water from the outer chamber 9 and sends it out from the water outlet 2 to provide ice water to the user, the air in the outer chamber 9 can be discharged to the pressure relief chamber 25 through the second pressure relief pipe 27 to prevent negative pressure from forming in the ice tank 4, which would be detrimental to the extraction of ice water.

[0052] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG1, the coffee liquid pipeline includes a first pipe section 12, a second pipe section 13, and a third pipe section 14 connected sequentially via a pipe connector 15. The end of the first pipe section 12 away from the second pipe section 13 forms the first end of the coffee liquid pipeline (the upper end of the first pipe section 12 in FIG1) and is connected to the coffee liquid outlet of the coffee brewer 1. The second pipe section 13 is located in the inner chamber 11 of the ice chamber 4 and is spiral-shaped, i.e., the second pipe section 13 is a spiral tube. The end of the third pipe section 14 away from the second pipe section 13 is connected to the water outlet 2. The evaporation tube 18 is spiral-shaped and arranged around the inner chamber 11. That is, both the evaporation tube 18 and the second pipe section 13 are spirally coiled to form a sleeve-like structure with an outer contour, rather than spirally coiled in a plane. In this way, the flow path of the fluid can be extended, and the beverage and the ice water in the inner chamber can be fully heat-exchanged, so that the beverage reaches a lower temperature and forms an iced drink. The above structure is reasonable. By designing the coffee liquid pipeline in a segmented form, it is easy to lay out. Moreover, the second pipe segment 13 located in the inner chamber 11 of the ice tank 4 is designed as a spiral tube, which can extend the flow path of the coffee liquid, allowing the coffee liquid to fully exchange heat with the ice water in the ice tank 4, so that the coffee liquid reaches a lower temperature and forms iced coffee. The evaporator tube 18 is designed as a spiral, which can fully contact the water in the outer chamber 9 to improve the heat exchange effect. The cold energy of the evaporator tube 18 is quickly and effectively transferred to the water in the outer chamber 9, so that the water in the outer chamber 9 is cooled into ice water.

[0053] Specifically, the axis of the sleeve-like structure formed by the second tube section 13 is collinear with the axis of the inner chamber 11, and the axis of the sleeve-like structure formed by the evaporator tube 18 is also collinear with the axis of the inner chamber 11. In this way, the cooling capacity of the evaporator tube 18 can be evenly distributed, and the water in the inner and outer chambers 9 can be cooled more evenly.

[0054] During operation, water in the outer chamber 9 enters the inner chamber 11 through the circulation pump 17. Water in the inner chamber 11 then enters the outer chamber 9 through the surrounding water holes 8, forming a water circulation. The circulating water through the surrounding water holes 8 pushes the water in the outer chamber 9, causing the water in the outer chamber 9 to flow in a fully circulating state, thereby achieving the effect of rapidly cooling the water in the entire ice chamber 4. When hot coffee liquid passes through the spiral tube of the second pipe section 13, the ice water in the inner chamber 11 absorbs the heat of the hot coffee liquid and heats up. The hot coffee liquid releases heat and can quickly cool down to form iced coffee. Due to the operation of the circulation pump 17, the ice water in the outer chamber 9 is circulated into the inner chamber 11 through the first three-way valve 19, keeping the water in the inner chamber 11 in an ice water state, continuously and rapidly cooling the hot coffee liquid flowing through the spiral tube. When the heated water in the inner chamber 11 flows out through the surrounding water holes 8 and enters the outer chamber 9, it is dispersed and continuously cooled by the evaporation tube 18 of the outer chamber 9, achieving a rapid cooling effect, so that the water in the outer chamber 9 can also be kept in an ice water state.

[0055] As shown in Figure 1, a temperature sensor 43 can be installed in the inner chamber 11 of the ice chamber 4 to monitor the water temperature. The temperature sensor 43 can be, for example, an NTC sensor. The temperature sensor 43 and the circulation pump 17 are connected to the coffee machine's controller. When the temperature sensor 43 detects that the water temperature in the inner chamber 11 is lower than a first set temperature (e.g., 1 degree Celsius), it sends a first signal to the controller. The controller then stops the evaporator tube 18 and the circulation pump 17. When the temperature sensor 43 detects that the water temperature in the inner chamber 11 is higher than a second set temperature (e.g., 6 degrees Celsius), it sends a second signal to the controller. The controller then starts the evaporator tube 18 and the circulation pump 17. The second set temperature is higher than the first set temperature. By using the temperature sensor 43, the operation of the evaporator tube 18 and the circulation pump 17 can be controlled according to the water temperature in the inner chamber 11, avoiding energy waste caused by continuous operation of the evaporator tube 18 and the circulation pump 17.

[0056] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG2, the inner chamber 11 is cylindrical, and a plurality of water outlet surfaces 5 are provided around its circumference on the cavity wall of the inner chamber 11. The water outlet surfaces 5 are vertical surfaces extending along the axial direction of the inner chamber 11. Each water outlet surface 5 is provided with a plurality of water holes 8 from top to bottom, so that the water coming out of the water holes 8 can push the water in the outer chamber 9 to rotate around the inner chamber 11 in the same direction. That is, the water coming out of the water holes 8 can agitate the water in the outer chamber 9. The uniform rotation can quickly remove the cold energy from the surface of the evaporator tube 18, achieving the effect of rapid and uniform cooling of the water. Moreover, by arranging a plurality of water holes 8 in a row, the pressure of the water sent into the inner chamber 11 by the circulating pump 17 can be increased, which can increase the impact force of the water sprayed from the water holes 8 on the water in the outer chamber 9, making the rotation speed of the water in the outer chamber 9 faster, and further improving the heat exchange rate between the water in the outer chamber 9 and the evaporator tube 18.

[0057] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG2, the inner chamber 11 is cylindrical, the water outlet surface 5 is located in the radial direction of the inner chamber 11, and the water hole 8 is perpendicular to the water outlet surface 5, so that the water hole 8 can discharge water along the tangential direction of the outer peripheral surface of the inner chamber 11. This design is convenient to manufacture, and the smooth water ejection from the inner chamber facilitates the rotation of the water in the outer chamber 9, achieving rapid cooling of the water in the outer chamber 9.

[0058] Referring back to Figure 2, a clearance zone 6 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the inner chamber 11 facing the water hole 8. The clearance zone 6 includes a first surface 7 that connects to the outer peripheral surface of the inner chamber 11 on one side, and a second surface that connects to the opposite side of the first surface 7. The water outlet surface 5 constitutes the second surface of the clearance zone 6. Both the first surface 7 and the second surface are planar. By setting the clearance zone 6, the outer peripheral surface of the inner chamber 11 is prevented from obstructing the water sprayed from the water hole 8, thus avoiding affecting the spiral rotation of the water in the outer chamber 9. Moreover, the first surface 7 also guides the flow of the water sprayed from the water hole 8, which is more conducive to driving the water in the outer chamber 9 to flow in a spiral shape.

[0059] The clearance zone 6 has an approximately triangular cross-section in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the inner chamber 11, that is, the clearance zone 6 is approximately triangular prism-shaped, with the first surface 7 and the water outlet surface 5 forming two faces of the triangular prism respectively. The straight water flow ejected from the water hole 8 enters the outer cavity through the clearance zone 6 without colliding with the outer surface of the inner chamber 11.

[0060] The water outlet surface 5 can be evenly distributed around the outer periphery of the inner cavity 11, and the multiple water holes 8 on each water outlet surface 5 are also evenly distributed to make the water outlet uniform and drive the water in the outer cavity 9 to flow at a uniform speed, and the water temperature in the outer cavity 9 is also more uniform.

[0061] Referring to Figure 1, the water supply components include a water tank 30, a water pump 31, a coffee boiler 32, a third three-way valve 33, and a fourth three-way valve 36.

[0062] One end of the water supply pipe 3 is connected to the water tank 30, and the other end of the water supply pipe 3 is connected to the water inlet of the outer chamber 9. The water pump 31 is installed on the water supply pipe 3. Through the water supply pipe 3 and the water pump 31, the water in the water tank 30 can be sent into the outer chamber 9 to replenish the ice chamber 4, so that the ice chamber 4 has a certain amount of water to cool the hot coffee liquid. See Figure 3. In Figure 3, the single arrow indicates the direction of water flow. Furthermore, a float 40 is provided inside the outer chamber 9, and a first proximity switch 41 and a second proximity switch 42 located above the first proximity switch 41 are provided on the outer wall of the ice chamber 4. The float 40 can rise and fall between the first proximity switch 41 and the second proximity switch 42 due to changes in the water level inside the outer chamber 9. When the first proximity switch 41 senses the float 40, it indicates that the ice chamber 4 is in a water shortage state. The first proximity switch 41 sends a signal to the controller of the coffee machine, and the controller controls the water pump 31 to draw water from the water tank 30 and enter the ice chamber 4 through the third three-way valve 33. The air in the ice chamber 4 is discharged into the pressure relief chamber 25 through the second pressure relief pipe. When the second proximity switch 42 senses the float 40, it indicates that the ice chamber 4 is in a full water state. The second proximity switch 42 sends a signal to the controller of the coffee machine, and the controller controls the water pump 31 to stop working.

[0063] The third three-way valve 33 is connected to the water supply pipe 3 through its first and second ports. In the water flow direction, the third three-way valve 33 is located downstream of the water pump 31. The third port of the third three-way valve 33 is connected to the inlet of the coffee boiler 32, and the outlet of the coffee boiler 32 is connected to the first port of the fourth three-way valve 36. The second port of the fourth three-way valve 36 is connected to the inlet of the coffee maker 1 to provide hot water for brewing. That is, when the water pump 31 starts, it can send water from the water tank 30 into the coffee boiler 32 to heat it into hot water. The hot water enters the coffee maker 1 to brew coffee powder, forming hot coffee liquid. The hot coffee liquid can enter the ice chamber 4 through the coffee liquid pipe to quickly cool into iced coffee, and then be provided to the user through the spout 2. Alternatively, the hot coffee liquid can directly enter the spout 2 through the hot coffee pipe 22 to provide hot coffee to the user, meeting different user needs. The second port of the fourth three-way valve 36 is connected to the pressure relief chamber 25 through the third pressure relief pipe 28, which can discharge gas from the pipe to ensure the normal operation of the system. The third three-way valve 33 has a first port that is the water inlet, used to connect to the outlet of the water pump 31; the second port is normally closed; and the third port is normally open. The fourth three-way valve 36 has a first port that is the water inlet, used to connect to the water inlet of the coffee maker 1; the second port is normally closed; and the third port is normally open.

[0064] A flow meter 34 can be installed between the water pump 31 and the water tank 30 as needed. The flow meter 34 is used to detect the amount of water pumped by the water pump 31. In addition, a protective valve 35 can be installed at the outlet of the water pump 31. The protective valve 35 is used to limit the water flow and pressure to prevent damage or explosion of pipelines or equipment due to excessive flow and excessive pressure. At the same time, the protective valve 35 can also automatically open in an emergency to quickly reduce the pressure of pipelines or equipment, thereby improving the safety of the water system.

[0065] As shown in Figure 1, the water system also includes a steam boiler 37, a fifth three-way valve 38, and a second three-way pipe 39. The second three-way pipe 39 connects to the pipeline between the coffee boiler 32 and the third three-way valve 33 via its first and second ports. The third port of the second three-way pipe 39 connects to the first port of the fifth three-way valve 38, and the second port of the fifth three-way valve 38 connects to the inlet of the steam boiler 37. The third port of the fifth three-way valve 38 connects to the pressure relief chamber 25 via a fourth pressure relief pipe 29. The steam outlet of the steam boiler 37 is connected to the water outlet 2. Thus, hot water heated by the coffee boiler 32 can be sent to the steam boiler 37 to be heated into steam, which is then discharged through the water outlet 2. Users can use the steam for tasks such as frothing milk. The first port of the fifth three-way valve 38 is the inlet, used to connect to the inlet of the steam boiler 37; the second port is normally closed, and the third port is normally open.

[0066] It is understood that the term "waterway" in this application refers to pipelines through which fluid media such as steam, coffee liquid, hot water, and cold water flow, and is not limited to pipelines through which water flows. "Water flow" refers to any liquid flow other than airflow.

[0067] It is understood that the pressure relief chamber 25 in this application is a container that is kept in communication with the outside world so that its interior is kept at normal pressure. By setting the pressure relief chamber 25, the gas discharged from the pipeline can be buffered to avoid direct spraying and causing harm to the user.

[0068] It should be noted that the evaporator tube 18 in this application can be connected in series in a compression refrigeration cycle system. The refrigerant is circulated into the evaporator tube 18 by the power provided by the compressor in the compression refrigeration cycle system, and absorbs heat from the water in the outer chamber 9 by evaporation.

[0069] The three-way valves mentioned above can be selected as three-way solenoid valves to achieve electric control.

[0070] In the water system of this application embodiment, an ice tank 4 is added to the coffee liquid pipeline, and an evaporation tube 18 that cooperates with the compressor is added to the outer chamber 9 of the ice tank 4 to make ice water. The inner chamber 11 of the ice tank 4 is provided with a spiral tube for allowing water or coffee liquid to pass through. Water from the outer chamber 9 enters the inner chamber 11 through the circulation pump 17. Water from the inner chamber 11 then enters the outer chamber 9 through the water holes 8 on the inner chamber wall, forming a water circulation. The circulating water through the water holes 8 can push the water in the outer chamber 9, forming a comprehensive water flow (see Figure 4, where the arrows indicate the direction of the ice water circulation). When water or hot coffee liquid passes through the spiral tube, it releases heat to the ice water in the inner chamber 11, raising the temperature of the ice water. The circulation pump 17 circulates the ice water from the outer chamber 9 back into the inner chamber 11, rapidly cooling the water or hot coffee flowing through the spiral tube. The heated water in the inner chamber 11 is dispersed when it circulates out through the water holes 8 around the inner chamber wall and is continuously cooled by the evaporation tube 18 of the outer chamber 9. In this way, a rapid cooling effect is achieved.

[0071] It is understood that the lengths of the first segment 12 and the third segment 14 of the coffee liquid pipeline in this application are merely schematic diagrams, showing a layout for ease of drawing. In practice, their lengths can be set as short as possible to make the structure compact and shorten the flow path of coffee entering and exiting the ice chamber 4, ensuring that the temperature of the iced coffee meets drinking requirements. That is, the ice chamber 4 is located at the liquid outlet of the coffee brewer 1 and is adjacent to the spout 2.

[0072] This application also provides a coffee machine, which includes a body and a water supply component, a coffee brewer 1 and a water outlet 2 disposed on the body. The coffee machine also includes a water system in any of the above embodiments.

[0073] The coffee machine of this application embodiment can quickly cool hot coffee into iced coffee while retaining its strength and flavor, thus enhancing the user's drinking experience. Furthermore, the coffee machine of this application has multiple functions to meet different user needs. These functions mainly include: iced espresso function, iced Americano function, iced water function, hot espresso function, and steam and hot water function.

[0074] Iced Italian Coffee Function: After the coffee brewer 1 completes the coffee maker tamping process, the water pump 31 draws water from the water tank 30 and enters the coffee boiler 32 through the third three-way valve 33, heating the water into hot water. The hot water then enters the coffee brewer 1 through the fourth three-way valve 36 to brew coffee, producing hot coffee liquid. The hot coffee liquid enters the first section 12 of the coffee liquid pipeline and passes through the second three-way valve 21, the three-way check valve 23, and the first three-way pipe 20 in sequence to enter the second section 13 (spiral tube) located in the ice chamber 4 for cooling. The cooled iced coffee enters the third section 14 and flows out from the spout 2 into the user's cup, providing the user with a fragrant and mellow iced Italian coffee. After the coffee is brewed, the air pump 24 starts, and air is blown into the coffee liquid pipeline through the first pressure relief pipeline 26 and through the three-way check valve 23 and the first three-way pipe 20 to blow out any residual coffee liquid in the coffee liquid pipeline, ensuring the cleanliness of the coffee liquid pipeline and the taste of the coffee. See Figure 5. In Figure 5, a single arrow indicates the direction of water flow, and a double arrow indicates the direction of airflow.

[0075] Iced Americano function: After the coffee brewer 1 completes the coffee grounds tamping process, the water pump 31 draws water from the water tank 30 and enters the coffee boiler 32 through the third three-way valve 33, heating the water in the water tank 30 into hot water. The hot water then enters the coffee brewer 1 through the fourth three-way valve 36 to brew the coffee, producing hot coffee liquid. The hot coffee liquid enters the first section 12 of the coffee liquid pipeline and sequentially passes through the second three-way valve 21, the three-way check valve 23, and the first three-way pipe 20 into the second section 13 (spiral tube) located inside the ice chamber 4 for cooling. The cooled iced coffee enters the third section 14 and flows out from the spout 2 into the user's cup; the coffee is now brewed and the cycle continues. Pump 17 draws water from the outer chamber 9 of the ice tank 4. The drawn water enters the spiral tube of the second pipe section 13 through the first three-way valve 19 and the first three-way pipe 20, and flows out from the spout 2 into a cup containing iced coffee liquid, mixing with the iced coffee liquid to form iced Americano. At the same time, air enters the outer chamber 9 of the ice tank 4 through the second pressure relief pipe, preventing negative pressure from forming inside the ice tank 4. After the circulation pump 17 completes the water pumping action, the air pump 24 starts, blowing air into the coffee liquid pipeline through the first pressure relief pipe 26 and through the three-way check valve 23 and the first three-way pipe 20 to blow out any residual water in the coffee liquid pipeline, ensuring that no excess water affects the taste of the coffee when making it next time. See Figure 6, where a single arrow indicates the direction of water flow and a double arrow indicates the direction of airflow.

[0076] Ice water function: The circulation pump 17 draws water from the outer chamber 9 of the ice tank 4, which then flows through the first three-way valve 19 and the first three-way pipe 20 into the spiral tube of the second pipe section 13. The water then flows through the third pipe section 14 and out through the spout 2 into the user's cup. Simultaneously, air enters the ice tank 4 through the second pressure relief pipe, preventing negative pressure from forming inside the ice tank 4. After the circulation pump 17 completes its water extraction, the air pump 24 starts, blowing air through the first pressure relief pipe 26 and via the three-way check valve 23 and the first three-way pipe 20 into the coffee liquid pipe. This blows out any residual water in the coffee liquid pipe, keeping the second pipe section 13 dry and ensuring that no excess water affects the taste of the coffee during the next brewing. See Figure 7, where a single arrow indicates the water flow direction and a double arrow indicates the airflow direction.

[0077] Hot espresso function: After the coffee maker 1 completes the coffee grounds tamping process, the water pump 31 draws water from the water tank 30 and enters the coffee boiler 32 through the third three-way valve 33, heating the water in the water tank 30 into hot water. The hot water then enters the coffee maker 1 through the fourth three-way valve 36 to brew the coffee, producing hot coffee liquid. The hot coffee liquid enters the hot coffee pipeline 22 through the second three-way valve 21 and flows out from the spout 2 into the user's cup, completing the preparation of hot espresso. See Figure 8, where the arrows indicate the direction of water flow.

[0078] Steam and hot water function: Water pump 31 draws water from water tank 30 and enters coffee boiler 32 through third three-way valve 33, heating the water in water tank 30 into hot water. The hot water then enters steam boiler 37 through second three-way pipe 39 and fifth three-way valve 38, where it is heated into steam or hot water and flows out from outlet 2 for user use. See Figure 9, where a single arrow indicates the water flow direction and a double arrow indicates the steam or hot water flow direction.

[0079] The coffee machine described in this application is fully functional and can meet a variety of different user needs, thereby enhancing the user experience.

[0080] The above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make variations, modifications, substitutions, and alterations to the above embodiments within the scope of this disclosure. Moreover, the above examples (or one or more of them) can be used in combination with each other, and these embodiments can be combined with each other in various combinations or arrangements.

Claims

1. A water system for a coffee machine, the coffee machine comprising a body and a coffee brewer (1) and a water outlet (2) disposed on the body, the water system comprising a water supply assembly, characterized in that, The waterway system also includes: The coffee liquid pipeline has its first end connected to the coffee liquid outlet of the coffee brewer (1); Ice chamber (4), comprising an outer chamber (9) and an inner chamber (11) disposed within the outer chamber (9), wherein the inner chamber (11) has a water hole (8) on its wall for communicating with the outer chamber (9) and the inner chamber (11); the outer chamber (9) is connected to the water supply assembly via a water supply pipe (3) so that the water supply assembly supplies water to the outer chamber (9); the outer chamber (9) is provided with an evaporation pipe (18) for cooling the water in the outer chamber (9); the second end of the coffee liquid pipe passes through the inner chamber (11) and is connected to the water outlet (2); A water circulation pipe (16) has its first end connected to the bottom of the outer chamber (9) and its second end connected to the top of the inner chamber (11); A circulation pump (17) is installed on the water circulation pipeline (16) to provide flow power for the water in the water circulation pipeline (16) so that the water in the outer chamber (9) circulates to the inner chamber (11).

2. The water system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water system also includes a first three-way valve (19) and a first three-way pipe (20); The first three-way valve (19) is connected to the water circulation pipeline (16) through its first port and second port, and in the direction of water flow, the first three-way valve (19) is located downstream of the circulation pump (17); The first three-way pipe (20) is connected to the coffee liquid pipeline between the coffee brewer (1) and the ice chamber (4) through its first and second ports. The third port of the first three-way pipe (20) is connected to the third port of the first three-way valve (19) so that when iced coffee is not being prepared, the circulation pump (17) can draw ice water from the outer chamber (9) so that the ice water flows through the coffee liquid pipeline and flows out from the spout (2).

3. The water system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The water system also includes a second three-way valve (21), which is connected to the coffee liquid pipeline between the coffee brewer (1) and the first three-way pipe (20) through its first port and second port. The third port of the second three-way valve (21) is connected to the water outlet (2) through the hot coffee pipeline (22).

4. The water system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The water system also includes a three-way check valve (23), an air pump (24), and a pressure relief chamber (25); the three-way check valve (23) is connected to the coffee liquid pipeline between the second three-way valve (21) and the first three-way pipe (20) through its first port and second port; the inlet of the air pump (24) is connected to the pressure relief chamber (25) through the first pressure relief pipeline (26), and the outlet of the air pump (24) is connected to the third port of the three-way check valve (23) so as to blow out the residual liquid in the coffee liquid pipeline through the spout (2) after the coffee is made.

5. The water system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The water system also includes a second pressure relief pipe (27). The ice tank (4) is provided with an air inlet (10) that communicates with the outer chamber (9). One end of the second pressure relief pipe (27) is connected to the air inlet (10), and the other end of the second pressure relief pipe (27) is connected to the pressure relief chamber (25). When water is added to the outer chamber (9) or ice water is drawn from the outer chamber (9) and sent out from the water outlet (2), the air in the outer chamber (9) is discharged to the pressure relief chamber (25) or the air in the pressure relief chamber (25) is sent into the outer chamber (9) through the second pressure relief pipe (27) so that the ice tank (4) is kept at normal pressure.

6. The water system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The coffee liquid pipeline includes a first pipe section (12), a second pipe section (13), and a third pipe section (14) connected in sequence via a pipe connector (15). The end of the first pipe section (12) away from the second pipe section (13) forms the first end of the coffee liquid pipeline and is connected to the coffee liquid outlet of the coffee brewer (1). The second pipe section (13) is located in the inner chamber (11) of the ice chamber (4) and is spiral-shaped. The end of the third pipe section (14) away from the second pipe section (13) is connected to the spout (2). The evaporation tube (18) is spiral-shaped and arranged around the inner chamber (11).

7. The water system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The inner chamber (11) is cylindrical, and multiple rows of water holes (8) are provided on the wall of the inner chamber (11). Each row of water holes (8) extends along the axial direction of the inner chamber (11). The multiple rows of water holes (8) are spiral in shape on the wall of the inner chamber (11) so that the water coming out of the water holes (8) pushes the water in the outer chamber (9) to rotate around the inner chamber (11) in the same direction.

8. The water system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water supply components include a water tank (30), a water pump (31), a coffee boiler (32), a third three-way valve (33), and a fourth three-way valve (36); One end of the water supply pipe (3) is connected to the water tank (30), and the other end of the water supply pipe (3) is connected to the water inlet of the outer chamber (9). The water pump (31) is installed on the water supply pipe (3) so that the water in the water tank (30) can be sent into the outer chamber (9). The third three-way valve (33) is connected to the water supply pipeline (3) through its first port and second port. In the direction of water flow, the third three-way valve (33) is located downstream of the water pump (31). The third port of the third three-way valve (33) is connected to the inlet of the coffee boiler (32). The outlet of the coffee boiler (32) is connected to the first port of the fourth three-way valve (36). The second port of the fourth three-way valve (36) is connected to the inlet of the coffee brewer (1) to provide hot water for brewing. The second port of the fourth three-way valve (36) is connected to the pressure relief chamber (25) through the third pressure relief pipeline (28).

9. The water system according to claim 8, characterized in that, The water system also includes a steam boiler (37), a fifth three-way valve (38), and a second three-way pipe (39). The second three-way pipe (39) is connected to the pipeline between the coffee boiler (32) and the third three-way valve (33) through its first and second ports. The third port of the second three-way pipe (39) is connected to the first port of the fifth three-way valve (38). The second port of the fifth three-way valve (38) is connected to the inlet of the steam boiler (37). The third port of the fifth three-way valve (38) is connected to the pressure relief chamber (25) through a fourth pressure relief pipe (29). The steam outlet of the steam boiler (37) is connected to the water outlet (2).

10. A coffee machine, comprising a body and a water supply assembly, a coffee brewer (1), and a water outlet (2) disposed on the body, characterized in that, The coffee machine also includes the water system as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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