JPH057279B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION a. Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to an automatic beverage supply device equipped with an ice maker, and more particularly to a structure for treating residual water remaining in an ice making tank of an ice maker.

b. Prior Art Conventionally, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 58-99678, an auger-type ice maker has been used in an automatic beverage supply device equipped with an ice maker for selling drinks with ice grains added thereto. It is common to do so. This type of ice maker continuously supplies ice-making water into a cylinder with an evaporator wrapped around its outer periphery, and scrapes off the ice layer that forms on the inner surface of the cylinder by rotating an auger with spiral blades. The ice grains scraped off in this way are then supplied to the beverage.

However, in this auger-type ice maker, especially when the ice-making water used is hard water that contains a lot of minerals such as cylinders, the concentration of minerals that increase as the ice maker is operated can be absorbed by the auger. deposited on the bearing part,
Since this causes early wear of the bearing, a large amount of expense is required for its maintenance.

Furthermore, attempts have been made to use batch-type ice makers instead of the auger-type ice makers described above. This batch type ice maker alternately repeats an ice making cycle and a deicing cycle. In each ice-making cycle, the ice-making water in the ice-making water tank is circulated and supplied to an ice-making member such as an ice-making plate or an ice-making cell, and ice is made there. Hot gas is passed through and the generated ice is separated from the ice making member and collected.

When using such a batch-type ice maker, there is no rotating member such as an auger, so the above-mentioned disadvantages such as early wear of the bearing part are eliminated, but
Due to the batch system, residual water remains in the ice making water tank after each ice making cycle. If the remaining water is left as it is and the ice-making water needed for the next ice-making cycle is added on top of the remaining water, the silica in the circulating ice-making water will gradually become concentrated and increase, which may reduce the quality of the ice made. There is sex. For this reason, the ice-making residual water must be discharged as needed depending on the water quality.

c Problems to be Solved by the Invention As mentioned above, the batch type ice maker has the problem of disposing of the remaining ice water, so the batch type ice maker is incorporated into an automatic beverage supply device and used as a vending machine. Then, the following problem arises.
That is, in the case of a vending machine, it is not always possible to install it in a place where there is a drainage channel, so a new drainage channel must be constructed, which in turn causes a significant increase in costs. Otherwise, a separate container must be installed inside the vending machine to catch the remaining water, but in order to prevent the remaining water from overflowing from the container, the amount of remaining water in the container must be checked frequently or the container itself must be If the ice maker has a large capacity, or if the remaining water in the container reaches the specified water level,
Therefore, special measures are required to stop the operation of the vending machine.

Therefore, although the batch type ice maker is superior to the auger type ice maker in the above-mentioned respects, it has actually been hardly used as an automatic beverage dispensing device.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an excellent automatic beverage dispensing device that does not require frequent inspections or maintenance, provides excellent ice quality, and does not require a particularly large increase in costs. do.

d. Means for Solving the Problems In view of the above object, the ice making machine of the present invention has an ice making member to which an evaporator is attached, an ice making water tank, a water supply pipe with a pump, and a water sprinkler, and the ice making machine has an ice making member to which an evaporator is attached, an ice making water tank, a water supply pipe with a pump, and a water sprinkler. Ice making water circulates through these.

Furthermore, in the present invention, a cold water supply line is provided between the water supply pipe connected to the bottom of the ice making water tank and the beverage sales cup placed on the bend stand, and this cold water supply line is connected to an electric water pump. That is, it has a drinking water pump and a first electromagnetic on-off valve, that is, a cold water valve.

Furthermore, in the present invention, a carbonated water supply line is arranged between the cold water supply line near the outlet end of the drinking water pump and the above-mentioned tap, but this is because a second electromagnetic on-off valve, that is, a cold water supply line, is installed in the cold water supply line. It has a carbonator that is connected via a valve and receives pressure from a carbon dioxide gas cylinder, and a third electromagnetic on-off valve, that is, a carbonated water valve.

e Effect According to the present invention, the ice grains supplied in the beverage:
In an ice-making cycle in which ice-making water is sent from an ice-making water tank to a sprinkler and sprinkled on an ice-making member, it is generated on the ice-making member, and in a subsequent de-icing cycle, it is separated from the ice-making member and stored in an ice stocker.

The ice-making water tank holds a predetermined amount of water (including ice-making residual water) through the cooperation of a built-in float switch and water supply valve, and this water is supplied to the first electromagnetic tank in response to a sales signal. On-off valve and/or second
When the electromagnetic on-off valve and the third electromagnetic on-off valve are opened, the cold water is supplied to the cup through the cold water supply line and/or the carbon dioxide supply line. That is, the ice-making residual water is consumed together with the supplied water or as carbonated water before the water quality deteriorates.

f Examples Preferred examples of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

FIG. 1 shows a water circuit of an automatic beverage supply device with an ice maker according to the present invention. In the figure, a vertical ice-making plate (ice-making member) 2, which may be a well-known type, is placed at the top of the ice-making machine or ice-making mechanism 1, and an ice-making water tank 3 for storing ice-making water is placed at the bottom. It is set up. Water sprinkler 1 located above the ice making plate 2
0 is connected to a water supply pipe 8 extending from the bottom of the ice making water 3, and the water supply pipe 8 is equipped with a pump 7.

Below the ice making plate 2, there is an inclined ice guide plate 11, and further below that, a water receptacle 12 is provided. Together with this, it forms a circulation passage for ice-making water during the ice-making cycle.

A meandering evaporator 2a connected to a compressor (not shown) is provided on the back side of the ice-making plate 2. During the ice-making cycle, an expansion means (not shown) is connected to the compressor.
A refrigerant is supplied and circulated through the ice-making plate 2 to cool the ice-making plate 2. During the deicing cycle, a hot gas valve (not shown) opens and hot gas is supplied to the evaporator 2a.
The ice making plate 2 is heated and the ice is released from the ice making plate 2.

An ice stocker 5 having a built-in screw 4 driven by a motor 6 is installed at an angle below the ice guide plate 11, and receives and stores ice grains that have fallen away from the ice making plate 2 during the deicing cycle. . The ice discharge port 24 of the ice stocker 5 faces the chute 25 extending toward the tip 27a placed on the bend stage 27, and the hole 9 for returning melted ice faces the chute 25.
is bored at the lower end of the slope of the ice stocker 5 so as to face the top surface of the ice making water tank 3.

The ice-making water tank 3 is provided with a float switch 14 for water level control, and is connected to the water supply end of a water supply pipe 16 which is provided with a water supply valve 15 and communicates with a water supply (not shown).

Beverage supply device 1 whose structure itself may be of a well-known type
On the 7 side, there is a drinking water pump (electric water pump) 18
A pipe 19 having a diameter is provided to communicate with the water supply pipe 8, and the outlet end 19a of this pipe (cold water supply line) 19 is further provided with a first electromagnetic shut-off valve, that is, a cold water valve 36, and is connected to the above-mentioned tap 27a. It extends above.

The carbonator 20 with a built-in water level control switch 21 is connected to the piping 19 via a second electromagnetic on-off valve, that is, a cold water valve 37, and is connected to the piping (carbonated water supply It opens above the tap 27a at its outlet end 32a via a line 32. A carbon dioxide gas cylinder 23 containing pressurized carbon dioxide gas is connected to the syrup tank 22 via a pipe 29 having a pressure regulating valve 28, and to the carbonator 20 via a pipe 31 branched from the pipe 29. The pipe 31 has a pressure regulating valve 30, and the regulated pressure of carbon dioxide acts on the liquid level of syrup in the syrup tank 22 and the liquid level of carbonated water in the carbonator 20. A pipe 33 extending from the syrup tank 22 is provided with a syrup valve 35, and extends above the syrup tank 27a and opens. When the cold water valve 37 opens, the carbonator 20 receives a supply of cold water from the ice-making water tank 3. On the other hand, when the carbonated water valve 34 and the syrup valve 35 open, a predetermined amount of carbonated water is dispensed from the carbonator 20 and a predetermined amount of syrup is dispensed from the syrup tank 22. 2
It is poured into 7a.

Next, the operation of the automatic beverage supply device with ice maker having the above-described configuration will be explained in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

When the power is turned on, the lower limit switch 14c and the second upper limit switch 14b are both closed when there is no water in the ice making water tank 3, so the relay _X1 is energized via the lower limit switch 14c and the Normally open contact X ₁₁ closes, first water supply valve 1
5 is energized and opened, and tap water is sent into the ice-making water tank of the ice-making mechanism section 1 and stored therein. As water is supplied into the ice-making water tank 3 from the water supply valve 15, the internal water level rises, and the lower limit switch 1
4c is turned off, but water supply continues because relay X ₅ is energized and its normally open contact X ₅₁ is closed, self-holding relay X ₁ via normally open contact X ₁₂ . When the water level further rises, the second upper limit switch 14b is turned off, the water supply valve 15 is closed, and water supply is stopped. Also, during the ice-making cycle, when the water level in the ice-making water tank 3 decreases and reaches the lower limit switch 14c, the lower limit switch 14c is turned on, and the water supply valve 15
Open and resume water supply. That is, the water level in the ice making water tank 3 fluctuates between water levels b and c during the ice making cycle.

There are still ice particles 2 in the stocker 5 shown in Figure 1.
6 is absent, the ice storage switch SW ₁ is open, and the compressor CM, via the normally closed contact TM ₁₁ of the timer TM ₁ ,
Power is applied to the fan motor FM, etc., and the ice making cycle begins. In the ice-making cycle, water in the ice-making water tank 3 is sent to the water sprinkler 10 via the water supply pipe 8 by the pump 7 (not shown in FIG. 2), and is sprinkled on the surface of the ice-making plate 2. , flows down, is collected in the water receiver 12 and circulated back to the ice making water tank 3. Since the refrigerant from the compressor CM is supplied and circulated to the evaporator 2a through an expansion means (not shown), the ice-making water is gradually cooled and ice is formed on the surface of the ice-making plate 2.

When ice-making completion is detected by a well-known ice-making completion detection means, a de-icing cycle begins. The pump 7 is stopped, water supply to the ice making plate 2 is stopped, and the hot gas valve HV is opened, and the compressed refrigerant from the compressor CM is transferred to the evaporator 2a as hot gas without passing through the expansion means.
supplied to As a result, the ice making plate 2 is warmed,
The adhering ice surface melts and separates from the ice making plate 2,
Fall into the ice stocker 5. When the ice falls and the temperature of the ice-making plate 2 rises, the de-icing thermometer SW ₂ is turned on to energize the timer TM ₂ , and after a predetermined time, the contact TM ₂₁ is closed and the relay X ₃ is energized. Therefore, the normally open contact _X31 of the relay _X3 is closed and the fan motor FM is turned on, and the normally closed contact _X32 is opened and the hot gas valve HV is closed, and the ice making cycle begins.

In this way, the ice-making and de-icing cycles are repeated alternately until the ice stocker 5 is sufficiently stocked with ice grains 26 and the ice storage switch SW ₁ is turned on. During the ice making cycle, the water level in the ice making water tank 3 is
When the water level drops to c, the lower limit switch 14c closes and the water supply valve 15 opens to supply water, and water supply continues until the water level rises and the upper limit switch 14b is turned off.
That is, as described above, the water level fluctuates between water level b and water level c.

While the operation of the ice-making mechanism section 1 is stopped due to the detection of ice storage, melted water containing melted ice grains in the ice stocker 5 is guided into the ice-making water tank 3 through the hole 9. When the water level of the ice-making water tank 3 rises due to the inflow of melt water, the first upper limit switch 14a is turned on.
Relay X ₂ is energized and its normally open contact X ₂₁ closes to hold itself, and its normally open contact X ₂₂ closes to enter the ice making cycle. Through this ice-making operation, the water level in the ice-making tank 3 is lowered to water level b.

In addition, by selling and melting ice, ice stocker 5
As the amount of ice grains decreases, ice storage switch SW ₁ turns off and ice making operation resumes.

Next, the selling operation of the beverage supply device 17 will be explained. When ice grains have accumulated in the ice stocker 5 and are ready for sale, release switch SW ₃
When a sales signal is received via the motor 6, the motor 6 is energized and the screw 4 rotates. This rotating state is self-maintained by energizing relay _X6 and closing its normally open contact _X61 , and continues until timer _TM3 times up and its contact _TM31 opens. As the screw 4 rotates, a predetermined amount of ice grains are discharged from the discharge port 24 to the chute 25 and supplied to the tip 27a. In addition, the above-mentioned release switch
A switch that is selectively operated in conjunction with SW ₃ .
Syrup valve 35, carbonated water valve 34, and cold water valve 36 are connected via SW ₄ , SW ₅ , and SW ₆ , respectively (relay X ₈ is energized and its normally open contact X ₈₁ connected in series with cold water valve 36 is turned on). is selectively opened, and the syrup in the syrup tank 22, the carbonated water in the carbonator 20, and the cold water in the ice-making water tank 3 are discharged into the cup 27a according to the selection. After release, each valve that was open will close.

When the water level in the carbonator 20 decreases due to sales and the lower limit switch 21b of the control switch 21 is turned on, the relay _X7 is energized and its normally open contact is turned on.
Since X ₇₁ and X ₇₂ are closed, the cold water valve 37 is opened, the drinking water pump 18 is activated, and cold water is supplied from the ice-making water tank 3 into the carbonator 20 . Due to this water supply, the water level in the carbonator 20 rises, turning off the lower limit switch 21b, but since the relay X ₇ is self-maintained by closing its normally open contact X ₇₃ , the upper limit switch 21a turns off. When the upper limit switch 21a is turned off, the cold water valve 37 is closed and the drinking water pump 18 is stopped. In this way, the water level within carbonator 20 is maintained within a suitable range.

To supply cold water, select switch SW ₆ to energize relay X ₈ , and close its _{normally open contacts X 81 and} It is directly supplied from the tank 3 to the pot 27a. As described above, when cold water is supplied to the carbonator 20 or the cup 27a by the operation of the drinking water pump 18, the water level in the ice-making water tank 3 decreases, but the float switch 1
4 and the water supply valve 15 cooperate to maintain it within a predetermined range.

g. Effects of the Invention According to the present invention as described above, even if the water supply contains minerals such as silica, the remaining water from ice making is combined with the new water supply to the cold water supply line or the carbonated water supply line. The quality of the ice making water and hence the ice grains is well maintained since it is consumed by the selling operation.

Furthermore, since cold water is directly supplied from the ice-making water tank and tap water is directly received by the ice-making water tank, there is no need for a conventional water reservoir tank, and the device can be made more compact.

Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, when the water level in the ice-making water tank exceeds the upper limit due to the inflow of melted water, the float switch is operated to shift to the ice-making cycle, so overflow of ice-making water is effectively prevented. .

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an overall system diagram showing a water circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an electric circuit diagram for controlling the water circuit, etc. of FIG. 1. 1... Ice making mechanism section (ice making machine), 2... Ice making plate (ice making member), 3... Ice making water tank, 18... Drinking water pump (electric water pump), 19... Piping (cold water supply line), 19a... Outlet end of cold water supply line, 20... Carbonator, 26... Ice (ice grains), 27... Bend stand, 32... Piping (carbonated water supply line), 32a... Outlet of carbonated water supply line End, 34... carbonated water valve (third electromagnetic on-off valve), 36... cold water valve (first electromagnetic on-off valve), 37... cold water valve (second electromagnetic on-off valve).

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Evaporator 2 receiving refrigerant supply from compressor CM
an ice-making cycle that circulates and supplies ice-making water in an ice-making water tank 3 to an ice-making member 2 having an ice-making member 2 and cools the ice-making water via the ice-making member 2; and a de-icing means HV that heats the ice-making member 2. In an automatic beverage supply device equipped with an ice maker 1 that alternately performs a deicing cycle in which ice is removed from an ice making member 2, an electric water pump 18 and a first a cold water supply line 19 having an electromagnetic on-off valve 36; and a carbonated water supply line connected to the cold water supply line via a second electromagnetic on-off valve 37 and having a carbonator 20 and a third electromagnetic on-off valve 34. 32, the outlet end 19a of the cold water supply line and the outlet end 32a of the carbonated water supply line are connected to a bend stand 2.
7, and when the first electromagnetic on-off valve 36 and/or the second electromagnetic on-off valve 37 and the third electromagnetic on-off valve 34 are opened when supplying beverages, the ice-making water is An automatic beverage supply device with an ice maker, characterized in that ice making water in a tank 3 can be supplied to the cold water supply line and/or the carbonated water supply line.