JPH11301793A - Beverage dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] To change the type of beverage sold by a beverage dispenser, the threshold value of sold-out detection is updated each time, so that the sold-out beverage can be accurately detected. A beverage dispenser for supplying a fixed amount of beverage delivered from a beverage container (1) to a cup (10) through a beverage pipe (3) and a beverage discharge valve (5) based on a command. A setting button 6b for setting, a storage button 6c, and a sold-out lamp 6d are provided.
Further, in the case where the beverage pipe is provided with the electrode-type beverage sensor 8, the electric resistance of the beverage sold detected by the beverage sensor at the time of initial setting is updated and stored in the sold-out detector 11 of the sales controller 7 as a threshold value. A memory means is provided, and after the start of sales, the resistance value detected by the beverage sensor is compared with the threshold value stored in the memory, and when the detected resistance value of the beverage sensor becomes larger than the threshold value, it is sold out. A signal is output to turn on the sold-out lamp and the beverage discharge valve 5 is closed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a beverage dispenser to be installed and used in a restaurant such as a restaurant, and more particularly to a beverage sold-out detecting device provided in the beverage dispenser.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As beverage dispensers mentioned above, beverage containers (such as beer barrels) containing draft beer and soft drinks,
And a pressurized carbon dioxide gas cylinder connected to the beverage container is connected to the beverage dispenser and set, and the beverage delivered from the beverage container by carbon dioxide pressurization by operating the sale button is dispensed into the cup by a fixed amount through the beverage pipe and beverage discharge valve. There is a known supply.

[0003] This beverage dispenser is different from a normal beverage vending machine, and is generally operated in a sales operation and a beverage sales volume (1).
The store manages the settings, including the setting of the amount of beverage to be supplied to the cup during each sales operation, and so on. A setting button for initial setting the beverage sales volume for one cup with a new beverage container set prior to the start of sales of the product, and a storage button for the button, and furthermore, when the beverage container set in the dispenser becomes empty, the beverage runs out. It has a sold-out lamp and the like to display.

[0004] As a system for detecting sold-out of a beverage, an electrode-type beverage sensor is interposed in a beverage pipe in a machine connecting a beverage container and a beverage discharge valve, and a change in resistance between the electrodes of the beverage sensor (the beverage). The resistance value between the electrodes is small when the pipe is filled with a beverage (generally, beverages have conductivity). When the beverage container is empty and the inside of the pipe runs out of beverage, the resistance between the electrodes is small. Is known, the out-of-beverage lamp is turned on by detecting that the beverage has run out.

In this case, in order to accurately detect the change in the resistance caused by the sold out beverage, conventionally, the electrical resistance of each beverage to be sold is actually measured at the circuit designing stage of the sold out beverage detecting apparatus in advance. Based on the data, a resistance element corresponding to a resistance value serving as a threshold value of sold-out detection is assembled on a printed board based on the data to constitute a beverage sold-out detection circuit. At the time of actual use of the beverage dispenser, the resistance value (threshold value) is compared with the resistance value of the sold beverage detected by the beverage sensor, and when the latter resistance value exceeds the threshold value, control is performed. The unit outputs a sold-out signal to light the sold-out lamp and closes the beverage dispensing valve.

[0006]

However, the above-mentioned beverage sold-out detecting device employed in the beverage dispenser has the following problems. That is, the resistance value unique to the beverage varies depending on the beverage type (beer, juice, oolong tea, etc.), and also varies depending on the beverage temperature. For this reason, in order to be able to cope with the sale of multiple types of beverages, the resistive elements serving as thresholds for sold-out detection are individually assembled in the comparison circuit of the control unit for each type of beverage, and the beverage sold is changed. In each case, it is necessary to switch the threshold value to be compared with the detection resistance value of the beverage sensor.

[0007] On the other hand, recently, there has been a tendency for beverage manufacturers to sell new kinds of beverage products one after another. For this reason, in order for existing beverage dispensers to support new types of beverages, the beverage dispenser manufacturer must verify the resistance value of newly released beverages and add thresholds based on the data and take measures to respond to such changes. Although it is necessary, it is troublesome and time-consuming to take such countermeasures (replacement of a printed circuit board of a control circuit, etc.) for an in-service dispenser already delivered to a location, and it is difficult to respond immediately.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to solve the above-mentioned problems. In the case where the type of beverage to be sold is changed at the location of the beverage dispenser, the sales corresponding to the type of beverage are changed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a beverage dispenser that updates a threshold value for out-of-service detection each time and can always accurately detect out-of-beverage.

[0009]

According to the present invention, there is provided a beverage dispenser for supplying a fixed amount of beverage delivered from a beverage container to a cup through a beverage pipe and a beverage discharge valve according to the present invention. The sales control unit includes an initial setting unit for setting a drink sales amount for one cup prior to sales, and an electrode-type beverage sensor interposed in a beverage pipe and a beverage sold-out detecting unit including a sold-out lamp. A memory means for storing, as threshold data, the electric resistance of the sold beverage detected by the beverage sensor at the time of initial setting of the beverage sales amount, and updating the stored data by a new input; And comparing the resistance value detected by the beverage sensor after the start of the sale of the beverage with the threshold value stored in the memory means, and determining the threshold value of the resistance value detected by the beverage sensor. Shall comprise control means for sold-out display outputs a sold-out signal when it becomes larger (claim 1).

[0010] According to the above, even when various beverages are sold with the beverage dispenser, the threshold value of the sold-out detection is updated at the same time when the container for the sold beverage is set and initialized, and is stored in the memory of the control unit. Since it is stored, the sold-out detection of the beverage can always be accurately performed at the threshold value corresponding to the beverage currently on sale. In addition, it is possible to respond without being affected by the resistance value of the beverage, and can immediately respond to various kinds of beverages, including newly released beverages.

Further, in the above, there is the following mode as a means for more accurately detecting out-of-sale of beverage without erroneous recognition. (1) The sold-out signal is output under the condition that the resistance value detected by the beverage sensor continuously exceeds the threshold value for a certain period of time, and the beer bubbles in the beverage pipe are temporarily The beverage sensor is filled to prevent erroneous detection (claim 2).

(2) There is provided a means for setting the storable range of the threshold value stored in the memory means in accordance with the beverage, and an operation error in the initial setting performed when the beverage container is replaced (the storage button is pressed when the beverage is sold out). (Press) to prevent a rudimentary mistake in which the threshold value is updated to an incorrect value (claim 3).

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the illustrated embodiment. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a beverage supply system and a sales control system of a beverage dispenser. In the figure, 1 is a beverage container (for example, a beer barrel), 2
Is a carbon dioxide gas cylinder for pressurizing the drink, 3 is a drink pipe connected between the drink container 1 and the bend stage 4, 5 is a drink discharge valve connected to the outlet end side of the drink pipe 4, and 6 is a front face of the drink dispenser. Equipped operation panel, 7 is sales control section, 8
Is an electrode-type beverage sensor interposed in the middle of the beverage pipe 4,
Reference numeral 9 denotes a temperature sensor for detecting a beverage temperature. The operation panel 6 includes a sale button 6a, a setting button 6b,
A storage button 6c, a sold-out lamp 6d, and the like are provided.

With such a configuration, the initial setting of beverage sales is performed in the following procedure. First, in the set state in which the carbon dioxide gas cylinder 2 and the beverage pipe are connected to the beverage container 1 containing the beverage, the setting button 6b of the operation panel 6 is switched to the initial setting mode, the selling button 6a is pressed, and the beverage discharging valve 5 is opened. . In addition,
In this initial setting mode, the beverage dispensing valve 5 is opened while the selling button 6a is kept pressed. Thereby, the beverage pressurized and delivered from the beverage container 1 by the carbon dioxide gas is discharged to the bend stage 4 through the beverage pipe 3 and the beverage discharge valve 5. Thus, the empty beverage pipe 3 is filled with beverage.

Next, the cup 10 is placed on the bend stage 4, and the selling button 6a is pressed again to supply the beverage (test selling). In this test sale, when the appropriate amount of drink (one cup) is poured into the cup 10, the selling button 6a is returned to close the beverage discharging valve 5, and then the storage button 6
Press c. As a result, the beverage sales volume for one cup (1
(The amount of beverage sold per serving) is stored in the memory unit of the sale control unit 7, and the initial setting of beverage sale is completed.

Subsequently, when the setting button 6b is switched to the selling mode, thereafter, every time the cup 10 is placed on the bend stage 4 and the selling button 6a is pressed, the beverage discharging valve 5 is opened for a predetermined time and the fixed amount of the beverage is discharged. Is supplied to the cup 10. Next, a beverage sold-out detection device provided in the beverage dispenser will be described. That is, the above-mentioned sales control unit 7 has a sold-out detection unit 11 as shown in the block diagram of FIG.
It has. The sold-out detector 11 includes a CPU 11a, an input / output interface (for analog / digital conversion) 11b for the beverage sensor 5, and a memory 11c. The setting button 6b, the storage button 6c, and the sold-out of the operation panel 6 (see FIG. 1). The lamp 6d and the electrode type temperature sensor 9 are connected to the CPU 11a via the bus of the sales control unit 7.

In this configuration, when the storage button 6c is pressed at the time of the initial setting of the beverage sales described above, the resistance value between the electrodes detected by the beverage sensor 5 (corresponding to the type of the beverage sold) is simultaneously stored with the beverage sales amount. The electrical resistance) is automatically stored in the memory 11c as a threshold value for sold-out detection. If the previous threshold data is stored in the memory 11c, it is rewritten with new data.

After switching to the beverage selling mode, the CPU 11a of the sold-out detector 11 compares the resistance value between the electrodes detected by the beverage sensor 8 with the threshold value read from the memory 11c for each sale. When the detection resistance value of the beverage sensor 8 continuously exceeds the threshold value for a certain period of time, a sold-out signal is output, and the sold-out lamp 6d is turned on to notify the drink sold-out to the outside. Simultaneously with the lighting of the sold-out lamp 6d, the beverage dispensing valve 5 is closed by a command from the sales control unit 7.

Here, the sold-out signal is output under the condition that the detection resistance value of the beverage sensor 8 continuously exceeds the threshold value for a certain period of time as described above, so that the electrodes of the beverage sensor 8 can be connected like the beer. Can be prevented from being immediately erroneously recognized as being out of beverage due to a change in resistance when temporarily filled with beer foam.
In this embodiment, the type of the beverage to be sold is selected by the setting button 6b, and the storable range (range) in the memory 11c is switched in accordance with the mode selection.
This is to prevent the threshold value stored in the memory 11c from being updated to the detected resistance value corresponding to the out of beverage even if the storage button 6c is erroneously pressed in the state of the beverage sold out (the interior of the beverage pipe 3 is empty). This is to prevent a mistake in setting the threshold value when changing the sold beverage to a different type of beverage (beer, juice, oolong tea, etc.).

Next, an explanation will be given of the sold-out detection operation of the beverage by the above-mentioned configuration with reference to a time chart of FIG. First, the beverage container 1
In the state of preparation for sale in which the beverage is dispensed from the beverage dispenser, the beverage pipe 3 in the machine is empty, and the electrodes of the beverage sensor 8 become non-conductive, and the detection resistance value becomes larger than the reference level. As a result, the sold-out lamp 6d is turned on by the sold-out signal output from the sold-out detection unit, and at the same time, the beverage discharge valve 5 is closed.

Here, when the beverage container 1 containing the beverage is connected to the beverage pipe 3 of the beverage dispenser and the initial setting of the sales is performed on the operation panel 6, the beverage discharge valve 5 is opened, and the beverage is supplied through the beverage pipe 3. The beverage sensor 8 is now filled. As a result, the inter-electrode resistance of the beverage sensor 8 decreases below the reference level, and the sold-out output and the lighting of the sold-out lamp are released. When the storage button 6c is pressed in this initial setting, 1
At the same time as the beverage sales volume is set, the resistance value of the beverage detected by the beverage sensor 8 is set as a threshold value and the sold-out detector 11
Is stored in the memory 11c. In this case, when a beverage container 1 of a type different from the beverage sold previously is connected, the threshold value stored in the memory 11c is automatically rewritten by pressing the storage button 6c.

In this state, when the setting button 6b is switched to the beverage selling mode to shift to normal beverage selling, the sold-out detecting unit 11 stores the detected resistance value of the beverage sensor 8 and the memory 11 thereafter. The threshold value is compared to check if the beverage is sold out. If the beverage temperature fluctuates during the sale of the beverage, the threshold value stored in the memory 11 is temperature-corrected accordingly. Then, with the repetition of the beverage selling operation, the beverage storage amount of the beverage container 1 gradually decreases, and when the beverage container 1 eventually becomes empty and becomes out of beverage, the detection resistance value of the beverage sensor 8 becomes the threshold value. Increase beyond the differential def. In this state, a sold-out signal is output from the sold-out detection unit 11, and the sales control unit 7 that has received the sold-out signal closes the beverage discharge valve 5 and turns on the sold-out lamp 6d to sell out the beverage. Notify outside that it has become.

On the other hand, by replacing the empty beverage container 1 with the new beverage container in response to the light-on display of the sold-out lamp 6d, the initial setting operation of the beverage sales is performed in the same manner as described above, so that the beverage sales are performed. The cut-off state is released, the sold-out lamp 6d is turned off, and normal sales can be resumed. In this case, when continuously selling the same type of beverage as the previous one, the threshold value stored in the memory 11c is valid as it is. On the other hand, when changing the beverage to be sold to a different type, by selecting the type of beverage with the setting button 6b and pressing the storage button 6c again, the stored value of the memory 11c is newly rewritten. The value is updated.

When changing the beverage to be sold, the type of the beverage is selected with the setting button 6b, and the memory 11 is selected in accordance with the selection.
By setting the storable range of c, it is possible to prevent the data of the wrong threshold from being stored in the memory due to an operation error in the initial setting, and to accidentally press the storage button 6c when the beverage is sold out. Also, the data stored in the memory is not updated, thereby improving the reliability of sold-out detection.

[0025]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Even if various beverages are sold with the beverage dispenser, the threshold for sold-out detection is updated and stored in the memory of the control unit at the same time when setting and initial setting the container of the sold beverage, so it is always on sale Sold-out detection of the beverage can be accurately performed at the threshold value corresponding to the beverage. In addition to being able to respond to beverages without being affected by the resistance of the beverages and being able to respond quickly to various beverages, including newly launched beverages, we have been able to sell out beverages in line with the expansion of available beverage types. The reliability of detection is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a beverage system and a sales control system of a beverage dispenser according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a sold-out detection unit in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a time chart showing the operation of beverage sales and sold-out detection by the configuration of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Beverage container 2 Carbon dioxide gas cylinder 3 Beverage pipe 4 Bend stage 5 Beverage discharge valve 6 Operation panel 6a Sale button 6b Setting button 6c Storage button 6d Sold-out lamp 7 Sales control part 8 Electrode-type beverage sensor 10 Cup 11 Sold-out detection part 11a CPU 11b memory

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A beverage dispenser for supplying a fixed amount of a beverage delivered from a beverage container to a cup through a beverage pipe and a beverage discharge valve based on a command, and a sales control unit of the beverage dispenser for a full cup before a shift to normal sales. Initial setting means for setting the amount of beverage sold, and a beverage sold-out detecting means including an electrode type beverage sensor and a sold-out lamp interposed in the beverage pipe. A memory means for storing the electric resistance of the sold beverage detected by the beverage sensor at the time of initial setting as threshold data, and updating the stored data with a new input, and a resistance value detected by the beverage sensor after the start of selling the beverage and Compared with the threshold value stored in the memory means, when the resistance value detected by the beverage sensor becomes larger than the threshold value, a sold-out signal is output and a sold-out display is displayed. Beverage dispenser, characterized in that it comprises a power sale control means. 2. The beverage dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the sold-out signal is output under the condition that the resistance value detected by the beverage sensor continuously exceeds the threshold value for a predetermined time. Dispenser. 3. The beverage dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising means for setting a range in which the threshold value stored in the memory means can be stored according to the resistance of the beverage.