Beverage Maker And Method For Operating A Beverage Maker

Abstract

A beverage maker and a method for operating a beverage maker are provid-ed, wherein the. beverage maker includes a discharge channel having a sensor configured to detect a cleaning agent in water and a control unit configured to receive measured values from the sensor and to take the received measured values as a basis for regu-lating a water intake from the water source. The method includes regulating water intake from the water source based upon the measured values from the sensor in the dis-charge channel to ensure that only an amount of water necessary for re-moving remaining cleaning agent from the beverage maker is utilized for flushing.

Claims

1. A beverage maker comprising a) a water source; b) a heating device; c) a beverage outlet; d) a drip tray below the beverage outlet; e) a beverage channel that fluidically connects the water source to the beverage outlet; f) a discharge that is not identical to the beverage outlet; and g) a discharge channel that fluidically connects an inner space of the drip tray to the discharge, wherein the discharge channel has a sensor that is suitable for detecting a cleaning agent in water; and wherein the beverage maker includes a control unit that is configured to receive measured values from the sensor and to regulate a water removal from the water source on the basis of the measured values received.

2. A beverage maker in accordance with claim 1, wherein the sensor is arranged at an entry opening into the discharge channel, preferably at an entry opening from the inner space of the drip tray into the discharge channel and/or from a connection channel, which connects the beverage channel to the discharge channel, into the discharge channel, with the sensor very particularly preferably being arranged downstream of the entry opening.

3. A beverage maker in accordance with claim 1, wherein the discharge channel is fluidically connected to the beverage channel upstream of the sensor via at least one connection channel, with the at least one connection channel preferably i) being connected to the beverage channel downstream of the heating device of the beverage maker, with the heating device preferably being selected from the group consisting of a hot water boiler, a steam boiler, an instantaneous water heater, a heat exchanger, and combinations thereof; and/or ii) being connected to the beverage channel downstream of a brewing unit of the beverage maker; and/or iii) being connected to the beverage channel downstream of a mixer of the beverage maker; and/or iv) being connected to the beverage channel downstream of a milk frothing device of the beverage maker; and/or v) being connected to the beverage channel upstream of the beverage outlet.

4. A beverage maker in accordance with the claim 3, wherein the at least one connection channel of the beverage maker has at least one further sensor that is suitable for detecting a cleaning agent in water, with the control unit being configured to receive measured values from the at least one further sensor and to regulate a water removal from the water source on the basis of the measured values received, with the at least one further sensor preferably being arranged at an entry opening of the beverage channel into the connection channel and particularly preferably being arranged upstream of the entry opening of the connection channel into the discharge channel.

5. A beverage maker in accordance with claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to stop the liquid removal from the water reservoir when the measured values from the sensor, optionally additionally from at least one further sensor, fall below a certain threshold, with the control preferably being configured to regulate a liquid removal from the cleaning agent reservoir on the basis of the measured values from the sensor, optionally additionally on the basis of the measured value from at least one further sensor, in particular such that the liquid removal from the cleaning agent reservoir is reduced or stopped when the measured values from the sensor, optionally additionally from at least one further sensor, exceed a certain threshold.

6. A beverage maker in accordance with claim 1, wherein the beverage maker includes a display unit and/or a memory unit, with the control unit preferably being configured to initiate presenting a falling below and/or exceeding of the measured values measured by the sensor, optionally additionally by at least one further sensor, on the display unit and/or storing it in the memory unit, particularly preferably, in dependence on the measured values, as a successful cleaning process or as a defective cleaning process.

7. A beverage maker in accordance with claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured, when a cleaning program has started on the beverage maker and the measured value of the sensor thereupon i) falls below a preceding threshold value, to present a prompt on a display unit of the beverage maker, to supply cleaning agent to the beverage maker, and/or to store an underdosing of cleaning agent during a cleaning program as an event in a memory unit of the beverage maker, optionally to additionally restrict an operability of the beverage maker, preferably the possibility of outputting a beverage; and/or ii) is in a predefined value range, to present the message at a display unit of the beverage maker that a cleaning program is being carried out, and/or to store a correct dosing of cleaning agent during a cleaning program as an event in a memory unit of the beverage maker; and/or iii) exceeds a predefined threshold value, to present a prompt at a display unit of the beverage maker, to not supply cleaning agent to the beverage maker, and/or to store an overdosing of cleaning agent during a cleaning program as an event in a memory unit of the beverage maker, optionally additionally to restrict an operability of the beverage maker, preferably the possibility of outputting a beverage.

8. A method of operating a beverage maker, said method comprising the steps a) providing a beverage maker including a water source, a heating device, a beverage outlet, a drip tray below the beverage outlet, a beverage channel fluidically connecting the water source to the beverage outlet, a discharge not identical to the beverage outlet, and a discharge channel that fluidically connects an inner space of the drip tray to the discharge and that has a sensor for detecting a cleaning agent in water, and b) detecting measured values of the sensor; c) receiving measured values of the sensor by a control unit of the beverage maker; and d) regulating a water removal from the water source by the control unit, with the regulation taking place on the basis of the measured values received by the control unit.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein the sensor is arranged at an entry opening into the discharge channel, preferably at an entry opening from an inner space of the drip tray into the discharge channel and/or from a connection channel, which connects the beverage channel to the discharge channel, into the discharge channel, with the sensor very particularly preferably being arranged downstream of the entry opening.

10. A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein the discharge channel is fluidically connected to the beverage channel upstream of the sensor via at least one connection channel, with the at least one connection channel preferably i) being connected to the beverage channel downstream of the heating device of the beverage maker, with the heating device preferably being selected from the group consisting of a hot water boiler, a steam boiler, an instantaneous water heater, a heat exchanger, and combinations thereof; and/or ii) being connected to the beverage channel downstream of a brewing unit of the beverage maker; and/or iii) being connected to the beverage channel downstream of a mixer of the beverage maker; and/or iv) being connected to the beverage channel downstream of a milk frothing device of the beverage maker; and/or v) being connected to the beverage channel upstream of the beverage outlet.

11. A method in accordance with claim 10, wherein the at least one connection channel of the beverage maker has at least one further sensor that is suitable for detecting a cleaning agent in water, with the control unit being configured to receive measured values from the at least one further sensor and to regulate a water removal from the water source on the basis of the measured values received, with the at least one further sensor preferably being arranged at an entry opening of the beverage channel into the connection channel and particularly preferably being arranged upstream of the entry opening of the connection channel into the discharge channel.

12. A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein the liquid removal from the water reservoir of the beverage maker is stopped by the control unit when the measured values from the sensor, optionally from at least one further sensor, fall below a specific threshold, with a liquid removal from the cleaning agent reservoir preferably being regulated by the control unit on the basis of the measured values from the sensor, optionally additionally from at least one further sensor, in particular such that the liquid removal from the cleaning agent reservoir is reduced or stopped when the measured values from the sensor, optionally from at least one further sensor, exceed a specific threshold.

13. A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein the beverage maker includes or is equipped with a display unit and/or a memory unit, with the control unit being initiated to present a falling below and/or an exceeding of the measured values measured by the sensor, optionally by at least one further sensor, on the display unit, and/or to store it in the memory unit, particularly preferably, in dependence on the measured values, as a successful cleaning process or as a defective cleaning process.

14. A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein, when a cleaning program is started on the beverage maker and the measured value thereupon i) falls below a predefined threshold value, the control unit causes to present a prompt to supply cleaning agent to the beverage maker on a display unit of the beverage maker, and/or to store an underdosing of cleaning agent during a cleaning program as an event in a memory unit of the beverage maker, optionally additionally to restrict an operability of the beverage maker, preferably to restrict the possibility of outputting a beverage; and/or ii) is in a predefined value range, the control unit causes to present the message that a cleaning program is being carried out on a display unit of the beverage maker, and/or to store a correct dosing of cleaning agent during a cleaning program as an event in a memory unit of the beverage maker; and/or iii) exceeds a predefined threshold value, the control unit causes to present a prompt not to supply cleaning agent to the beverage maker on a display unit of the beverage maker, and/or to store an overdosing of cleaning agent during a cleaning program as an event in a memory unit of the beverage maker, optionally additionally to restrict an operability of the beverage maker, preferably to restrict the possibility of outputting a beverage.

15. A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein the method is carried out using a beverage maker in accordance with claim 1.

Description

EXAMPLE 1

Electrical Conductance Values of Different Cleaning Agents Detected by the Sensor

[0053] A conductivity sensor was used as the sensor in this example. The conductivity was detected at the sensor depending on a flushing with water or with specific cleaning agent mixtures (see Table).

[0054] Table: Conductance values detected by the sensor depending on the cleaning agent used in a cleaning program. Water represents the control here (=no cleaning agent).

[0055] It can be seen from the data shown in the table that the individual tested cleaning agents have a considerable difference in electrical conductivity from the electrical conductivity of water from the water source. It can consequently be detected via the sensor whether residues of cleaning agent are still present in the beverage maker. An overdosing or underdosing of the respectively used cleaning agent can additionally be detected on the basis of the conductivity characteristic for each tested cleaning agent.

[0056] The water originating from the water source can have a different conductance depending on the region or the water supplier. If the conductance is higher than the conductance indicated in the above table, the conductance for the mixture of water with the respective cleaning

TABLE-US-00001 Medium Resistance [Ω] Conductance Water* 511 4.4 1 tablet (1.3 g) coffee cleaner to 1 L 170 13.2 18 tablets coffee cleaner 22.5 100 1 tablet (10 gr.) milk cleaner to 1 L 56 40 3 tablets milk cleaner to 1 L 29 78 50 ml milk cleaner, liquid, to 1 L 90 25 Milk cleaner, pure 21 107 Descaler mixed with water at 2:3 12 188

[0057] agent indicated in the above table can accordingly also be higher. The conductance indicated in the table for the water used is therefore not to be considered as an absolute value that, in the case of every conceivable water, stands for the situation that the beverage maker is free of cleaning agent residues. The conductance for water is rather a reference value that has to be determined by each beverage maker depending on its respective water source and via which the other values are calibrated. In this case, the difference between the conductance detected by the sensor and the reference value of water reveals the degree of remaining cleaning agent at that location in the beverage maker at which the sensor is located.

[0058] The user can be informed of an overdosing and/or underdosing of cleaning agent, for example, by means of a display unit of the beverage maker.

REFERENCE NUMERAL LIST

[0059] 1: water source (e.g. water connection or water tank);

[0060] 2: beverage outlet;

[0061] 3: drip tray;

[0062] 4: beverage channel;

[0063] 5: discharge;

[0064] 6: discharge channel;

[0065] 7: at least one connection channel;

[0066] 8: hot water boiler;

[0067] 8′: steam boiler;

[0068] 9: brewing unit;

[0069] 10: mixer;

[0070] 11: milk frothing device;

[0071] 12: milk source;

[0072] 13: air source;

[0073] S: sensor

[0074] S′: at least one further sensor