Beverage Maker And Method For Determining Hot Water Amounts Output By A Beverage Maker And/Or Used In Same For Beverage Preparation

Abstract

The present invention relates to a beverage maker that comprises a heating device for heating water, a cold water inflow, a first hot water outlet, at least one second hot water outlet, a cold water path connecting the cold water inflow to the heating device, a first hot water path connecting the heating device to the first hot water outlet, at least one second hot water path connecting the heating device to the at least one second hot water outlet, a conveying device for conveying water, a first flow meter that is arranged in the cold water path or in the first hot water path, and at least one second flow meter that is arranged in the at least one second hot water path. The present invention additionally relates to a method of determining hot water amounts dispensed by a beverage maker and/or hot water amounts used in same for beverage preparation.

Claims

1. A beverage maker comprising a heating device for heating water, a cold water inflow, a first hot water outlet, at least one second hot water outlet a cold water path connecting the cold water inflow to the heating device, a first hot water path connecting the heating device to the first hot water outlet, at least one second hot water path connecting the heating device to the at least one second hot water outlet, with each second hot water outlet being connected to the heating device by a respective second hot water path, a conveying device for conveying water, a first flow meter that is arranged in the cold water path or in the first hot water path, and at least one second flow meter that is arranged in the at least one second hot water path, with a respective second flow meter being arranged in each second hot water path.

2. A beverage maker of claim 1, wherein at least one of the flow meters arranged in a hot water path, preferably every flow meter arranged in a hot water path, is a contactless flow meter, preferably an ultrasound flow meter or a magnetically inductive flow meter.

3. A beverage maker of claim 1, wherein the conveying device for conveying water is arranged in the cold water path.

4. A beverage maker in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first flow meter is arranged in the cold water path upstream of the conveying device for conveying water or downstream of the conveying device for conveying water.

5. A beverage maker of claim 1, wherein the beverage maker has a respective brewing unit for brewing coffee or a mixing unit for mixing water with a solid, preferably cocoa powder or soup powder, at the first hot water outlet and/or at the at least one second hot water outlet.

6. A beverage maker of claim 1, wherein the beverage maker comprises a second hot water outlet, a second hot water path, and a second flow meter; or a plurality of second hot water outlets, preferably two or three second hot water outlets, a plurality of second hot water paths, preferably two or three hot water paths, and a plurality of second flow meters, preferably two or three second flow meters.

7. A beverage maker of claim 1, wherein the beverage maker is a beverage vending machine for dispensing a plurality of hot beverages and/or cold beverages comprising one or more specialty coffees, one or more specialty teas, and/or one or more specialty drinking soups.

8. A method of determining hot water amounts dispensed by a beverage maker and/or used in same for beverage preparation, wherein the beverage maker is a beverage maker in accordance with claim 1; and wherein at least one hot water amount dispensed by one of the hot water outlets and/or used at one of the hot water outlets for beverage preparation is determined.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein at least two hot water amounts dispensed simultaneously at least at times by a respective one of the hot water outlets and/or used at a respective one of the hot water outlets for beverage preparation are determined.

10. A method of claim 8, wherein a hot water amount dispensed by the at least one second hot water outlet or used at the at least one second hot water outlet for beverage preparation is determined in that the amount of water flowing through the at least one second hot water path is measured by the at least one second flow meter.

11. A method of claim 8, wherein the first flow meter is arranged in the cold water path and a hot water amount dispensed by the first hot water outlet or used at the first hot water outlet for beverage preparation is determined in that the amount of water flowing through the cold water path is measured by the first flow meter, the amount of water flowing through the at least one second hot water path is determined by the at least one second flow meter, and the amount of water flowing through the first hot water path is determined by forming the difference from the amount of water flowing through the cold water path measured by the first flow meter and the amount of water flowing through the at least one second hot water path determined by the at least one second flow meter.

12. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the beverage maker has a plurality of second hot water outlets, a plurality of second hot water paths, and a plurality of second flow meters, with a hot water amount dispensed by the first hot water outlet or used at the first hot water outlet for beverage preparation being determined in that the amount of water flowing through the cold water path is measured by the first flow meter, the amounts of water flowing through the second hot water paths being measured by the second flow meters, and the amount of water flowing through the first hot water path being determined by forming the difference from the amount of water flowing through the cold water path measured by the first flow meter and the sum of the amounts of water flowing through the second hot water paths measured by the second flow meters.

13. A method of claim 8, wherein the first flow meter is arranged in the first hot water path and a hot water amount dispensed by the first hot water outlet or used at the first hot water outlet for beverage preparation is determined in that the amount of water flowing through the first hot water path is measured by the first flow meter.

14. A method of claim 8, wherein, if only one hot water amount is dispensed by the beverage maker and/or is used in same for beverage preparation, said hot water amount flowing through a second hot water path here, at least one of the flow meters is calibrated, with here a measurement value for the amount of water flowing through the cold water path being measured by the first flow meter, a measurement value for the amount of water flowing through this second hot water path being measured by the flow meter arranged in said second hot water path through which the hot water amount flows, and the two measurement values are subsequently compared with one another.

15. Use of a beverage maker in accordance with claim 1 for metering and/or dispensing beverages, preferably hot beverages, wherein two or more beverages are preferably metered and/or dispensed simultaneously or with a time delay.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0053] The present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the following Figures and examples without restricting it to the specific embodiments and parameters shown here.

[0054] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of the water progress of the beverage maker in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

[0055] FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of the water progress of the beverage maker in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.

[0056] FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of the water progress of the beverage maker in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0057] A schematic representation of the water progress of an exemplary embodiment of the beverage maker in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 1. The beverage maker here comprises a heating device 1 for heating water, a cold water inflow 2, a first hot water outlet 3, a second hot water outlet 4, a cold water path 5 connecting the cold water inflow 2 to the heating device 1, a first hot water path 6 connecting the heating device 1 to the first hot water outlet 3, a second hot water path 7 connecting the heating device 1 to the second hot water outlet 4, a conveying device 8 for conveying water, a first flow meter 9 that is arranged in the cold water path 5, and a second flow meter 10 that is arranged in the second hot water path 7.

[0058] The conveying device 8 for conveying water is a pump. The second flow meter 10 is a contactless flow meter, e.g. an ultrasound flow meter or a magnetically inductive flow meter. The conveying device 8 for conveying water is arranged in the cold water path 5, with the first flow meter 9 in the cold water path being arranged upstream of the conveying device 8 for conveying water. The beverage maker additionally has a brewing unit 11 for brewing coffee at the second hot water outlet 4.

[0059] Hot water 13 and coffee 14 can thus be obtained by the beverage maker whose water progress is shown schematically in FIG. 1. The hot water 13 is dispensed by the first hot water outlet 3. The coffee 14 is prepared in the brewing unit 11 and is subsequently dispensed by an outlet.

[0060] The amount of water flowing through the second hot water path 7 can be measured by the second flow meter 10 arranged in the second hot water path 7. In this manner, the exact metering of a hot water amount used at the second hot water outlet 4 for coffee preparation in the brewing unit 11 is made possible, whereby the amount of dispensed coffee can ultimately also be exactly metered.

[0061] If now only one hot water amount is conducted over the first hot water path 6 and is dispensed at the first hot water outlet 3, e.g. for the preparation of tea outside the beverage maker, without a second hot water amount flowing over the second hot water path 7 simultaneously or with a time delay, the amount of water flowing through the cold water path 5 corresponds to the amount of water flowing through the first hot water path 6 so that an exact metering is possible with the aid of the first flow meter 9 in that the amount of water flowing through the cold water path 5 is measured by it that then corresponds to the amount of water flowing through the first hot water path 6. The amount of dispensed hot water can thus be exactly metered.

[0062] If now two hot water amounts are dispensed simultaneously or with a time delay, i.e. a first hot water amount flows over the first hot water path 6 and, simultaneously or with a time delay, a second hot water amount flows over the second hot water path 7, an exact determination of the water amount flowing through the first hot water path 6 is also possible here in that the amount of water flowing through the second hot water path 7 determined by the second flow meter 10 is deducted from the amount of water flowing through the cold water path 5 measured by the first flow meter 9. The fact is utilized here that the amount of water flowing through the cold water path 5 ultimately corresponds to the sum of the amounts of water flowing through the hot water paths 6 and 7.

[0063] A high metering accuracy of the hot water amounts dispensed or used for beverage preparation or of the dispensed beverage amounts is thus made possible, even if two hot water amounts are dispensed or are used for beverage preparation simultaneously or with a time delay.

[0064] A schematic representation of the water progress of a further exemplary embodiment of the beverage maker in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 2. The design shown here substantially differs from the design shown in FIG. 1 in that the beverage maker comprises two second hot water outlets 4a and 4b, two second hot water paths 7a and 7b, and two second flow meters 10a and 10b. As can be seen from FIG. 2, each of the second hot water outlets 4a and 4b is connected to the heating device 1 by a respective one of the second hot water paths 7a and 7b. The second hot water outlet 4a is thus connected to the heating device 1 by the second hot water outlet 7a while the second hot water outlet 4b is connected to the heating device by the second hot water outlet 7b. It can additionally be seen from FIG. 2 that a respective one of the second flow meters 10a and 10b is arranged in each of the second hot water paths 7a and 7b. The second flow meter 10a is thus arranged in the second hot water path 7a while the second flow meter 10b is arranged in the second hot water path 7b. The beverage maker has a brewing unit 11 for brewing coffee at the second hot water outlet 4a, whereas it has a mixing unit 12 for mixing water with cocoa powder at the second hot water outlet 4b.

[0065] The design shown in FIG. 2 is otherwise identical to that in FIG. 1.

[0066] Hot water 13, coffee 14, and cocoa 15 can thus be obtained by the beverage maker whose water progress is shown schematically in FIG. 2. The hot water 13 is dispensed by the first hot water outlet 3. The coffee 14 is prepared in the brewing unit 11 and is subsequently dispensed by an outlet. The cocoa is prepared in the mixing unit 12 and is subsequently dispensed by a further outlet.

[0067] The respective amount of water flowing through the second hot water paths 7a and 7b can be directly measured by the flow meters 10a and 10b arranged in the second hot water paths 7a and 7b. In other words, each of the second hot water paths 7a and 7b respectively contains a flow meter 10a or 10b by which the amount of water flowing through the respective hot water path 7a and 7b can be measured. In this manner, both the exact metering of a hot water amount used at the second hot water outlet 4a for coffee preparation in the brewing unit 11 and the exact metering of a hot water amount used at the second hot water outlet 4b for cocoa preparation in the mixing unit 12 are made possible.

[0068] The amount of water flowing through the first hot water path 6 can be determined in that the difference is formed from the amount of water flowing through the cold water path 5 measured by the first flow meter 9 and the sum of the amounts of water flowing through the second hot water paths 7a and 7b measured by the second flow meters 10a and 10b. In other words, the individual amounts of water flowing through the two second hot water paths 7a and 7b are first measured by the two second flow meters 10a and 10b. These amounts are then summed to one sum. This sum is subsequently deducted from the amount of water flowing through the cold water path 5 measured by the flow meter 9 arranged in the cold water path 5. The result corresponds to the amount of water flowing through the first hot water path 6.

[0069] A high metering accuracy with all hot water amounts dispensed or used for beverage preparation or all dispensed beverages can thus be achieved by the use of three flow meters, even with a simultaneous or time-delayed dispensing or preparation of two or three hot water amounts or hot beverages, such as here hot water, coffee, and cocoa.

[0070] The principle of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 can also be easily modified in the sense of the present invention in that the beverage maker comprises more than two second hot water outlets, that is, for example, three, four, five, or also even more second hot water outlets. A high metering accuracy with all hot water amounts dispensed or used for beverage preparation or dispensed beverages can also be achieved in this case in accordance with the same principle with a simultaneous or time-delayed dispensing or preparation of two, three, or more hot water amounts or hot beverages.

[0071] A schematic representation of the water progress of a further exemplary embodiment of the beverage maker in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 3. The design shown here only differs from the design shown in FIG. 2 in that the first flow meter 9 is not arranged in the cold water path 5, but instead in the first hot water path 6. The design shown in FIG. 3 is otherwise identical to that in FIG. 2.

[0072] The respective amount of water flowing through the second hot water paths 7a and 7b can be directly measured by the flow meters 10a and 10b arranged in the second hot water paths 7a and 7b exactly as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2.

[0073] In accordance with the same principle, the amount of water flowing through the first hot water path 6 can be directly measured by the flow meter 9 arranged in the first hot water path 6.

[0074] A high metering accuracy with all hot water amounts dispensed or used for beverage preparation or all dispensed beverages can thus be achieved by the use of three flow meters, even with a simultaneous or time-delayed dispensing or preparation of two or three hot water amounts or hot beverages, such as here hot water, coffee, and cocoa.