Device and Method for Producing and Dispensing a Boiling Liquid and Apparatus for Preparing a Beverage Provided with Such a Device

Abstract

Provided is a device (2) for producing and dispensing a boiling liquid including: a vessel (3); a heating system (4); a supply system (8) for supplying liquid from the vessel to the heating system; a dispensing system (13) configured to separate the boiling liquid and the steam resulting from said boiling, in order to dispense the boiling liquid and to discharge the steam; a first system for measuring the temperature of the liquid in the heating system; a system (24) for measuring the amount of steam discharged; and a system for controlling the supply system configured such as to control the flow of liquid supplying the heating system in accordance with said measurements of temperature and amount of steam discharged. Also provided is a method for producing and dispensing boiling liquid and to an apparatus (I) for preparing a beverage provided with such a device.

Claims

1. Device for producing and dispensing boiling liquid comprising: a liquid storage tank, a liquid heating system, a liquid supply system configured to extract liquid from the tank and deliver it to the heating system, a dispensing system configured at the outlet of the heating system to separate boiling liquid and steam arising from the boiling liquid, in order to dispense the boiling liquid and evacuate the steam, wherein the device further includes: a first temperature measurement system to measure the temperature of the liquid in the heating system, a measurement system to measure an amount of steam evacuated, and a supply system management system configured to regulate the flow of liquid supplying the heating system based on the temperature measured by the first measurement system and on the amount of steam evacuated.

2. Device according to claim 1, in which: the system to measure the amount of steam evacuated consists of a second temperature measurement system to measure the temperature in a steam evacuation area, the supply system management system is configured to regulate the flow of liquid supplying the heating system based on temperatures measured by the first and second temperature measurement systems.

3. Device according to claim 2, in which the second temperature measurement system is arranged near an open air outlet in an evacuation area so that said second system measures the temperature of an air/steam mixture when the production of boiling liquid is stabilized with low steam production.

4. Device according to claim 2, in which the management system is configured to regulate the flow so that the temperature in the heating system is over 98 C. and the temperature in the evacuation area is between 75 and 95 C.

5. Device according to claim 2, in which the second temperature measurement system contains a temperature sensor consisting of a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistor.

6. Device according to claim 1, in which the liquid supply system includes a pump, an upstream supply conduit connected between the storage tank and the pump and a downstream supply conduit connected between the pump and the heating system.

7. Device according to claim 1, in which the heating system includes a tubular heating chamber equipped with a means of heating.

8. Device according to claim 1, in which the dispensing system includes a boiling liquid dispensing system, provided with an outlet, with a steam evacuation area located around said outlet.

9. Device according to claim 1, in which the dispensing system is configured so that all of the boiling liquid is dispensed.

10. Device according to claim 1, in which the management system is configured to activate the supply system at a beginning of a new operation cycle, by supplying the heating system with liquid at a constant flow rate below a reference flow rate recorded by the management system at the end of a previous operation cycle, for a defined period, and then to begin flow regulation.

11. Method for producing and dispensing boiling liquid, including: heating liquid supplied from a tank in order to bring said liquid to boiling, dispensing the boiling liquid and evacuating the steam emanating from said boiling liquid, after having separated said boiling liquid from the steam, wherein the method further includes: measuring a temperature of the liquid while it is heated, measuring an amount of steam evacuated, and regulating the supply flow of the liquid to be heated based on said temperature measurement and said measurement of the amount of steam evacuated.

12. Method according to claim 11, including the steps of: measuring the temperature of the steam present in an evacuation area, with said temperature being representative of the amount of steam evacuated, and regulating a supply flow rate of the liquid based on said temperature measurement representative of the amount of steam evacuated and the temperature measurement of the heated liquid.

13. Method according to claim 12, in which the flow is regulated so that the liquid is heated to a temperature of 100 C. and the temperature measured in the evacuation area remains between 75 C. and 95 C.

14. Method according to claim 11, in which the flow is regulated from a pump connected between the tank and a heating system for the liquid.

15. Method according to claim 11, in which: the value of a reference flow rate corresponding to the flow rate of the liquid at the end of an operation cycle is recorded; at the beginning of a new operation cycle, the liquid flow is regulated at a constant value below the reference flow rate for a determined period; after the determined period lapses, the flow is regulated based on the temperature of the heated liquid and amount of steam evacuated until the end of the cycle.

16. Apparatus for preparing beverages, which includes a device for producing and dispensing boiling liquid according to claim 1.

Description

[0025] The following description of an execution mode of an apparatus for preparing a beverage shows the characteristics and advantages of the present invention. This description is based on figures, which include:

[0026] FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of a hot water fountain,

[0027] FIG. 2 illustrates a three-dimensional view of the fountain and shows specifically a heated liquid dispensing outlet and a steam evacuation area arranged on this fountain;

[0028] FIG. 3 illustrates a side cross-section view of the fountain.

[0029] In the rest of the description, the liquid in question is water, which has a boiling point of 100 C. under normal atmospheric conditions. In practice, the liquid used will generally be water due to issues of cleaning the inside of the apparatus for preparing beverages. In fact, it would be very problematic to use it with liquids such as milk, which would stick to it. However, other liquids are possible without going beyond the scope of the invention, in particular liquids consisting of a mixture with a high concentration of water, and provided the apparatus is configured to be cleaned easily.

[0030] FIGS. 1 to 3 illustrate a hot water fountain 1, which has a device 2 to produce and dispense water that is boiling, or at a temperature very close to boiling. The device according to the invention has many characteristics similar to those of the device described according to the different variations in patent application FR 2 983 692 A1 filed by the applicant. Persons skilled in the art could therefore draw from the teachings of this patent application FR 2 983 692 A1 to implement the device 2 according to the invention.

[0031] The device 2 includes a water storage tank 3, which has a water storage capacity between 0.5 liters and 2 liters, for example. In other fountain designs also covered by this invention, the tank 3 can be replaced by a direct connection to a faucet connected to the water supply network by means of a flexible tube, for example. In this case, the apparatus would be configured to manage the pressure from the water distribution system.

[0032] The device 2 includes a water heating system 4, which has a tube-shaped heating chamber 5, which has an external tube 6 and an internal tube 7. This heating chamber 5 includes a means of heating (not illustrated in detail in the figures), which brings to a boil water placed inside this heating chamber 5. This means of heating consists, for example, of screen-printed tracks, as described in patent application FR 2 983 692 A1, arranged on the external wall 6a of the external tube 6. Other means of heating are possible, such as for example positive temperature coefficient (PTC) thermistors or a resistive external tube 6 configured to be heated entirely. Screen-printed tracks are favored, however, so that the apparatus has optimal instantaneous heating characteristics.

[0033] The device 2 includes a water supply system 8 for said heating system 4 from the tank 3. The supply system 8 includes a pump 9. An upstream supply conduit 10 opens at its first end 10a in the bottom 11 of the tank 3 and is connected at its second end 10b at the inlet 9a of the pump 9. A downstream supply conduit 12 is connected at its first end 12a to the outlet 9b of the pump 9 and opens at its second end 12b into the heating chamber 5.

[0034] The device 2 includes a dispensing system 13, which includes a cavity 14 delineated by the internal wall 7a of the internal tube 7. The upper edge 15 of the internal tube 7 is open, which enables the cavity to be in contact with the heating chamber 5, as FIG. 3 illustrates. Activation of the pump 9 permits the injection of water into the heating chamber 5. Going up into this heating chamber 9, the water heats until reaching its boiling point. This boiling makes the water rise toward the top of the heating chamber 5 until it reaches the upper edge 15 of the internal tube 7, where the boiling water falls due to gravity into the cavity 14. The bottom 16 of the cavity 14 is open and forms a channel inclining toward the back, which enables all the boiling water contained in the cavity 14 to drain with a buffering effect. The external tube 6 of the heating chamber 5 is closed at its top edge 6b by means of a cover 25, as illustrated in FIG. 3, which prevents the steam leaving the heating chamber 5 from escaping through the top of the device 2. This steam is therefore forced to escape by passing through the cavity 14. The dispensing system 13 includes a chamber 17 into which the open bottom 16 of the cavity 14 leads. This chamber 17 is configured to separate the boiling water and the steam. For this, the chamber 17 includes a drainage wall 18 in the form of a sloping channel that has a waterfall effect with the bottom 16. This drainage wall 18 opens at its lower portion 18a onto a nozzle 19, which has on its end 19a an orifice 20 for dispensing boiling water. The sloping shape of the drainage wall 18 ensures extraction of all the boiling water. This chamber 17 delineates an enclosure 21 open at its lower portion 21a so as to lead to the exterior of the device 2. The nozzle 19 is located in this lower portion 21a of the enclosure 21 as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. At the end of the lower portion 18a of this drainage wall 18, around the nozzle 19, there is a vertical curved separation wall 22 that forms a barrier to the drainage of the boiling water at the end of the drainage wall 18, which forces the boiling water to drain through said nozzle 19. The position of the separation wall 22 at the edge of the nozzle 19 prevents the stagnation of water at this location. This separation wall 22 extends in the vertical portion to the inside of the enclosure 21 so as to leave a passage 23 that enables, first, separation of the steam and boiling liquid, and second, propagation of this steam into the enclosure 21. Therefore, the enclosure 21 constitutes an evacuation area for the steam. The steam is evacuated to the exterior of the device 2 through the open lower portion 21a of the enclosure 21, while the boiling water exits through the dispensing orifice 20, through this open lower portion 21a. Evacuation of the steam makes it possible to heat the external environment located around the dispensing orifice 20, which reduces and delays the heat loss of the boiling water while it is dispensing.

[0035] The heating chamber 5 is equipped with a first temperature sensor measuring the temperature T1 of the liquid while it is heating. This first temperature sensor preferably consists of a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistor (not illustrated in the figures), which is located, for example, on the external wall 6a in the upper part of the external tube 6, in order to read the temperature in the boiling area.

[0036] Similarly, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, a second temperature sensor 24 is located in the lower portion 21a of the enclosure 21 beside of the nozzle 19. The second temperature sensor 24 is preferably a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistor and measures the temperature T2 of the air and steam mixture in the enclosure 21, which is open at its lower portion 21a. In fact, the position of the second temperature sensor 24 beside the nozzle 19, near the open air outlet, makes it possible to measure the temperature of an air/steam mixture while the production of boiling liquid is stabilized with low steam production. If this second sensor 24 was positioned too far inside of the apparatus 1, it would only measure the steam, and therefore a temperature T2 around 100 C. irrespective of the flow of steam. On the contrary, when it is positioned close to the open air outlet, the steam mixes with air and this mixture is what is measured. A heavy flow of steam then drives the air out of the open air outlet completely, and the second temperature sensor 24 may read up to about 100 C., while a low steam flow rate enables air to mix with this steam and lower the average temperature. The device 2 also includes a circuit board type of management system (not illustrated in the figures), which receives temperature measurements T1 and T2 from the first temperature sensor (not illustrated) located in the heating chamber 5 and from the second temperature sensor 24 in the lower portion 21a of the enclosure 21, respectively. This circuit board is connected to the pump 9 and acts on it so as to modify the flow from this pump 9 based on the temperatures T1 and T2 measured.

[0037] The water rises to boiling at the temperature T0, which under normal usage conditions of the device (at normal atmospheric pressure), is 100 C. The management system compares the temperature T1 measured in the heating chamber 5 to the boiling temperature T0. As long as the temperature T1 has not reached this temperature T0, the management system acts on the pump 9 to reduce the flow of water so as to slow the supply of cold water to the heating chamber 5 and enable the water present in this heating chamberin the process of heatingto go up to boiling.

[0038] If the management system reduces the flow from the pump 9 too much, the boiling water in the heating chamber 5 will produce more steam without the temperature T1 increasing, given that it has reached the boiling temperature T0. This is why the management system simultaneously compares the temperature T2, measured in the lower portion 21a of the enclosure 21, to a reference temperature T3 so as to quantify the steam present in the lower portion 21a of the enclosure 21.

[0039] When the steam flow is low, the temperature T2 picked up by the second temperature sensor 24 corresponds to an average of the ambient air temperature, located near this open lower portion 21a, and the temperature of the steam itself, which is evacuated. As long as the temperature T2 measurement is below this reference temperature T3, without going below a temperature threshold preferably set at 75 C., and the water heating temperature T1 is at the temperature T0, the management system considers the flow from the pump to be correct and maintains this flow. On the contrary, when the steam flow rate is too high, the temperature T2 picked up by the second temperature sensor 24 is closer to that of the steam itself. As soon as the temperature T2 measurement goes beyond the reference temperature T3, the management system acts on the pump 9 to increase its water supply flow rate so as to cool slightly the water in the heating chamber 5, and thereby reduce the production of steam. Simultaneously, the management system continues to compare the temperature T1 of the heated water in the heating chamber 5 so as to regulate the flow from the pump 9 and keep this water boiling, or near boiling, without going below a temperature threshold preferably set at 98 C. Preferably, the reference temperature T3 is set at 95 C.

[0040] Persons skilled in the art will use general knowledge in the field of electronics to implement a circuit board programmed to regulate the flow from the pump 9 based on the temperature T1 and T2 measurements, and according to the process described previously.

[0041] Therefore, the management system makes it possible to manage the heating system 4 and supply system 8 so that the temperature seen by the temperature sensor on said heating system 4 remains over 98 C. and so that the temperature of the air/steam mixture seen by the temperature sensor 24 remains between 75 C. and 95 C., which ensures that boiling, or close to boiling, water is dispensed without the overproduction of steam at the outlet.

[0042] The management system is programmed so that, upon initial activation of the apparatus 1, the device 2 performs a self-calibration of the flow from the pump 9, which is adjusted automatically based on the temperature T2 measurement in the lower portion 21a of the enclosure 21, proportional to the amount of steam produced. This flow rate is recorded by the management system as the reference flow rate D0. Upon the next activation of the apparatus 1, the management system regulates the flow from the pump 9 at a constant flow rate D1 slightly below the reference flow D0 for a defined period d1, preferably 15 seconds, so as to enable thermal stabilization of the device 2. After this period d1 has lapsed, the management system begins to regulate the flow from the pump 9 in order to maintain a temperature T1 of the heated water roughly equal to the boiling temperature T0, on the order of 100 C., and a temperature T2 of the air and steam mixture in the lower portion 21a of the enclosure 21 below the reference temperature T3, on the order of 95 C. At the end of the operation cycle, the management system is configured to record the last flow rate D0(n) regulation value, which becomes the new reference. At the beginning of each new cycle (n+1), the management system adjusts the flow from the pump 9 to a constant flow rate D1(n+1) slightly below a reference flow D0(n) for the duration d1, prior to beginning regulation of the flow from the pump 9. And so on. The management system circuit board will be programmed to fulfill these functions.

[0043] Implementation variations are possible without going beyond the scope of the invention. Specifically, the steam in the enclosure 21 can be quantified differently. For example, a pressure sensor (not illustrated) can be placed in the enclosure 21, replacing the second temperature sensor 24, with the management system being configured to quantify the steam based on the pressure measured in the enclosure 21. However, the implementation mode described previously will be favored due to manufacturing cost issues.

[0044] It is also possible to implement the invention on variations of devices described in patent application FR 2 983 692 A1 filed by the applicant, which differ from the device 2 described previously due to the fact that the dispensing system is arranged so that the steam is evacuated into the tank. According to the different variations described in FR 2 983 692 A1, it would be suitable to position the second temperature sensor 24, cited previously, judiciously in an area to which steam is evacuated prior to its ejection into the tank.

[0045] Other water supply systems are also possible, positioned between the tank 3 and the heating system 4, according to the configuration of the device 2. For example, pump 9 could be replaced by an electrically controlled valve placed in a supply conduit, which would be connected upstream directly to the electrical system and downstream to the heating chamber 5. In this case, the heating system would activate the valve to regulate the flow of water supplying the heating chamber 5. An electrically controlled valve would be preferable, for example, to a pump 9 in the case where the tank 3 is replaced by a direct connection to a faucet connected to the water supply network, as described previously, in order to manage the water pressure.