Process for detecting scale formation in a beverage preparation machine
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
G08B-021/00
G01N-015/08
G01F-001/11
G05D-007/00
F25B-027/00
E21B-047/10
출원번호
US-0792039
(2010-06-02)
등록번호
US-8344896
(2013-01-01)
우선권정보
EP-09161808 (2009-06-03)
발명자
/ 주소
Ozanne, Matthieu
출원인 / 주소
Nestec S.A.
대리인 / 주소
K&L Gates LLP
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
6
초록▼
The invention concerns a process for detecting scale deposit in the liquid supply means of a water pump driven machine comprising at least a water tank, a pump and a heating means, where water is pumped from the water tank and fed to the heating means, and where the pump is energized by a controller
The invention concerns a process for detecting scale deposit in the liquid supply means of a water pump driven machine comprising at least a water tank, a pump and a heating means, where water is pumped from the water tank and fed to the heating means, and where the pump is energized by a controller by providing the pump with an energizing signal to provide an intended water flow rate F, wherein the actual water flow rate f is measured and the discrepancy Δ between the actual water flow rate f and the intended water flow rate F is directly and/or indirectly compared to an operating instruction related to scale deposit.
대표청구항▼
1. A process for detecting scale deposits in a liquid supply means of a machine comprising at least a water tank, a pump and a heating means, comprising the step of pumping water from the water tank to the heating means, and energizing the pump by a controller by providing the pump with an energizin
1. A process for detecting scale deposits in a liquid supply means of a machine comprising at least a water tank, a pump and a heating means, comprising the step of pumping water from the water tank to the heating means, and energizing the pump by a controller by providing the pump with an energizing signal to produce an intended water flow rate F, measuring an actual water flow rate f and comparing a discrepancy Δ between the actual water flow rate f and the intended water flow rate F to an operating instruction related to scale deposit; wherein the pump is a solenoid pump comprising a spring-loaded linear pumping member axially displaceable between a spring-loaded position and a spring-released end position controlled by the controller responsive to a current waveform, andarranging to generate an energizing signal for controlling the pumping member from the current waveform by excluding a part of the current waveform from the energizing signal such that the pumping member is energized into an intermediate position between the spring-released end position and the spring-loaded position. 2. A process according to claim 1, comprising energizing the pump by a fixed energy set in view of the intended water flow rate F and the discrepancy Δ between the actual water flow rate f and the intended water flow rate F which is directly compared to a water flow operation instruction related to scale deposit. 3. A process according to claim 1, wherein the controller sets the amount of energy of the pump at least partially in response to an actual water flow rate indication signal and the discrepancy Δ between the actual water flow rate f and the intended flow rate F and/or the energizing signal is compared to an operating instruction related to scale deposit. 4. A process according to claim 1, wherein the energizing signal is a phase-angled sinusoidal signal, with an amount of energy being defined by the phase-angle (θ). 5. A process according to claim 4, wherein the phase-angled sinusoidal signal is a phase-angled part of a rectified half-period of the alternating current. 6. A process according to claim 1, wherein the discrepancy Δ between the actual water flow rate f and the intended water flow rate F is compared to the operating instruction related to scale deposit when the pump reaches a stable operating condition. 7. A process according to claim 1, comprising providing an alert message if a condition selected from the group consisting of: the discrepancy Δ between the actual water flow rate f and the intended water flow rate F is greater than the water flow operating instruction related to scale deposit; and the energizing signal is greater than the pump power operating instruction related to scale deposit, is met. 8. A beverage dispensing apparatus, comprising at least a water tank, a pump, a heating means, a flow meter for measuring an actual flow rate f, a controller setting an amount of energy with which to provide the pump and alert means for comparing at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of a discrepancy Δ between the actual water flow rate and an intended water flow rate F and the energizing signal to a corresponding operating instruction related to scale deposit; wherein the pump is a solenoid pump comprising a spring-loaded linear pumping member axially displaceable between a spring-loaded position and a spring-released end position controlled by the controller responsive to a current waveform and being arranged to generate an energizing signal for controlling the pumping member from the current waveform by excluding a part of the current waveform from the energizing signal such that the pumping member is energized into an intermediate position between the spring-released end position and the spring-loaded position. 9. An apparatus according to claim 8, comprising a signal processor, wherein the controller is implemented using software on a signal processor. 10. A process for detecting scale deposits in a liquid supply device of a machine comprising a water pump, at least a water tank, and a heater comprising the step of: pumping water from the water tank to the heater;energizing the pump using a controller by providing the pump with a signal to provide an intended water flow rate F;measuring the actual water flow rate f; andcomparing a discrepancy Δ between the actual water flow rate f and the intended water flow rate F to an operating instruction related to scale deposit;the process further, wherein the pump is a solenoid pump, comprising a spring-loaded linear pumping member axially displaceable between a spring-loaded position and a spring-released end position controlled by the controller responsive to a current waveform andarranging to generate an energizing signal for controlling the pumping member from the current waveform by excluding a part of the current waveform from the energizing signal such that the pumping member is energized into an intermediate position between the spring-released end position and the spring-loaded position. 11. A process for detecting scale deposits in a liquid supply means of a machine comprising at least a water tank, a pump and a heating means, comprising the step of pumping water from the water tank to the heating means, andenergizing the pump by a controller by providing the pump with an energizing signal to produce an intended water flow rate F,measuring an actual water flow rate f and comparing a discrepancy Δ between the actual water flow rate f and the intended water flow rate F to an operating instruction related to scale deposit;providing an alert message if a condition selected from the group consisting of: the discrepancy Δ between the actual water flow rate f and the intended water flow rate F is greater than the water flow operating instruction related to scale deposit; and the energizing signal is greater than the pump power operating instruction related to scale deposit, is met.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (6)
Simmons, Philip Andrew, Apparatus to control fluid flow rates.
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