Abstract:
A drip-filter extraction apparatus comprises a container, a flow rate controller and an extraction device. The container receives a liquid therein. The flow rate controller controls the liquid in the container flowing out at a constant flow rate. The extraction device collects the liquid and mixes it with extraction material to form a mixed liquid, and then the extraction device filters and collects the mixed liquid.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to an extraction apparatus, and more particularly to a drip-filter type extraction apparatus and a flow rate controller thereof. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    In some conditions, flow rate control of liquid is very important, particularly, when it relates to a reaction processs, such as extraction processs. 
         [0005]    For instance, a water drip extraction apparatus for making ice coffee. Many factors affect the quality of making a good ice coffee, such as coffee powder&#39;s quality, water temperature, time of ice water contacting coffee powder. 
         [0006]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , a conventional ice extraction apparatus  1  includes a frame  2 , on which a first container  3 , a second container  4 , a collection container  5 , a flow rate controller  6  and a filter  7  are provided. The first container  3  is above the collection container  5  to receive ice water  8  therein. The second container  4  is between the first container  3  and the collection container  5 , in which there are the filter  7  and coffee powder  9 . The flow rate controller  6  is under the first container  3 , which includes an adjusting member  6   a  to control a flow rate of ice water  8  dripping to the second container  4 . 
         [0007]    The ice water  8  is mixed with the coffee powder  9  in the second container  4  and flows through the filter  7  to the collection container  5  to have ice coffee collected in the collection container  5 . The flow rate controller  6  provides a throttle valve to control the flow rate of ice water. We know that the water flow is positive proportional to both the cross-sectional area of throttle orifice and the water pressure. As a result, the flow rate controller  6  provides ice water  8  with a slower and slower flow rate to the second container  4  when ice water  8  becomes less in the first container  3 . Even when the flow rate controller  6  keeps the orifice with a constant cross-sectional area, the flow rate changes and, hence, the time of ice water flowing through coffee powder changes. It affects the time of ice water  8  mixed with coffee powder  9 . In other words, the quality of ice coffee is changingfrom beginning to end. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The present invention provides a drip-filter extraction apparatus and a flow rate controller thereof, which provides liquid with a constant flow rate. 
         [0009]    The drip-filter type extraction apparatus comprises a container, a flow rate controller and an extraction device. The container receives a liquid therein, such as ice water. The flow rate controller controls the liquid in the container flowing out at a constant flow rate. The extraction device includes a material container with an outlet at a bottom thereof for receiving an extraction material therein, a filter in the material container, and a collection container for receiving a mixed liquid. The liquid from the flow rate controller flows to the material container and is mixed with the extraction material, such as coffee powder, in the material container to form the mixed liquid, such as ice coffee, and then the mixed liquid flows to the collection container through filter and the outlet of the material container. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a sketch diagram of the conventional drip extraction apparatus; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a sketch diagram of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the guiding unit of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a sketch diagram of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the guiding tube being pressed downwards; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a sketch diagram of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing ice water being out; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7  are sketch diagrams of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing guiding tube with changeable length; 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is a sketch diagram of a second preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  is a sketch diagram of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the guiding tube being pressed downwards. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0018]    As shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , a drip-filter type extraction apparatus of the preferred embodiment of the present invention for making ice coffee comprises a frame  10 , a container  16 , an extraction device  20  and a flow rate controller  30 . 
         [0019]    The frame  10  comprises a high stand  12  and a carrier base  14 . 
         [0020]    The container  16  is mounted on the high stand  12 , in which ice water  100  or other liquid is received. 
         [0021]    The extraction device  20  comprises a collection container  22 , a material container  24  and a filter  26 . 
         [0022]    The collection container  22  is provided on the carrier base  14  under the container  16 , which has an opening  221 . 
         [0023]    The material container  24  is provided above the collection container  22 , which has an outlet  241  associated with the opening  221  of the collection container  22 . 
         [0024]    The filter  26  is received in the material container  24 , and an extraction material  103 , such as coffee powder, is received in the material container  24  above the filter  26 . 
         [0025]    The flow rate controller  30  guides the ice water  100  in the container  16  to the extraction device  20 , which comprises a guiding unit  32 , a floatable member  34  and a guiding tube  36 . 
         [0026]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , the guiding unit  32  comprises a column-like regulating tube  321  and a floatable throttle disk  322 . The regulating tube  321  is received in the container  16  with an upper opening  321   a  higher than a level  101  of the ice water  1100  and two lower opening  321   b  lower tahn the level  101  of the ice water  100 . The two lower opening  321   b  is designed to let ice water flow in whenever the floatable throttle  322  is not block them. One example is to locatethe lower opening  321   b  at a level lower than the thickness of the floatable throttle disk  322 . The regulating tube  321  has a greater diameter portion  321   c  adjacent to the lower opening  321   b,  in which the floatable throttle disk  322  is received. The floatable throttle disk  322  has a bore  322   a.    
         [0027]    The floatable member  34  is received in the regulating tube  321  and floated on the level  101  of the ice water  100 . 
         [0028]    The guiding tube  36  is fixed to the floatable member  34 , which comprises an inlet  361  at an end thereof and an outlet  362  at the other end thereof. The guiding tube  36  has the end with the inlet  361  passing through the upper opening  321   a  of the regulating tube  321  and the floatable member  34  to have the inlet  361  under the level  101  and the outlet  362  left out of the container  16  and under the level  101  for a predetermined depth S. Whenever the guiding tube  26  is not deformable, the depth S is constant. 
         [0029]    Above is the structure of the extraction apparatus of the present invention, and the operation of the extraction apparatus will be described hereunder. 
         [0030]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the ice water  100  is received in the container  16  and does not flow toward the extraction device  20  via the guiding tube  36  yet. As shown in  FIG. 4 , when the guiding tube  36  is pressed downwards, the floatable member  34  is moved downwards, too. Therefore, the pressure in the regulating tube  321  raises up and moves the floatable throttle disk  322  downwards to the bottom of the container  16 . Then, the lower opening  321   b  and the bore  322   b  are sealed. The pressure in the regulating tube  321  raises higher while the guiding tube  36  is being pressed downwards, and water will be forced to flow into the guiding tube  36  via the inlet  361  and flow out via the outlet  362  to balance the pressure. Next, when the guiding tube  36  is released, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the ice water  100  outside of the regulating tube  321  flows into the regulating tube  321  through the lower opening  321   b  and bore  322   a  of the floatable throttle disk  322  until water level in the regulating tube  321  raises to the level of the ice water  200  outside. Therefore, the guiding tube  36  is filled with water and the outlet  362  is lower than the water level that siphon effect occurres to pump the ice water  100  in the guiding tube  36  out of the container  16  and drip the ice water  100  into the material container  24  of the extraction device  20 . The ice water  100  then mixes with the extraction material  103 . It has to be mentioned that the floatable member  34  and the guiding tube  36  move along with the level of the ice water, and the outlet  362  of the guiding tube  36  always keeps at a constant depth S under the level  101  so that the ice water  100  always flows with a constant flow rate without being affected by the water level change. The present invention provides the liquid with constant flow rate that is good for the condition when time is important in reaction of liquid. For example, in making ice coffee, the present invention makes a steady quality ice coffee from the beginning throughout to the end. 
         [0031]    The guiding tube of the present invention may be a retractable member to meet various requirements. As shown in  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 , guiding tubes  40  and  40 ′ consist of a first tube  42  and  42 ′ and a second tube  44  and  44 ′. The first tube  42  and  42 ′ and the second tube  44  and  44 ′ are fitted to or screwed to each other. The first tube  42  and  42 ′ passes through a floatable member  45  and has an inlet  42   a  and  42   a ′. The second tube  44  and  44 ′ extends out of a container (not shown) and has an outlet  44   a  and  44 ′ a.    
         [0032]      FIG. 8  shows another guiding unit  70 , which has a column-like tube  72  with a film  74  therein to replace the throttle disk. The film  74 , which is fixed to an interior wall of the tube  72 , has an aperture  741  at a center thereof. The film  74  keeps horizontal for passing through liquid when a floatable member  76  is not pressed downwards.  FIG. 9  shows the film  74  being pressed for deformation, in which the aperture  741  is sealed by bottom of a container  78 . Therefore, when the floatable member  76  keeps being pressed, it forces liquid entering a guiding tube  79  and siphon effect occurs when the pressing force is out. 
         [0033]    The description above is a preferred embodiment of the present invention and the equivalence of the present invention is still in the scope of the claim of the present invention.