Coffee machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11058251-B2
Application number	US-201615231869-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 9, 2016
Priority date	Oct 15, 2008
Publication date	Jul 13, 2021
Grant date	Jul 13, 2021

Abstract

A coffee machine having a water tank; at least one first pump; at least one first boiler for heating the water; a coffee brewing unit; and circuits to feed hot water and/or steam, with a first outlet for hot water or steam towards an emulsifying device which can be connected to a connection joint of the coffee machine; a second outlet for hot water and/or wash water.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A coffee machine comprising:
a water tank;
at least a first pump;
at least a first boiler for heating water from said water tank;
a coffee brewing unit;
a connection joint including a first outlet for passage of at least one of hot water and steam and a second outlet for passage of at least one of hot water and steam;
an emulsifying device for at least one of heating and frothing milk, the emulsifying device comprising: a connector configured to removably receive said connection joint, at least one arm forming a suction chamber connected to a mixing nozzle at a base portion, a first inlet connected to the base portion, said suction chamber in flow connection with a milk suction duct of said emulsifying device and with said mixing nozzle, a milk supply duct connected to said mixing nozzle for supplying hot or frothed milk, a second inlet connected to said suction chamber,
wherein said first inlet is arranged to receive steam or hot water from said first outlet when said connector is coupled to said connection joint to inject steam or hot water from said first outlet into said mixing nozzle such that the steam or hot water flows through said first inlet into said mixing nozzle,
wherein said second inlet is arranged to receive steam or hot water from said second outlet when said connector is coupled to said connection joint to inject the steam or hot water from the second outlet into said suction chamber such that hot water or steam coming from the coffee machine flows through said second inlet into said suction chamber and said mixing nozzle.

2. The coffee machine as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said second inlet is configured to pass air for frothing the milk, air and steam or hot water being fed alternatively to said suction chamber through said second outlet.

3. The coffee machine as claimed in claim 1 , comprising a plurality of valves configured to selectively control supply of the steam and hot water to said first outlet and to said second outlet to produce hot or frothed milk and, alternatively, to carry out a washing cycle for washing said emulsifying device.

4. The coffee machine as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising an air suction duct for suction of air towards said emulsifying device.

5. The coffee machine as claimed in claim 4 , wherein said air suction duct includes a valve which allows selectively to open or to close said air suction duct.

6. The coffee machine as claimed in claim 4 , wherein said air suction duct is in flow connection with a hot water or steam duct in flow connection with said second outlet.

7. The coffee machine as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of valves;
a feed duct coupled to feed hot water or steam to the plurality of valves;
a first supply duct coupled to said first outlet for supplying hot water or steam from said plurality of valves to said first outlet;
a first valve, of the plurality of valves, configured to selectively control connection of said feed duct to said first supply duct;
a second supply duct coupled to said second outlet for supplying hot water or steam from said plurality of valves to said second outlet; and
a second valve, of the plurality of valves, configured to selectively control connection of said feed duct to said second supply duct.

8. The coffee machine as claimed in claim 7 , further comprising a third valve, of the plurality of valves, configured to selectively control connection of said feed duct to a third supply duct in flow connection with a nozzle for supplying water or steam, separate from said first and second outlet.

9. The coffee machine as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising an air suction hole and a fourth valve, of the plurality of valves, configured to selectively control connection of the air suction hole and an air supply duct to supply air to said second outlet.

10. The coffee machine as claimed in claim 9 , wherein said air supply duct exits in one of:
a position adjacent to said second outlet, and
a duct for conveying water or steam to said second outlet.

11. The coffee machine as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising an electronic control unit, configured to control the supply of hot water or steam through at least one of said first and said second outlets.

12. The coffee machine as claimed in claim 11 , further comprising a first microswitch and a second microswitch, to enable a supply of hot water or steam from at least one of the first outlet and the second outlet based upon a presence and position of said emulsifying device interfaced with said connection joint.

13. The coffee machine as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a programmable control unit configured to control washing cycles of said emulsifying device by supplying hot water and/or steam through said second outlet and subsequently hot water and steam respectively through said first outlet and said second outlet or respectively through said second outlet and said first outlet.

14. The coffee machine as claimed in claim 13 , wherein at least during a part of each of the washing cycles said steam or hot water is supplied in conditions appropriate to generate an overpressure in said milk suction duct.

15. The coffee machine as claimed in claim 13 , wherein said programmable control unit is programmed to automatically perform a washing cycle at an end of a milk supply cycle.

16. The coffee machine as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said connector includes:
a seat for the insertion of said connection joint of the coffee machine towards said mixing nozzle, and
a duct arranged side-by-side to said first inlet and extending between said seat and said suction chamber.

17. The coffee machine as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said emulsifying device comprises a body in which said connector, said mixing nozzle and said suction chamber are arranged, and to which an opening and closing member for closing and opening at least partially the milk suction duct is movably constraint, which said opening and closing member can assume, with respect to said body, at least a first position of closing said milk suction duct and a second position for opening the milk suction duct.

18. The coffee machine as claimed in claim 17 , wherein said opening and closing member is provided with a rotatory movement relative to said body.

19. The coffee machine as claimed in claim 17 , wherein said milk suction duct comprises a tube made of flexible material and said opening and closing member is configured to at least partially throttle said flexible tube thus hindering flow through said milk suction duct when the opening and closing member is in closing position.

20. A method for operating a coffee machine, the method comprising acts of:
providing a water tank, at least a first pump, at least a boiler for heating water from said water tank, a coffee brewing unit, a connection joint, the connection joint including a first outlet for passage of at least one of hot water and steam and a second outlet for passage of at least one of hot water and steam, and providing an emulsifying device for at least one of heating and frothing milk, said emulsifying device comprising: a connector configured to removably receive said connection joint, joint, at least one arm forming a suction chamber connected to a mixing nozzle at a base portion, a first inlet connected to the base portion, said suction chamber in flow connection with a milk suction duct of said emulsifying device and with said mixing nozzle, a milk supply duct connected to said mixing n

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Tonelli Stefano
• Castelli Cristiano

Classifications

• A47J31/44 Primary

  Parts or details {or accessories} of beverage-making apparatus (filters or strainers A47J31/06) · CPC title

• A47J31/40

  Beverage-making apparatus with dispensing means for adding a measured quantity of ingredients, e.g. coffee, water, sugar, cocoa, milk, tea · CPC title

• A47J31/4485

  Nozzles dispensing heated and foamed milk, i.e. milk is sucked from a milk container, heated and foamed inside the device, and subsequently dispensed from the nozzle · CPC title

• B08B9/0328

  by purging the pipe with a gas or a mixture of gas and liquid · CPC title

• A47J31/60 Primary

  Cleaning devices · CPC title