Milk container that can be associated with a coffee machine and coffee machine having such a milk container

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016000258-A1
Application number	US-201514792934-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 7, 2015
Priority date	Jul 7, 2014
Publication date	Jan 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A milk container that can be associated with a coffee machine having in turn an external coffee dispenser that includes a containment body for containing milk; a mixing unit at least having a mixing chamber, a channel for supplying milk to the mixing chamber, a channel for supplying steam to the mixing chamber, a channel for supplying air to the mixing chamber, and an outlet channel for milk mixed with air and steam from the mixing chamber; an external milk dispenser having hooking means to the external coffee dispenser; and at least one flexible pipe for the flexible mechanical and hydraulic connection of the external dispenser of the mixed milk to the outlet channel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A milk container that can be associated with a coffee machine having an external coffee dispenser, comprising:
a containment body for containing milk; a mixing unit comprising:
a mixing chamber;
a milk channel for supplying milk to the mixing chamber:
a steam channel for supplying steam to the mixing chamber;
a air channel for supplying air to the mixing chamber; and
an outlet channel for milk mixed with air and steam from the mixing chamber;
an external dispenser of the mixed milk having a hooking device for attachment to the external coffee dispenser; and at least one flexible pipe, providing flexible mechanical and hydraulic connection of the external dispenser of the mixed milk to the outlet channel.

2 . The milk container of claim 1 , wherein the mixing unit is integrated into a cover of the containment body for containing milk.

3 . The milk container of claim 2 , wherein the at least one flexible pipe has a connection terminal fixable in a fixing seat of the cover, located where the outlet channel for the mixed milk emerges.

4 . The milk container of claim 3 , wherein the connection terminal has an internal channel for hydraulic connection between the flexible pipe and the outlet channel for the mixed milk.

5 . The milk container of claim 3 , wherein the connection terminal is shapingly connected to the fixing seat by a fixed joint.

6 . The milk container of claim 2 , wherein the cover includes externally a through opening, through an access thickness thereof inside the containment body, for loading milk.

7 . The milk container of claim 2 , wherein the cover has a recess configured for placing the external dispenser for mixed milk back in a minimum overall dimensions configuration when the external dispenser is unhooked from the external coffee dispenser.

8 . The milk container of claim 7 , wherein the cover includes externally a through opening, through an access thickness thereof inside the containment body, for loading milk, and wherein the through opening is located at a wall of the recess of the cover.

9 . The milk container of claim 1 , wherein the external dispenser of mixed milk includes two dispensing holes.

10 . The milk container of claim 1 , wherein the hooking device is magnetic.

11 . The milk container ( 1 ) that can be associated with a coffee machine ( 2 ) according to any one of claims 1 to 9 , characterised in that said hooking means is of mechanical type.

12 . A coffee machine having at a front wall thereof an external coffee dispenser that is adjustable in height with respect to a resting surface for cups, wherein the coffee machine further comprises the milk container of claim 1 .

13 . The coffee machine of claim 12 , wherein the external dispenser for mixed milk is hooked to, and is hooked at a front of, the external coffee dispenser.

14 . The coffee machine of claim 13 , wherein the external coffee dispenser has two dispensing holes.

15 . The coffee machine of claim 14 , wherein the external dispenser for mixed milk has two dispensing holes.

16 . The coffee machine of claim 15 , wherein the external dispenser for mixed milk and the external coffee dispenser are oriented with the two respective dispensing holes thereof directed towards an underlying zone for direct dispensing into two cups simultaneously, where the two cups can be positioned next to one another on the resting surface.

Assignees

• De Longhi Appliances Srl

Inventors

• De Longhi Giuseppe
• Vaona Marco

Classifications

• A47J31/4485 Primary

  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