Coffee machine with a refrigerated compartment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9320384-B2
Application number	US-201013388176-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 21, 2010
Priority date	Aug 3, 2009
Publication date	Apr 26, 2016
Grant date	Apr 26, 2016

Abstract

A connection device connects a refrigerated compartment, where milk or other perishable liquid is contained, to a device for supplying hot or emulsified milk, which can be associated to a coffee machine or the like. The connection device has at least a portion which can be refrigerated by an effect of a coupling to the refrigerated compartment where a milk container is contained.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A machine for producing a drink, comprising:
a supplier having a supplying spout configured to supply the drink;
a refrigerated compartment to house a liquid; and
a connection device between the refrigerated compartment and at least a supply nozzle for supplying the liquid picked up from said refrigerated compartment to the supplier,
wherein the connection device comprises a liquid feeding duct having a first end for inletting the liquid and a second end associated to said supply nozzle, said liquid feeding duct being housed at least partially in a refrigerated chamber, and a thermally insulated outer housing that includes said refrigerated chamber, wherein the liquid feeding duct extends in the thermally insulated outer housing,
wherein the refrigerated compartment comprises a door and a liquid sucking tube, the door being openable and closable, the door being opened by inserting the first end of the liquid feeding duct of the connection device into the door, the liquid sucking tube being removably connected to said liquid feeding duct, and the liquid sucking tube being connected to the first end of the liquid feeding duct when the door is opened, and
wherein the connection device is coupled into to the refrigerated compartment when the door is opened and the liquid sucking tube is connected to the first end of the liquid feeding duct.

2. The machine according to claim 1 , wherein said refrigerated compartment comprises a circuit for a refrigerating fluid in thermal contact with said connection device.

3. The machine according to claim 2 , wherein said liquid feeding duct is housed at least partially in a tube in direct or indirect thermal contact with said circuit for the refrigerating liquid.

4. The machine according to claim 3 , wherein said tube is made of material with high thermal conductivity.

5. The machine according to claim 3 , wherein said tube is coupled to a joint comprising a passage for the liquid feeding duct, in communication with said refrigerated compartment, and a projection in direct or indirect thermal contact with said circuit for the refrigerating fluid.

6. The machine according to claim 5 , wherein said tube and said joint are connected to a reversible fixing coupling.

7. The machine according to claim 1 , wherein said connecting device comprises a device for inletting refrigerated air from the refrigerated compartment in said connection device.

8. The machine according to claim 3 , wherein said tube is associated to a device for inletting refrigerated air from said refrigerated compartment in a hollow space between said tube and said liquid feeding duct.

9. The machine according to claim 5 , wherein said projection of the joint is coupled to a housing of a fan for inletting refrigerated air from said refrigerated compartment in said joint and in said tube.

10. The machine according to claim 1 , wherein said refrigerated chamber is open at least at the first end inletting the liquid of said liquid feeding duct.

11. The machine according to claim 1 , wherein said liquid feeding duct is in a flow connection with a sucking member having an inlet for feeding steam and a mixing chamber, the inlet being connected to a nozzle for supplying the steam from said machine, and the mixing chamber mixing the steam with the liquid fed along said liquid feeding duct.

12. The machine according to claim 3 , wherein said liquid feeding duct is in a flow connection with a sucking member having an inlet for feeding steam and a mixing chamber, the inlet being connected to a nozzle for supplying the steam from said machine, and the mixing chamber mixing the steam with the liquid fed along said liquid feeding duct, and wherein said tube extends from the refrigerated compartment to the sucking member.

13. The machine according to claim 11 , wherein said sucking member further comprises an emulsifying air inlet.

14. Machine according to claim 1 , further comprising a member for at least partial closure the liquid feeding duct.

15. The machine according to claim 14 , wherein said supply nozzle and said liquid feeding duct are configured to have at least two distinct mutual angular positions, a mutual rotation of said supply nozzle and said liquid feeding duct causing the at least partial closure of the liquid feeding duct.

16. The machine according to claim 15 , wherein said mutual rotation causes opening and closing of a flow interception member through said liquid feeding duct.

17. The machine according to claim 11 , wherein said liquid feeding duct and said supply nozzle are mutually connected approximately at the sucking member.

18. The machine according to claim 17 , wherein said liquid feeding duct and said supply nozzle are configured to have three different mutual angular positions to perform respectively a liquid supply, a washing of the supply nozzle, and a washing of the liquid feeding duct.

19. The machine according to claim 1 , further comprising a discharge collector having an inlet opening interfacing with said supply nozzle, and having a discharge opening interfacing with a collection container.

20. The machine according to claim 1 , wherein the door is closed by a spring placed onto an oscillating axis of the door when the connection device is not coupled into the refrigerated compartment, and wherein the door is opened by oscillation of the door inwards around the oscillating axis into the refrigerated compartment when the connection device is coupled into the refrigerated compartment.

21. A machine for producing a drink comprising:
a supplier configured to supply the drink from a supplying spout;
a refrigerated compartment to house a liquid; and
a connection device between the refrigerated compartment and at least a supply nozzle for supplying the liquid picked up from the refrigerated compartment to the supplier,
wherein the connection device comprises:
a liquid feeding duct having a first end inletting the liquid and a second end associated to the supply nozzle;
a thermally insulated outer housing that includes the refrigerated chamber, wherein the liquid feeding duct extends in the thermally insulated outer housing;
a thermally insulated chamber that includes the liquid feeding duct, wherein the thermally insulated chamber has thermally insulating walls made of an insulated material having a low thermal conductivity; and
a plate forming a thermal flywheel between the thermally insulated chamber and the liquid feeding duct.

22. The machine according to claim 21 , wherein the liquid feeding duct is made of material having a high thermal transmission coefficient, and wherein an inside of the thermally insulated chamber is filled with cold air, cooled in the refrigerated compartment, when the thermally insulated chamber is in connection with an inside of the refrigerated compartment.

23. A machine for producing a drink comprising:
a supplier configured to supply the drink from a supplying spout;
a refrigerated compartment to house a liquid; and
a connection device between the refrigerated compartment and at least a supply nozzle for supplying the liquid picked up from the refrigerated compartment to the supplier,
wherein the connection device has a longitudinal axis and comprises:
a liquid feeding duct having a first end inletting the liquid and a second end associated to the supply nozzle, the liquid feeding duct being housed at least partially in a refrigerated chamber;
a thermally insulated oute

Assignees

• Remo Gianni
• Bruni Andrea
• Tonelli Stefano
• Salvi Fabio
• Koninkl Philips Nv

Inventors

• Remo Gianni
• Bruni Andrea
• Tonelli Stefano
• Salvi Fabio

Classifications

• A47J31/60

  Cleaning devices · CPC title

• 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

• 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