Steam Unit with External Fastening, Including a Tank for Frothing Milk and Heating Beverages, for a Machine for Espresso Beverages

• US 20090101021A1
• Filed: 05/15/2006
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Versuni Holding BV
• Original Assignee: Saeco IPR Ltd. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Tonelli, Stefano, Castelli, Cristiano
• Granted Patent: US 9,265,379 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 99/290
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/4485 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

Abstract

A steam unit, in particular for a machine for espresso beverages, includes a supporting island with external fastening, which connects removably to the machine; a tank for frothing milk, the base of which connects removably to the supporting island, which in turn comprises an electro/hydraulic circuit to deliver steam from the machine to the tank, by means of the connection at the base of the tank, said tank including an upper part for heating and emulsifying the beverages.

Claims

1. Steam unit, in particular for a machine for espresso beverages, including:

a supporting island with external fastening, which connects removably to said machine;

a tank, the base of which connects removably to said supporting island, said supporting island in turn including a hydraulic circuit to deliver steam from said machine to said tank, by means of said connection at the base of the tank;

said tank including an upper part for heating and emulsifying the beverages.

2. Steam unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tank is suitable to contain milk or a beverage and comprises:

In said upper part a covering part inside which said milk or beverage is heated and emulsified, and including an air intake member for intake of air from outside into the inside of said covering part;

a steam output pipe placed inside the tank, in a substantially central position, connected between said base and the inside of said upper covering part, the lower terminal part of said steam output pipe including said second hydraulic connection;

a suction pipe placed inside the tank and connected to the inside of said upper covering part, suitable to suck up the milk or beverage from the base of the tank and deliver it to the inside of said upper covering part.

3. Steam unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein said tank comprises in the inside of said upper covering part a hydraulic connection between said steam output pipe, said milk suction pipe and said air input member, the steam delivered from said steam output pipe creating vacuum pressure which, through the Venturi effect, causes suction of the milk or beverage from the base of the tank through said suction pipe and of air from outside through said air intake member, causing mixing with the forming of said emulsified milk.

4. Steam unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein said tank comprises in the inside of said upper covering part a recess from which said frothed milk or said beverage drops into said tank.

5. Steam unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein said tank comprises in said upper covering part an opening through which said frothed milk or said beverage can be poured out and through which the tank can be topped up with milk or beverage.

6. Steam unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein said tank comprises in the upper covering part a lid in turn comprising a pin on which it can rotate to open, the back edge of said lid engaging against a raised part of the upper edge of the tank, preventing rotation of said pin to open the lid when said upper covering part is positioned inside the tank.

7. Steam unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein said steam output pipe comprises, in an upper part which connects to said upper covering part, one or more side holes, upon removal of said upper part said one or more side holes allowing said steam to be released in a lateral direction inside the tank, before the connection has been completely removed.

8. Steam unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein it also comprises an electrical circuit suitable to implement a control relating to:

the presence of said supporting island fastened to said machine;

the presence of said tank connected to said island;

if the results of both said previous controls are positive, said electronic circuit enabling said hydraulic circuit to supply steam to said island and then to said tank, only if both said presences are detected.

9. Steam unit as claimed in claim 8, wherein said electrical circuit comprises:

a connector activated by the presence of said supporting island fastened to said machine and placed in the zone for connection of said island to the machine;

a microswitch activated by the presence of said tank connected to said island and placed in the base housing the tank.

10. Steam unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hydraulic circuit comprises:

a hydraulic pipe inside said supporting island;

a first steam connection for connection to said machine;

a second steam connection for connection to the base of the tank, in the central position of the tank,

said first and second hydraulic connection being provided with a male part and a female part connected by means of gaskets, said male part being on the supporting island side, said female part being on the machine and tank side.

11. Steam unit as claimed in claim 10, wherein at least one of said female end parts of said first and second steam connection are provided with an enlarged inner edge in the shape of an overturned cone, which is located beyond said gaskets when the connection is established, so that when said female part is detached from the respective male part, any residual steam present in said hydraulic circuit at the time of removal is directed downwards, with progressive and slow release.

12. Steam unit as claimed in claim 10, wherein said male part of said second steam connection comprises at the top a throttle valve which interrupts the flow of steam in said connection when the tank is removed.

13. Steam unit as claimed in claim 11, wherein said gaskets are of the double lip O-ring type.

14. Steam unit as claimed in claim 10, wherein said first steam connection comprises a safety valve of the expansion type which acts in the event of clogging of the steam pipe, and consequent increase in the steam pressure beyond a certain limit.

15. Steam unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said supporting island with external fastening connects to the base of the machine.

16. Steam unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said supporting island with external fastening connects to one side of the machine.

17. Steam unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said supporting island with external fastening connects to the base of the tank.

18. Steam unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said supporting island with external fastening connects to a lower side of the tank.

19. Steam unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said supporting island with external fastening comprises a first part which is connected fixedly to said machine, and a second pivoting part, which holds said tank and is provided with a rotating pivot with respect to the first part.

20. Steam unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said supporting island with external fastening comprises a system for mechanical fastening to said machine which comprises a button and a raised pin, connected to said button with an internal link mechanism, said pin being able to penetrate a specific slot provided in the machine, in which it fixes the island in a locked position, so that by pressing said button, said pin slides, disconnecting from said slot, and allowing the island to be removed.

21. Steam unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said supporting island with external fastening comprises a system for mechanical fastening to said machine which comprises a lever connected with a link mechanism with retaining teeth positioned in said island, said retaining teeth being able to be fixed in recesses produced in said machine, which when operated by said lever cause connection or release of the island.

22. Steam unit as claimed in claim 8, wherein said electrical circuit also comprises displaying devices to indicate an active or inactive operating state of the island.

23. Tank for use in a steam unit as claimed in claim 1.