DEVICE FOR HEATING AND/OR FROTHING A BEVERAGE

• US 20100047407A1
• Filed: 01/03/2008
• Published: 02/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rancilio Group S.p.A (Ali Holding Srl)
• Original Assignee: Rancilio Macchine Per Caffe' S.p.A.
• Inventors: Carbonini, Carlo
• Granted Patent: US 8,962,053 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/231
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/4489 Steam nozzles, e.g. for introducing into a milk container to heat and foam milk
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/56 having water-level controls; having temperature controls

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for heating and/or frothing a beverage (19), including: a first duct (21) connectable to an upstream steam source and having a first valve (31) configured to be opened and closed and to enable or prevent steam flow into the duct; a second duct (22) connectable to the upstream steam source and having a second valve (32) configured to be opened and closed and to enable or prevent steam flow into the duct; mixing means (14), which are connected to a common point of the first and second ducts (21, 22), are located downstream of the first duct (21) and the first valve (31) and downstream of the second duct (22) and the second valve (32) and are arranged to introduce and mix at least steam into the beverage. The device further comprises a Venturi assembly (22a) configured to operate by Venturi effect in order to mix air with steam in one the two ducts when the other of the two ducts is closed. Thanks to the device of the invention, heated beverages can be obtained in considerably quick times. The invention also relates to a method for heating and/or frothing beverages, as well as to an espresso coffee machine including the device.

Claims

1-16. -16. (canceled)

17. A device for heating and/or frothing a beverage, comprising:

a first duct connectable to an upstream steam source and to downstream mixing means arranged to introduce and mix at least steam into said beverage, said first duct having a first valve configured to be opened and closed and to enable or prevent steam flow into the duct;

a second duct connectable to the upstream steam source and to said downstream mixing means, said second duct having a second valve configured to be opened and closed and to enable or prevent steam flow into the duct;

characterised in that a first one of said two ducts comprises a Venturi assembly configured to operate by Venturi effect in order to mix air with said steam in said first one of said two ducts when a second one of said two ducts is closed.

18. The device as claimed in claim 17, characterised by a further valve connected to the Venturi assembly and configured to enable air flow into said Venturi assembly and to prevent steam flow out of said one of said two conducts.

19. The device as claimed in claim 17, characterised in that said Venturi assembly comprises an orifice having a determined internal diameter, and is connected to a duct length having a respective internal diameter smaller than the internal diameter of said orifice.

20. The device as claimed in claim 17 characterised by a control unit connected to said first and second valves and configured to control the selective opening and closure of said first and second valves.

21. The device as claimed in claim 20, characterised by a third valve connected to the Venturi assembly, and characterised in that said control unit is configured to control the selective opening and closure of said third valve.

22. The device as claimed in claim 20, characterised by temperature detecting means, which are associated with said mixing means, are connected to said control unit and are arranged to transmit signals representing the temperature of said beverage to said control unit.

23. The device as claimed in claim 22, characterised in that said control unit is configured to control heating and/or frothing of the beverage based on the temperature detected by said temperature detecting means.

24. The device as claimed in claim 20, characterised by a command unit connected to said control unit and comprising command means arranged to selectively command preparation of either a heated or a frothed beverage.

25. The device as claimed in claim 20, characterised by a parameter setting unit connected to said control unit and comprising parameter setting means configured to store into said control unit parameters to be used for preparing a heated or frothed beverage.

26. The device as claimed in claim 25, characterised in that said parameters include at least one temperature range for frothed beverage preparation.

32. A machine for preparing hot beverages, in particular espresso coffee, characterised in that it includes a device as claimed in claim 17.

27. A method of heating and/or frothing a beverage by means of a device including a first duct having a first valve, a second duct having a second valve and a Venturi assembly configured to operate by Venturi effect in order to introduce air into said second duct, said first and second ducts being connectable to an upstream steam source and to downstream mixing means, said method being characterised by the steps of:

opening said first and second valves to heat said beverage;

closing said first valve and opening said second valve to cause said Venturi assembly to operate by Venturi effect.

28. The method as claimed in claim 27, characterised in that said respective steps of opening said first and second valves, and closing said first valve and opening said second valve, respectively, comprise the step of actuating command means connected to a control unit configured to control the opening and closure of said first and second valves.

29. The method as claimed in claim 27, characterised in that, in order to froth the beverage, the method comprises the steps of:

detecting temperature values in proximity of said beverage;

controlling the opening and/or closure of said first and second valves depending on the detected temperature.

30. The method as claimed in claim 29, characterised in that said step of controlling the opening and/or closure of said first and second valves comprises the steps of:

commanding the opening of said first and second valves until attaining a first temperature value;

commanding the closure of said first valve and the opening of said second valve in a temperature range from said first temperature value to a second temperature value higher than the first temperature value;

commanding the opening of said first and second valves until attaining a third temperature value, higher than or equal to said second temperature value.

31. The method as claimed in claim 27, characterised by the further step of controlling air admission into said Venturi assembly through a third valve, whereby said beverage can be heated by commanding the closure of said first valve and the opening of said second valve.