MILK FROTHING WITH PRESSURIZED GAS

• US 20130319259A1
• Filed: 12/07/2011
• Published: 12/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Societe des Produits Nestle SA (Nestle SA)
• Original Assignee: Nestec SA (Nestle SA)
• Inventors: Agon, Fabien Ludovic, Yoakim, Alfred, Ait Bouziad, Youcef
• Granted Patent: US 9,060,646 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 99/453
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/44 Parts or details or accessories of beverage-making apparatus filters or strainers A47J31/06
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/4489 Steam nozzles, e.g. for introducing into a milk container to heat and foam milk

Abstract

A milk frothing device (1) delimiting an area (2) for mixing milk (35) from a milk reservoir (3) and gas (49), comprises a supply arrangement (4) of pressurized gas. The pressurized gas supply arrangement (4) has a propelling gas conduit (41) configured to deliver pressurized propelling gas (48) into the milk reservoir (3) to pressurize the reservoir and propel thereby pressurized milk (36) from the reservoir to the mixing area

Claims

1. A milk frothing device comprising:

a milk reservoir, a supply of pressurized gas, a delimited defined area for mixing milk from the milk reservoir and gas, and an arrangement for driving milk from the milk reservoir to the mixing area, the pressurized gas supply arrangement has a propelling gas conduit configured to deliver pressurized propelling gas into the milk reservoir to pressurize the reservoir and propel thereby pressurized milk from the reservoir to the mixing area.

2. The device of claim 1, which comprises an injection gas conduit in fluid communication with the mixing area for injecting gas into milk in the mixing area.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the injection gas conduit is in fluid communication with the pressurised gas supply arrangement for injecting pressurised gas into milk in the mixing area.

4. The device of claim 1, which comprises a heating arrangement for heating the milk in the reservoir and/or an in-line heater for heating the milk in line when propelled to the mixing area.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the heating arrangement is arranged to:

heat the pressurized injection gas prior to its injection into the milk via the injection gas conduit; and

/or

inject hot gas into the milk before or after injection of said pressurised gas into said-the milk.

6. The device of claim 1, which comprises a frothing arrangement having at least one component selected from the group consisting of:

a static mixer a dynamic mixer; and

a venturi-arrangement.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the pressurised gas supply arrangement comprises a pump for pressurizing the gas, the pump being in particular configured to draw gas at atmospheric pressure.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the pressurised gas supply arrangement comprises a pressurized gas tank.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the pressurised gas supply arrangement is associated with a regulator for regulating a flow and/or pressure in the injection gas conduit and/or in the propelling gas conduit.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the regulator comprises a regulation valve on the injection gas conduit.

11. The device of claim 1, which has a non-frothing milk preparation mode, in which no pressurised gas is injected into the milk circulating in the mixing area by the pressurized propelling gas.

12. The device of claim 1, which comprises an active part that is mechanically disconnectably connected to an inert part.

13. The device of claim 1, which comprises an exhaust system for immediate release of pressurized propelling gas from the milk reservoir.

14. The device of claim 1, which has a standalone operative configuration for frothing milk and has a connection to an external power source or has internal power source.

15. The device of claim 1, which has an accessory operative configuration.

16. The device of claim 1, which comprises an active part, the active part preventing exposure to milk during use and/or the milk in such device is contained in the inert part;

and

at least partly incorporated into a machine for preparing a beverage.