DE202008013889U1 - Milk container for beverage machines with milk frother - Google Patents

Abstract

milk container for beverage machines with a milk frother for storing and providing milk for the milk frother with a container bottom with a bottom surface made of plastic, with one extending from the floor upwards Container wall with a plastic wall inside, the inner surfaces have an upwardly open interior limit, which is closed with a lid, and with a longitudinally on a wall inner surface of the Container bottom spaced sampling tube connected to a milk suction line is connectable, characterized in that the bottom inner surface has a slope in the direction of the sampling tube.

Description

The The invention relates to a milk container for Beverage machines with a milk frother for Storage and provision of milk for the milk frother according to the preamble of claim 1.

Drinks machines in particular hot beverage machines, such as automatic coffee or tea machines, coffee machines or Capsule or pad machines with a milk frother increasingly together with a milk container for storage and providing milk to the milk frother offered.

Of the Milk container serves to provide milk in the immediate environment of the machine and can do this as an integral Part of the machine designed or as a kind of accessory be provided. Both embodiments are common, that during normal use the milk over a tube inserted into the milk container from the Container is sucked.

Such liquid removal takes place by means of the action of a milk frother, as he, for example, in the EP 1 344 477 A2 is described. The milk frother, for example, uses a silicone hose to suck milk from the milk container into a small chamber. At the same time still air is sucked in via a valve.

In a frothing chamber of the milk frother then swirled milk, steam and air, causing milk froth, for example for the preparation of cappuccino. The hose sucks, especially if there is only a little milk in the milk container is a milk-air mixture or, in the most unfavorable Fall, only air instead of milk. This is undesirable and demands a solution.

task The invention is a milk container for storage and providing milk to the milk frother fully emptying form without having previously Milk-air mixture or only air is sucked.

Solved The task is performed by a milk container for Beverage machines with a milk frother for Storage and provision of milk for the milk frother according to the preamble of the protection claim 1 by its characteristic features.

The Invention is based on the general idea, in a milk container a, preferably rigid extraction tube provide that over spaced from the lowest point of the container bottom is to thereby completely emptying the container to design. For this purpose, the inner surface of the container bottom a slope in the direction of the sampling tube.

Of the Milk container according to the invention has a Container bottom with a plastic bottom surface with a gradient, extending from the ground upwards Container wall with a plastic inner wall surface on, with the inner surfaces of an open-topped interior limit, which is closed with a lid, and a along a container inner wall arranged and from the container bottom spaced sampling tube on, the a milk suction line can be connected.

The Slope towards the sampling tube can be the simplest Case be formed in that the bottom inner surface in Direction of a container wall is inclined.

These Embodiment proves to be quite sufficient For example, if the sampling tube is integral with a container wall is formed or by means of holding elements in an immediate environment a container inner wall is arranged.

is however, the sampling tube is spaced from a container inner wall, does not lead to a slope in the direction of an inner wall Success. For example, a grade of at least four triangular areas for right-angled or from at least three circular segment surfaces for round bottom inner surface of the container bottom needed to complete emptying To ensure by means of a sampling tube, if the Tube is arranged centrally.

The preferably rigid sampling tube is preferably detachable a container wall or attached to a lid, and Can do so together with a flexible milk intake after the Use can be taken out of the milk container.

The Pick-up tube can after use in a special for it trained holder spent at the beverage machine so that any remaining milk in the tube in a drip tray expires. The sampling tube is preferably made of a transparent Material, such as PMMA manufactured. This has the advantage that a user detects if the pipe is clean before putting it in Introduces the milk container.

Further, the sampling tube can have both a beveled as well as a flat suction port. The extraction tube preferably has openings at both ends. This allows it to be used without preferential direction in the milk container, the flexible milk intake without Ad apter is pushed over the pipe end.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention Milk container is a step on a wall inner surface provided when inserting and possibly locking the Extraction tube in a holding element a distance from the container bottom guaranteed. For this purpose, the tube by means of at least one Holding element, for example, a half-open round clips with two locking lugs formed on a container inner wall is, held and by means of a wall inside formed in the region of the container bottom stage, from Container bottom spaced.

There an inventive milk container for storage and providing milk to the milk frother is not used permanently, it is beneficial to the container so to carry out that the milk at least for several Hours can be kept at 4 to 8 degrees Celsius.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention Milk container is therefore designed this way that it can be introduced into a cooling device. As a cooling device is a holder for the Milk container, which is designed such that between the holder and the milk container a cooling gel can be introduced.

Preferably The gel itself is in a flexible plastic packaging that can be placed around the milk container. A good cooling effect is achieved when the gel in a double-walled, open-topped Container is placed in the milk container becomes. The gel is in the fridge or for a prolonged cooling time in the freezer pre-cooled.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention Milk container in a double-walled container insertable, wherein in the double wall a cooling gel located.

The Cooling gel has the advantage that, through active cooling the milk, longer cooling times compared achieved to a purely thermally insulated container become.

is the double-walled container and the cooling gel a transparent material, the level in one also monitored transparent milk container become. Is still a stainless steel shell over the container pushed, it is advantageous to introduce a kind of viewing window, to detect the level.

following the invention is based on an embodiment below With reference to the accompanying figures. It demonstrate:

1 : a schematized view of a milk container from above,

2 : a lower section of a milk container with extraction tube and

3 : a schematic sectional view of a milk container.

The in 1 in a plan view illustrated milk container 1 wiest a rigid, on a half-open round clips 3 Holding tube with two locking lugs 3 on. The clips 3 is formed on a container inner wall.

This in 2 shown slope in the direction of the sampling tube 2 is by an inclination of the bottom inner surface 5 formed in the direction of a container wall. Through a step 4 on the inner wall surface is when inserting and / or locking the sampling tube in the clip 3 ensures a spacing from the container bottom.

3 shows a further preferred embodiment of a milk container according to the invention 1 with a slope in the direction of the sampling tube 2 characterized in that the sampling tube is integral with the container 1 is trained.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list The documents listed by the applicant have been automated generated and is solely for better information recorded by the reader. The list is not part of the German Patent or utility model application. The DPMA takes over no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• - EP 1344477 A2 [0004]

Claims (4)

Milk container for beverage machines with a milk frother for storing and providing milk for the milk frother with a container bottom with a bottom plastic surface, with a bottom-upwardly extending container wall with a plastic inner wall surface, wherein the inner surfaces define an upwardly open interior, the can be closed with a lid, and with a longitudinally on a wall inner surface, spaced from the container bottom sampling tube, which is connectable to a milk suction, characterized in that the bottom inner surface has a slope in the direction of the sampling tube. Milk container for beverage machines according to claim 1, characterized in that the sampling tube integral is formed with the container inner wall or by means Retaining elements is releasably secured. Milk container for beverage machines according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the milk container can be inserted in a cooling device. Milk container for beverage machines according to claim 3, characterized in that the cooling device is designed as a double-walled container, in whose Double wall is a cooling gel.