US20230157479A1 - Steam wand - Google Patents
Steam wand Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20230157479A1 US20230157479A1 US18/095,277 US202318095277A US2023157479A1 US 20230157479 A1 US20230157479 A1 US 20230157479A1 US 202318095277 A US202318095277 A US 202318095277A US 2023157479 A1 US2023157479 A1 US 2023157479A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- steam wand
- assembly
- wand
- steam
- gear
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- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47J—KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES
- A47J31/00—Apparatus for making beverages
- A47J31/44—Parts or details or accessories of beverage-making apparatus
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47J—KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES
- A47J31/00—Apparatus for making beverages
- A47J31/44—Parts or details or accessories of beverage-making apparatus
- A47J31/4489—Steam nozzles, e.g. for introducing into a milk container to heat and foam milk
Definitions
- the invention relates to an apparatus for steaming beverages and more particularly to a steam wand that is attached to a device with a steam boiler such as an espresso making machine.
- the present invention provides a variety of alternatives and improvements to conventional steam wand technology.
- a steam conveyor or steam wand assembly that is supported by a ball joint but guided to achieve a restricted range of motion in a home position.
- a steam wand assembly that cooperates with a switch that provides location information to a controller.
- the controller may use the location information for a variety of purposes such as initiating a steam purge cycle, preventing unsafe use of the steam wand or providing display information.
- the steam wand comprises an internal hose that carries steam to a tip of the steam wand. Improvements prevent the hose from transferring heat to the main body tube, by avoiding contact with the interior side wall of the wand assembly.
- a steam wand is biased to return to a home position, the bias force that accomplishes same being resisted by a dampener that regulates the speed at which the wand returns to the home position.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a steam wand assembly and support fixture.
- FIGS. 2 ( a )-( c ) illustrate the movement of the neck of a steam wand within its guide.
- FIGS. 3 ( a )-( c ) illustrates the engagement and disengagement of a steam wand ball fin into a co-operating slot.
- FIG. 4 is a perspective view, partially sectioned illustrating the engagement of a steam wand ball fin in a slot.
- FIG. 5 is a perspective view, partially sectioned illustrating the movement of a steam wand having a ball, fin and slot arrangement.
- FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a steam wand, switch and switch actuator.
- FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a steam wand, switch and switch actuator.
- FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of a steam wand ball and co-operating friction cheeks.
- FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of a steam wand ball and co-operating friction cheeks.
- FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a steam wand having a pivoting bracket and torsion spring or coil.
- FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the device depicted in FIG. 10 illustrating the use of a dampener in conjunction with a torsion spring.
- FIG. 12 is a side elevation of the steam wand and dampener depicted in FIG. 11 .
- FIG. 13 is a cross sectional view of the steam wand depicted in FIG. 12 illustrating an insulating spring.
- FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view of the lower end of a steam wand, showing its steam nozzle and tip.
- FIG. 15 is a cross sectional view of the lower end of a steam wand, nozzle and steam wand tip.
- FIG. 16 is a perspective view of an espresso machine having a steam wand assembly.
- FIG. 17 is a rear perspective view of a steam wand assembly of the type depicted in FIG. 16 .
- FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view of the steam wand assembly depicted in FIG. 17 .
- FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view of the steam wand assembly depicted in FIG. 17 , in an extended position.
- FIG. 20 is a perspective view of an insulating sleeve for a steam wand.
- FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view of the sleeve of FIG. 20 .
- a steam wand assembly 100 includes a steam wand 101 that is retained by a support fixture 102 .
- the wand may be articulated or stationary.
- the wand has a main body tube 120 that may be formed from one or multiple sections. Because the main body tube is generally metallic and steam passes through it, it is an advantage to insulate the tube from the steam.
- the steam wand 101 is articulated, having a ball 103 at one end that is received by a socket 104 that forms part of the support fixture 102 .
- An opposite end of the wand is formed by a removable wand tip 105 .
- the tip is formed, in part, from the main body tube.
- a ring-like handle 106 is located between the ball 103 and the tip 105 .
- the wand may be straight or bent. The current example is bent in two locations 121 , 122 .
- the ball 103 may be attached to or formed integrally with a neck 107 optionally having a smaller diameter than the remainder of the wand 101 .
- the neck 107 passes through a guide 108 in which is formed an opening 109 through which the neck 107 extends.
- the wand 101 has a home position 111 .
- the wand tip 105 is at its closest distance to the upper surface of the drip tray, grating or other support surface 110 of the device to which it is attached.
- the wand also has an extended position or position of normal use 112 . In the extended position 112 , the wand is free to move from side to side 113 .
- the guide 108 determines the limits of movement of the neck 107 and therefore the wand 101 .
- the guide's opening 109 is generally triangular.
- Each of the three corners 201 are preferably radiused to conform to the external radius of the neck 107 .
- the side edges 202 of the opening are convex, the middle of each side edge extending toward the centre of the opening 109 .
- the front edge 203 is concave, its middle extending slightly away from the centre of the opening 109 .
- FIG. 2 ( a ) represents the position of the neck 107 when in a home position.
- the wand 101 In the home position, the wand 101 is retracted to its maximum extent with respect to the device that supports the fixture 102 .
- the home position is shown by the dotted line representation 111 in FIG. 1 .
- the neck may be vertical or near vertical in the home position.
- steam optionally passes through the wand only for the purposes of cleaning or purging it.
- the wand tip 105 is at its closest point to the device's drip tray, grating or other supporting surface 110 .
- FIGS. 2 ( b ) and ( c ) represent the position of the neck with respect to the guide when the wand is in an extended position 112 (see FIG. 1 ). In the extended position, the neck and therefore the wand can be pivoted from side to side 113 . The extension of the wand is limited by the contact of the neck against the front edge of the opening as shown in FIG. 2 ( c ) .
- FIG. 2 also illustrates that the wand's ball 103 is provided with a guide fin 203 , as will be explained.
- the support fixture 102 includes a socket 301 for retaining the wand's ball 103 .
- the ball's fin 203 in the home position, is retained by a radially extending slot 302 that extends away from the socket 301 . Because the ball's fin 203 is retained by the slot 302 , the ball and therefore the wand 101 is restrained from rotation or side to side motion 113 .
- FIG. 3 ( b ) when the wand is extended toward its position of use 112 , the fin 203 exits the slot 302 . This allows the wand 101 to be rotated, also permitting side to side motion 113 as suggested by FIG. 3 ( c ) .
- the capture of the fin 203 by the slot 302 is also shown in FIG. 4 .
- the wand 101 is, in this example, essentially vertical and therefore restrained in its movement by either or both of the guide 108 and the interaction between the fin 203 and the slot 302 .
- the upper part 401 of the slot may be enlarged to receive the head of a switch actuator 605 as shown in FIG. 6 .
- FIG. 5 extending the wand 502 into its position of use 501 frees the fin 203 from the slot 302 . It will be appreciated that FIGS. 4 and 5 are partially sectioned allowing the interior of the socket 301 and slot 302 , 401 to be better illustrated.
- the pivoting ball 103 and its locating fin 203 cooperate with a rotating or pivoting switch actuator 601 .
- the switch actuator pivots about a generally horizontal axis 602 and its biased into the lower orientation depicted in FIG. 6 by a torsion spring 603 that preferably surrounds or encircles the pivot axis 602 .
- the head 604 of the actuator In the wand's extended position as shown in FIG. 6 , the head 604 of the actuator is extended and in contact with the proximate flat surface of the fin 203 .
- An opposite end of the actuator 601 forms a mechanical contact 605 .
- the actuator 601 rotates, driving the contact 605 into a closing engagement with a switch, such as a micro switch having a flexible of leaf contact 701 .
- a switch such as a micro switch having a flexible of leaf contact 701 .
- a signal or switch state 703 is detected by the device's controller or microprocessor control unit 704 .
- the signal 703 (representative of the wand being in the home) position is utilised by the controller 704 to perform one or more of a variety of functions.
- the controller 704 can use the signal 703 to initiate a purge or cleaning cycle of the wand 705 .
- the controller 704 can also use the location information signal 703 to initiate a display or audible warning from the device's graphic and audio user interface 706 .
- the signal 703 may also be used for other functions 707 .
- the ball 103 , and neck 107 have a central passageway 708 that leads into an interior 709 of the wand 101 .
- the hose 711 goes through the passageway into the interior 709 .
- the hose is preferably a non-reactive flexible polymer such as PTFE (Teflon®).
- the major extent of the wand's body comprises a hollow metal tube 710 .
- the hose 711 carries steam or a steam air mixture through the ball 103 , neck 107 and wand 101 .
- the ball's entry opening 712 may be circumferentially tapered or chamfered to reduce torsion stress on the hose 711 and to better accommodate the flexing of the hose 711 when the wand 101 is moved from one position to another.
- the wand's ball 103 may be frictionally retained by a pair of opposing cheeks 801 , 802 .
- Each cheek 801 , 802 has a ball engaging concave surface 803 .
- one cheek is fixed to a cup 809 and one of the cheeks 804 is carried by a stem 805 .
- the stem 805 is surrounded by a pair of nested or concentric compression springs 806 , 807 .
- two springs 806 , 807 are provided to increase the force against the ball 103 .
- the cross sectional diameter or gauge of the inner spring 806 is preferably smaller than the cross sectional diameter of the outer spring 807 .
- the cheek and spring assembly shown in FIG. 8 is retained by a pair of opposing cups 808 , 809 .
- the arrangement of concentric or nested coil springs 806 , 807 provides significant force against the ball 103 , in a compact space.
- each cheek has a stem 903 that extends toward its respective retainer or cup 908 and each stem is surrounded by a single compression spring 903 .
- an upper end of the wand 1000 is affixed to a pivoting bracket 1001 instead of a ball.
- the bracket 1001 has parallel and spaced apart sides 1002 , 1003 .
- the sides 1002 , 1003 are pivotally retained by parallel walls of the retaining fixture 1004 , 1005 .
- a pivot shaft 1006 extends between the side walls 1004 , 1005 and carries the sides 1002 , 1003 .
- a coil or torsion spring 1007 wraps around the shaft 1006 and is used to bias the bracket and its wand 1000 into the home position.
- one side 1002 of the bracket 1001 extends toward and affixes to or comprises an arcuate gear section 1100 . Accordingly, the gear section 1100 rotates in unison with the bracket about the pivot shaft 1006 .
- the gear teeth 1101 of the gear section engage a cooperating pinion 1102 carried by a rotary dampener 1103 .
- the dampener 1103 is stationery. The dampener 1103 moderates the velocity of the wand 1000 , particularly toward the home position under the influence of the torsion spring 1007 .
- the arcuate gear section 1100 terminates, at one end, with and actuates a switch actuator portion 1200 .
- the switch actuator portion of the gear section makes contact with a switch such as a micro switch 1201 when the wand 1000 is in the home position. In other positions, the actuator portion 1200 of the gear section 1100 does not contact the switch 1201 . In this way, the home position is associated with (for example) the closure of the switch 1201 , which closure can be detected by the devices' controller and utilised in the manner suggested by FIG. 7 .
- FIGS. 13 , 14 and 15 illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a steam wand construction.
- a steam wand 1300 has a main body tube 1301 , and is bent in two locations, for ease of use.
- the tube is formed in sections preferably constructed from stainless steel. Here, one section is the primary tube 1350 and the tip section 1306 .
- the upper end of the tube 1301 is affixed to (for example) a bracket or ball as previously described.
- the upper end 1302 of the main body 1301 admits a steam hose 1303 , preferably a non-reactive flexible polymer such as PTFE.
- the polymer forms a first insulation between the steam and the tube 1301 .
- the lower end 1304 of the main body tube 1301 is internally threaded and thereby affixed to co-operating threads or otherwise fitted to the exterior of a polymeric (for example PTFE) steam nozzle 1305 .
- a lower end of the steam nozzle is also externally threaded so as to receive the co-operating internal threads of a metallic steam wand tip 1306 .
- the main body tube 1301 is flexible.
- the wand tip has an exit opening 1307 through which protrudes the lower end 1308 of the steam nozzle 1305 .
- the steam nozzle has an optional circumferential flange 1309 that separates the lower end of the main body tube from the upper end of the tip 1306 .
- the steam nozzle 1305 has a central bore 1310 with an uppermost inlet that communicates with the lower end of the hose 1303 .
- the lower end 1311 of the hose 1303 is compressed or stabilised against the interior of the tip connector component by an internal and hollow rivet 1341 that fits into the lower end of the hose.
- the lower end of the hose is encircled by a tip connector 1312 that is carried within a recess in the upper part of a hose connector 1313 .
- the lower part of the hose connector 1313 forms a bore that receives the upper part 1314 of the steam nozzle 1305 .
- a seal 1315 is interposed between the hose connector 1312 and the tip connector 1312 .
- a second seal 1316 is interposed between the upper part of the steam nozzle 1314 and the lower bore of the tip connector.
- the hose 1303 extends from close to the upper opening of the steam nozzle 1305 to a location 1317 external to the wand 1301 .
- the hose 1303 passes through an insulation spring or coil 1320 forming an elongated spacer within the wand body 1301 .
- the spacer or coil 1320 is continuous, having a generally constant pitch.
- the hose has an extent outside the want and an extent internal to the want or its tube 1301 .
- various second insulations are proposed. These insulations are elongated spacers and capable of protecting the fill (or any portion) of the internal extent of the hose.
- the second insulator is in the form of a non-metallic coil, helix or spring.
- the effective outside diameter of the spacer 1320 alternates between each turn of the coil.
- Turns of a larger diameter 1321 alternate with turns of a smaller diameter 1322 .
- the larger diameter turns 1321 make contact, as required, with the interior of the main body tube 1301 .
- the smaller diameter turns 1322 make contact with the outside of the hose 1303 . In this way, the hose is prevented from making direct contact with the interior of the primary tube 1350 and thereby losing heat to it.
- the primary tube has two pairs of opposing through openings 1323 , 1324 .
- One of the pairs 1323 is used to receive integral rivets 1325 that form a terminal end of a handle such a ring-like handle 1326 fabricated from stainless steel or other metal.
- the rivets 1325 are deformed by a tool that is inserted through the opposing through openings 1324 .
- Other methods of providing a handle may be used.
- a “C” clip or other retainer 1401 is accessible through an opening or slot 1402 in the hose connector 1310 prevents the inadvertent withdrawal of the tip connector 1312 .
- the nozzle seals 1403 , 1404 that are carried by the grooves 1405 , 1406 on the upper and lower sides of the external flange 1309 .
- the upper seal 1403 seals the lower end of the main body tube against the steam nozzle 1305 and the lower seal 1404 seals the upper end of the wand tip 1306 against the steam nozzle 1305 .
- the lower end of the steam nozzle is also shown as having one or more discharge openings 1502 , 1503 , as required.
- the lower end of the steam nozzle may also have a groove for carrying a terminal seal 1504 that seals against an inside diameter or surface 1505 of the steam wand tip 1306 .
- an espresso making machine 1601 has a platform or drip tray 1602 that is located below the device's group head 1603 and optional coffee grinder outlet 1604 .
- the steam wand is operable in the lower most or home position illustrated in FIG. 16 . In other embodiments, the wand may be disabled when it is in the lower most or home position as shown in FIG. 16 .
- a steam wand assembly 1701 has a steam wand 1702 that is carried by a wand pivot 1703 .
- the wand pivots 1703 is carried by and pivots about a pivot bracket 1704 .
- a torsion spring or other bias device 1705 is attached to the pivot bracket 1704 and urges the wand pivot 1703 and therefore the wand 1702 toward the home position depicted in FIG. 16 .
- the flexible polymeric steam tube 1706 passes between the pivot bracket 1704 and the wand pivot 1703 .
- the pivot bracket 1704 is rigidly affixable to the chassis or a chassis component of the device 1601 .
- the pivot bracket 1704 carries a leaf spring 1707 having a radius or rounded tip 1802 .
- the tip is received by one or more detents located on the periphery of a smooth external surface 1803 of the wand pivot 1703 .
- the rounded portion of the wand pivot 1803 extends from a front surface 1804 of the wand so as to occupy the gap between the front of the wand 1804 and an adjacent external part of the chassis 1805 .
- a similarly rounded portion of the wand pivot 1806 extends from the rear surface of the wand 1807 toward and past an adjacent rearward edge of the chassis 1808 .
- the rounded portions 1806 , 1803 occupy the forward and rear gaps around the wand pivot so that a finger is not trapped or pinched between the wand and the chassis when the wand is pivoting.
- the pivot point of the wand 1809 passes through a centre of the wand pivot.
- the lateral sides of the wand pivot are flat and generally parallel.
- the co-operation between the leaf spring 1707 and the detents 1803 allow the wand to assume one, two or more stable orientations.
- Other aspects of the wand including the construction of the insulating tip 1810 and insulating spring 1811 are similar to those previously disclosed.
- the pivot bracket 1901 may carry a sensor, switch or micro switch 1902 that is used to provide wand position information to the device's processor 1607 .
- a rearward extension of the wand pivot 1903 makes contact with the switch or its actuator 1904 when the wand is in the home position, but not when it is in the extended position depicted in FIG. 19 .
- the extended position is defined by the location of the leaf spring in the detent 1803 .
- the rearward extension 1903 of the wand pivot 1703 may also be used as a limit to the forward extension of the wand, by abutting and interfering with a part of the chassis 1905 adjacent to the wand pivot and located behind the wand.
- the coil depicted, for example in FIGS. 13 , 15 , 18 and 19 can be formed from a flexible and heat resisted polymer as shown in FIGS. 20 and 21 .
- the sleeve 2000 is intended to be used within a wand for the purpose of inhibiting contact between the tube carrying steam and the inner wall of the tube 1301 .
- the sleeve 2000 in this example comprises a tube 2001 having various projections, spacers or tabs 2002 along its length.
- the projections 2002 are provided in pairs 2002 , 2003 . Pairs are spaced apart from one another along the length of the tube.
- Each projection or wing comprises a rounded or a smooth exterior.
- the projections in each pair 2002 , 2003 are separated from one another by an arch shaped notch 2100 .
- the tube may have one of more longitudinal ribs 2004 extending along all or part of the length of the tube.
- the tube has a central opening 2005 for receiving the steam tube.
- a sleeve 2200 may also comprise a skeletal tube having, for example, a pair of longitudinal ribs 2201 , 2202 .
- the two ribs 2201 , 2202 are parallel and spaced apart.
- the two ribs are interconnected by arches that alternate along the length of the ribs.
- Alternating arches 2203 , 2204 are spaced apart and located along the length of the ribs.
- the two ribs 2201 , 2202 define a plane.
- Arches 2203 on one side of the plane extend downwardly or in one direction and arches 2204 on the other side of the plane extend upwardly or in the other direction.
- Each arch is associated with a pair of lateral extension tabs 2205 , 2206 .
- Each arch is also associated with a pair of parallel and spaced apart fingers 2207 , 2208 , the fingers extending away from the arch in the same direction as the arch extends away from the parallel ribs.
- the arches (extending in either direction from the ribs) are evenly spaced from one another and alternating.
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Food Science & Technology (AREA)
- Devices For Medical Bathing And Washing (AREA)
- Apparatus For Making Beverages (AREA)
- Quick-Acting Or Multi-Walled Pipe Joints (AREA)
- Pipeline Systems (AREA)
Abstract
A steam wand assembly that comprises a steam wand pivotable about a pivot axis and a dampening assembly configured to resist pivotable motion of the steam wand about the pivot axis. The steam wand assembly further includes a bias assembly configured to bias the steam wand in a first direction along the pivot axis such that the dampening assembly is configured to moderate a steam wand velocity in the first direction.
Description
- This application is a continuation of U.S. Utility patent application Ser. No. 17/241,061, filed on Apr. 27, 2021, which is continuation of U.S. Utility patent application Ser. No. 16/060,858, filed on Jun. 8, 2018, which represents the United States national stage filing under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application of PCT/AU2017/050195, filed on Mar. 7, 2017, which claims priority to Australian Patent Application No. 2016900843, filed on Mar. 7, 2016, the specifications of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
- The invention relates to an apparatus for steaming beverages and more particularly to a steam wand that is attached to a device with a steam boiler such as an espresso making machine.
- The present invention provides a variety of alternatives and improvements to conventional steam wand technology.
- It is an object of the invention to provide a steam wand or steam wand assembly with improved performance benefits, or new functionality, or safety features.
- Accordingly, there is provided a steam conveyor or steam wand assembly that is supported by a ball joint but guided to achieve a restricted range of motion in a home position.
- In other embodiments of the invention a steam wand assembly that cooperates with a switch that provides location information to a controller. The controller may use the location information for a variety of purposes such as initiating a steam purge cycle, preventing unsafe use of the steam wand or providing display information.
- In other embodiments of the invention, the steam wand comprises an internal hose that carries steam to a tip of the steam wand. Improvements prevent the hose from transferring heat to the main body tube, by avoiding contact with the interior side wall of the wand assembly.
- In further embodiments of the invention, a steam wand is biased to return to a home position, the bias force that accomplishes same being resisted by a dampener that regulates the speed at which the wand returns to the home position.
- In order that the invention be better understood, reference is now made to the following drawing figures in which:
-
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a steam wand assembly and support fixture. -
FIGS. 2(a)-(c) illustrate the movement of the neck of a steam wand within its guide. -
FIGS. 3(a)-(c) illustrates the engagement and disengagement of a steam wand ball fin into a co-operating slot. -
FIG. 4 is a perspective view, partially sectioned illustrating the engagement of a steam wand ball fin in a slot. -
FIG. 5 is a perspective view, partially sectioned illustrating the movement of a steam wand having a ball, fin and slot arrangement. -
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a steam wand, switch and switch actuator. -
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a steam wand, switch and switch actuator. -
FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of a steam wand ball and co-operating friction cheeks. -
FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of a steam wand ball and co-operating friction cheeks. -
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a steam wand having a pivoting bracket and torsion spring or coil. -
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the device depicted inFIG. 10 illustrating the use of a dampener in conjunction with a torsion spring. -
FIG. 12 is a side elevation of the steam wand and dampener depicted inFIG. 11 . -
FIG. 13 is a cross sectional view of the steam wand depicted inFIG. 12 illustrating an insulating spring. -
FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view of the lower end of a steam wand, showing its steam nozzle and tip. -
FIG. 15 is a cross sectional view of the lower end of a steam wand, nozzle and steam wand tip. -
FIG. 16 is a perspective view of an espresso machine having a steam wand assembly. -
FIG. 17 is a rear perspective view of a steam wand assembly of the type depicted inFIG. 16 . -
FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view of the steam wand assembly depicted inFIG. 17 . -
FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view of the steam wand assembly depicted inFIG. 17 , in an extended position. -
FIG. 20 is a perspective view of an insulating sleeve for a steam wand. -
FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view of the sleeve ofFIG. 20 . -
FIG. 22 is another embodiment of an insulating sleeve for a steam wand. - As shown in
FIG. 1 , asteam wand assembly 100 includes asteam wand 101 that is retained by asupport fixture 102. The wand may be articulated or stationary. The wand has amain body tube 120 that may be formed from one or multiple sections. Because the main body tube is generally metallic and steam passes through it, it is an advantage to insulate the tube from the steam. In this example, thesteam wand 101 is articulated, having aball 103 at one end that is received by asocket 104 that forms part of thesupport fixture 102. An opposite end of the wand is formed by aremovable wand tip 105. The tip is formed, in part, from the main body tube. A ring-like handle 106 is located between theball 103 and thetip 105. The wand may be straight or bent. The current example is bent in twolocations - The
ball 103 may be attached to or formed integrally with aneck 107 optionally having a smaller diameter than the remainder of thewand 101. In this example, theneck 107 passes through aguide 108 in which is formed anopening 109 through which theneck 107 extends. - As further shown in
FIG. 1 , thewand 101 has ahome position 111. In the home position, thewand tip 105 is at its closest distance to the upper surface of the drip tray, grating orother support surface 110 of the device to which it is attached. The wand also has an extended position or position ofnormal use 112. In theextended position 112, the wand is free to move from side toside 113. - As shown in
FIG. 2 , theguide 108 determines the limits of movement of theneck 107 and therefore thewand 101. As shown inFIG. 2(a) the guide's opening 109 is generally triangular. Each of the threecorners 201 are preferably radiused to conform to the external radius of theneck 107. In this example, theside edges 202 of the opening are convex, the middle of each side edge extending toward the centre of the opening 109. Thefront edge 203 is concave, its middle extending slightly away from the centre of the opening 109. -
FIG. 2(a) represents the position of theneck 107 when in a home position. In the home position, thewand 101 is retracted to its maximum extent with respect to the device that supports thefixture 102. The home position is shown by thedotted line representation 111 inFIG. 1 . - In some examples, the neck may be vertical or near vertical in the home position. In the home position, steam optionally passes through the wand only for the purposes of cleaning or purging it. In the home position, the
wand tip 105 is at its closest point to the device's drip tray, grating or other supportingsurface 110.FIGS. 2(b) and (c) represent the position of the neck with respect to the guide when the wand is in an extended position 112 (seeFIG. 1 ). In the extended position, the neck and therefore the wand can be pivoted from side toside 113. The extension of the wand is limited by the contact of the neck against the front edge of the opening as shown inFIG. 2(c) . -
FIG. 2 also illustrates that the wand'sball 103 is provided with aguide fin 203, as will be explained. - As suggested by
FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 , thesupport fixture 102 includes asocket 301 for retaining the wand'sball 103. As suggested byFIG. 3(a) , in the home position, the ball'sfin 203 is retained by aradially extending slot 302 that extends away from thesocket 301. Because the ball'sfin 203 is retained by theslot 302, the ball and therefore thewand 101 is restrained from rotation or side toside motion 113. As shown inFIG. 3(b) when the wand is extended toward its position ofuse 112, thefin 203 exits theslot 302. This allows thewand 101 to be rotated, also permitting side toside motion 113 as suggested byFIG. 3(c) . - The capture of the
fin 203 by theslot 302 is also shown inFIG. 4 . Note that thewand 101 is, in this example, essentially vertical and therefore restrained in its movement by either or both of theguide 108 and the interaction between thefin 203 and theslot 302. Theupper part 401 of the slot may be enlarged to receive the head of aswitch actuator 605 as shown inFIG. 6 . - As shown in
FIG. 5 , extending thewand 502 into its position ofuse 501 frees thefin 203 from theslot 302. It will be appreciated thatFIGS. 4 and 5 are partially sectioned allowing the interior of thesocket 301 andslot - As shown in
FIG. 6 , the pivotingball 103 and itslocating fin 203 cooperate with a rotating or pivotingswitch actuator 601. The switch actuator pivots about a generallyhorizontal axis 602 and its biased into the lower orientation depicted inFIG. 6 by atorsion spring 603 that preferably surrounds or encircles thepivot axis 602. In the wand's extended position as shown inFIG. 6 , thehead 604 of the actuator is extended and in contact with the proximate flat surface of thefin 203. An opposite end of the actuator 601 forms amechanical contact 605. When thewand 101 is returned to the home position as shown inFIG. 7 , theactuator 601 rotates, driving thecontact 605 into a closing engagement with a switch, such as a micro switch having a flexible ofleaf contact 701. When theswitch 702 is closed, a signal or switchstate 703 is detected by the device's controller ormicroprocessor control unit 704. The signal 703 (representative of the wand being in the home) position is utilised by thecontroller 704 to perform one or more of a variety of functions. For example, thecontroller 704 can use thesignal 703 to initiate a purge or cleaning cycle of thewand 705. Thecontroller 704 can also use the location information signal 703 to initiate a display or audible warning from the device's graphic andaudio user interface 706. Thesignal 703 may also be used forother functions 707. - As shown in
FIG. 7 , theball 103, andneck 107 have acentral passageway 708 that leads into an interior 709 of thewand 101. Thehose 711 goes through the passageway into the interior 709. The hose is preferably a non-reactive flexible polymer such as PTFE (Teflon®). The major extent of the wand's body comprises ahollow metal tube 710. Thehose 711 carries steam or a steam air mixture through theball 103,neck 107 andwand 101. The ball'sentry opening 712 may be circumferentially tapered or chamfered to reduce torsion stress on thehose 711 and to better accommodate the flexing of thehose 711 when thewand 101 is moved from one position to another. - As shown in
FIG. 8 , in some embodiments, the wand'sball 103 may be frictionally retained by a pair of opposingcheeks cheek concave surface 803. As shown inFIG. 8 , one cheek is fixed to acup 809 and one of thecheeks 804 is carried by astem 805. Thestem 805 is surrounded by a pair of nested or concentric compression springs 806, 807. In this example, twosprings ball 103. The cross sectional diameter or gauge of theinner spring 806 is preferably smaller than the cross sectional diameter of theouter spring 807. The cheek and spring assembly shown inFIG. 8 is retained by a pair of opposingcups coil springs ball 103, in a compact space. - In the example of
FIG. 9 , the wand'sball 103 is engaged by twosimilar cheeks stem 903 that extends toward its respective retainer or cup 908 and each stem is surrounded by asingle compression spring 903. - As shown in
FIG. 10 , in some embodiments, an upper end of thewand 1000 is affixed to apivoting bracket 1001 instead of a ball. Thebracket 1001 has parallel and spaced apart sides 1002, 1003. Thesides retaining fixture pivot shaft 1006 extends between theside walls sides torsion spring 1007 wraps around theshaft 1006 and is used to bias the bracket and itswand 1000 into the home position. - As shown in
FIG. 11 , oneside 1002 of thebracket 1001 extends toward and affixes to or comprises anarcuate gear section 1100. Accordingly, thegear section 1100 rotates in unison with the bracket about thepivot shaft 1006. Thegear teeth 1101 of the gear section engage a cooperatingpinion 1102 carried by arotary dampener 1103. Thedampener 1103 is stationery. Thedampener 1103 moderates the velocity of thewand 1000, particularly toward the home position under the influence of thetorsion spring 1007. - As shown in
FIG. 12 , thearcuate gear section 1100 terminates, at one end, with and actuates aswitch actuator portion 1200. The switch actuator portion of the gear section makes contact with a switch such as amicro switch 1201 when thewand 1000 is in the home position. In other positions, theactuator portion 1200 of thegear section 1100 does not contact theswitch 1201. In this way, the home position is associated with (for example) the closure of theswitch 1201, which closure can be detected by the devices' controller and utilised in the manner suggested byFIG. 7 . -
FIGS. 13, 14 and 15 illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a steam wand construction. As shown inFIG. 13 , asteam wand 1300 has amain body tube 1301, and is bent in two locations, for ease of use. The tube is formed in sections preferably constructed from stainless steel. Here, one section is theprimary tube 1350 and thetip section 1306. The upper end of thetube 1301 is affixed to (for example) a bracket or ball as previously described. Theupper end 1302 of themain body 1301 admits asteam hose 1303, preferably a non-reactive flexible polymer such as PTFE. The polymer forms a first insulation between the steam and thetube 1301. Thelower end 1304 of themain body tube 1301 is internally threaded and thereby affixed to co-operating threads or otherwise fitted to the exterior of a polymeric (for example PTFE)steam nozzle 1305. A lower end of the steam nozzle is also externally threaded so as to receive the co-operating internal threads of a metallicsteam wand tip 1306. In other embodiments, themain body tube 1301 is flexible. The wand tip has anexit opening 1307 through which protrudes thelower end 1308 of thesteam nozzle 1305. The steam nozzle has anoptional circumferential flange 1309 that separates the lower end of the main body tube from the upper end of thetip 1306. Thesteam nozzle 1305 has acentral bore 1310 with an uppermost inlet that communicates with the lower end of thehose 1303. Thelower end 1311 of thehose 1303 is compressed or stabilised against the interior of the tip connector component by an internal andhollow rivet 1341 that fits into the lower end of the hose. The lower end of the hose is encircled by atip connector 1312 that is carried within a recess in the upper part of ahose connector 1313. The lower part of thehose connector 1313 forms a bore that receives theupper part 1314 of thesteam nozzle 1305. Aseal 1315 is interposed between thehose connector 1312 and thetip connector 1312. Asecond seal 1316 is interposed between the upper part of thesteam nozzle 1314 and the lower bore of the tip connector. - Thus, the
hose 1303 extends from close to the upper opening of thesteam nozzle 1305 to alocation 1317 external to thewand 1301. Thehose 1303 passes through an insulation spring orcoil 1320 forming an elongated spacer within thewand body 1301. In this example, the spacer orcoil 1320 is continuous, having a generally constant pitch. - The hose has an extent outside the want and an extent internal to the want or its
tube 1301. For the purpose of preventing contact between the hose and the metallic tube, various second insulations are proposed. These insulations are elongated spacers and capable of protecting the fill (or any portion) of the internal extent of the hose. In the example ofFIG. 13 , the second insulator is in the form of a non-metallic coil, helix or spring. The effective outside diameter of thespacer 1320 alternates between each turn of the coil. Turns of alarger diameter 1321 alternate with turns of asmaller diameter 1322. The larger diameter turns 1321 make contact, as required, with the interior of themain body tube 1301. The smaller diameter turns 1322 make contact with the outside of thehose 1303. In this way, the hose is prevented from making direct contact with the interior of theprimary tube 1350 and thereby losing heat to it. - In the example of
FIG. 13 , the primary tube has two pairs of opposing throughopenings pairs 1323 is used to receiveintegral rivets 1325 that form a terminal end of a handle such a ring-like handle 1326 fabricated from stainless steel or other metal. Therivets 1325 are deformed by a tool that is inserted through the opposing throughopenings 1324. Other methods of providing a handle may be used. - As shown in
FIG. 14 , a “C” clip orother retainer 1401 is accessible through an opening orslot 1402 in thehose connector 1310 prevents the inadvertent withdrawal of thetip connector 1312. Also shown are the nozzle seals 1403, 1404 that are carried by thegrooves external flange 1309. Theupper seal 1403 seals the lower end of the main body tube against thesteam nozzle 1305 and thelower seal 1404 seals the upper end of thewand tip 1306 against thesteam nozzle 1305. - As shown in
FIG. 15 , there is asmall gap 1501 located between the lower extremity of thetube 1303 and the adjacent upper extremity and bore 1310 of thesteam nozzle 1305. The lower end of the steam nozzle is also shown as having one ormore discharge openings terminal seal 1504 that seals against an inside diameter orsurface 1505 of thesteam wand tip 1306. - As shown in
FIG. 16 , anespresso making machine 1601 has a platform ordrip tray 1602 that is located below the device'sgroup head 1603 and optionalcoffee grinder outlet 1604. In preferred embodiments, the steam wand is operable in the lower most or home position illustrated inFIG. 16 . In other embodiments, the wand may be disabled when it is in the lower most or home position as shown inFIG. 16 . - As shown in
FIG. 17 , asteam wand assembly 1701 has asteam wand 1702 that is carried by awand pivot 1703. The wand pivots 1703 is carried by and pivots about apivot bracket 1704. A torsion spring orother bias device 1705 is attached to thepivot bracket 1704 and urges thewand pivot 1703 and therefore thewand 1702 toward the home position depicted inFIG. 16 . The flexiblepolymeric steam tube 1706 passes between thepivot bracket 1704 and thewand pivot 1703. - As suggested by
FIGS. 17 and 18 thepivot bracket 1704 is rigidly affixable to the chassis or a chassis component of thedevice 1601. In this example, thepivot bracket 1704 carries aleaf spring 1707 having a radius or roundedtip 1802. The tip is received by one or more detents located on the periphery of a smoothexternal surface 1803 of thewand pivot 1703. The rounded portion of thewand pivot 1803 extends from afront surface 1804 of the wand so as to occupy the gap between the front of thewand 1804 and an adjacent external part of thechassis 1805. A similarly rounded portion of thewand pivot 1806 extends from the rear surface of thewand 1807 toward and past an adjacent rearward edge of thechassis 1808. Therounded portions FIG. 18 , the pivot point of thewand 1809 passes through a centre of the wand pivot. The lateral sides of the wand pivot are flat and generally parallel. The co-operation between theleaf spring 1707 and thedetents 1803 allow the wand to assume one, two or more stable orientations. Other aspects of the wand including the construction of the insulatingtip 1810 and insulatingspring 1811 are similar to those previously disclosed. - As shown in
FIG. 19 , thepivot bracket 1901 may carry a sensor, switch ormicro switch 1902 that is used to provide wand position information to the device's processor 1607. In this example, a rearward extension of thewand pivot 1903 makes contact with the switch or itsactuator 1904 when the wand is in the home position, but not when it is in the extended position depicted inFIG. 19 . Note that in this example, the extended position is defined by the location of the leaf spring in thedetent 1803. Therearward extension 1903 of thewand pivot 1703 may also be used as a limit to the forward extension of the wand, by abutting and interfering with a part of thechassis 1905 adjacent to the wand pivot and located behind the wand. - As shown in
FIG. 20 , the coil depicted, for example inFIGS. 13, 15, 18 and 19 can be formed from a flexible and heat resisted polymer as shown inFIGS. 20 and 21 . In the examples ofFIGS. 20-22 , thesleeve 2000 is intended to be used within a wand for the purpose of inhibiting contact between the tube carrying steam and the inner wall of thetube 1301. Thesleeve 2000 in this example, comprises atube 2001 having various projections, spacers ortabs 2002 along its length. In this example, theprojections 2002 are provided inpairs FIG. 21 , the projections in eachpair notch 2100. As suggested byFIG. 20 , the tube may have one of morelongitudinal ribs 2004 extending along all or part of the length of the tube. The tube has acentral opening 2005 for receiving the steam tube. - As shown in
FIG. 22 , asleeve 2200 may also comprise a skeletal tube having, for example, a pair oflongitudinal ribs ribs - Alternating
arches ribs Arches 2203 on one side of the plane extend downwardly or in one direction andarches 2204 on the other side of the plane extend upwardly or in the other direction. Each arch is associated with a pair oflateral extension tabs fingers FIG. 22 , the arches (extending in either direction from the ribs) are evenly spaced from one another and alternating. - Although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.
- As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the use of the ordinal adjectives “first”, “second”, “third”, etc., to describe a common object, merely indicate that different instances of like objects are being referred to, and are not intended to imply that the objects so described must be in a given sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking, or in any other manner.
- Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” or “example” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an example” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment or example, but may. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure, in one or more embodiments.
- Similarly it should be appreciated that in the above description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, various features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various inventive aspects. This method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Any claims following the Detailed Description are hereby expressly incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of this invention.
- Unless specifically stated otherwise, as apparent from the following discussions, it is appreciated that throughout the specification discussions utilizing terms such as “processing,” “computing,” “calculating,” “determining” or the like, refer to the action and/or processes of a microprocessor, controller or computing system, or similar electronic computing or signal processing device, that manipulates and/or transforms data.
- Furthermore, while some embodiments described herein include some but not other features included in other embodiments, combinations of features of different embodiments are meant to be within the scope of the invention, and form different embodiments, as would be understood by those in the art. For example, in the following claims, any of the claimed embodiments can be used in any combination.
- Thus, while there has been described what are believed to be the preferred embodiments of the invention, those skilled in the art will recognize that other and further modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention, and it is intended to claim all such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the invention.
- While the present invention has been disclosed with reference to particular details of construction, these should be understood as having been provided by way of example and not as limitations to the scope of the invention.
Claims (20)
1. A steam wand assembly, comprising:
a steam wand pivotable about a pivot axis; and
a dampening assembly configured to resist pivotable motion of the steam wand about the pivot axis.
2. The steam wand assembly of claim 1 , wherein the steam wand assembly further includes a bias assembly configured to bias the steam wand in a first direction along the pivot axis, and wherein the dampening assembly is configured to moderate a steam wand velocity in the first direction.
3. The steam wand assembly of claim 2 , wherein the dampening assembly further includes:
a first gear assembly operatively associated with the steam wand to pivot in unison about the pivot axis;
and a second gear assembly configured for meshed engagement with the first gear assembly in use; and,
a dampener acting on rotation of the second gear assembly.
4. The steam wand assembly of claim 3 , wherein the first gear assembly comprises an arcuate gear section configured for co-rotation about the pivot axis with the steam wand.
5. The steam wand assembly of claim 3 , wherein the second gear assembly comprises a pinon gear, and wherein the dampener is a rotary dampener carrying the pinon gear.
6. The steam wand assembly of claim 2 , wherein the bias assembly comprises a torsion spring orientated about the pivot axis.
7. The steam wand assembly of claim 1 , wherein the dampening assembly comprises an actuator portion configured to actuate a switch when the steam wand is pivoted into a specified position.
8. The steam wand assembly of claim 3 , wherein first gear comprises an actuator portion configured to actuate a switch when the steam wand is pivoted into a specified position.
9. A steam wand assembly for an appliance, comprising:
a pivoting bracket having a pivot axis;
a steam wand operatively associated with the pivoting bracket for pivotable movement between a home position and an extended position; and
an engagement element configured in use to engage with a dampener to regulate steam wand velocity in a first direction, wherein
the steam wand, pivoting bracket and engagement element are configured to pivot in unison about the pivot axis and are biased in the first direction about the pivot axis toward the home position.
10. The steam wand assembly of claim 9 , wherein the pivot axis is defined by a pivot shaft.
11. The steam wand assembly of claim 10 , wherein the pivoting bracket comprises or affixes with the engagement element.
12. The steam wand assembly of claim 9 , wherein the engagement element is configured with an actuator portion adapted in use to actuate a switch when the steam wand is in its home position.
13. The steam wand assembly of claim 9 , wherein the engagement element is a gear.
14. The steam wand assembly of claim 13 , wherein the gear is an arcuate gear section.
15. The steam wand assembly of claim 14 , wherein the arcuate gear section is configured to limit travel of the steam wand to between the home position and the extended position.
16. The steam wand assembly of claim 13 , wherein the dampener is a rotary dampener adapted to engage with the gear via a pinon.
17. The steam wand assembly of claim 10 , wherein the pivoting bracket is pivotally retained to a retaining fixture.
18. The steam wand assembly of claim 17 , wherein bias of the steam wand is provided by a torsion spring having coils wrapped about the pivot shaft and acting between the pivoting bracket and the retention fixture.
19. A beverage making appliance, comprising:
a main body;
a steam wand pivotally moveable relative the main body between a home position and an extended position;
a bias element configured to apply a restoring force to the steam wand to bias the steam wand into the home position; and
a dampener configured to resist the restoring force.
20. The beverage making appliance of claim 19 , wherein the beverage making appliance further comprises a bracket assembly configured to pivotally mount the steam wand to the main body, wherein the bracket assembly comprises a pivoting bracket carried by a pivot shaft defining a pivot axis, wherein the pivoting bracket affixes to or comprises an engaging feature to operatively associate pivoting movement of the steam wand with the dampener.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US18/095,277 US20230157479A1 (en) | 2016-03-07 | 2023-01-10 | Steam wand |
Applications Claiming Priority (6)
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AU2016900843 | 2016-03-07 | ||
AU2016900843A AU2016900843A0 (en) | 2016-03-07 | Steam Wand | |
PCT/AU2017/050195 WO2017152221A1 (en) | 2016-03-07 | 2017-03-07 | Steam wand |
US201816060858A | 2018-06-08 | 2018-06-08 | |
US17/241,061 US11576523B2 (en) | 2016-03-07 | 2021-04-27 | Steam wand |
US18/095,277 US20230157479A1 (en) | 2016-03-07 | 2023-01-10 | Steam wand |
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US17/241,061 Continuation US11576523B2 (en) | 2016-03-07 | 2021-04-27 | Steam wand |
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US16/060,858 Abandoned US20180360258A1 (en) | 2016-03-07 | 2017-03-07 | Steam wand |
US17/241,061 Active US11576523B2 (en) | 2016-03-07 | 2021-04-27 | Steam wand |
US18/095,277 Pending US20230157479A1 (en) | 2016-03-07 | 2023-01-10 | Steam wand |
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US17/241,061 Active US11576523B2 (en) | 2016-03-07 | 2021-04-27 | Steam wand |
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US (3) | US20180360258A1 (en) |
EP (2) | EP3918960A1 (en) |
CN (2) | CN108366692B (en) |
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RU (1) | RU2726964C1 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2017152221A1 (en) |
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CN110785108B (en) * | 2017-05-12 | 2023-08-04 | 纽威澳大利亚有限公司 | Espresso machine with dosing mechanism |
ES2782699B2 (en) * | 2019-03-12 | 2022-01-12 | Crem Int Spain S L | Process and machine for emulsifying milk |
GB2598076B (en) * | 2019-06-14 | 2023-02-08 | Douwe Egberts Bv | Beverage preparation machines and methods of connecting steam wands thereto |
USD946958S1 (en) * | 2019-07-29 | 2022-03-29 | Breville Pty Limited | Capsule machine |
CN113208433B (en) * | 2021-04-16 | 2022-12-13 | 淮北敬佑信息科技有限公司 | Fool type milk beating steam pipe |
WO2024115267A1 (en) * | 2022-11-28 | 2024-06-06 | De' Longhi Appliances S.R.L. | Adaptor connectable to an external steam dispensing terminal for the preparation of a hot milk drink |
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US2915089A (en) * | 1958-03-24 | 1959-12-01 | Ira Milton Jones | Resilient centering device for concentric cylindrical members |
US3402741A (en) * | 1965-06-21 | 1968-09-24 | Yurdin Alfred | Self-supporting, bendable, shape retaining discharge conduit |
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US3592238A (en) * | 1969-08-25 | 1971-07-13 | Kabel Metallwerke Ghh | Spacer for coaxial pipes |
DK362579A (en) * | 1978-09-05 | 1980-03-06 | Moeller As I C | PROCEDURE AND SPACES FOR CDENTRATION OF A CONNECTOR BEARING IN AN OUTER CAPE PIPE FOR MANUFACTURING HEAT-INSULATED PIPES |
FR2475185A1 (en) * | 1980-02-06 | 1981-08-07 | Technigaz | FLEXIBLE CALORIFYING PIPE FOR PARTICULARLY CRYOGENIC FLUIDS |
IT8322999V0 (en) * | 1983-09-16 | 1983-09-16 | Cavalli Alfredo | ELEMENT FOR THE DISPENSING OF STEAM PARTICULARLY DESIGNED TO BE APPLIED TO COFFEE MACHINES. |
EP0662579B1 (en) * | 1994-01-06 | 1998-03-18 | Air Products And Chemicals, Inc. | Pre-fabricated insulation tube |
DE4427461C2 (en) * | 1994-08-03 | 1997-06-12 | Bosch Siemens Hausgeraete | Oven for steaming |
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-
2017
- 2017-03-07 EP EP21188228.7A patent/EP3918960A1/en active Pending
- 2017-03-07 WO PCT/AU2017/050195 patent/WO2017152221A1/en active Application Filing
- 2017-03-07 CN CN201780004999.9A patent/CN108366692B/en active Active
- 2017-03-07 AU AU2017231093A patent/AU2017231093B2/en active Active
- 2017-03-07 RU RU2018121943A patent/RU2726964C1/en active
- 2017-03-07 EP EP17762325.3A patent/EP3426112B1/en active Active
- 2017-03-07 CN CN202211549972.7A patent/CN116172403A/en active Pending
- 2017-03-07 US US16/060,858 patent/US20180360258A1/en not_active Abandoned
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2020
- 2020-06-12 AU AU2020203894A patent/AU2020203894B2/en active Active
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2021
- 2021-04-27 US US17/241,061 patent/US11576523B2/en active Active
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2023
- 2023-01-10 US US18/095,277 patent/US20230157479A1/en active Pending
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AU2017231093B2 (en) | 2020-03-12 |
US20210338005A1 (en) | 2021-11-04 |
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RU2018121943A (en) | 2020-04-08 |
CN116172403A (en) | 2023-05-30 |
EP3426112A1 (en) | 2019-01-16 |
AU2017231093A1 (en) | 2018-06-28 |
US11576523B2 (en) | 2023-02-14 |
US20180360258A1 (en) | 2018-12-20 |
EP3426112A4 (en) | 2019-07-31 |
WO2017152221A1 (en) | 2017-09-14 |
AU2020203894B2 (en) | 2021-10-28 |
EP3426112B1 (en) | 2021-09-08 |
AU2020203894A1 (en) | 2020-07-02 |
RU2726964C1 (en) | 2020-07-17 |
CN108366692A (en) | 2018-08-03 |
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