WO2011104587A1

WO2011104587A1 - Apparatus for dispensing a heated froth

Info

Publication number: WO2011104587A1
Application number: PCT/IB2010/050904
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gianbattista Marchesi; Fabrizia Di Giampaolo
Original assignee: Nok S.R.L.
Priority date: 2010-02-25
Filing date: 2010-03-03
Publication date: 2011-09-01
Also published as: IT1398137B1; ITBS20100040A1

Abstract

Apparatus for dispensing a heated froth by mixing a liquid with air and steam, comprises a main body (10) wherein at least a first entry duct for the steam (11), a second entry duct for the liquid (12), a third entry duct for the air (13) and a mixing chamber (14) of the liquid with the air and the steam, are made. The mixing chamber communicates with said ducts and with at least one dispensing aperture (15) of the froth. The main body (10) is connectable to a steam production device by means of a connection device (20) suitable for placing the exit of said steam production device in fluidic communication with the entry duct for the steam (11). The connection device is detachably attached to the main body (10) by means of a blocking fork (30) joined to said main body and translatable transversally between an engaged position and a disengaged position of the connection device (20).

Description

DESCRIPTION

"Apparatus for dispensing a heated froth"

[001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for dispensing a heated froth by mixing a liquid, in particular milk, with air and steam. In the particular case of milk, its mixture with air and steam is used to produce a drink called "cappuccino". The apparatus is designed for use with coffee machines, of both the professional and domestic types.

[002] Various embodiments of apparatus of this type are already known. In general, they comprise a body in which entry ducts for the liquid, for the air and for a jet of steam destined to heat the froth, a mixing chamber and an exit duct are made .

[003] In a previous patent claim, EP 1672996 Al, a dispensing apparatus was described, for example, •wherein valve means are joined to the exit duct, susceptible to rotate between a open position, suitable to place the mixing chamber in fluidic communication with the exit duct and a closed position of said mixing chamber wherein the jet of steam is forced to come out of the body by passing through the entry ducts of the air and of the liquid. This way the apparatus is sterilised perfectly using the same jet of steam used to heat the emulsion. [004] The body, advantageously in plastic material, is connected to the steam jet dispensing device by means of a screw having a polygonal head and a stem which screws into a corresponding threaded seat made in the top of the body.

[005] It has been observed however that, over time, the repeated rotations of the part of the apparatus body containing the valve means, tend to cause unintentional unscrewing of the apparatus body from the connection screw of the steam jet generating device. This problem is accentuated by the fact that the body in plastic material is subject, upon heating, to dilate more than the screw in metallic material.

[006] In addition, despite the dispensing apparatus being fully sterilisable without being dismantled from the machine it is mounted on, it has been observed that very often users prefer in any case to remove the apparatus from the machine, dismantle it so as to inspect the inner parts and, where necessary, wash it. The prior apparatus, such as that described above for example, require particular care during removal and subsequent attachment to the machine. In fact there is a risk of damaging the threading of the seat of the body or of compromising the seal between the screw and the body. The prior apparatus are, in addition, composed of a large number of components and their correct reassembly by a non-expert is anything but easy.

[007] The purpose of the present invention is to propose a dispensing apparatus of a heated froth by mixing a liquid with air and steam able to overcome the drawbacks complained of above with reference to the known apparatus .

[008] Said purpose is achieved by a dispensing apparatus according to the attached claim 1. The dependent claims refer to advantageous embodiments of the dispensing apparatus .

[009] Further characteristics and advantages of the apparatus according to the present invention will be clear from the description given below, by way of a non- limiting example, of its preferred embodiments, with reference to the attached figures, wherein:

figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the apparatus according to the invention;

figure 2 is an axial section of the assembled apparatus;

figure 3 shows the apparatus in a perspective view from above and in a position of normal functioning;

figure^" 4 shows the apparatus in a perspective view from below;

- figure 5 is a perspective view of the apparatus while being separated from the connection device; and figure 6 shows the apparatus in a position of dispensing a hot drink without the presence of froth.

[0010] Merely so as to simplify the presentation of the present invention, from this part of the description onwards reference will be made, but not limited to, a vertically oriented dispensing apparatus, in other words which extends mainly along a longitudinal axis X which may be assumed to be vertical and which coincides with the direction in which the liquid with froth is dispensed.

[0011] The apparatus comprises a main body 10 in which a first entry duct 11 for the introduction of a jet of steam, a second entry duct 12 for the liquid, and a third entry duct 13 for the intake of air from the outside environment, are made.

[0012] The jet of steam comes from a nozzle or other steam production device to the exit of which the dispensing apparatus according to the invention is suitable for connecting.

[0013] The three ducts 11-13 come out in a mixing chamber 14, for example aligned and continuing from the steam entry duct 11. The mixing chamber 14 is fluidically connectable to at least one dispensing aperture 15 of the liquid with froth. In one embodiment, the mixing chamber 14 has a cross- section which augments towards the dispensing aperture 15 so as to generate a Venturi effect thanks to which the flow of the jet of steam causes the aspiration of the milk and of the air into the mixing chamber through the respective ducts.

[0014] The main body 10 of the apparatus is connectable to the steam dispensing device by means of a connection device 20 suitable for placing in fluidic communication the exit of said steam dispensing device with the steam entry duct 11. For example, the connection device 20 also extends around the longitudinal axis X.

[0015] Innovatively, said connection device 20 is detachably fixed to the main body 10 by means of a blocking fork 30. Said blocking fork 30 is joined to the main body 10 and is translatable transve sally in relation to the longitudinal axis X of the connection device 20 between an engaged position of the connection device 20 and a disengaged position of said connection device 20.

[0016] In one embodiment, the connection device 20 comprises a connection portion 21, at least partially projecting from the main body 10, and an anchorage portion 22 to the main body 10. Said anchorage portion 22 is housed tight in a respective anchorage seat 23 made in the top of the main body 10. The anchorage seat 23 is delimited above by a delimiting wall 24.

[0017] The blocking fork 30 is held by said delimiting wall 24 so as to engage the anchorage portion 22 of the connection device.

[0018] Preferably, the blocking fork 30 engages in an anchorage groove, or undercut 25 made in the anchorage portion 22 of the connection device 20.

[0019] In one embodiment, the connection device 20 comprises a prismatic connection body 26 with a polygonal section which extends partially in the anchorage seat 23. In said prismatic body 26 a circular anchorage groove 25 is made, in which the blocking fork 30 engages.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment, the blocking fork 30 comprises two, substantially parallel arms 31 having respective central release portions 32 which between them delimit a central aperture 32' through which the connection device 20 is free to pass. Said arms 31 have, in addition, respective blocking end portions 33 being of a greater breadth than the central portions 32 so as to penetrate the circular anchorage groove 25 of the connection device 20.

[0021] Advantageously, the blocking fork 30 is elastically influenced to remain in a blocked position of the connection device (for example a forward position) , wherein the end portions 33 of the blocking arms of the fork engage the circular groove 25 of the connection device, said fork being movable to a rearward release position of the connection device, wherein the connection device is surrounded, without interference of any kind, by the central release portions 32 of the arms 31 of the fork 30.

[0022] More specifically, the end of the fork 30 opposite the end portions 33 of its arms 31 bears an elastic element 35 which presses on the main body 10 of the dispensing apparatus, for example on the outer surface of the delimiting wall 34 of the anchorage seat 23, so as to push the fork into a rearward, blocking position.

[0023] In one embodiment, the blocking fork 30 is a "U" shape. The free ends of the arms 31, opposite the end portions 33, are connected by an activation plate 36 to which the spring holder screw 37 facing the main body 10 is screwed and on which a helicoidal spring 35 is fitted. By pressing manually therefore on the activation plate 36 the spring 35 is compressed and the blocking fork 30 translates into a rearward position. The main body 10 of the adjustment device is therefore free to be released from the connection device 20, which remains firmly joined to the exit of the steam dispensing device.

[0024] Vice versa, to reconnect the main body 10 to the connection device 20 the blocking fork 30 is held in the advanced disengaged position, so that the anchorage seat 23 is free to receive the anchorage portion 22 of the connection device. Once said anchorage portion 22 has been inserted in the relative seat 23, the blocking fork 30 can be released and automatically returns to a forward engaged position in the anchorage groove 25 of the connection device 20.

[0025] Advantageously, the blocking fork 30 slides along transversal slots 38 made in the delimiting wall 24 of the anchorage seat 23.

[0026] According to a preferred embodiment, the delimiting wall 24 has, at least at the prismatic body 26 of the connection device 20, a polygonal surface 27 suitable to form a shaped coupling with said prismatic body 26. In this way, the main body 10 is firmly held in an angular direction to the connection device 20.

[0027] Advantageously, the polygonal surface 27 has a greater number of sides than the prismatic body 26, which normally has six, so as to enable the dispensing apparatus to be mounted on the machine in one of various possible angular positions.

[0028] Furthermore, the connection device 20 comprises a sealing tang 28 which extends from the prismatic body 26 inside the main body 10, as far as the mouth of the first duct 11 for the jet of steam, and which supports a sealing ring 29.

[0029] According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, between the mixing chamber 14 and the dispensing aperture 15 valve means are provided which are susceptible to rotate between an open position suitable to place the mixing chamber 14 in fluidic communication with the dispensing aperture 15 and a closed position of said mixing chamber 14. When the mixing chamber 14 is closed towards the dispensing aperture 15, the incoming jet of steam is forced to come out of the main body passing through the entry ducts of the liquid 12 and of the air 13. This enables sterilising of the dispensing apparatus by said jet of steam, without removing the dispensing apparatus from the machine to which it is attached.

[0030] To enable rotation of the valve means, the main body 10 of the apparatus comprises an upper part 40, for example essentially a cylindrical shape, coupled so as to turn with a lower part 42. Considering the dispensing apparatus as connected at least to the steam production device, the upper part 42 may be defined as fixed, while the lower part 42, axially constrained to the upper fixed part 40 but able to shift angularly in relation to this around the longitudinal axis X of the apparatus, may be defined mobile. Preferably the three ducts 11-13 and the mixing chamber 14 are made in the upper fixed part 40. [0031] The lower mobile part 42 comprises an end wall 44 facing the mixing chamber 14 in which at least one dispensing aperture 15 is made eccentric in relation to the rotation axis X of the mobile part. Preferably, in the end wall 44 there are two diametrically opposed dispensing apertures 15.

[0032] Between said end wall 44 and the mixing chamber 14 an obturator insert 46 is interposed. Said insert 46 is angularly constrained to the fixed part 40 of the main body, so as not to rotate following rotation of the mobile part 42, and has, for each dispensing aperture 15, an eccentric radial expansion 48 suitable for closing a respective eccentric dispensing aperture 15. As a result, by rotating the mobile part 42, for example by an angle of 90° hexagesimal, the eccentric dispensing apertures 15 can be aligned or misaligned in relation to the radial expansions 48 of the obturator insert, respectively preventing or enabling therefore the outward passage of steam from the mixing chamber through the dispensing apertures 15.

[0033] In one embodiment, said obturator insert 46 hermetically closes the mixing chamber 14 in an axial direction thanks to a closed end 51, preferably of a conical shape, and a sealing ring 53 interposed between the radial expansions 48 and the lower end of the upper part 40. The obturator insert 46 has at least one radial hole 50 for placing said mixing chamber in fluidic communication with the eccentric dispensing aperture 15. The obturator insert 46 shaped thus, is therefore suitable for sufficiently slowing down the speed of the fluid passing through the mixing chamber to reduce the formation of bubbles as well as opening or closing the dispensing apertures 15.

[0034] In one embodiment, the obturator insert 46 is angularly constrained to the fixed part 50 of the main body thanks to a shaped coupling with a seat of the obturator 52 made at the lower end of the fixed upper part 40. For example, the obturator insert 46 has a hollow prismatic body having at least two flat, parallel sides 46' .

[0035] According to a preferred embodiment, the lower mobile part 42 is dish-shaped, in other words has a hollow body 42' suitable to receive a lower portion 40' of the fixed upper part 40. Said hollow body 42' is provided with at least one pair of longitudinal elastic fins 52 ending above in a tooth 53 coupling to the fixed upper part 40. On said hollow body 42' a blocking ring 54 is fitted, axially mobile between a raised position, wherein said ring 54 radially pushes said elastic fins 52 inwards so as to engage the fixed upper part 40 of the body, and a lowered position, wherein said fins 52 are free to disengage from said fixed upper part of the body.

[0036] The lower mobile part 42 is provided with an interlock lever 54 for its rotation.

[0037] It is to be noted that the geometric coupling of the anchorage seat 23 and the connection device 20 makes it possible to prevent any angular movement of the fixed upper part 40 of the main body 10 following rotation of the lower mobile part 42.

[0038] It is to be noted, in addition, how easy and fast it is to dismantle and reassemble the main body 10 in its components, both thanks to the coupling method thereof and by virtue of their reduced number compared to the devices of the prior art.

[0039] In one advantageous embodiment, the entry duct of the air 13 is made in a cylindrical projection 60 of the main body 10 and is open to the outside through a hole 61 made radially in relation to the main axis Y of said cylindrical projection. Around said cylindrical projection 60 an annular element 63 is mounted bearing a radial hole 64. Said annular element 63 is susceptible to rotate on the cylindrical projection 60 between an open position of the entry duct of the air 13, wherein the radial holes 61, 64 of the cylindrical projection 60 and of the annular element 63 are aligned, and a closed position of said duct 13, wherein said holes 61, 64 are misaligned.

[0040] The entry duct of the air 13 is, in addition, provided with a needle valve 65 for adjustment of the quantity of air to introduce into the apparatus. As a result, should the user wish only to dispense the hot liquid without the presence of froth, he need only rotate the annular element 63 (figure 6) to completely close the air intake hole 61, without touching the needle valve 65. To make rotation easier, the annular element 63 is provided with an operating lever 63' .

[0041] This way, a problem commonly found in the embodiments of the prior art, namely that after identifying, often after numerous attempts, the optimal position of the needle valve to obtain the desired quantity of froth, subsequent shifting from said position, for example to the closed position of the air intake hole to make only a hot drink, entails repeating the fine-tuning procedure from the start.

Claims

1. Dispensing apparatus of a heated froth by mixing a liquid with air and steam, comprising a main body wherein at least a first entry duct of the steam, a second entry duct of the liquid, a third entry duct for the air and a mixing chamber of the liquid with the air and the steam are made, where said mixing chamber communicates with said ducts and with at least one dispensing aperture of the froth, where said main body is connectable to a steam production device by means of a connection device suitable for placing the exit of said steam production device in fluidic communication with the entry duct of the steam, characterised by the fact that said connection device is detachably attached to the main body by means of a blocking fork joined to said main body and translatable transversally between an engaged position and a disengaged position of the connection device .

2. Dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the connection device comprises a connection portion at least partially projecting from the main body of the dispensing apparatus and an anchorage portion to the main body, said anchorage portion being housed tight in a respective anchorage seat made in said main body, the blocking fork being held by the wall of the body which delimits said seat so as to engage said anchorage portion .

3. Dispensing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the blocking fork is suitable for engaging an anchorage undercut or groove made in the anchorage portion of the connection device.

4. Dispensing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the connection device comprises a prismatic connection body with a polygonal section which extends partially in the seat of the dispensing apparatus body, in said prismatic body a circular anchorage groove being made in which the blocking fork engages.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the blocking fork comprises two arms substantially parallel having respective central release portions which delimit between them a central aperture through which the connection device is free to pass, and respective blocking end portions greater in breadth than the central portions so as to penetrate in the circular anchorage groove of the connection device.

6. Dispensing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the blocking fork is elastically influenced to remain in a blocked position, wherein the end portions of the blocking arms of the fork engage the circular groove of the connection device, said fork being movable to a released position from the connection device, wherein the connection device is surrounded by the central release portions of the arms of the fork.

7. Dispensing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the end of the fork opposite the end portions of its arms bears an elastic element which presses on the body of the dispensing apparatus so as to push the fork into a rearward blocking position.

8. Dispensing apparatus according to any of the claims 2-7, wherein the blocking fork slides in transversal slots made in the wall delimiting the seat of the connection device.

9. Dispensing apparatus according to any of the previous claims, wherein the inner surface of the wall of the seat of the connection device which surrounds the prismatic body is a polygonal surface suitable for forming a shaped coupling with said prismatic body.

10. Dispensing apparatus according to any of the previous claims, wherein the connection device comprises a sealing tang extending from the prismatic body inside the body of the dispensing apparatus and which supports a sealing ring.

11. Dispensing apparatus according to any of the previous claims, wherein between the mixing chamber and the dispensing hole valve means are provided susceptible to rotate between an open position suitable for placing the mixing chamber in fluidic communication with the dispensing aperture and a closed position of said mixing chamber wherein the jet of steam is forced to come out of the main body by passing through the entry ducts of the air and of the liquid, to sterilise the apparatus.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the apparatus body comprises a fixed upper part and a lower mobile part, axially constrained to the upper part with the possibility of shifting angularly in relation to it.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the lower mobile part comprises an end wall facing the mixing chamber and wherein at least one eccentric dispensing aperture is made, in relation to the rotation axis of the mobile part, between said end wall and the mixing chamber, there being interposed an obturator insert angularly constrained to the fixed part and having at least one radial eccentric expansion suitable for closing said eccentric dispensing aperture.

14. Dispensing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said obturator insert hermetically closes the mixing chamber in an axial direction and has at least one radial hole for placing said mixing chamber in fluidic communication with the eccentric dispensing aperture.

15. Dispensing apparatus according to any of the claims 12-14, wherein the lower mobile part has a hollow body suitable for receiving a lower portion of the fixed upper part, said hollow body being provided with at least one a pair of longitudinal elastic fins terminating above with a tooth coupling to the fixed upper part, a blocking ring being fitted on said hollow body axially movable between a raised position, wherein said ring radially pushes said fins inwards so as to engage the upper fixed part of the body and a lowered position wherein said fins are free to disengage from said fixed upper part of the body.

16. Apparatus according to any of the previous claims, wherein the entry duct of the air is made in a cylindrical projection of the apparatus body and is open towards the outside through a hole made radially in relation to the main axis of said cylindrical projection.

17. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein around a said cylindrical projection an annular element is fitted bearing a radial hole, said annular element being susceptible to rotate on the cylindrical projection between a open position of the entry duct of the air wherein the radial holes of the cylindrical projection and of the annular element are aligned, and a closed position of said duct wherein said holes are misaligned.

18. Apparatus according to any of the previous claims, wherein the entry duct of the air is provided with a needle valve for regulating the quantity introduced into the apparatus .