A milk module for producing milk foam or milk beverages, preferably for installation in a coffee machine

Abstract

The present invention relates to a milk module (2) for producing milk foam or milk beverages, preferably for being installed in a coffee machine, which is configured as an independent unit. The milk module (2) includes a cooling chamber (5) connected to a cooling device for accommodating a milk container (6), a delivery pump (42), a device for generating steam, a device (24) for heating milk or for producing milk foam, and connecting means. Through the connecting means, the heated milk or the produced milk foam can be conveyed through an output line to a coffee outlet in the coffee machine. It is very advantageously arranged that instead of the milk container (6), a cleaning container (14) with a cleaning agent can be placed in the cooling chamber (5). For this purpose, a suction pipe (11) is arranged which is pivotally supported forwards or backwards in the region of the cooling box (4) and hangs freely downwards, and which in the forwards pivoted position can be introduced into the milk container (6) or into the cleaning container (14) without contact from above when the container is inserted.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a milk module (Milchmodul) for producing milk foam or milk beverages, preferably for being installed in a coffee machine. Background Art

[0002] Coffee machines with integrated modules for producing milk foam or for heating milk are known to be constructed in a variety of embodiments. They enable the automatic production of not only coffee (such as espresso), but also mixed beverages consisting of coffee and milk or milk foam (especially cappuccino).

[0003] Coffee machines are usually provided with cleaning devices that automatically perform periodic cleaning of the machine during operation. It is difficult to provide such a cleaning device in a small coffee machine due to limitations in the required space requirements. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The object of the present invention is to avoid these disadvantages and to provide a coffee machine of the type mentioned at the beginning, which can implement the above functions with a minimum space requirement in a simple structure and easy operation.

[0005] This object is achieved according to the features of the present invention.

[0006] By constructing the milk module according to the present invention as an independent unit with this connecting device preferably provided as a plug connection (Steckkupplung), it can be simply assembled in the coffee machine housing and milk discharge can be achieved at the coffee outlet.

[0007] Significant space savings can be achieved with the structure according to the present invention, because after removing the milk container from the cooling box (Kuehlschrankbox), the installation space required by it becomes available for placing the cleaning container, so that no additional space is required for the latter.

[0008] The present invention is further configured such that the milk container or the cleaning container is arranged at the working cycle of the machine by means of a suction pipe (Ansaugschlauch) that is pivotably supported forward or backward in the upper region of the cooling box and hangs freely downward. The pivotability of the suction pipe enables it to be independently inserted into or removed from the container without the operator having to touch it during the replacement process.

[0009] Very advantageously, the device according to the invention is contained in the cleaning container, which has a water supply channel, a defined opening for receiving the cleaning agent and a discharge opening. Thus, water can be guided through the supply channel into the opening, and the cleaning agent can be dissolved in the water there, emulsified with the water and the cleaning container can be filled in this way. This enables simple cleaning and precise dosing of the cleaning agent, for which cleaning tablets (Reinigungstablette) should be used in particular. Description of the Drawings

[0010] The invention will now be explained in detail with reference to the drawings according to embodiments. Among them:

[0011] Figure 1 A coffee machine with a milk module is shown perspectively, where the coffee module is not shown;

[0012] Figure 2 It shows according to Figure 1 A perspective side view of the milk module;

[0013] Figure 3 A cross-section of the plug connection on the upper side of the milk module is shown;

[0014] Figure 4 It shows the cooling box of the milk module before introducing the container according to Figure 2 ;

[0015] Figure 5 It shows the cooling box of the milk module when introducing the milk container according to Figure 2 ;

[0016] Figure 6 A perspective view of the cleaning container for the milk module according to Figure 2 is shown; and

[0017] Figure 7 It shows according to Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the hydraulic circuit of the milk module. Detailed Description of the Embodiment

[0018] In Figure 1 The coffee machine 1 with the housing 3 shown is used to automatically produce coffee or coffee-containing beverages and mixed beverages composed of coffee and milk or milk foam. The coffee machine consists of a coffee module for producing coffee (where only the opening 3' in the housing 3 for installing the module is shown exactly) and a milk module 2 for preparing milk or milk foam, which can be installed side by side in a space-saving manner independently of each other in the common housing 3. The coffee module 1 itself consists of conventional components and will not be elaborated in detail. In the housing 3, only a drip tray (Abtropfschale) 3” is shown on the front side, on which cups for loading coffee and / or milk or milk foam can be placed.

[0019] The milk module 2 that can be installed in the housing 3 is equipped with a cooling box 4, and its cooling chamber 5 can accommodate the milk container 6. The selectively closable cooling chamber 5 can be easily accessed through the box door 7 arranged at the front side of the machine. Thus, after opening the box door 7, the milk container 6 can be placed into or removed from the cooling chamber 5 of the cooling box 4. The cooling chamber 5 is configured such that the milk container 6 fits into it with approximately no gap.

[0020] As can be seen Figure 2 As can be seen, according to the present invention, the milk module 2 is constructed as an independent unit, which includes a cooling chamber 5 for accommodating the milk container 6 connected to a cooling device 4', a delivery pump, a cooker 26 for generating steam, a device 24 for heating or for generating milk foam, and connecting devices, through which the heated milk or the generated milk foam can be transported through pipelines to the coffee outlet in the coffee machine.

[0021] In addition, an electronic control unit 18, pipelines not elaborated in detail, and invisible plug connections at the back side are provided in the milk module 2.

[0022] According to Figure 3 The connecting device is preferably formed as a plug connection 33 with two plug sleeves 36, 37 preferably arranged parallel to each other in axis, and the input - or output pipelines 39, 40 can be inserted into it in a sealed and dead - zone - optimized manner. One of the plug sleeves 36, 37 is arranged to protrude relative to the push - in housing 2' surrounding the cooling box 4, and the output pipeline 40 can be connected to it in the coffee machine 1.

[0023] The plug connection 33 has a connecting piece 35, which is provided with a plug sleeve 36 or 37 at each of its two ends, and the connecting piece 35 is fixed in the housing 3. At the back side, these plug sleeves are preferably connected to a hose arc 41.

[0024] After the milk module is installed in the housing 3, only the output pipeline 40 needs to be connected to the plug sleeve 36. The plug connection 33 is outstanding for its very simple structure and safe operation. However, of course, other connection types can also be considered for this.

[0025] Figure 4 and Figure 5 Shown is a suction pipe 11 that can be supported in a swing - forward or swing - backward manner in the upper region of the cooling box 4 according to the present invention, and it is freely suspended and oriented downward.

[0026] The suction pipe 11 is rotatably held by a swing drive 12 which is preferably supported in the upper region of the cooling box 4 and is preferably manually operable. For this purpose, a latching portion (Einraststelle) is provided in the joint portion 13 of the swing drive 12, through which the suction pipe 11 projects in a locked manner after the milk container 6 has been removed from the cooling chamber 5 when the cooling box is open. In this forward-swinging position 11', the suction pipe can be inserted into the milk container 6 or into the cleaning container 14 (when placed in the cooling chamber 5) from above, so that the suction pipe is integrated into the cooling chamber 5 in a space-saving manner.

[0027] When the milk container is loaded again, the suction pipe 11 is inserted through the opening 10 of the milk container 4 without touching it. Once the milk container is placed in the cooling box 4, the suction pipe points downwards again, so that its lower end extends approximately to the bottom of the corresponding container. The milk container 6 can also be closed by a lid 8.

[0028] Within the scope of the present invention, the milk container 6 can be replaced by a cleaning container 14. This saves additional installation space that would otherwise be required for the cleaning container etc. and thus enables a reduction in the size of the coffee machine.

[0029] Figure 6 A cleaning container 14 which is particularly suitable for this purpose is shown, which is advantageously dimensioned in the same shape or external dimensions as the milk container 6. However, in contrast to it, a device 15 is contained in this cleaning container, which has a water supply channel 17, a defined opening 16' for receiving a cleaning agent and a discharge opening 17'.

[0030] Suitably, the water supply channel 17 arranged in the upper part of the container is tangentially guided into the columnar, accessible opening 16' from above, into which at least one cleaning tablet 16 can be placed as a soluble cleaning agent. Preferably, it is constructed annularly and provided with a central hole, so that it can be positioned approximately gaplessly and detected in the opening 16' by a centering pin 46.

[0031] In order to dissolve the tablet, water is tangentially supplied from the cooling box 4 into the water supply channel 17 onto the tablet 16, and the water with the dissolved tablet flows out through the discharge opening 17, accumulates in the cleaning container 14 and is guided from there to the milk module through the suction pipe 11 introduced into the cleaning container.

[0032] Figure 7The working cycle of the milk module 2 is schematically shown, which is delimited by the dashed line 19. In it, the cooling box 4 with the milk container 6 or the cleaning container 14 is represented by the dashed line 20. For milk supply, the suction pipe 11 is connected via the pipeline 21a, the two-way valve 22, the air suction valve 23 and the delivery pump 42 to the heating chamber of the device 24, wherein the latter can also be connected to the boiler 26 and the switching-on valve 27 for steam supply. The external water tank 28 can be connected via the filter 29 to the boiler 26 via the water pump 25.

[0033] For the periodic cleaning process of the milk module 2, the cleaning container 14 is placed in the cooling chamber 5. In it, the suction pipe 11 is connected to the pipeline 21b with the two-way valve 30 or 32. Thus, the heating chamber of the device 24 and the delivery pump 42 can be flushed with the respective pipelines.

[0034] In addition, the plug connection 33 and the output pipeline 40 are also shown, which lead to a cup 44 etc. on the drip tray 3” for filling milk or milk foam.

[0035] The present invention is fully illustrated by the above embodiments. However, it can of course also be disclosed by other variants. Thus, instead of by plug connection, connection means can be provided for transporting the heated milk or the generated milk foam from the milk module to the outlet in the coffee machine, for example by a hose connection. In principle, output pipelines (40) can also be provided on both sides of the milk module for each coffee machine module.

Claims

1. A milk module for producing milk foam or milk beverages, having a milk container (6), a delivery pump, and a device (24) for heating milk or for producing milk foam or other milk beverages, characterized in that a cleaning system is integrated in the milk module, by means of which a cleaning process is achieved, for which purpose instead of the milk container (6) a cleaning container (14) with a cleaning agent can be placed in the cooling chamber (5), wherein in the cleaning container (14) there is a device (15) having a water supply channel (17), a defined opening (16') for receiving the cleaning agent, and a discharge opening (17'), by means of which device (15) water can be guided through the water supply channel (17) into the defined opening (16') and therein the cleaning agent dissolves and emulsifies with the water and can flow via the discharge opening (17') into the cleaning container (14).

2. The milk module according to claim 1, wherein, There is provided a suction pipe (11) which is pivotally supported forwards or backwards in the region of the cooling box (4) and hangs freely downwards, which in the forwards pivoted position (11') can be inserted into the milk container (6) or into the cleaning container (14) without contact from above in the case of the milk container or the cleaning container being inserted.

3. The milk module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The suction pipe (11) can be rotated by a pivoting drive (12) supported in the region of the cooling box (4).

4. The milk module according to claim 3, characterized in that, The pivoting drive (12) has a latching part at its joint part (13), in which the suction pipe (11) projects locked in the forwards pivoted position (11') after the milk container (6) or the cleaning container (14) has been removed forwards from the cooling box (4).

5. The milk module according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the suction pipe (11) is pivoted in by the pivoting drive (12) in the case of the milk container (6) or the cleaning container (14) being inserted into the cooling box (4) until the suction pipe points downwards again, whereby it extends with its lower end almost up to the bottom of the respective container.

6. The milk module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water supply channel (17) is tangentially guided into the columnar-shaped defined opening (16'), in which at least one cleaning tablet (16) can be positioned and detected as a soluble cleaning agent.

7. The milk module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The milk module is for installation in a coffee machine.

8. The milk module according to claim 1, characterized in that, By means of the cleaning system, the cleaning process is achieved via the delivery pump (42), the device (24) for heating milk or for producing milk foam or other milk beverages, and the input- or output lines (39, 40).

9. The milk module according to claim 1, wherein The cleaning agent is a tablet.

10. The milk module according to claim 3, characterized in that, The pivoting drive (12) can be manually operated.

11. The milk module according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The milk module is constructed as an independent unit.

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