Foaming device and beverage machine with same
By setting two converters in the foaming device to change the inflow of liquid and air, the problem that the existing device cannot produce low-temperature milk edges is solved, and the production of a variety of beverage flavors is realized to meet the diverse needs of users.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202311861963.6
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-12-29
- Publication Date
- 2025-07-01
AI Technical Summary
The existing foaming device cannot produce low-temperature milk foam drinks, which cannot meet the needs of users who like low-temperature drinks.
A foaming device is designed, including a tubular body, a mixing chamber, a steam channel, a liquid channel, an air channel and an outlet channel. By setting two converters, the liquid inlet volume of the liquid channel and the air inlet volume of the air channel are respectively changed, so as to achieve milk foam production of different temperatures and tastes.
Users can independently choose the combination of different air intake and liquid intake to make various flavors of drinks, including cold milk foam and hot milk foam, to meet the diverse needs of users.
Smart Images
Figure CN120226910A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of beverage preparation, and in particular to a foaming device and a beverage machine having the same. Background Art
[0002] Modern coffee machines are often provided with a foaming device for preparing milk foam or hot milk. The foaming device is usually connected to a steam delivery joint provided on the coffee machine. The foaming device includes a milk delivery pipe, an air pipe, a steam pipe and a mixing chamber. The air pipe and the steam pipe are both communicated with the milk delivery pipe, and the mixing chamber is also communicated with the milk delivery pipe. A milk outlet is provided at the lower part of the mixing chamber. When in use, steam enters the mixing chamber from the steam pipe, forms a negative pressure in the mixing chamber, drives the milk to flow into the mixing chamber, the air is sucked into the mixing chamber through the air inlet pipe, and is mixed with the milk in the mixing chamber to form milk foam. The milk foam finally flows out from the milk outlet at the lower part of the mixing chamber, so as to be used for making milk coffee.
[0003] However, the existing foaming device can only be used to make hot drinks containing milk foam and hot drinks without milk foam, and cannot make low-temperature drinks containing milk foam. For users who like low-temperature drinks, it obviously cannot meet the requirements. Summary of the Invention
[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide a foaming device that can make more types of drinks.
[0005] Another object of the present invention is to provide a beverage machine that can make more types of drinks.
[0006] To achieve the above object of the invention, the present invention provides a foaming device, including a tubular body having a mixing chamber, the mixing chamber communicating with a steam channel, a liquid channel, an air channel and an outlet channel. The steam channel is used to communicate with a steam source, the liquid channel is used to communicate with a liquid storage source, the air channel is used to communicate with air, and the outlet channel is used to output a mixed fluid generated by the mixing chamber based on the Venturi effect. The liquid channel and the air channel communicate with the mixing chamber at different positions;
[0007] It further includes a first conversion member connected to the liquid channel and a second conversion member connected to the air channel. The first conversion member moves relative to the tubular body to change the liquid inflow amount of the liquid channel, and the second conversion member moves relative to the tubular body to change the air intake amount of the air channel.
[0008] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, the first conversion member and the second conversion member are respectively connected to a first operation part and a second operation part. The first operation part drives the first conversion member to move between a plurality of set gears, and the second operation part drives the second conversion member to move within the indication range corresponding to the set gears.
[0009] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, a first connection channel and a second connection channel are provided on the first conversion member, the channel cross-sectional areas of the first connection channel and the second connection channel are different, and the first conversion member communicates with the mixing chamber by switching the first connection channel or the second connection channel to change the liquid inflow rate of the liquid channel.
[0010] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, it further includes an operation part for driving the first conversion member and the second conversion member, the operation part is in transmission connection with the first conversion member or the second conversion member, and the first conversion member and the second conversion member are in transmission connection; or the operation part is respectively in transmission connection with the first conversion member and the second conversion member.
[0011] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, the operation part drives the second conversion member to rotate to change the air inflow rate of the air channel, the second conversion member drives the first conversion member to move to change the liquid inflow rate of the liquid channel, and the liquid inflow rate of the liquid channel and the air inflow rate of the air channel have a preset corresponding relationship.
[0012] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, the second conversion member extends into the air channel along the extension direction of the air channel, a first opening is provided on the liquid channel, the first conversion member is inserted into the liquid channel from the first opening, and the second conversion member rotates around the center line of the air channel to drive the first conversion member to linearly move along the extension direction of the air channel.
[0013] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, the air channel includes a first section and a second section that are angled to each other, the first section and the second section are arranged along the air inflow direction, the second conversion member extends into the air channel along a direction perpendicular to the extension of the first section, and the second conversion member rotates relative to the air channel to drive the first conversion member to linearly move.
[0014] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, a through port cooperating with the first conversion member is provided in the liquid channel, and the first conversion member changes the liquid inflow rate of the liquid channel by adjusting the fluid passage area of the through port.
[0015] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, a first opening is provided on the liquid channel, the first conversion member extends into the liquid channel from the first opening, the air channel has a second opening, the second conversion member extends into the liquid channel from the second opening, and the orientations of the first opening and the second opening are the same.
[0016] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, the first conversion member includes a plurality of air flow channels connected to the air passage, and the cross-sectional areas of the plurality of air flow channels are different. By switching one of the plurality of air flow channels to communicate with the mixing chamber, the intake air volume of the air passage is changed.
[0017] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, it further includes a box body and a cover assembly covering the box body. The box body has a liquid storage cavity for containing liquid, and the tubular body is arranged on the cover assembly; a through hole for defining the second conversion member is provided outside the cover assembly, the operating portion is configured as a knob, the knob is connected to the second conversion member through the through hole, and the first conversion member is in transmission connection with the second conversion member outside or inside the cover assembly.
[0018] The present invention also provides a beverage machine, which includes the foaming device according to any one of the above embodiments, and the steam passage of the foaming device is communicated with the beverage machine.
[0019] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: By providing two conversion members to respectively change the liquid intake volume of the liquid passage and the intake air volume of the air passage, the user can independently select different combinations of intake air volume and intake liquid volume, and can set the intake air volume and intake liquid volume at the gears that the user likes or deems appropriate to make various different flavors of beverages, especially cold milk foam and hot milk foam can be realized, so as to meet different needs of users. Description of the Drawings
[0020] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the foaming device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
[0021] Figure 2 is Figure 1 the exploded view of the foaming device in
[0022] Figure 3 is Figure 1 the three-dimensional assembly view of some components of the foaming device in
[0023] Figure 4 is Figure 1 the sectional view of the foaming device along the line A-A in
[0024] Figure 5 is Figure 1 the front view of the foaming device in
[0025] Figure 6 is Figure 5 the sectional view of the foaming device along the line B-B in
[0026] Figure 7It is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the foaming device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
[0027] Figure 8 It is Figure 7 an exploded schematic diagram of the foaming device in
[0028] Figure 9 It is Figure 7 a three-dimensional assembly schematic diagram of some components of the foaming device in
[0029] Figure 10 It is Figure 9 an exploded schematic diagram between the second conversion part and the seal of the foaming device in
[0030] Figure 11 It is Figure 7 a sectional view of the foaming device along the C-C line in
[0031] Figure 12 It is Figure 7 a sectional view of the foaming device along the D-D line in
[0032] Figure 13 It is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the foaming device according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
[0033] Figure 14 It is Figure 13 an exploded schematic diagram of the foaming device in
[0034] Figure 15 It is Figure 13 a three-dimensional assembly schematic diagram of some components of the foaming device in
[0035] Figure 16 It is Figure 13 a sectional view of the foaming device along the E-E line in
[0036] Figure 17 It is Figure 16 an enlarged schematic diagram of part a of the foaming device in
[0037] Figure 18 It is Figure 17 a schematic diagram of the second conversion part of the foaming device and the base body cooperating to form an air gap in
[0038] Figure 19 It is Figure 13 a sectional view of the foaming device along the F-F line in Specific embodiments
[0039] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, these embodiments do not limit the present invention, and any structural, method, or functional transformation made by those of ordinary skill in the art based on these embodiments is included in the protection scope of the present invention.
[0040] It should be understood that the terms indicating relative spatial positions used herein, such as "above", "upper", "below", "lower", etc., are for the purpose of facilitating the description of the relationship between one unit or feature and another unit or feature as shown in the accompanying drawings. The terms of relative spatial positions may be intended to include different orientations of the device in use or operation other than the orientation shown in the figures.
[0041] Taking the foaming device used in conjunction with a beverage machine as an example, the foaming device in the specific embodiments of the present invention will be described.
[0042] Referring to Figures 1 to 6 As shown, in the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, the foaming device 100 includes a tubular body 10. The tubular body 10 has a mixing chamber 11. The mixing chamber 11 communicates with a steam channel 21, a liquid channel 12, an air channel 13, and an outlet channel 14. The steam channel 21 is used to communicate with a steam source, the liquid channel 12 is used to communicate with a liquid storage source, the air channel 13 is used to communicate with air, and the outlet channel 14 is used to output the mixed fluid generated in the mixing chamber 11 based on the Venturi effect. Among them, the steam channel 21 is defined as the channel between the steam joint communicating with the steam source and the mixing chamber 11, the liquid channel 12 is defined as the channel from the liquid storage source to the mixing chamber 11, the air channel 13 is defined as the channel from the external air to the mixing chamber 11, and the outlet channel 14 is defined as the channel from the mixing chamber 11 to the user's beverage cup. The tubular body 10 constitutes a Venturi tube. When steam is ejected, a negative pressure can be generated in the mixing chamber 11. Under the action of the negative pressure, the milk from the liquid storage source will be sucked in to be mixed with the steam and air. During this process, the steam, milk, and air are fully and evenly mixed, so that delicate milk foam can be formed and discharged from the outlet channel.
[0043] The tubular body 10 is connected to a steam nozzle 20. The steam nozzle 20 is hermetically connected to the tubular body 10 through a sealing ring. The steam nozzle 20 is adapted to the contraction part 113 of the Venturi tube through a conical nozzle head, so that after the steam flow passes through the steam nozzle 20, a vacuum will be formed in the mixing chamber 11 of the Venturi tube. The vacuum can ensure effectively sucking air and milk into the mixing chamber 11. The mixing chamber 11 includes a first mixing chamber 111, and the contraction part 113 is arranged at the end of the first mixing chamber 111. When steam is ejected, a local vacuum is generated in the first mixing chamber 111. Under the action of the negative pressure, the milk from the liquid storage source will be sucked in to be mixed with the steam and air.
[0044] Preferably, the mixing chamber 11 may include a first mixing chamber 111 and a second mixing chamber 112 arranged in sequence along the direction of fluid input to output. The milk foam after foaming in the first mixing chamber 111 enters the second mixing chamber 112 under inertia and subsequent steam propulsion. In the second mixing chamber 112, the steam, milk, and air are further mixed to obtain a sufficient, uniform, and firm milk foam, and the foaming degree also increases accordingly. The formed milk foam is discharged from the discharge end. The outlet channel 14 may be connected to the outlet pipe 15 and output to the user's beverage cup through the outlet pipe 15.
[0045] Among them, the liquid channel 12 and the air channel 13 communicate with different positions of the mixing chamber 11, that is, the liquid and gas enter the mixing chamber 11 in their respective independent ways. For example, the liquid channel 12 communicates with the liquid inlet of the mixing chamber 11 and the air channel 13 communicates with the air inlet of the mixing chamber 11 at intervals, which may be arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the tubular body 10 or along the axial direction of the tubular body 10.
[0046] The foaming device 100 further includes a first conversion member 61 connected to the liquid channel 12 and a second conversion member 51 connected to the air channel 13. The first conversion member 61 moves relative to the tubular body 10 to change the liquid inlet volume of the liquid channel 12, and the second conversion member 51 moves relative to the tubular body 10 to change the air inlet volume of the air channel 13. By setting two conversion members to respectively change the liquid inlet volume of the liquid channel 12 and the air inlet volume of the air channel 13, the user can independently select different combinations of air inlet volume and liquid inlet volume, and can set the air inlet volume and liquid inlet volume at the gears that the user likes or deems appropriate to make various different flavors of beverages. Such as cold milk foam with a temperature in the range of 10°C to 30°C and hot milk foam with a temperature in the range of 40°C to 70°C.
[0047] Specifically, the first conversion member 61 is connected to the first operating portion 60, and the second conversion member 51 is connected to the second operating portion 50. The first operating portion 60 drives the first conversion member 61 to move between multiple set gears, and the second operating portion 50 drives the second conversion member 51 to move within the indication range corresponding to each set gear. In this embodiment, the cold and hot gears of the milk foam can be selected through the first conversion member 61. Gear indicators can be provided around the first operating portion 60. The first operating portion 60 drives the first conversion member 61 to select the cold milk foam gear or the hot milk foam gear, and the second operating portion 50 drives the second conversion member 51 to select the fineness degree of the milk foam corresponding to the cold milk foam gear or the hot milk foam gear. The second operating portion 50 drives the second conversion member 51 by rotation, and gear indicators can be provided around the second operating portion 50. For example, the rotation angle range of the second operating portion 50 is within 300 degrees, where 0 - 150 degrees is the range for adjusting the hot milk foam, and 150 - 300 degrees is the range for adjusting the cold milk foam. Additionally, a hot milk gear can be set, that is, the second conversion member 51 completely closes the air passage 13 communicating with the air inlet of the mixing chamber 11. By selecting the liquid intake and air intake through their respective operating members, the fineness degree of the milk foam can be further selected when different temperatures of milk foam are selected, thus meeting more needs of users.
[0048] Preferably, the first conversion member 61 is provided with a first connection passage 63 and a second connection passage 64. The cross-sectional areas of the first connection passage 63 and the second connection passage 64 are different. The first conversion member 61 changes the liquid intake amount of the liquid passage 12 by switching the first connection passage 63 or the second connection passage 64 to communicate with the mixing chamber 11. That is to say, operating the first conversion member 61 can select two different liquid intake amounts, which is convenient for users to choose. A first opening 121 is provided on the liquid passage 12. The first conversion member 61 is inserted into the liquid passage 12 from the first opening 121, and a liquid flow path from the liquid passage 12 to the mixing chamber 11 is established through the first connection passage 63 and the second connection passage 64. There is no need to control the liquid intake amount by replacing the milk tube or squeezing the milk tube. The fixed connection passage can make the control of the liquid intake amount more accurate according to different types of user beverage requirements. In this embodiment, if the user needs a cold milk foam or a cold milk type beverage, the first conversion member 61 switches to the first connection passage 63; if the user needs a hot milk foam or a hot milk type beverage, the first conversion member 61 switches to the second connection passage 64.
[0049] In this embodiment, the foaming device 100 is configured as a milk carton, which includes a box body 2 and a cover assembly 1 covering the upper part of the box body 2. The box body 2 has a liquid storage cavity for containing liquid, and a tubular body 10 is arranged on the cover assembly 1. A first operating part 60 connected to a first conversion part 61 and a second operating part 50 connected to a second conversion part 51 are arranged on the outside of the cover assembly 1. The first operating part 60 is arranged on the side of the cover assembly 1, and the second operating part 50 is arranged on the top of the cover assembly 1. A first through hole 101 corresponding to the position of the first opening 121 is arranged on the side of the cover assembly 1, and a second through hole 102 corresponding to the position of the air passage is arranged on the top of the cover assembly 1. The first operating part 60 and the first conversion part 61 are integrally arranged or fixedly connected. One end of the first conversion part 61 passes through the first through hole 101 and extends into the liquid passage 12 from the first opening 121, and the other end of the first conversion part 61 is connected to the first operating part 60. A relief groove 201 is arranged on the box body 2, and the first operating part 60 is exposed from the relief groove 201 for convenient operation. The second operating part 50 and the second conversion part 51 are integrally arranged or fixedly connected. One end of the second conversion part 51 extends into the air passage 13, and the other end of the second conversion part 51 is connected to the second operating part 50 and is exposed from the second through hole 102 for convenient operation.
[0050] Both the first operating part 60 and the second operating part 50 are arranged on the milk carton, and the operation is directly performed on the milk carton to realize the adjustment of the air supply amount and the liquid supply amount. The tubular body 10 is arranged on the cover assembly 1, and the space of the cover assembly 1 can be utilized. Both the first conversion part 61 and the second conversion part 51 are connected to the cover assembly 1, making the overall structure of the milk carton simple and compact. Among them, the cover assembly 1 includes an upper cover 110 and a lower cover 120. An accommodation space is defined between the upper cover 110 and the lower cover 120. The tubular body 10 is arranged in the accommodation space. The air passage 13 and the liquid passage 12 are arranged opposite to each other along the radial direction of the tubular body 10. The first conversion part 61 extends into the liquid passage 12 along a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the liquid passage 12, and the second conversion part 51 extends into the air passage 13 along the extension direction of the air passage 13. The connection between the tubular body 10 and the first conversion part 61 and the second conversion part 51 is more convenient, and the overall structure is compact.
[0051] Continue to refer to Figures 2 to 4, a cylindrical seal 134 is provided in the air passage 13. A through hole is provided at the bottom of the seal 134. One of the inner wall of the seal 134 and the outer wall of the second conversion member 51 is provided with a longitudinally extending tapered air inlet groove 511. The other of the inner wall of the seal 134 and the outer wall of the second conversion member 51 is provided with a sealing rib 135. The tapered air inlet groove 511 communicates with the air passage 13 through the through hole. The sealing rib 135 cooperates with the tapered air inlet groove 511 to change the air intake of the air passage 13. In this embodiment, the tapered air inlet groove 511 is provided on the outer wall of the second conversion member 51, and the sealing rib 135 is provided on the inner wall of the seal 134. And the sealing rib 135 extends along both the circumferential and axial directions of the seal 134. Thus, when the second conversion member 51 rotates relative to the seal 134, the position where the tapered air inlet groove 511 cooperates with the sealing rib 135 is different, and the cross-sectional area of the air inlet groove changes, realizing the adjustment of the air intake. Among them, when the second conversion member 51 rotates in one direction, the cross-sectional area of the air inlet groove gradually decreases, or it can also be set that the cross-sectional area of the air inlet groove gradually increases; of course, it can also be that according to different cold and hot milk foam gears selected by the first operating member 60, when the second conversion member 51 rotates in one direction within the range corresponding to cold milk foam, the cross-sectional area of the air inlet groove gradually decreases / increases, and within the range corresponding to hot milk foam, the cross-sectional area of the air inlet groove gradually increases / decreases.
[0052] In this embodiment, the switching of two liquid intake amounts is realized by providing two connecting channels. Of course, more connecting channels can also be provided to realize the stepped adjustment of the liquid intake amount. The cooperation between the tapered air inlet groove 511 and the sealing rib 135 realizes the stepless adjustment of the air intake amount. In other implementable ways, it can also be that the liquid intake amount is steplessly adjusted while the air intake amount is steppedly adjusted.
[0053] Referring to Figures 7 to 12 As shown, it is the preferred second embodiment of the present invention. The components with the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment have similar structures and functions, and will not be described in detail here.
[0054] The foaming device 200 includes a first conversion member 61a connected to the liquid passage 12 and a second conversion member 51a connected to the air passage 13. The first conversion member 61a moves relative to the tubular body 10 to change the liquid intake amount of the liquid passage 12, and the second conversion member 51a moves relative to the tubular body 10 to change the air intake amount of the air passage 13. By providing two conversion members to respectively change the liquid intake amount of the liquid passage 12 and the air intake amount of the air passage 13, the air intake amount can be selected while selecting the liquid intake amount, or the liquid intake amount can be selected while selecting the air intake amount. Thus, the air intake amount and the liquid intake amount can be set at appropriate gears to make various beverages with different flavors.
[0055] In this embodiment, the foaming device 200 further includes an operating part 50a for driving the second conversion part 51a. The operating part 50a is in transmission connection with the second conversion part 51a, and the second conversion part 51a is in transmission connection with the first conversion part 61a, so as to realize the synchronous movement of the first conversion part 61a and the second conversion part 51a, so as to adjust the liquid intake and air intake at the same time. By using one operating part to drive the first conversion part 61a and the second conversion part 51a to move synchronously, the size of the liquid intake of the liquid channel 12 and the size of the air intake of the air channel 13 can be adjusted at the same time, which is more convenient for users. By operating the operating part 50a, not only the air supply volume can be changed, but also the liquid supply volume can be changed synchronously. When the air supply volume and the liquid supply volume are changed at the same time, milk foam with different temperatures and ensured quality can be generated, realizing the output of hot and cold milk foam and meeting the needs of different users for more flavors.
[0056] In other feasible solutions, it may also be that the operating part 50a is in transmission connection with the first conversion part 61a, and the first conversion part 61a is in transmission connection with the second conversion part 51a, that is, the operating part directly drives the first conversion part 61a, and the operating part indirectly drives the second conversion part 51a through the first conversion part 61a. It may also be a way that the operating part directly drives the first conversion part 61a and the second conversion part 51a. For example, the operating part drives the first conversion part 61a to rotate and the second conversion part 51a to rotate at the same time through gears, or the operating part drives the first conversion part 61a to rotate and the second conversion part 51a to move at the same time. It may also be that there is no direct transmission relationship between the first conversion part 61a and the second conversion part 51a, and the operating part drives one of the first conversion part 61a and the second conversion part 51a to rotate and drives the other to move.
[0057] Preferably, the size of the liquid intake of the liquid channel 12 and the size of the air intake of the air channel 13 have a preset corresponding relationship. The preset corresponding relationship means that as the operating part 50a adjusts and moves in one direction, the change of the air supply volume and the liquid supply volume makes the temperature of the output milk foam increase; when the operating part 50a adjusts and moves in the opposite direction, the change of the air supply volume and the liquid supply volume makes the temperature of the output milk foam decrease. Specifically, when the milk supply cross-sectional area is less than or equal to the first preset value, as the air supply cross-sectional area increases, the temperature of the output milk foam increases; when the milk supply cross-sectional area is greater than or equal to the second preset value, as the air supply cross-sectional area increases, the temperature of the output milk foam decreases, where the second preset value is more than twice the first preset value. By setting the correspondence between the liquid supply volume and the air supply volume, milk foam with different hot and cold temperatures can be output, and the quality of the output milk foam is stable.
[0058] Specifically, the second conversion member 51a extends into the air passage 13 along the extending direction of the air passage 13. A first opening 121a is provided on the liquid passage 12. The first conversion member 61a is inserted into the liquid passage 12 from the first opening 121a. The second conversion member 51a rotates around the center line of the air passage 13 to drive the first conversion member 61a to linearly move along the extending direction of the air passage 13. By driving the first conversion member 61a to move through the rotation of the second conversion member 51a extending into the air passage 13, when different flavors of milk foam output are selected through the operation portion 50a, the movement of the first conversion member 61a and the second conversion member 51a is more reliable, and the adjustment of the operation portion 50a is smoother.
[0059] Wherein, a through port 123 for cooperating with the first conversion member 61a is provided in the liquid passage 12. The first conversion member 61a changes the liquid inlet volume of the liquid passage 12 by adjusting the fluid passage area of the through port 123. By changing the liquid inlet volume of the liquid passage 12 in a stepless adjustment manner, more choices can be provided to the user.
[0060] The air passage 13 has a second opening 133a. The second conversion member 51a extends into the air passage 13 from the second opening 133a. The first opening 121a and the second opening 133a face the same direction. By providing the first opening 121a and the second opening 133a facing the same direction, the installation of the first conversion member 61a and the second conversion member 51a is more convenient.
[0061] A cylindrical seal member 134 is provided in the air passage 13. A through hole is provided at the bottom of the seal member 134. A longitudinally extending and gradually changing air inlet groove 511 is provided on the outer wall of the second conversion member 51a. A sealing rib 135 is provided on the inner wall of the seal member 134. The gradually changing air inlet groove 511 communicates with the air passage 13 through the through hole. The sealing rib 135 cooperates with the gradually changing air inlet groove 511 to change the air inlet volume of the air passage 13. The sealing rib 135 extends along both the circumferential direction and the axial direction of the seal member 134. Thus, when the first conversion member 61 rotates relative to the seal member 134, the position where the gradually changing air inlet groove 511 cooperates with the sealing rib 135 is different, and the cross-sectional area of the air inlet groove changes, realizing the adjustment of the air inlet volume. Wherein, when the second conversion member 51a rotates in two opposite directions from a preset position, the change in the cross-sectional area of the air inlet groove is the same, and it can be switched to another gear along two directions, facilitating the user to select a gear.
[0062] In this embodiment, the operating part 50a is configured as a knob, which is integrally provided with the second conversion member 51a. A guide post 52 is provided on the second conversion member 51a. The first conversion member 61a includes a cam groove 62. The guide post 52 is inserted into the cam groove 62. While the knob drives the second conversion member 51a to rotate, the cam groove 62 drives the first conversion member 61a to move linearly under the guidance of the guide post 62. Specifically, the first conversion member 61a includes a switching rod 611 and a guide rod 612 arranged at intervals. The switching rod 611 extends into the liquid passage 12 from the first opening 121a and is used to adjust the fluid passage area of the through port 123 to change the liquid inflow volume of the liquid passage 12. The guide rod 612 extends into the guide cylinder 103 to guide the linear movement of the switching rod 611, making the movement of the switching rod 611 more reliable. The end of the first conversion member 61a extends into the liquid passage 12 and a flow groove 613 is provided on this end, that is, a flow groove 613 is provided on the end of the switching rod 611. The flow groove 613 is configured as a groove with a gradually changing cross-section. The linear movement of the first conversion member 61a can adjust the communication area between the flow groove 613 and the through port 123, thereby controlling the liquid supply volume. The flow groove 613 is configured as a gradually changing groove, which can achieve a larger range of adjustment with a shorter moving distance of the first conversion member 61a. The overall structure is compact, avoiding structural instability caused by long-distance movement, thereby making the operation more reliable.
[0063] The foaming device 200 is configured as a milk carton, which includes a box body 2 and a cover assembly 1 covering the upper part of the box body 2. The box body 2 has a liquid storage cavity for storing liquid, and a tubular body 10 is arranged on the cover assembly 1; a second through hole 102a for limiting the second conversion member 51a is provided outside the cover assembly 1. The knob is connected to the second conversion member 51a through the second through hole 102a, and the second conversion member 51a is in transmission connection with the first conversion member 61a inside the cover assembly 1. Only by operating the knob on the milk carton, the knob drives the second conversion member 51a to rotate and drives the first conversion member 61a to move linearly, and the synchronous movement of the two conversion members can be realized, which is convenient for adjusting the corresponding relationship between the gas supply volume and the liquid supply volume. For example, as the liquid supply volume increases, the gas supply volume increases synchronously. The knob can be adjusted corresponding to the gears, and the user only needs to select the corresponding gear to obtain a beverage with a suitable temperature.
[0064] Refer to Figures 13 to 19 As shown, it is the preferred third embodiment of the present invention. The components with the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment have similar structures and functions, which will not be described in detail here.
[0065] The foaming device 300 includes a first converter 61b connected to the liquid channel 12 and a second converter 51b connected to the air channel 13b. The first converter 61b moves relative to the tubular body 10 to change the liquid intake volume of the liquid channel 12, and the second converter 51b moves relative to the tubular body 10 to change the air intake volume of the air channel 13b. By providing two converters to separately change the liquid intake volume of the liquid channel and the air intake volume of the air channel, the air intake volume can be selected while selecting the liquid intake volume, or the liquid intake volume can be selected while selecting the air intake volume, so that the air intake volume and the liquid intake volume can be set at appropriate gears to make various beverages with different flavors.
[0066] In this embodiment, the foaming device 300 further includes an operation part 50b for driving the second converter 51b to move. The operation part 50b is in transmission connection with the second converter 51b, and the operation part 50b or the second converter 51b is in transmission connection with the first converter 61b. That is to say, by one operation part 50b, the first converter 61b and the second converter 51b can be driven to move synchronously, so that the liquid intake volume of the liquid channel 12 and the air intake volume of the air channel 13b can be adjusted simultaneously, which is more convenient for users. By operating the operation part 50b, not only the air supply volume can be changed, but also the liquid supply volume can be changed synchronously. When the air supply volume and the liquid supply volume are changed simultaneously, milk foam with different temperatures and ensured quality can be generated, and the output of cold and hot milk foam can be realized, which can meet the needs of different users for more flavors. For example, cold milk foam with a temperature in the range of 10°C to 30°C and hot milk foam with a temperature in the range of 40°C to 70°C.
[0067] Preferably, the operation part 50b and the second converter 51b are integrally provided or at least fixedly connected in the circumferential direction. The operation part 50b drives the second converter 51b to rotate to change the air intake volume of the air channel 13b, and the operation part 50b or the second converter 51b drives the first converter 61b to move to change the liquid intake volume of the liquid channel 12. The liquid intake volume of the liquid channel 12 and the air intake volume of the air channel 13b have a preset corresponding relationship. The preset corresponding relationship means that as the operation part 50b adjusts and moves in one direction, the change of the air supply volume and the liquid supply volume makes the temperature of the output milk foam increase; when the operation part 50b adjusts and moves in the opposite direction, the change of the air supply volume and the liquid supply volume makes the temperature of the output milk foam decrease. Specifically, when the milk supply cross-sectional area is less than or equal to the first preset value, as the air supply cross-sectional area increases, the temperature of the output milk foam increases; when the milk supply cross-sectional area is greater than or equal to the second preset value, as the air supply cross-sectional area increases, the temperature of the output milk foam decreases, where the second preset value is more than twice the first preset value. By setting the correspondence between the liquid supply volume and the air supply volume, milk foam output with different cold and hot temperatures can be obtained, and the quality of the output milk foam is stable.
[0068] Specifically, the air passage 13b includes a first section 131 and a second section 132 that are angled with respect to each other. The first section 131 and the second section 132 are arranged along the direction of air inflow. The second conversion member 51b extends into the air passage 13b along a direction perpendicular to the extension of the first section 131. The second conversion member 51b rotates relative to the air passage 13b, and the operation portion 50b or the second conversion member 51b drives the first conversion member 61b to move linearly. By setting the air passage 13b to include the first section 131 and the second section 132 that are angled with respect to each other, the structure of the air passage 13b can be made more compact, facilitating the connection with the first conversion member 61b.
[0069] The liquid passage 12 is provided with a first opening 121b, and the first conversion member 61b is inserted into the liquid passage 12 from the first opening 121b. The first section 131 of the air passage 13b is provided with a second opening 133b, and the second conversion member 51b is inserted into the air passage 13b from the second opening 133b. The first opening 121b and the second opening 133b face the same direction. By setting the first opening 121b and the second opening 133b to face the same direction, the installation of the first conversion member 61b and the second conversion member 51b is more convenient. By driving the first conversion member 61b to move through the rotation of the second conversion member 51b inserted into the air passage 13b, when selecting different flavors of milk foam output through the operation portion, the movement of the first conversion member 61b and the second conversion member 51b is more reliable, and the adjustment of the operation portion 50b is smoother.
[0070] Among them, a through port 123b that cooperates with the first conversion member 61b is provided in the liquid passage 12, and the first conversion member 61b changes the liquid inflow volume of the liquid passage 12 by adjusting the fluid passage area of the through port 123b. By changing the liquid inflow volume of the liquid passage 12 in a stepless adjustment manner, more choices can be provided to the user.
[0071] In this embodiment, the operation portion 50b is configured as a knob. A cam groove 62b is provided on the outer circumference of the knob. A guide post 52b that is inserted into the cam groove 62b is provided on the first conversion member 61b. While the knob drives the second conversion member 51b to rotate, the guide post 52b drives the first conversion member 61b to move linearly under the guidance of the cam groove 62b. The knob drives the second conversion member 51b to rotate and drives the first conversion member 61b to move linearly, which can achieve the synchronous movement of the two conversion members, facilitating the adjustment of the corresponding relationship between the air supply volume and the liquid supply volume. For example, as the liquid supply volume increases, the air supply volume increases synchronously. The knob can be adjusted corresponding to the gears, and the user only needs to select the corresponding gear to obtain a beverage with a suitable temperature.
[0072] The foaming device further includes a base body 32 that cooperates with the second conversion member 51b. An air gap 33 is formed between the second conversion member 51b and the base body 32 (refer to Figure 18) The air passage 13b establishes a gas supply path to the mixing chamber 11 through the air gap 33. The second conversion member 51b is operable to move relative to the base body 32 to change the gas supply volume from the air passage 13b to the mixing chamber 11 by adjusting the communication area of the air gap 33.
[0073] By providing the second conversion member 51b and the base body 32 cooperating therewith, the communication area of the air gap 33 can be changed by operating the movement of the second conversion member 51b. The installation direction of the second conversion member 51b forms an angle with the extending direction of the corresponding air passage 13b. The cooperation precision between the second conversion member 51b and the base body 32 is high, so that the adjustment of the gas supply volume is more accurate, the quality of the milk foam generated by the foaming device is stable, the product consistency is good, and milk foams with different fineness degrees can be selected, thus meeting the user's pursuit of coffee taste.
[0074] Refer to Figures 14 to 18 , a communication groove 321 extending through in the first direction is formed on the base body 32. A bump 513 is provided on the second conversion member 51b that fits the bottom of the communication groove 321, and an air gap 33 is formed between the bump 513 and the side wall of the communication groove 321. The second conversion member 51b rotates to drive the bump 513, so that the distance between the outer peripheral surface of the bump 513 and the side wall of the communication groove 321 changes. The air gap 33 is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the bump 513 and the side wall surface of the communication groove 321, which can be more precise in terms of technology and convenient for manufacturing, and can reduce the manufacturing cost while better controlling the gas supply volume.
[0075] Preferably in this embodiment, the bump 513 has an elliptical outer peripheral surface or a cam-shaped outer peripheral surface. A convex portion 322 is provided at the bottom of the communication groove 321, and the bump 513 fits the convex portion 322. By providing the bump 513 with an elliptical outer peripheral surface or a cam-shaped outer peripheral surface, the area of the air gap 33 can be regularly changed during the rotation of the bump 513. The convex portion 322 at the bottom fits the bump 513, which can better seal the gap between the bump 513 and the bottom, ensuring that air can only pass through the air gap 33 and guaranteeing the consistency of the gas supply volume.
[0076] The first section 131 of the air passage 13b extends along the first direction, and the second section 132 extends along the second direction. The second conversion member 51b rotates relative to the base body 32 around an axis perpendicular to the first direction. The air passage 13b is composed of two angled sections, which can provide sufficient space for the arrangement of the second conversion member 51b and the base body 32, and the arrangement between the second conversion member 51b and the air passage 13b is more compact.
[0077] Continue to refer to Figure 14, in this embodiment, the foaming device is configured as a milk carton, which includes a carton body 2 and a lid assembly 1 covering the upper part of the carton body 2. The carton body 2 has a liquid storage cavity for containing liquid, and a tubular body 10 is arranged on the lid assembly 1; a bracket 41 for supporting the first section 131 is arranged inside the lid assembly 1, and an operation part 50b for connecting a second conversion part 51b is arranged outside the lid assembly 1. A second through hole 102b corresponding to the position of the installation opening 133b is arranged on the lid assembly 1. The operation part 50b is connected to the second conversion part 51b through the second through hole 102b, and the operation part 50b or the second conversion part 51b is in transmission connection with the first conversion part 61b outside the lid assembly 1. By directly operating the operation part 50b on the milk carton, the regulation of the air supply amount and the liquid supply amount can be realized. Gear marks can be set around the operation part 50b to facilitate the regulation. The tubular body 10 is arranged on the lid assembly 1, and the space of the lid assembly 1 can be utilized to make the overall structure of the milk carton simple and compact. Among them, the lid assembly 1 includes an upper lid 110 and a lower lid 120. An accommodation space is defined between the upper lid 110 and the lower lid 120. The tubular body 10 is arranged in the accommodation space, and the air passage 13b is also arranged in the accommodation space to prevent foreign objects from entering the mixing chamber 11 from the air passage 13b.
[0078] The first section 131 of the air passage 13b can be supported on the bracket 41. A fixing part 42 is connected to the bracket 41, and the fixing part 42 presses the second conversion part 51b towards the base body 32. A hook 421 extends towards the bracket 41 on the fixing part 42, and a corresponding slot 411 is arranged on the bracket 41. The hook 421 is inserted into the corresponding slot 411 to connect the fixing part 42 to the bracket 41, and the second conversion part 51b is limited by the fixing part 42. Preferably, the operation part 50b is connected to the fixing part 42. Along the rotation axis of the second conversion part 51b, the operation part 50b is limited by the fixing part 42. The fixing part 42 clamps the operation part 50b axially and presses the second conversion part 51b through the operation part 50b, that is, the fixing part 42 restricts the second conversion part 51b from moving away from the base body 32 through the operation part 50b to ensure that the second conversion part 51b is in close contact with the bottom of the communication slot 321 on the base body 32.
[0079] In the above embodiment, the second conversion part can also be configured to include a plurality of air flow channels connected to the air passage. The cross-sectional areas of the plurality of air flow channels are different, and the air intake amount of the air passage is changed by switching one of the plurality of air flow channels to communicate with the mixing chamber. That is, the stepped regulation of the air intake amount can be realized, the air intake control can be more accurate, the quality of the milk foam generated by the foaming device is stable, and the product consistency is better.
[0080] The present invention also provides a beverage machine, which includes a foaming device in any of the above embodiments, and a steam channel 21 of the foaming device is communicated with the beverage machine. The beverage machine can generate a steam source, and when the steam channel 21 of the foaming device is communicated with the beverage machine, the beverage machine provides steam to the foaming device.
[0081] By providing two conversion members to respectively change the liquid inlet volume of the liquid channel and the air inlet volume of the air channel, the user can independently select different combinations of air inlet volume and liquid inlet volume, and can also select the air inlet volume while selecting the liquid inlet volume, or select the liquid inlet volume while selecting the air inlet volume, so that the air inlet volume and the liquid inlet volume can be set at appropriate gears to make various beverages with different flavors, especially to realize the production of cold milk foam and hot milk foam, thus meeting the needs of users. In addition, the production of cold milk foam and hot milk foam is carried out by using the same emulsifying device. Only the corresponding operation part needs to be operated, and there is no need to replace components, which is convenient to use and has lower cost.
[0082] It should be understood that although this specification is described according to embodiments, not every embodiment only contains an independent technical solution. This narrative way of the specification is only for clarity. Those skilled in the art should regard the specification as a whole, and the technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.
[0083] The series of detailed descriptions listed above are only specific descriptions of the feasible embodiments of the present invention, and they are not intended to limit the protection scope of the present invention. Any equivalent embodiments or modifications made without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A foaming device, comprising a tubular body having a mixing chamber, the mixing chamber communicating with a steam channel, a liquid channel, an air channel and an outlet channel, the steam channel being for communicating with a steam source, the liquid channel being for communicating with a liquid storage source, the air channel being for communicating with air, the outlet channel being for outputting a mixed fluid generated by the mixing chamber based on the Venturi effect, the liquid channel and the air channel communicating with different positions of the mixing chamber; It is characterized in that: The device further includes a first conversion member connected to the liquid channel and a second conversion member connected to the air channel, the first conversion member moving relative to the tubular body to change the liquid inflow amount of the liquid channel, and the second conversion member moving relative to the tubular body to change the air inflow amount of the air channel.
2. The foaming device according to claim 1, wherein, The first conversion member and the second conversion member are respectively connected to a first operation part and a second operation part, the first operation part driving the first conversion member to move between a plurality of set gears, and the second operation part driving the second conversion member to move within an indication range corresponding to the set gears.
3. The foaming device according to claim 2, wherein The first conversion member is provided with a first connection channel and a second connection channel, the channel cross-sectional areas of the first connection channel and the second connection channel being different, and the first conversion member changing the liquid inflow amount of the liquid channel by switching the connection between the first connection channel or the second connection channel and the mixing chamber.
4. The foaming device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The device further includes an operation part for driving the first conversion member and the second conversion member, the operation part being in transmission connection with the first conversion member or the second conversion member, and the first conversion member and the second conversion member being in transmission connection; or the operation part being in transmission connection with the first conversion member and the second conversion member respectively.
5. The foaming device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The operation part drives the second conversion member to rotate to change the air inflow amount of the air channel, the second conversion member drives the first conversion member to move to change the liquid inflow amount of the liquid channel, and the liquid inflow amount of the liquid channel and the air inflow amount of the air channel have a preset corresponding relationship.
6. The foaming device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The second conversion member extends into the air channel along the extension direction of the air channel, the liquid channel is provided with a first opening, the first conversion member is inserted into the liquid channel from the first opening, and the second conversion member rotates around the center line of the air channel to drive the first conversion member to linearly move along the extension direction of the air channel.
7. The foaming device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The air channel includes a first section and a second section that are angled with each other, the first section and the second section being arranged along the direction of air inflow, the second conversion member extending into the air channel along a direction perpendicular to the extension of the first section, and the second conversion member rotating relative to the air channel to drive the first conversion member to linearly move.
8. The foaming device according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that, A through port cooperating with the first conversion member is provided in the liquid channel, and the first conversion member changes the liquid inflow amount of the liquid channel by adjusting the fluid passage area of the through port.
9. The foaming device according to claim 4, wherein The liquid channel is provided with a first opening, the first conversion member extends into the liquid channel from the first opening, the air channel has a second opening, the second conversion member extends into the liquid channel from the second opening, and the first opening and the second opening have the same direction.
10. The foaming device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The second conversion member includes a plurality of airflow channels connected to the air channel, wherein the plurality of airflow channels have different channel cross-sectional areas, and the air intake volume of the air channel is changed by switching one of the plurality of airflow channels to be connected to the mixing chamber.
11. The foaming device according to claim 5, characterized in that, It also includes a box body and a cover assembly arranged on the top of the box body, the box body has a liquid storage cavity for containing liquid, the tubular body is arranged on the cover assembly; the outside of the cover assembly is provided with a through hole that defines the second conversion member, the operating part is constructed as a knob, the knob is connected to the second conversion member through the through hole, and the first conversion member is transmission-connected to the second conversion member outside or inside the cover assembly.
12. A beverage machine, characterized in that, The beverage machine comprises a foaming device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein a steam channel of the foaming device is connected to the beverage machine.