A milk tank for a coffee machine and a coffee machine

Abstract

The utility model relates to a milk tank for coffee machine and coffee machine, including tank body and milk outlet pipe, still include: steam flow channel, one end is steam inlet, and the other end is steam outlet, air flow channel, one end is air inlet, and the other end is air outlet, and the air flow channel is equipped with the baffle with small hole separately, air valve is used for controlling the opening and closing of above-mentioned air inlet, mixing chamber is respectively with milk outlet, steam outlet, air outlet and milk inlet fluid communication, the mode of hot milk outlet, air valve closes air inlet, steam mixes with milk in mixing chamber and then flows into the milk inlet of milk outlet pipe, the mode of milk bubble outlet, air valve opens air inlet, steam, air and milk mix in mixing chamber and then flow into the milk inlet of milk outlet pipe in the form of milk bubble, the utility model discloses through the opening and closing of air valve air inlet can realize the automatic switching of hot milk mode and milk bubble mode, simple structure, convenient operation, and, be favorable to the formation of dense milk bubble, improve the whipping effect of milk bubble.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of coffee machines, and more particularly to a milk container for a coffee machine and a coffee machine. Background Technology

[0002] The milk container of a coffee machine is used to store milk. In hot milk mode, hot milk is dispensed from the milk container's outlet and added to the coffee beverage. In milk frothing mode, the milk is frothed and dispensed from the outlet into the coffee beverage. Examples include Chinese utility model patents ZL202421093864.8 (authorization announcement number CN222237432U) and ZL202323268457.4 (authorization announcement number CN221555311U).

[0003] In existing technologies, the switching between hot milk mode and milk foam mode is generally achieved in the following two ways: (1) by designing multiple loops to make different flavored milk (hot milk, milk foam) separately; (2) by manually adjusting the size of the milk foam. The first method is structurally complex, increasing the design and manufacturing costs of the coffee machine, while the second method requires manual operation, which is cumbersome and the air intake openings are prone to clogging, thus affecting the production of milk foam. Furthermore, the milk foam produced by existing coffee machines is not dense enough, affecting the quality of the finished coffee beverage. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The first technical problem this invention aims to solve is to provide a milk container for coffee machines that allows for easy switching between hot milk mode and milk foam mode, in contrast to existing technologies.

[0005] The second technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to provide a milk container for coffee machines that produces high-quality milk foam, in contrast to the prior art.

[0006] The third technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to provide a coffee machine with the aforementioned milk container, in contrast to the prior art.

[0007] The technical solution adopted by this utility model to solve at least one of the above-mentioned technical problems is: a milk container for a coffee machine, comprising:

[0008] The container has a milk outlet;

[0009] The milk outlet tube has a milk inlet.

[0010] Its characteristic is that it further includes:

[0011] The steam flow channel has an inlet at one end that is in fluid communication with the steam source, and an outlet at the other end.

[0012] The airflow channel has an air inlet at one end that communicates with the outside air, and an air outlet at the other end, and is separated by a partition with small holes for air circulation.

[0013] An air valve is used to control the opening and closing of the aforementioned air inlet.

[0014] The mixing chamber is fluidly connected to the milk outlet, steam outlet, air outlet and milk inlet mentioned above, respectively.

[0015] Furthermore, when steam enters the mixing chamber through the steam outlet, a Venturi effect occurs in the mixing chamber. In the mode where hot milk is dispensed from the milk outlet pipe, the air valve closes the air inlet, and the steam and milk mix in the mixing chamber before flowing into the milk inlet of the milk outlet pipe.

[0016] In the above-mentioned mode of milk foaming from the milk outlet tube, the air valve opens the air inlet, and steam, air and milk are mixed in the mixing chamber and flow into the milk inlet of the milk outlet tube in the form of milk foam.

[0017] Furthermore, the aperture of the small hole is less than or equal to 0.5 mm. On the one hand, air passes through the small hole to form an air jet, which is injected into the milk to help form dense milk foam and improve the frothing effect; on the other hand, it can better control the air intake of the air channel to maintain the stability and reliability of the milk foam quality.

[0018] Furthermore, the baffle is positioned along the cross-sectional direction of the airflow channel at the air inlet end, and the aforementioned small hole is located in the center of the baffle. This keeps the small hole away from the area where the Venturi effect occurs, preventing the small hole from becoming blocked, and also facilitates the formation of a stable air jet.

[0019] Furthermore, a cylindrical metal seat is embedded in the airflow channel, and the aforementioned baffles are radially spaced inside the seat, with the baffles and the seat being an integral part. This allows for better separation of the baffles in the airflow channel and better control of the openings in the baffles.

[0020] Furthermore, it also includes a flow guide channel. One end of the flow guide channel is fluidly connected to the milk outlet through a first flow guide port, while the other end is fluidly connected to the mixing chamber through a second flow guide port. The air outlet is connected to the flow guide channel and is offset from the first flow guide port along the length of the flow guide channel. Milk in the tank enters the flow guide channel through the first flow guide port. An air jet formed by small holes in the partition is injected into the milk in the flow guide channel through the air outlet. Under the combined action of the suction formed by the air jet and the steam entrainment, the milk is simultaneously drawn into the mixing chamber during the milk foaming process, thereby making the milk foam denser and further improving the milk foaming effect.

[0021] Furthermore, the small hole is directly opposite the air inlet and offset from the air outlet. This appropriately slows down the air jet velocity exiting from the air outlet, preventing excessively fast flow from interfering with milk flow from the milk outlet.

[0022] Furthermore, the airflow channel includes, along its length, a first airflow channel having the aforementioned air inlet and a second airflow channel having the aforementioned air outlet. The first and second airflow channels extend in a straight line and are staggered along the length of the airflow channel.

[0023] The aforementioned baffle is disposed in the first air passage, and the small hole is opposite to the first end wall of the first air passage. Furthermore, the first air passage has an air vent on one side of the first end wall that communicates with the aforementioned second air passage. This design allows the small hole to be directly opposite the air inlet and offset from the air outlet, and decelerates the air jet when it collides with the first end wall.

[0024] Furthermore, the second air duct, along its length, sequentially includes a first branch air duct with the aforementioned vent and a second branch air duct with the aforementioned outlet. The cross-sectional area of ​​the second branch air duct is smaller than that of the first branch air duct, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the first branch air duct is smaller than that of the first branch air duct. The vent is located on one side of the first branch air duct, and the sidewall of the other side of the first branch air duct is directly opposite the sidewall of the corresponding side of the second branch air duct along the length of the second air duct. By designing the cross-sectional area of ​​the air duct to decrease from the inlet to the outlet, the entire airflow channel has a converging guiding tendency for the air jet, preventing the air jet from diffusing in all directions.

[0025] Furthermore, the steam flow channel extends in a straight line, and the cross-section of its steam outlet end is circular, with the cross-sectional size decreasing towards the steam outlet. The mixing chamber extends along the length of the steam flow channel, and the cross-section of the mixing chamber wall is circular. The steam outlet end of the steam flow channel is inserted into the mixing chamber, so that the steam can undergo a Venturi effect at the steam outlet. This structural design enables the Venturi effect to occur in the mixing chamber when steam enters from the steam outlet.

[0026] Furthermore, a first insertion block protrudes from one side of the upper end of the tank body. The first insertion block has a first insertion hole and a second insertion hole respectively. The cavity of the first insertion hole is the aforementioned mixing chamber, while the cavity of the second insertion hole is the air outlet end of the aforementioned air flow channel.

[0027] It also includes a second connector block. The first connector block has a first connector post for inserting into the first connector hole and a second connector post for inserting into the second connector hole. The first connector post is hollow inside to form the steam flow channel and opens at its free end to form the steam outlet. The second connector post is hollow inside to form the remaining part of the air flow channel except for its air outlet end, and opens at its free end to allow the two parts to communicate. In this way, the steam flow channel and the mixing chamber are designed as separate structures, and the air flow channel can be disassembled into two parts, so that it is easy to clean by disassembly when internal blockage occurs.

[0028] The technical solution adopted to further solve the second technical problem mentioned above is: a coffee machine, including a milk container for the coffee machine as described above.

[0029] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of this utility model are as follows: Steam is introduced into the mixing chamber through the steam flow channel. Due to the Venturi effect that occurs in the mixing chamber when the steam enters from the steam outlet, a negative pressure is formed in the mixing chamber, thereby drawing the milk in the tank into the mixing chamber from the milk outlet. In the mode of dispensing hot milk, the air valve closes the air inlet, and the steam and milk are mixed in the mixing chamber and then discharged from the milk outlet. In the mode of dispensing milk foam, the air valve opens the air inlet, and the air in the air flow channel is drawn into the mixing chamber under the action of negative pressure. The steam, air, and milk are mixed in the mixing chamber and then discharged from the milk outlet in the form of milk foam.

[0030] As can be seen, this utility model can automatically switch between hot milk mode and milk foam mode by opening and closing the air inlet through the air valve. It has a simple structure and is easy to operate. Furthermore, by setting a baffle with small holes in the air flow channel, air passes through the small holes to form an air jet. The air jet is injected into the milk, which helps to form dense milk foam and improves the frothing effect. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the milk tank in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A structural diagram from another direction;

[0033] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along the AA direction;

[0034] Figure 4 for Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along the BB direction;

[0035] Figure 5 This is a partial structural diagram of the milk can in an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0036] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A sectional view along the CC direction;

[0037] Figure 7 for Figure 6 Enlarged view of section D;

[0038] Figure 8 This is an exploded view of a portion of the milk tank in an embodiment of this utility model;

[0039] Figure 9 for Figure 8 A structural diagram in another direction. Detailed Implementation

[0040] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0041] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "transverse," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description. They do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Since the embodiments disclosed in this utility model can be arranged in different directions, these terms indicating direction are only for illustration and should not be regarded as limitations. For example, "upper" and "lower" are not necessarily limited to directions opposite to or consistent with the direction of gravity. In addition, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of such features.

[0042] A coffee machine, including such Figures 1-9 The milk can shown includes a can body 1, a milk outlet pipe 2, a steam channel 3, an air channel 4, an air valve 103, and a mixing chamber 5. The can body 1 has a milk outlet 11, and the milk outlet pipe 2 has a milk inlet 21. One end of the steam channel 3 is an inlet 31 connected to a steam source, and the other end is an outlet 32. One end of the air channel 4 is an inlet 41 connected to outside air, and the other end is an outlet 42. A partition 71 is provided, with small holes 710 for airflow. The air valve 103 controls the opening and closing of the inlet 41. The mixing chamber 5 is connected to the milk outlet 11, the steam outlet 32, the air outlet 42, and the milk inlet 21. Figure 3As shown, when steam is introduced into the mixing chamber 5 through the steam outlet 32, a Venturi effect occurs in the mixing chamber 5. In the mode where hot milk is discharged from the milk outlet pipe 2, the air valve 103 closes the air inlet 41, and steam and milk are mixed in the mixing chamber 5 before flowing into the milk inlet 21 of the milk outlet pipe 2. In the mode where milk foam is discharged from the milk outlet pipe 2, the air valve 103 opens the air inlet 41, and steam, air and milk are mixed in the mixing chamber 5 and flow into the milk inlet 21 of the milk outlet pipe 2 in the form of milk foam.

[0043] This invention introduces steam into the mixing chamber 5 through the steam flow channel 3. Due to the Venturi effect occurring in the mixing chamber 5 when the steam enters through the steam outlet 32, a negative pressure is created within the mixing chamber 5, thereby drawing the milk from the tank 1 into the mixing chamber 5 through the milk outlet 11. In the mode where hot milk is dispensed from the milk outlet 2, the air valve 103 closes the air inlet 41, allowing steam and milk to mix in the mixing chamber 5 before being discharged from the milk outlet 2. In the mode where milk foam is dispensed from the milk outlet 2, the air valve 103 opens the air inlet 41, allowing air from the air flow channel 4 to be drawn into the mixing chamber 5 under negative pressure. The steam, air, and milk mix in the mixing chamber 5 and are then discharged from the milk outlet 2 as milk foam. Therefore, this invention can automatically switch between hot milk mode and milk foam mode by opening and closing the air inlet 41 using the air valve 103, resulting in a simple structure and convenient operation. Furthermore, by setting a baffle 71 with small holes 710 in the air channel 4, air passes through the small holes 710 to form an air jet. The air jet enters the milk, which helps to form dense milk foam and improves the frothing effect of the milk foam.

[0044] Furthermore, the aperture of the aforementioned small hole 710 is less than or equal to 0.5 mm, specifically 0.4 mm in this embodiment. On the one hand, air passes through the small hole 710 to form an air jet, which is beneficial for forming dense milk foam and improving the frothing effect of the milk foam; on the other hand, it can better control the air intake of the air channel 4 to maintain the stability and reliability of the milk foam quality.

[0045] Preferably, such as Figure 6 As shown, the baffle 71 is disposed at the air inlet end of the airflow channel 4 along the cross-sectional direction of the airflow channel 4, and the small hole 710 is formed in the center of the baffle 71. This allows the small hole 710 to be kept away from the area where the Venturi effect occurs, preventing the small hole 710 from being blocked, and also facilitating the formation of a stable air jet. In this embodiment, specifically, as shown... Figure 7 As shown, a cylindrical metal seat 7 is embedded in the airflow channel 4. The seat 7 has a radially spaced partition plate 71 inside, and the partition plate 71 and the seat 7 are integral parts, so as to better realize the partition plate 71 in the airflow channel 4 and the opening of the small hole 710 on the partition plate 71.

[0046] like Figure 6As shown, it also includes 6 guide channels. One end of the guide channel 6 is fluidly connected to the milk outlet 11 through the first guide port 61, and the other end is fluidly connected to the mixing chamber 5 through the second guide port 62. The air outlet 42 is connected to the guide channel 6 and is offset from the first guide port 61 along the length of the guide channel 6. The milk in the tank 1 enters the guide channel 6 through the first guide port 61. The air jet formed by the small holes 710 on the partition 71 is injected into the milk in the guide channel 6 through the air outlet 42. Under the combined action of the suction formed by the air jet and the steam injection, the milk is simultaneously drawn into the mixing chamber 5 during the milk foaming process, thereby making the milk foam denser and further improving the milk foaming effect. In this embodiment, as shown... Figure 4 As shown, a milk guide tube 12 is vertically inserted into the tank 1. The lower end of the milk guide tube 12 is adjacent to the inner bottom surface of the tank 1, and the upper end passes through the milk outlet 11 and has a milk outlet hole 121. The milk outlet hole 121 is in fluid communication with the first guide port 61.

[0047] like Figure 6 As shown, the small hole 710 is directly opposite the air inlet 41 and offset from the air outlet 42, thereby appropriately slowing down the flow velocity of the air jet exiting from the air outlet 42 and preventing the flow velocity from being too fast and interfering with the milk discharge from the milk outlet 11. Furthermore, the airflow channel 4 includes, along its length, a first airway 4a with the air inlet 41 and a second airway 4b with the air outlet 42. The first airway 4a and the second airway 4b extend in a straight line and are offset along the length of the airflow channel 4. The partition 71 is disposed in the first airway 4a, and the small hole 710 is opposite to the first end wall 45 of the first airway 4a. Furthermore, the first airway 4a has a vent 46 on one side of the first end wall 45 that communicates with the second airway 4b. The above design ensures that the small hole 710 is directly opposite the air inlet 41 and offset from the air outlet 42, and that the air jet is decelerated when it collides with the first end wall 45. Furthermore, the second air passage 4b, along its length, includes a first branch air passage 43 with the aforementioned vent 46 and a second branch air passage 44 with the aforementioned air outlet 42. The cross-sectional size of the second branch air passage 44 is smaller than that of the first branch air passage 43, while the cross-sectional size of the first branch air passage 43 is smaller than that of the first air passage 4a. The vent 46 is located on one side of the first branch air passage 43, and the sidewall of the first branch air passage 43 on the other side is directly opposite the sidewall of the corresponding side of the second branch air passage 44 along the length of the second air passage 4b. This design, with the cross-sectional size of the air passage decreasing from the air inlet 41 to the air outlet 42, ensures that the entire air passage 4 has a converging guiding tendency for the air jet, preventing the air jet from diffusing in all directions.

[0048] like Figure 3 and Figure 6As shown, the steam channel 3 extends in a straight line, and its cross-section at the steam outlet is circular, decreasing in size towards the steam outlet 32. The mixing chamber 5 extends along the length of the steam channel 3, and the cross-section of the mixing chamber 5 is circular. The steam outlet of the steam channel 3 is inserted into the mixing chamber 5 so that the steam can undergo a Venturi effect at the steam outlet 32. This structural design allows the steam to undergo a Venturi effect in the mixing chamber 5 when it enters from the steam outlet 32. In this embodiment, as... Figure 3 As shown, one end of the mixing chamber 5 has a liquid outlet connector 51, which is connected to the milk inlet 21 of the milk outlet tube 2.

[0049] like Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, a first insertion block 8 protrudes from one side of the upper end of the aforementioned tank 1. The first insertion block 8 has a first insertion hole 81 and a second insertion hole 82. The cavity of the first insertion hole 81 is the aforementioned mixing chamber 5, while the cavity of the second insertion hole 82 is the outlet end of the aforementioned airflow channel 4. A second insertion block 9 is also included. The first insertion block 8 has a first insertion post 91 for inserting into the first insertion hole 81 and a second insertion post 92 for inserting into the second insertion hole 82. The first insertion post 91 is hollow inside to form the aforementioned steam flow channel 3 and opens at its free end to form the aforementioned steam outlet 32. The second insertion post 92 is hollow inside to form the remaining part of the aforementioned airflow channel 4 except for its outlet end, and opens at its free end to allow the two parts to communicate. Thus, the steam flow channel 3 and the mixing chamber 5 are designed as separate structures, and the airflow channel 4 can be disassembled into two parts, making it easy to disassemble and clean when internal blockage occurs. Furthermore, as... Figure 1 , Figure 8 as well as Figure 9 As shown, it also includes a mounting base 10, on which the aforementioned air valve 103, first connector 101 and second connector 102 are respectively installed. The first connector 101 is used to connect to the air inlet 41 of the air flow channel 4, and the second connector 102 is used to connect to the steam inlet 31 of the steam flow channel 3.

[0050] The term "fluid connectivity" as used in this invention refers to the spatial relationship between two components or parts (hereinafter referred to as the first part and the second part, respectively), that is, a fluid (gas, liquid, or a mixture of both) can flow from the first part along a flow path and / or be transported to the second part. This can be a direct connection between the first part and the second part, or an indirect connection between the first part and the second part through at least one third party. This third party can be a fluid flow channel such as a pipe, flow channel, conduit, guide, hole, or groove, or a chamber that allows fluid to flow through, or a combination of the above.

Claims

1. A milk container for a coffee machine, comprising: The tank (1) has a milk outlet (11); Milk outlet tube (2), with milk inlet (21); Its characteristic is that it further includes: The steam flow channel (3) has a steam inlet (31) at one end that is in fluid communication with the steam source, and a steam outlet (32) at the other end. The airflow channel (4) has an air inlet (41) at one end that communicates with the outside air and an air outlet (42) at the other end, and is separated by a partition (71) with small holes (710) for air circulation. An air valve (103) is used to control the opening and closing of the air inlet (41) mentioned above; The mixing chamber (5) is in fluid communication with the milk outlet (11), steam outlet (32), air outlet (42) and milk inlet (21) mentioned above; When steam is introduced into the mixing chamber (5) through the steam outlet (32), the Venturi effect occurs in the mixing chamber (5). In the mode of hot milk being discharged from the milk outlet pipe (2), the air valve (103) closes the air inlet (41), and the steam and milk are mixed in the mixing chamber (5) and then flow into the milk inlet (21) of the milk outlet pipe (2). In the mode of milk foaming from the milk outlet tube (2), the air valve (103) opens the air inlet (41), and steam, air and milk are mixed in the mixing chamber (5) and flow into the milk inlet (21) of the milk outlet tube (2) in the form of milk foam.

2. The milk container for a coffee machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The aperture of the small hole (710) is less than or equal to 0.5 mm.

3. The milk container for a coffee machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The partition (71) is disposed at the air inlet end of the air channel (4) along the cross-sectional direction of the air channel (4), and the small hole (710) is opened at the center of the partition (71).

4. The milk container for a coffee machine as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The airflow channel (4) is fitted with a cylindrical metal seat (7), and the seat (7) is provided with the aforementioned partition (71) radially spaced inside, and the partition (71) and the seat (7) are an integral piece.

5. The milk container for a coffee machine as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, It also includes a flow channel (6), one end of which is in fluid communication with the milk outlet (11) through the first flow port (61), and the other end is in fluid communication with the mixing chamber (5) through the second flow port (62). The air outlet (42) is connected to the flow channel (6) and is offset from the first flow port (61) along the length of the flow channel (6).

6. The milk container for a coffee machine as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The small hole (710) is directly opposite the air inlet (41) and offset from the air outlet (42).

7. The milk container for a coffee machine as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The airflow channel (4) includes, along its length, a first airflow channel (4a) having the aforementioned air inlet (41) and a second airflow channel (4b) having the aforementioned air outlet (42). The first airflow channel (4a) and the second airflow channel (4b) extend in a straight line and are staggered along the length of the airflow channel (4). The aforementioned partition (71) is disposed in the first air passage (4a), and the small hole (710) is opposite to the first end wall (45) of the first air passage (4a). Furthermore, the first air passage (4a) has an air vent (46) communicating with the aforementioned second air passage (4b) on one side of the first end wall (45).

8. The milk container for a coffee machine as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The second airway (4b) includes, along its length, a first branch airway (43) having the above-mentioned air inlet (46) and a second branch airway (44) having the above-mentioned air outlet (42). The cross-sectional size of the second branch airway (44) is smaller than that of the first branch airway (43), and the cross-sectional size of the first branch airway (43) is smaller than that of the first airway (4a). The air inlet (46) is located on one side of the first branch airway (43), and the sidewall of the other side of the first branch airway (43) is directly opposite to the sidewall of the corresponding side of the second branch airway (44) along the length of the second airway (4b).

9. The milk container for a coffee machine as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The steam channel (3) extends in a straight line, and the cross-section of its steam outlet end is circular and the size of the cross-section decreases toward the steam outlet (32). The mixing chamber (5) extends along the length of the steam channel (3), and the cross-section of the wall of the mixing chamber (5) is circular. The steam outlet end of the steam channel (3) is inserted into the mixing chamber (5) so that the steam can undergo the Venturi effect at the steam outlet (32).

10. The milk container for a coffee machine as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, A first insertion block (8) protrudes from one side of the upper end of the tank (1). The first insertion block (8) has a first insertion hole (81) and a second insertion hole (82). The cavity of the first insertion hole (81) is the aforementioned mixing chamber (5), while the cavity of the second insertion hole (82) is the air outlet of the aforementioned air flow channel (4). It also includes a second plug block (9), on which a first plug block (8) is provided with a first plug post (91) for inserting into the first plug hole (81) and a second plug post (92) for inserting into the second plug hole (82). The first plug post (91) is hollow inside to form the steam flow channel (3) and opens at the free end to form the steam outlet (32). The second plug post (92) is hollow inside to form the remaining part of the air flow channel (4) except for its outlet end, and opens at the free end to allow the two parts to communicate.

11. A coffee machine, comprising a milk jug for use in a coffee machine as described in any one of claims 1 to 10.

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