A milk froth preparation device for a coffee machine

Abstract

The utility model provides a kind of milk froth preparation device for coffee machine, it is related to coffee preparation instrument technical field, the milk froth preparation device for coffee machine includes: milk cup;Mixer, the mixing chamber is formed in the inside of the mixer, and the mixer is provided with the steam import, air import, milk import and mixed fluid export with the mixing chamber intercommunication, wherein, the milk cup is configured to provide milk to the milk import of the mixer;Air import of the mixer is provided with the air intake adjusting mechanism that can adjust air intake amount;And, the steam import is provided with the quick connection structure for being detachably connected with coffee machine steam export place.In air import, air intake adjusting mechanism is additionally provided, so that user can accurately control air intake amount according to personal taste preference, to realize the flexible adjustment of milk froth texture, significantly improve the individualization and consistency of milk froth preparation, overcome the defect that traditional manual operation stability is poor, repeatability is not good.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of coffee preparation equipment technology, specifically to a milk foam preparation device for coffee machines. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing popularity of coffee culture, making milk foam using steam has become a common practice in cafes and homes. Traditional milk foam preparation methods typically rely on inserting the steam wand of a coffee machine directly into the milk, manually controlling the position of the steam wand on the surface of the liquid to introduce air and create foam. This method is highly dependent on the operator's experience and skill, resulting in poor stability and repeatability. For ordinary users, it is difficult to consistently produce ideal milk foam with a uniform and dense texture, and each operation requires holding the milk cup, posing a risk of burns and inconvenience.

[0003] To address these issues, some integrated or external automatic milk frothers have emerged on the market. These frothers typically feature a mixing chamber where steam, air, and milk are mixed. However, existing automatic milk frothers often have a fixed or difficult-to-adjust air intake, preventing users from flexibly adjusting it to their personal preferences. Furthermore, these devices often use simple plug-in or threaded connections to the coffee machine's steam outlet, leading to inconvenient connections or wear and tear from frequent disassembly and reassembly, impacting the overall user experience and the device's practicality. Utility Model Content

[0004] In view of the above problems, this utility model provides a milk frothing device for a coffee machine, the milk frothing device for a coffee machine includes: a milk cup;

[0005] A mixer having a mixing chamber inside, and the mixer having a steam inlet, an air inlet, a milk inlet, and a mixing fluid outlet communicating with the mixing chamber, wherein the milk cup is configured to supply milk to the milk inlet of the mixer;

[0006] The air inlet of the mixer is provided with an air intake regulating mechanism that can adjust the air intake volume; and the steam inlet is provided with a quick connection structure for detachable connection with the steam outlet of the coffee machine.

[0007] In one possible implementation, the quick connection structure is a magnetic connection structure, which includes a first magnetic part disposed at the steam inlet, the first magnetic part being used to attract each other with a second magnetic part disposed at the steam outlet of the coffee machine.

[0008] In one possible implementation, the quick-connect structure further includes a seal that is pressed between the steam inlet and the coffee machine steam outlet when the first magnetic part is attracted to the second magnetic part.

[0009] In one possible implementation, the air intake regulating mechanism includes a fixed component and a movable component that can move relative to each other. By adjusting the relative positions of the fixed component and the movable component, the effective flow area of ​​the air inlet can be changed.

[0010] In one possible implementation, the fixing component is a cover component fixedly disposed on the side wall of the air inlet, the cover component having a gradient contour;

[0011] The movable component is rotatably mounted on the mixer, and a strip-shaped air inlet groove is provided on the movable component;

[0012] By rotating the movable component, the exposed area of ​​the air intake slot is continuously changed by utilizing the gradient contour of the covering component, thereby achieving continuous adjustment of the air intake volume.

[0013] In one possible implementation, a sealing ring is provided between the movable component and the mixer; an air intake groove is provided on the side wall of the air inlet of the mixer; the air intake groove passes through the sealing area of ​​the sealing ring and connects the air intake groove with the external environment.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the mixer is a one-piece molded silicone part.

[0015] In one possible implementation, the mixing chamber includes a communicating arcuate transition channel and a mixing conduit; the arcuate transition channel is configured to receive and guide fluids from the steam inlet and the milk inlet for confluence and diversion; the mixing conduit is configured to receive fluids from the arcuate transition channel and mix them with air from the air inlet.

[0016] In one possible implementation, a steam control element is provided at the steam inlet, and the diameter of the steam through-hole on the steam control element ranges from 1.0 mm to 1.5 mm.

[0017] In one possible implementation, a milk inlet control is provided at the milk inlet, and the diameter of the milk inlet hole on the milk inlet control ranges from 0.8 mm to 1.2 mm.

[0018] The above-described one or more technical solutions in the embodiments of this application have at least one or more of the following technical effects:

[0019] This invention provides a milk frothing device for coffee machines. By incorporating a mixer with a steam inlet, an air inlet, a milk inlet, and a mixed fluid outlet, and combining it with a milk cup to supply milk, a rationally structured and highly efficient milk frothing device is constructed. The addition of an air inlet regulating mechanism allows users to precisely control the air intake according to their personal taste preferences, thereby flexibly adjusting the texture of the milk froth and significantly improving the personalization and consistency of milk froth preparation. This overcomes the shortcomings of traditional manual operation, such as poor stability and repeatability. Simultaneously, the quick-connect structure at the steam inlet enables convenient and reliable connection to the coffee machine's steam outlet, simplifying disassembly and assembly, improving ease of use, reducing wear caused by frequent operation, and enhancing the device's durability and practicality. The overall design reduces the operator's reliance on experience and skill, minimizing the risk of burns. Furthermore, the optimized mixing chamber ensures thorough mixing of steam, air, and milk, stably producing uniform and delicate ideal milk froth, greatly improving the user experience and efficiency for home or commercial applications.

[0020] The above description is merely an overview of the technical solution of this utility model. In order to better understand the technical means of this utility model and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this utility model more obvious and understandable, specific embodiments of this utility model are given below. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0022] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of the overall structure of the milk frothing device for a coffee machine in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the mixer structure of the milk frothing device for a coffee machine in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a front view schematic diagram of the mixer of the milk frothing device for coffee machines in an embodiment of this utility model;

[0025] Figure 4 To be taken from Figure 3 Side view of the central section line AA;

[0026] Figure 5This is a top view schematic diagram of the mixer of the milk frothing device for coffee machines in an embodiment of this utility model;

[0027] Figure 6 To be taken from Figure 3 Side view of the central section line BB;

[0028] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the steam control component of the milk frothing device for a coffee machine in an embodiment of this utility model;

[0029] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the milk inlet control component of the milk frothing device for a coffee machine in an embodiment of this utility model.

[0030] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 100, milk cup; 200, mixer; 210, mixing chamber; 211, arc-shaped transition channel; 212, mixing pipe; 220, steam inlet; 221, coffee machine steam outlet; 230, air inlet; 240, milk inlet; 250, mixed fluid outlet; 260, air inlet groove; 300, air inlet adjustment mechanism; 310, fixed component; 311, cover component; 320, movable component; 321, air inlet slot; 330, sealing ring; 400, quick-connect structure; 410, first magnetic suction part; 420, second magnetic suction part; 430, sealing element; 500, steam control component; 510, steam through hole; 600, milk inlet control component; 610, milk inlet hole. Detailed Implementation

[0031] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this utility model clearer, the embodiments of this utility model will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0032] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following description, when referring to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numerals in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this invention. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of this invention as detailed in the appended claims.

[0033] The overall concept of the technical solution provided by this utility model is as follows:

[0034] Please see Figures 1 to 8 The milk frothing device for coffee machines includes:

[0035] Milk cup 100; Milk cup 100 is used to hold milk, milk cup 100 is connected to mixer 200 and is configured to supply milk to milk inlet 240 of mixer 200.

[0036] In this embodiment, the milk cup 100 and the mixer 200 are detachably connected. The specific implementation of this detachable connection can be a conventional method known to those skilled in the art, such as using threaded, snap-fit, or flanged connections to achieve the fixing, sealing, and convenient assembly and disassembly of the milk cup 100.

[0037] The mixer 200 has a mixing chamber 210 inside and is equipped with a steam inlet 220, an air inlet 230, a milk inlet 240, and a mixed fluid outlet 250 that communicate with the mixing chamber 210. The milk cup 100 is configured to supply milk to the milk inlet 240 of the mixer 200. Specifically, the steam inlet 220 receives high-pressure steam from the steam outlet 221 of the coffee machine; the air inlet 230 is used to introduce ambient air into the mixing chamber 210; the milk inlet 240 is used to receive milk from the milk cup 100 and is fluidly connected to the bottom of the milk cup 100 through a milk tube to ensure that the milk can be effectively extracted; the mixed fluid outlet 250 is used to discharge the steam, milk, and gas mixed fluid initially formed in the mixing chamber 210.

[0038] During operation, high-pressure steam is injected at high speed into the mixing chamber 210 from the steam inlet 220. Based on the Venturi effect or similar principles, negative pressure is generated at the air inlet 230 and the milk inlet 240, thereby drawing in air and milk respectively. The three components undergo intense shearing, impact, and mixing within this chamber, forming a pre-emulsified milk foam mixture, which is ultimately discharged through the mixing fluid outlet 250.

[0039] The mixer 200 has an air inlet regulating mechanism 300 at its air inlet 230, which adjusts the air intake volume; and a steam inlet 220 has a quick-connect structure 400 for detachable connection to the steam outlet 221 of the coffee machine. Specifically, the air inlet regulating mechanism 300 allows the user to precisely control the airflow entering the mixing chamber 210 according to the desired density of the milk foam. In one specific embodiment, the air inlet regulating mechanism 300 can be a regulating valve located in the air inlet 230 passage. By manually rotating or toggling the control component of the regulating valve, such as a knob or lever, the opening area of ​​the air passage can be changed continuously or in stages, thereby achieving stepless or stepped air intake volume adjustment. The specific structure of the regulating valve can be a conventional component used in the art to achieve gas flow regulation, such as, but not limited to, a needle valve, a ball valve, or a butterfly valve.

[0040] The quick-connect structure 400 is used to achieve a convenient and reliable detachable connection between the milk frothing device and the steam outlet 221 of the coffee machine. In one specific embodiment, the quick-connect structure 400 can adopt conventional quick-connect components in the art, such as quick-connect couplings, snap-fit ​​couplings, etc., to achieve convenient and reliable connection and disconnection.

[0041] By incorporating a mixer 200 with a steam inlet 220, an air inlet 230, a milk inlet 240, and a mixed fluid outlet 250, and combining it with a milk cup 100 to supply milk, a rationally structured and highly efficient milk frothing device is constructed. The addition of an air intake adjustment mechanism 300 at the air inlet 230 allows users to precisely control the air intake according to their personal taste preferences, thereby flexibly adjusting the texture of the milk froth and significantly improving the personalization and consistency of milk froth preparation. This overcomes the shortcomings of traditional manual operation, such as poor stability and repeatability. Simultaneously, the quick-connect structure 400 at the steam inlet 220 enables convenient and reliable connection to the coffee machine's steam outlet 221, simplifying disassembly and assembly, improving ease of use, reducing wear caused by frequent operation, and enhancing the device's durability and practicality. The overall design reduces the operator's reliance on experience and skill, minimizing the risk of burns. Furthermore, the optimized mixing chamber 210 ensures thorough mixing of steam, air, and milk, stably producing uniform and delicate ideal milk froth, greatly improving the user experience and efficiency for home or commercial applications.

[0042] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this utility model clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this utility model, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0043] In one specific implementation, please refer to Figure 1 The quick connection structure 400 is a magnetic connection structure, which includes a first magnetic part 410 disposed at the steam inlet 220, and the first magnetic part 410 is used to attract each other with a second magnetic part 420 disposed at the steam outlet 221 of the coffee machine.

[0044] As an example embodiment, the first magnetic suction part 410 is disposed on the housing surrounding the steam inlet 220, and correspondingly, the second magnetic suction part 420 is disposed around the steam outlet 221 of the coffee machine. At least one of the first magnetic suction part 410 and the second magnetic suction part 420 includes a permanent magnet, and the other includes a permanent magnet or a magnetic suction element made of a magnetically conductive material; through the magnetic attraction between the first magnetic suction part 410 and the second magnetic suction part 420, the steam inlet 220 and the steam outlet 221 of the coffee machine can be tightly joined in the axial direction, and a circumferential positioning structure can be used to ensure the accuracy of the connection angle and the reliability of the steam passage connection.

[0045] For preferred options, please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 1 and Figure 2The quick-connect structure 400 also includes a seal 430. When the first magnetic part 410 and the second magnetic part 420 are attracted, the seal 430 is pressed between the steam inlet 220 and the coffee machine steam outlet 221 to form a seal. In the connected state, the magnetic attraction between the first magnetic part 410 and the second magnetic part 420 pulls the end face of the steam inlet 220 and the end face of the coffee machine steam outlet 221 closer together and tightly fits them. During this process, the seal 430 is radially or axially pressed between these two mating end faces, undergoing elastic deformation, thereby forming a reliable air seal between the steam inlet 220 and the coffee machine steam outlet 221, effectively preventing steam leakage during operation.

[0046] In one specific implementation, please refer to Figures 2 to 6 The intake regulating mechanism 300 includes a fixed component 310 and a movable component 320 that are movable relative to each other. By adjusting the relative positions of the fixed component 310 and the movable component 320, the effective flow area of ​​the air inlet 230 can be changed. The fixed component 310 is fixedly connected to or integrally formed with the air inlet 230 passage of the mixer 200. The movable component 320 can move relative to the fixed component 310. By manually or with tools adjusting the position of the movable component 320 relative to the fixed component 310, the effective flow area for air passage at the air inlet 230 can be changed, thereby achieving continuous or stepped adjustment of the intake volume.

[0047] In one specific implementation, please refer to Figures 2 to 6 The fixing component 310 is a covering component 311 fixedly installed on the side wall of the air inlet 230, and the covering component 311 has a gradient contour.

[0048] The movable part 320 is rotatably mounted on the mixer 200, and a strip-shaped air inlet groove 321 is provided on the movable part 320;

[0049] By rotating the movable part 320, the exposed area of ​​the air intake slot 321 is continuously changed by utilizing the gradient contour of the covering part 311, thereby achieving continuous adjustment of the air intake volume.

[0050] The intake volume reaches its maximum when the movable part 320 is rotated until the cover part 311 almost completely obstructs the air intake slot 321 through its contour; the intake volume approaches its minimum when the cover part 311 almost completely obstructs the air intake slot 321 through its contour. This structure enables stepless and continuous adjustment of the intake volume, allowing the user to precisely control the amount of air entering the mixing chamber 210 through a simple rotation operation.

[0051] The air intake volume is controlled by the air intake regulating mechanism 300. The larger the air intake volume, the more air participates in the mixing, resulting in larger and fluffier milk foam. At the same time, the heat released by the steam mixing with more air and milk will raise the milk temperature. Conversely, the smaller the air intake volume, the finer and more fluid the milk foam, and the relatively lower the milk temperature. The gradient contour design of the cover part 311 of the fixed part 310 allows the user to achieve continuous and smooth changes in the air intake volume by rotating the movable part 320, thereby precisely controlling the texture and temperature of the milk foam to meet the needs of different beverages.

[0052] For preferred options, please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 2 and Figure 6 A sealing ring 330 is provided between the moving part 320 and the mixer 200; an air inlet groove 260 is provided on the side wall of the air inlet 230 of the mixer 200; the air inlet groove 260 passes through the sealing area of ​​the sealing ring 330 and connects the air inlet groove 321 with the external environment. The sealing ring 330 is used to seal the fitting gap between the moving part 320 and the mixer 200, ensuring that external air can only enter the air inlet 230 through the connecting area between the air inlet groove 260 and the air inlet groove 321, preventing air leakage and ensuring the accuracy and reliability of air intake regulation.

[0053] In one specific embodiment, the mixer 200 is a one-piece molded silicone component. By employing a one-piece molding process, the mixing chamber 210 of the mixer 200, along with its communicating steam inlet 220, air inlet 230, milk inlet 240, and mixed fluid outlet 250, are integrated into a single structure. This integrated structure is completed in a single molding process, eliminating the need for subsequent assembly. The silicone mixer 200 possesses excellent high-temperature resistance, capable of withstanding the high temperatures of coffee machine steam; simultaneously, its inherent flexibility facilitates a good seal during assembly and connection, and can absorb some vibration and impact.

[0054] In one specific implementation, please refer to Figure 4 The mixing chamber 210 includes a connected arc-shaped transition channel 211 and a mixing pipe 212. The arc-shaped transition channel 211 is configured to receive and guide fluids from the steam inlet 220 and the milk inlet 240 for convergence and diversion. The mixing pipe 212 is configured to receive fluids from the arc-shaped transition channel 211 and mix them with air from the air inlet 230. During operation, high-speed steam from the steam inlet 220 and milk from the milk inlet 240 first meet and initially mix in the arc-shaped transition channel 211, while air from the air inlet 230 is also drawn into the channel. After initial mixing in the arc-shaped transition channel 211, the three fluids flow along the arc-shaped channel wall to the mixing pipe 212 for further mixing, and finally are discharged through the mixed fluid outlet 250.

[0055] The arc-shaped design of the arc-shaped transition channel 211 facilitates smooth fluid diversion after the steam and milk are mixed, reduces the direct impact of milk on the wall, lowers the possibility of clumping, thereby improving the fineness and uniformity of the final milk foam and enhancing the quality of the milk foam.

[0056] Preferably, the mixing pipe 212 is a circular straight pipe, which serves to fully mix air, milk and steam. The length and shape of the mixing pipe 212 directly affect the mixing quality, while the circular pipe cross-section is conducive to forming uniform turbulence and promoting fluid mixing; an appropriate pipe length can effectively control the mixing time and ensure full emulsification.

[0057] In one specific implementation, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 7 A steam control element 500 is provided at the steam inlet 220. The steam through-hole 510 on the steam control element 500 has a diameter ranging from 1.0 mm to 1.5 mm. The steam passing through the steam through-hole 510 is ultimately limited by the diameter of the steam control element 500 to control the output steam flow rate, thereby effectively controlling the amount of steam participating in the mixing, which in turn affects and ultimately controls the temperature of the milk. The greater the steam flow rate, the more heat is transferred to the milk, and the higher the milk temperature.

[0058] In another specific implementation, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 8 A milk inlet control component 600 is provided at the milk inlet 240. The diameter of the milk inlet hole 610 on the milk inlet control component 600 ranges from 0.8 mm to 1.2 mm. The milk inlet control component 600 precisely controls the amount of milk fed per unit time by the size of its milk inlet hole 610. Under the condition of constant steam and air intake, the less milk fed, the more heat is absorbed per unit volume of liquid after the milk foam is mixed, and the higher its temperature will be.

[0059] To provide different milk foam preparation modes, such as those catering to different milk foam densities, steam control components 500 and milk inlet control components 600 with different through-hole sizes can be configured. Users can change the steam and milk supply characteristics by replacing different control components.

[0060] The steam control unit 500 and the steam inlet 220 are detachably connected, for example, by threaded connection, snap-fit ​​connection, or interference fit. Similarly, the milk inlet control unit 600 and the milk inlet 240 are also detachably connected. This detachable design allows users to easily replace control units of different specifications as needed, and also facilitates cleaning and maintenance of the control units themselves.

[0061] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, those skilled in the art, upon learning the basic inventive concept, can make other changes and modifications to these embodiments. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to be interpreted as including the preferred embodiments as well as all changes and modifications falling within the scope of the present invention.

[0062] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to the embodiments of this utility model without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments of this utility model. Therefore, if these modifications and variations to the embodiments of this utility model fall within the scope of the claims of this utility model and their equivalents, then this utility model also intends to include these modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A milk frothing device for a coffee machine, characterized in that, include: Milk cup; A mixer having a mixing chamber inside, and the mixer having a steam inlet, an air inlet, a milk inlet, and a mixing fluid outlet communicating with the mixing chamber, wherein the milk cup is configured to supply milk to the milk inlet of the mixer; The air inlet of the mixer is provided with an air intake regulating mechanism that can adjust the air intake volume; and the steam inlet is provided with a quick connection structure for detachable connection with the steam outlet of the coffee machine.

2. The milk frothing device for a coffee machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The quick connection structure is a magnetic connection structure, which includes a first magnetic part disposed at the steam inlet, and the first magnetic part is used to attract each other with a second magnetic part disposed at the steam outlet of the coffee machine.

3. The milk frothing device for a coffee machine according to claim 2, characterized in that, The quick-connect structure also includes a seal. When the first magnetic part and the second magnetic part are attracted to each other, the seal is pressed between the steam inlet and the steam outlet of the coffee machine to form a seal.

4. The milk frothing device for a coffee machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air intake adjustment mechanism includes a fixed component and a movable component that can move relative to each other. By adjusting the relative position of the fixed component and the movable component, the effective flow area of ​​the air inlet can be changed.

5. The milk frothing device for a coffee machine according to claim 4, characterized in that, The fixing component is a covering component that is fixedly installed on the side wall of the air inlet, and the covering component has a gradient contour; The movable component is rotatably mounted on the mixer, and a strip-shaped air inlet groove is provided on the movable component; By rotating the movable component, the exposed area of ​​the air intake slot is continuously changed by utilizing the gradient contour of the covering component, thereby achieving continuous adjustment of the air intake volume.

6. The milk frothing device for a coffee machine according to claim 5, characterized in that, A sealing ring is provided between the movable part and the mixer; an air intake groove is provided on the side wall of the air inlet of the mixer; the air intake groove passes through the sealing area of ​​the sealing ring and connects the air intake groove with the external environment.

7. The milk frothing device for a coffee machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mixer is a one-piece molded silicone component.

8. The milk frothing device for a coffee machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mixing chamber includes a connected arc-shaped transition channel and a mixing pipe; the arc-shaped transition channel is configured to receive and guide fluids from the steam inlet and the milk inlet for confluence and diversion; the mixing pipe is configured to receive fluids from the arc-shaped transition channel and mix them with air from the air inlet.

9. A milk frothing device for a coffee machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, A steam control component is provided at the steam inlet, and the diameter of the steam through hole on the steam control component ranges from 1.0 mm to 1.5 mm.

10. A milk frothing device for a coffee machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The milk inlet is provided with a milk inlet control component, and the diameter of the milk inlet hole on the milk inlet control component ranges from 0.8 mm to 1.2 mm.

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