Beverage frothing device

Abstract

The beverage frothing device comprises a gas pump (9) and a beverage pump (12) connected to a tube (6) connectable to an external beverage container for collecting and transporting the beverage from the beverage container, wherein the gas pump (9) is configured to supply frothing gas to the tube (6), and the beverage pump (12) is configured to deliver the gas along with the beverage through a limiting section (13) located downstream of the beverage pump (12) for the formation of a gas-beverage-foam mixture, the device further comprising an escape line to an outlet (20) for the gas-beverage-foam mixture, and the device further comprising first sensors (7, 21) located downstream of the limiting section (13) for monitoring the density and quality of the gas-beverage-foam mixture downstream of the limiting section (13).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a beverage foaming device, which comprises a gas pump and a beverage pump connected to a tube that can be connected to an external beverage container to collect and transport the beverage from the beverage container. The gas pump is arranged to supply foaming gas to the tube, and the beverage pump is arranged to send the gas together with the beverage through a restriction downstream of the beverage pump for the formation of a gas-beverage-foam mixture. The device further comprises an escape line to the outlet of the gas-beverage-foam mixture.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an apparatus for producing a milk beverage or a milk foam beverage, which includes a pump, a milk intake line connected to the pump and capable of being connected to a milk reservoir, an outlet line connected to the pump, and a heating element.

[0003] Patent Document 2 discloses an apparatus and method for selectively producing cold, warm, or hot milk foam and / or milk. The apparatus includes at least one container for storing the milk to be foamed; a fluid line; a pump, a milk intake line between the at least one container and the pump, and an outlet line between the pump and at least one outlet; and air is supplied to the milk intake line through an air flow regulator arranged in the air supply line to produce a milk / air mixture upstream of the pump; the milk / air mixture or the milk is conveyed through a heating element in the form of a thick film heater designed as a flow heater and arranged in the outlet line; the milk foam is made from the milk / air mixture by a throttle device; and the milk foam or the milk is dispensed at at least one outlet.

[0004] Patent Document 3 discloses an apparatus for producing temperature-controllable milk foam, which includes a pump for transporting milk from at least one container in a line to an outlet, an air supply for supplying air into the line, a continuous flow heater, and a throttle device. The continuous flow heater is preferably located on the pressure side of the pump, and the throttle device is preferably located downstream of the continuous flow heater.

[0005] Patent Document 4 discloses a device for discharging milk and / or milk foam, which includes a pump for transporting milk from a container, a flow heater, and an output unit for discharging milk, which are arranged in conjunction with each other so that the milk transported via the pump and heated via the flow heater can be discharged from the output unit. At least one steam generator is provided in conjunction with the flow heater so that steam can be supplied to the milk for an additional heating step downstream of the flow heater and upstream of the output unit. An air valve for generating milk flow is provided, which can be opened to introduce air upstream of the flow heater.

[0006] Patent Document 5 discloses a beverage preparation machine comprising: a mixing chamber; a milk line supplying milk from a milk container to the mixing chamber; an air line supplying air to the mixing chamber to produce a frothed beverage; an air pump and a liquid pump fluidly connected to the milk line and the air line; and an electronic control unit programmed to operate the beverage preparation machine in a cleaning mode, wherein the liquid pump is first activated to supply a predetermined amount of cleaning liquid to the air line and the milk line, and then the air pump is activated to supply a predetermined amount of pressurized air to the air line and the milk line to remove the cleaning liquid from the air line and the milk line.

[0007] Patent Document 6 discloses a device for dispensing milk and / or milk foam from a milk container, the container of which an extraction line may be installed, connected via a first line into which a pump is inserted for transporting milk, the milk to be dispensed through this first line to an emulsifier and then to a dispensing unit, the emulsifier may be supplied with steam via a steam line, the steam causing the milk to foam and / or be heated as it is guided through the emulsifier.

[0008] Patent Document 7 discloses an apparatus for providing a milk-air emulsion. The apparatus includes: a milk line through which milk flows; a mixing chamber disposed within the milk line; an air supply system having a control unit that responds to a control variable for setting the amount of air injected into the mixing chamber to produce a milk-air emulsion; preferably a measuring unit for measuring the electrical conductivity of the milk-air emulsion; and a control and evaluation unit for setting the control variable. In a first operating mode, an amount of air controlled by the control unit is introduced into the mixing chamber to produce a milk-air emulsion, which is then dispensed. In a second operating mode, self-regulation is performed, in which the control and evaluation unit creates a dataset as a function of the physical properties of the milk-air emulsion, generates a control variable based on the dataset, and inputs it to the control unit.

[0009] Patent Document 2 discloses an apparatus for selectively producing cold, warm, or hot milk foam and / or milk, which includes at least one container for storing milk to be frothed, provides a fluid and fluid lines, and by pump transports a predetermined amount of milk to be frothed through a line system including a milk intake line between at least one container and pump and an outlet line between the pump and at least one outlet, and can supply air to the milk intake line via an air flow regulator which can be placed in the air supply line, produces a milk / air mixture upstream of the pump, transports the milk / air mixture or milk through a heating element, produces milk foam from the milk / air mixture by a throttle device; and dispenses the milk foam or milk at at least one outlet. A conductivity sensor is placed in the milk intake line which is configured to determine the type of medium being transported in the milk intake line, i.e., milk, liquid, water, washing liquid, or air, by measuring conductivity. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0010] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2023 / 066659 [Patent Document 2] European Patent Application Publication No. 4066700 [Patent Document 3] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2018 / 317698 [Patent Document 4] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 272051 [Patent Document 5] International Publication No. 2022 / 201046 [Patent Document 6] European Patent Application Publication No. 2294952 [Patent Document 7] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021 / 0321817 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0011] The present invention aims to solve the following problems or drawbacks of conventional beverage frothing devices:

[0012] Conventional milk foaming systems cannot properly handle different types of milk. Proper foaming of different types of milk or plant-based substitutes often requires manual configuration in conventional systems. As a solution, a method is frequently proposed in which multiple implementations of the system are configured to handle specific beverages or milk types.

[0013] Conventional (milk) foaming systems typically have limited control over the temperature of the beverage being foamed, due to the heating method used (steam or flow heating element). This can lead to variations in foam quality.

[0014] Conventional (milk) foaming systems often have complex cleaning processes. Cleaning requires many steps and the use of cleaning solutions or tablets. Furthermore, cleaning often has to be done during operation, causing discomfort and inconvenience.

[0015] Conventional milk foaming systems cannot always handle the temperature differences of the milk being supplied. A milk carton taken out of the refrigerator and one that is not refrigerated will usually result in a difference in the quality of the milk in the cup.

[0016] - Conventional milk foaming systems have limitations in controlling the quality of milk foam. Even if existing systems have precise control methods, they require very expensive measurement methods, making them costly. Typically, the quality inside the cup varies greatly due to factors such as temperature, air pressure, degree of contamination, and product expiration date.

[0017] The present invention aims to address at least some of the above-mentioned problems and therefore proposes a beverage frothing device having any one feature of the appended claims.

[0018] In a first aspect of the present invention, the apparatus comprises a first conductivity sensor for monitoring the electrical conductivity of the gas-beverage-foam mixture downstream of the limiter, and a second conductivity sensor for measuring the conductivity of the beverage before foaming upstream of the beverage pump. Furthermore, one or more operating parameters of the beverage pump and / or gas pump are controlled according to the conductivity ratio measured from the first and second sensors. This automatic correction compensates for harmful external influences such as temperature, beverage composition, and other external factors by using the conductivity ratio rather than the absolute values ​​of the conductivity measurements of the beverage and the foam derived from the beverage, thereby achieving optimal foam quality.

[0019] In embodiments where the apparatus further comprises a heat exchanger for heating a gas-beverage-foam mixture, it is preferable that the apparatus includes a first temperature sensor for monitoring the temperature of the beverage or gas-beverage-foam mixture, and that one or more operating parameters of the heat exchanger are controlled based on the measurement signal from the first temperature sensor. This allows for effective attainment of a desired temperature for the beverage-foam mixture. This feature can be applied independently and separately from any of the other features described above or later.

[0020] It should be noted that there are several options regarding where the first temperature sensor may be located. For example, the first temperature sensor may be located upstream of the beverage pump to measure the temperature of the beverage. However, the first temperature sensor may also be located downstream of the beverage pump to measure the temperature of the gas, beverage, and foam mixture.

[0021] Furthermore, the device is equipped with a second temperature sensor for monitoring the temperature of the gas-beverage-foam mixture downstream of the heat exchanger, and it is desirable that one or more operating parameters of the heat exchanger be controlled based on the measurement signal from the second temperature sensor. Thereby, the temperature of the beverage-foam mixture discharged from the heat exchanger can be finely adjusted. This feature can be applied separately and independently from any of the other features described above or below.

[0022] Preferably, the device includes a discharge pump, which is arranged to perform an operation such that after the total dose of the beverage is collected from the beverage container, a part thereof, that is, the amount excluding the internal volume of the system, is discharged from the outlet as the gas-beverage-foam mixture. The discharge pump then operates during the final stage of pouring, driving out the remaining amount of the beverage (i.e., the amount remaining inside the system) out of the system and from the pouring outlet, and any residue of the gas-beverage-foam mixture goes through the escape line and outlet of the device. As a result, the device becomes almost completely dry, and the total of the intermediate cleaning of the device between successive feedings of the gas-beverage-foam dose is reduced. This feature can be applied separately and independently from any of the other features described above or below.

[0023] Preferably, the escape line is provided with a bubble sensor, which is preferably in the form of a third conductivity sensor or an optical sensor. This bubble sensor may indicate the end of the supply of the gas-beverage-foam mixture and be used as a signal to start the thorough cleaning operation of the device of the present invention.

[0024] To facilitate thorough cleaning of the apparatus of the present invention, it is desirable that the apparatus be equipped with a purification gas source downstream of the discharge pump. This purification gas source is linked to the discharge pump when a bubble sensor detects the scattering of a gas-beverage-foam mixture or the passage of one or more bubbles, causing the discharge pump to expel the purification gas through the apparatus's piping, discharging the beverage residue and cleaning the piping. The purification / disinfection gas can also be used to clean the system at set intervals to prevent the growth of microorganisms. This feature is applicable independently of any of the other features described above or below.

[0025] The source of the purified gas is preferably an ozone generator.

[0026] It is also preferable that the device be equipped with a water inlet for rinsing the device with water.

[0027] The apparatus of the present invention can be used to froth a wide variety of beverages, but is particularly suitable for frothing milk, hot milk, or cold milk. The milk may be of any origin, such as cow's milk, soy milk, or any other suitable frothing milk.

[0028] The attached drawings are incorporated into the specification and constitute part of it, illustrating embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description in the specification, illustrating the principles of the invention. The drawings are for illustrative purposes of these specific embodiments of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the invention. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0029] [Figure 1] The drawing shows a schematic diagram of the gas beverage frothing device of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0030] The operation of the apparatus of the present invention can be described as follows.

[0031] Milk or other beverages to be foamed and / or heated are drawn from a beverage container (not shown) by a frothing pump (usually a gear pump) 12 via a tube-in-tube connection 6. The use of the tube-in-tube line 6 is not mandatory, but is preferable to allow for easy cleaning of the multiple lines of the apparatus with water, as will be described later.

[0032] This device includes a first conductivity sensor 7 downstream of the limiting unit 13 following the beverage pump 12 for monitoring the conductivity of the gas-beverage-foam mixture downstream of the limiting unit 13. Furthermore, a second conductivity sensor 14 is provided upstream of the beverage pump 12 for measuring the conductivity of the beverage before foaming. The operating parameters of the beverage pump (12) and / or gas pump (9) are controlled based on the ratio of the measurements from the first conductivity sensor 7 and the second conductivity sensor 14.

[0033] The apparatus further includes a heat exchanger 15 for heating a gas-beverage-foam mixture located downstream of the limiting section 13. Preferably, it further includes a first temperature sensor 8 for monitoring the temperature of the gas-beverage-foam mixture or the beverage, as shown in the figure. Subsequently, the operating parameters of the heat exchanger 15 are controlled based on the measurement signals from the first temperature sensor 8.

[0034] When heating the gas-beverage-foam mixture, the required temperature and mass flow rate of the hot water to be supplied to the heat exchanger 15 for heating the mixture are determined using the inlet temperature determined by the temperature sensor 8 and the volumetric flow rate of the beverage specified in the recipe. The heat exchanger 15 is then preheated to the desired temperature. When the gas-beverage-foam mixture is discharged from the heat exchanger 15, its temperature is preferably monitored by a temperature sensor (preferably a low-thermal-mass, high-speed sensor). If the temperature deviates from the set value, limited control is possible by affecting the flow and temperature of the water supplied through the heat exchanger 15 for heating the gas-beverage-foam mixture. Finally, downstream of the heat exchanger 15, the gas-beverage-foam mixture passes through a bubble sensor (bubble / splash detection) 17. The bubble sensor 17 may be an infrared sensor or a conductivity sensor. The function of this sensor will be described in detail later.

[0035] This device produces a stable gas-beverage (milk)-foam mixture until the desired dosage is drawn from the beverage container. After this amount is supplied to the user, some residue remains in the beverage (milk) frothing device. At this point, the air expulsion / removal pump 4 can be activated. The air pressure it generates in the device pushes out the remaining beverage that is still present in the device and has not been dispensed to the user, from the suction point at the end of the tube-in-tube line 6 through the device to the dispensing point downstream of the dispensing valve 18.

[0036] Discharging residual beverage from the device has the advantage of allowing the device to become "dry." The gas dispensed from the discharge pump 4 pushes the beverage (milk) through the device in a columnar flow. As this columnar flow passes through the device almost completely, the separation boundary between the beverage and the gas front passes through the infrared sensor or conductivity bubble sensor (bubble / splash detection) 17. When this sensor recognizes that there is no more beverage (milk) remaining in the device, the next step in the cleaning process for the device can begin. The dosing valve 18 is closed, and the last remaining milk / beverage is discharged at high pressure (the pump speed of the blowing / discharging pump 4 is set to maximum). These residues are administered through the drain or into the drip tray. The device is then thoroughly cleaned and safe to leave idle in this state for a while.

[0037] After a predetermined period has elapsed and no further administration is required, the device should be flushed to remove any remaining residue. The dump valve 18 is activated along with the air expulsion / discharge pump 4. The water inlet valve (water from the main water pipe) 1, which introduces a column of water into the device, is temporarily activated. This column is blown through the device at high speed by the air pressure generated by the air expulsion / discharge pump 4. This column of water sweeps away all remaining residue. Finally, the air expulsion / discharge pump 4 is left in place for a while to allow the device to dry.

[0038] The apparatus must be cleaned / sterilized regularly. For this purpose, the air blowing / discharging pump 4 is started at low power, and the source of the purifying gas 3, preferably an ozone (O3) gas generator, is also started. The disinfectant ozone gas fills the apparatus at a relatively high concentration and binds to organic matter. Odors are neutralized, and the growth of all bacteria is inhibited. As a final step, the apparatus is washed and dried as described above.

[0039] Embodiments of the present invention may independently include any combination of the features disclosed herein. While the present invention has been described above with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is not limited to these specific embodiments and can be modified in various ways without departing from the invention. Therefore, the described exemplary embodiments should not be used to interpret the appended claims strictly in this form. Rather, these embodiments are intended to illustrate the language of the appended claims without intending to limit them to such exemplary embodiments. Thus, the scope of protection of the present invention should be interpreted solely according to the appended claims, and any ambiguity in the language of the claims should be resolved by using these exemplary embodiments. Variations and modifications of the present invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art, and the appended claims are intended to encompass all such modifications and equivalents. All disclosures of all documents, applications, patents, and publications cited herein are incorporated herein by reference. Unless explicitly stated as “essential,” various components or their interrelationships are not essential for the operation of the present invention. Rather, the desired result can be achieved by substituting various components and / or rearranging their interrelationships. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0040] 1. Main pipe flush inlet (with regulator) 2. Check valve 3. Ozone cleaning gas (O3) generator 4. Cleaning air pump 5 Tube-in-Tube Connectors 6. Tube-in-tube beverage inlet 7. Conductivity Sensor 8. Temperature sensor 9. Foam-generating air pump 10 Air limiting section 11. Check valve 12. Beverage (fluid) pumps 13. Beverage (fluid) restriction section 14 (Beverage) Conductivity Sensor 15 Heating coil heat exchanger 16 Heat exchanger coupler 17. Infrared Optical Bubble Detector 18 Three-way dump / administration valve 19. Dump / Drain Pipe Outlet 20 Beverage dispensing outlet 21 (Bubble) Pressure Sensor 22 Two-way beverage dispensing valve 23. Check valve (ozone) 24 Two-way dump / drain valve 25 (Bubble) Temperature Sensor 26 Ozone gas catalyst

Claims

1. A beverage frothing device comprising a gas pump (9) and a beverage pump (12) connected to a tube (6) connectable to an external beverage container for collecting and transporting the beverage from the beverage container, wherein the gas pump (9) is configured to supply frothing gas to the tube (6), and the beverage pump (12) is configured to deliver the gas along with the beverage through a limiting section (13) downstream of the beverage pump (12) for the formation of a gas-beverage-foam mixture, and the device further comprises an escape line to an outlet (20) of the gas-beverage-foam mixture. The beverage frothing device is characterized in that the device comprises a first conductivity sensor (7) for monitoring the electrical conductivity of the gas / beverage / foam mixture downstream of the limiting unit (13) and a second conductivity sensor (14) for measuring the conductivity of the beverage before frothing upstream of the beverage pump (12), and one or more operating parameters of the beverage pump (12) and / or the gas pump (9) are controlled based on the conductivity ratio measured from the first sensor (7) and the second sensor (14).

2. The beverage frothing apparatus according to the preamble of claim 1, or according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises a heat exchanger (15) for heating the gas / beverage / foam mixture, the apparatus comprises a first temperature sensor (8) for monitoring the temperature of the beverage or the gas / beverage / foam mixture, and one or more operating parameters of the heat exchanger (15) are controlled based on a measurement signal from the first temperature sensor (8).

3. The beverage frothing device according to claim 2, characterized in that the first temperature sensor (8) is provided at a position upstream of the beverage pump (12) where the temperature of the beverage is measured.

4. The beverage frothing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the first temperature sensor (8) is located downstream of the beverage pump (12) at a position for measuring the temperature of the gas, beverage, and foam mixture.

5. A beverage frothing device according to any one of claims 3 to 4, further comprising a second temperature sensor (25) downstream of the heat exchanger (15) for monitoring the temperature of the gas, beverage, and foam mixture, and characterized in that one or more operating parameters of the heat exchanger (15) are controlled based on measurement signals from the second temperature sensor (25).

6. The beverage frothing apparatus according to the preamble of claim 1, or according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the apparatus comprises a discharge pump (4) positioned to operate after the entire dose of the gas, beverage, and foam mixture has left the outlet (20), the discharge pump (4) then operates to expel any residue of the gas, beverage, and foam mixture through the escape line and the outlet (20) of the apparatus.

7. A beverage frothing device according to the preamble of claim 1, or according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that a bubble sensor (17) is provided in the escape line.

8. The beverage frothing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the apparatus is equipped with a purified gas supply source (3) downstream of the discharge pump (4), and the purified gas supply source (3) is linked to the discharge pump (4) when the bubble sensor (17) detects the scattering of the gas / beverage / foam mixture or the passage of one or more bubbles, thereby causing the discharge pump (4) to expel the purified gas through the piping of the apparatus, discharge any remaining beverage, and clean the piping.

9. The beverage frothing apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the source of the purifying gas (3) is an ozone generator.

10. The beverage frothing device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the device is provided with a water inlet (1) for rinsing the device with water.

11. The beverage frothing device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the device is configured to froth milk.

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