Beverage-making apparatus and operating method
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Solution Overview
Problem
Beverage preparation devices with milk heating and frothing functions face challenges in ensuring a fluid-tight coupling between the milk line and supply connection, particularly when the door is hinged on either side, and in maintaining a consistent milk volume flow and preventing contamination during rinsing processes.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a docking means with an adjustable docking element, driven by an electric motor, which can be positioned between parking and docking positions to establish or break fluid connections, allowing for different milk volume flows and preventing contamination by decoupling during rinsing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the supply connection is fixed for a specific door hinge position (left or right), then a fluid-tight coupling can be ensured for that configuration, but the device cannot be adapted to alternative door hinge positions without reconfiguration
Solution Approach 1:
The milk line is designed with a movable section that can be dynamically repositioned between a first position (for left-hinged doors) and a second position (for right-hinged doors). This dynamic adaptability allows the same device to work with different door configurations without requiring multiple specialized designs, resolving the contradiction between versatility and complexity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the docking element is decoupled from the supply connection during rinsing, then contamination of milk is prevented, but fluid-tight coupling during operation cannot be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The docking element is designed to dynamically change its coupling state with the supply connection based on operational requirements. During normal operation, it maintains a fluid-tight coupling for reliable milk supply. During rinsing operations, it decouples to prevent contamination. This dynamic state change resolves the contradiction between preventing contamination and maintaining reliable coupling.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary decoupling of the docking element from the supply connection before the rinsing process begins, preventing contamination in advance. This preliminary action ensures that rinsing medium cannot contaminate the milk line, while the coupling is restored afterward to maintain operational reliability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the docking element is positioned for milk heating operation, then heating function is available, but frothing function with different milk volume flow cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The docking element can be positioned in multiple discrete positions along its travel path, with each position corresponding to a different operational mode (heating, frothing, rinsing). The system dynamically adjusts the docking element's position based on the selected function, enabling versatile operation without requiring separate hardware for each mode. This resolves the contradiction between functional versatility and device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution ensures a fluid-tight coupling regardless of door hinge position, allows for adjustable milk volume flow between heating and frothing states, and prevents milk contamination during rinsing by decoupling the docking element from the supply connection.
Implementation Method 1
The jet pump (8.2) has a propulsion nozzle (8.22) via which steam can be supplied, by means of which negative pressure is generated, by means of which the milk is sucked in
Implementation Method 2
a heating element (8.1) for heating the milk in the mixing chamber (8.3)
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a beverage-making apparatus (1) having a housing (2) and having a device for heating and/or frothing milk, and having a milk line (10), via which the device (8) for heating and frothing milk can be supplied with milk. The invention provides for the milk line (10) to be connected in fluid-channelling fashion to docking means (13), which comprise a docking element (16) which can be adjusted by means of a drive, in particular an electric motor, between at least one parked position (P), a first docking position (27), in particular a milk-heating position, which is spaced apart from the parked position (P), and a second docking position (31), in particular a milk-frothing position, which is spaced apart from the parked position (P) and the first docking position (27), the docking element, in the first docking position (27) and the second docking position (31), being connected in fluid-channelling fashion to a supply connection (14) for milk and, in the parked position (P), being disengaged from said supply connection, and for the docking means (13) to be designed in the form of a fluid valve with which, by virtue of the docking element (16) being adjusted from the first docking position (27) into the second docking position (31), it is possible to alter a free through-flow cross section for milk for the purpose of setting a milk volume flow.