Device for heating milk or milk foam
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for heating milk or milk froth with steam in automatic coffee machines suffer from non-uniform and inefficient mixing due to transverse steam supply, leading to suboptimal heating results.
Innovation Solution
The steam supply line is designed to open into a steam supply chamber upstream of the tubular mixing chamber, with steam inlet bores running around the milk supply nozzle in the longitudinal direction, ensuring uniform introduction of steam and intimate mixing with the milk or milk froth along the entire mixing chamber, optionally with non-return valves and a two-part mixer design for enhanced cleaning and assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If steam is fed into the mixing chamber transversely to the longitudinal direction, then the device structure remains simple, but the mixing of water vapor with milk jet becomes spatially non-uniform and deficient in terms of flow technology
Solution Approach 1:
The steam supply is segmented into multiple steam inlet bores distributed around the milk supply nozzle in the longitudinal direction of the mixing chamber, replacing a single transverse steam inlet. This segmentation enables uniform steam distribution along the milk jet path while maintaining structural simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The steam inlet bores are arranged in the longitudinal direction (axial dimension) rather than transversely, changing the spatial dimension of steam supply. This dimensional change creates uniform mixing along the length of the mixing chamber while preserving device simplicity
2Device complexity
If steam is fed into the mixing chamber in one or two transverse directions, then the apparatus construction remains simple, but the flow technology and spatial uniformity of mixing are deficient
Solution Approach 1:
The steam supply is divided into multiple steam inlet bores positioned around the milk nozzle in the longitudinal direction, replacing limited transverse steam injection. This segmentation improves mixing efficiency by distributing steam uniformly along the mixing chamber while keeping the apparatus construction simple
Solution Approach 2:
Steam is supplied at multiple locations along the longitudinal direction of the mixing chamber rather than at a single transverse point. This local quality approach ensures optimal mixing at each section of the mixing chamber, improving overall mixing efficiency without complicating the apparatus
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 configuration achieves turbulence-free and optimal flow mixing, ensuring uniform heating of milk or milk froth, resulting in high-quality beverage preparation.
Implementation Method 1
The mixing is turbulence-free and optimal in terms of flow technology
Implementation Method 2
the water vapor is introduced uniformly into the milk or the milk froth in the direction of the milk jet flowing through the mixing chamber
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The invention relates to a device for heating milk or milk foam with steam in a steam/liquid mixer (5), which is provided with a tubular mixing chamber (21), at least one steam supply line (16), and a milk/milk foam supply nozzle (25) oriented longitudinally in the mixing chamber, wherein the steam supply line (16) opens into a steam supply chamber (20) located upstream of the mixing chamber (21), which is connected to the mixing chamber (21) by steam inlet bores (22) extending longitudinally in the mixing chamber around the milk/milk foam supply nozzle (25). The latter are preferably aligned parallel to the central axis of the mixing chamber (21). This arrangement of the steam inlet bores (22) ensures a uniformly thorough mixing of the steam with the cold milk or milk foam in the mixing chamber and thus optimal heating of the milk or milk foam.