Beverage Dispensing Head Holding Lever for Milk Frothing Device

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing beverage dispensing heads do not ensure optimal positioning and retention of milk frothing devices, leading to potential misuse and safety risks.

Innovation Solution

A beverage dispensing head with a pivotally mounted holding lever that moves between open and closed positions to securely hold the milk frothing device, ensuring proper positioning and preventing unwanted disconnection of the hot water/steam inlet.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a movable door is used to close/open the receiving housing, then access to the milk frothing device is enabled, but optimal positioning and retention of the milk frothing device is not ensured

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess to milk frothing deviceVSAvoidpositioning and retention of milk frothing device
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The closure body is divided into two functional parts: a door portion for closing the receiving housing and a holding lever portion for positioning the milk frothing device. This segmentation allows independent optimization of access functionality and retention functionality, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability of positioning.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The door and holding lever are merged into a single integrated closure body that performs both functions simultaneously. When the holding lever is in its closing position, it both closes the receiving housing and engages with the milk frothing device to ensure optimal positioning and retention, thus achieving both ease of operation and reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Ease of operation

If the milk frothing device is easily accessible for cleaning, then ease of operation is improved, but safety risks increase due to potential unwanted disconnection

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess for cleaningVSAvoidsafety risks from disconnection
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The holding lever is designed as a movable component that can be dynamically positioned in either an open state (for cleaning access) or a closed engaged state (for safe operation). This dynamic positioning system allows the user to easily access the milk frothing device for cleaning while ensuring that during normal operation, the lever automatically secures the device to prevent unwanted disconnection, thus resolving the safety concern.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4585111A1Beverage dispensing head and associated beverage dispensing machine
Publication Date: 2025.07.16 SEB SA
  • EP4585111A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4585111A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4585111A1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

Beverage dispensing head and associated beverage dispensing machine This beverage dispensing head (18) comprises a receiving housing (26) for a milk frothing device (28), the beverage dispensing head (18) comprising a system for holding the milk frothing device (28) in the receiving housing (26). According to the invention, the holding system comprises a holding lever (130) pivotally mounted relative to the receiving housing (26) and capable of being moved between an open position for access to the receiving housing (26) and a closed position in which the holding lever (130) is capable of cooperating with the milk frothing device (28) to hold it in the receiving housing (26).