Milk Foam Flow Path Switching for Hot and Cold Dispensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing milk foam or milk-based drinks often limit the variety of drinks that can be offered, particularly in hot climates or during certain seasons, as they primarily focus on hot milk foam production and lack the ability to efficiently produce high-quality cold milk foam or cold milk-based drinks.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that involve sucking cold milk into a suction line, selectively mixing it with air or gas, and using a throttle point with two parallel sections, one with a heater, to control the temperature of the milk or milk foam being dispensed, allowing for both cold and hot milk foam or milk-based drinks to be produced.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single flow path with heater is used, then hot milk foam can be produced, but the ability to produce cold milk foam is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The flow path is segmented into two parallel sections: a first section with a heater for hot milk foam production, and a second section without heater for cold milk foam production. This segmentation allows the system to offer both hot and cold drink options while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
A switching mechanism is introduced to dynamically select between the first heated flow path and the second unheated flow path based on the desired drink temperature. This dynamic configuration enables the system to adapt to different operational requirements without permanent structural changes.
2Adaptability or versatility
If parallel flow sections with switching mechanism are added, then both hot and cold milk foam options are available, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The outlet line is designed with parallel sections that can serve different temperature requirements. The switching mechanism enables a single outlet line structure to fulfill multiple functions (heated and unheated flow paths), reducing the need for entirely separate systems for hot and cold drink production.
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
Enables the production of high-quality cold milk foam or cold milk-based drinks, while also allowing for hot options, extending the variety of drinks that can be offered and accommodating different climate conditions.
Implementation Method 1
milk is sucked with a pump out of a container and conveyed to an outlet
Implementation Method 2
a flow heater being assigned to one of these outlet line sections
Implementation Method 3
the throttle point acting on the milk after being selectively mixed with the air or gas to convert the mixed milk and air or gas into milk foam
Data Source
AI summary
During a method for the production of milk foam or milk-based drinks, milk is sucked with a pump (1) out of a container (3, 3′) and conveyed to an outlet (11′), wherein air and/or a gas is added to the milk. The milk/air mixture is processed in a cold state into milk foam and conveyed as cold milk foam to the outlet (11′).