Milk Lance Throttling for Hygienic Coffee Machine Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fully automatic coffee machines face challenges in efficiently and hygienically extracting milk from containers, as existing devices require cumbersome cleaning, risk contamination, and lack control over milk temperature and froth quality.
Innovation Solution
A liquid extraction device with a tubular, rigid lance and adjustable throttle device allows easy connection to coffee machines, easy cleaning, and reduced contamination risk, enabling control over milk temperature and froth quality by regulating flow rate through the lance head.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a hose is used to extract milk from the container, then the device is simple, but the hose must be removed and cleaned after each use which is time-consuming and cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into separate components: a reusable lance with lance head that remains in the container, and a removable hose that connects to the coffee machine. This segmentation allows the hose to be easily detached for cleaning while the lance stays in place, reducing overall cleaning time and effort.
Solution Approach 2:
The lance head acts as an intermediary component between the hose and the milk container. It provides a connection point that allows the hose to be removed for cleaning while maintaining the extraction function through the lance, thus separating the cleaning requirement from the extraction function.
2Productivity
If the hose is inserted into the milk container, then milk extraction is possible, but the risk of contamination by bacteria and germs increases
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the hose from the container interface, the system creates a hygiene barrier. The lance with lance head remains in the sterile container environment, while the hose connects to the non-sterile coffee machine, preventing cross-contamination between these zones.
Solution Approach 2:
The lance head serves as a sterile intermediary that interfaces with the milk container. It maintains the sterile barrier while allowing milk transfer to the non-sterile hose and coffee machine system, thus protecting against contamination.
3Device complexity
If the flow rate through the liquid withdrawal device is not adjustable, then the device is simple, but control over milk temperature and froth quality is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The throttle device introduces dynamic adjustability to the flow rate, allowing users to vary the milk flow through the lance head. This enables control over parameters like milk temperature (by adjusting residence time) and froth quality (by controlling steam-to-milk ratio), while keeping the overall device structure relatively simple.
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
The solution simplifies milk extraction and cleaning, reduces contamination risk, and allows precise control over milk temperature and froth quality, enhancing the usability and hygiene of fully automatic coffee machines.
Implementation Method 1
a throttling device (7) is provided on the lance head (4) for throttling the liquid flowing through the liquid withdrawal device (1), the flow rate through the liquid withdrawal device (1) being adjustable via the throttling device (7)
Implementation Method 2
the lance is beveled and in particular sharpened at its free end. A lance designed in this way makes it possible to pierce it through a closed lid of a milk container
Implementation Method 3
throttling the flow rate means that the sucked milk stays longer in the foaming chamber and thus leads to greater heating of the same
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4
AI summary
The device (1) has a tubular firm lance (3) inserted into a container (2), and a lance head (4) in which the lance and a flexible line element (5) i.e. milk pouch (5'), are inserted. The lance is made of stainless steel or plastic, and a throttle device (7) is provided at the lance head for throttling fluid flowing through the separating device. The throttle device comprises an adjusting screw (8). A locking deice fixes the adjusting screw in different rotary positions. The lance comprises length of height of Milk tetra pack(RTM: Not defined).