JP5066183B2 - Milk feeder - Google Patents

Description

  The invention relates to a device for supplying milk of the kind described in the preamble of claim 1.

  Such an apparatus is known from US Pat. Known devices serve to dispense warm milk and are equipped with a frothing device that can additionally froth the milk. Milk frothing devices of various working principles are known. In the above apparatus, milk is sucked from the storage container using, for example, the Venturi principle. This is done via a supply tube in the form of a hose. The outlet end of this hose is connected to a frothing device whose inlet end is simply inserted into a milk storage container. The problem with all devices that handle milk is cleaning. Since milk is perishable, parts that come into contact with milk should be cleaned as frequently and as thoroughly as possible. This is not a problem for the inside of the heating device and the foaming device. This is because steam is used there and the frothing device can be cleaned relatively easily with a pure steam jet without introducing milk. In this case, bacterial growth is reliably prevented at least until the parts are disassembled and / or the next thorough cleaning performed using a detergent. However, since no steam originally passes through the supply pipe, the supply pipe cannot be cleaned in this way or cannot be cleaned sufficiently. Therefore, in the case of known devices, at the intermediate period between thorough cleaning, the inlet end of the supply pipe is inserted into the cleaning liquid and the cleaning liquid is sucked in by the supply pipe instead of milk by operation of the apparatus. Proposed. However, this is cumbersome and does not produce the desired result in some circumstances. Nearly boiling hot water can be used for thorough cleaning of the supply pipe. However, this is a problem in handling and is not always available. Cold or warm water does not provide the desired cleaning results. If chemical detergents are used, a subsequent cumbersome rinsing must be performed to remove all residues from the equipment.

European Patent No. 344859

  Therefore, the present invention has been made based on the object of improving the above-described apparatus so that cleaning is facilitated.

  The object is solved by a device comprising the features of claim 1, a method comprising the features of claim 7 and a coffee maker comprising the features of claim 10.

  The embodiment according to the invention provides a very effective cleaning system for a supply pipe for guiding milk. By using hot water and / or steam to convey or heat the milk, an effective cleaning of the supply pipe can be performed. To that end, only the hot water outlet and / or steam outlet should be provided (although usually provided in a coffee machine) unless a hot water outlet and / or steam outlet is already provided. . To perform the cleaning, the user only has to remove the inlet end of the supply tube from the milk storage container and fit it into the outlet.

  Advantageous applications are described in the dependent claims.

  In order to facilitate replacement of the inlet end of the supply pipe, the outlet is preferably arranged within the storage container.

  When washing with hot water, residual hot water remaining in the supply pipe should be removed so that the user is not at risk. This can be done by various means.

  In order to simplify the replacement of the supply pipe, the connection device may be equipped with a particularly suitable fitting part. Furthermore, the outlet and the supply pipe may be fitted to each other by adjusting the size of the outlet to the dimension of the supply pipe.

  The supply tube can be fixed in or on the storage container. In a very advantageous and easily washable embodiment, the supply pipe is fixed to the storage container, i.e. to a suction connection pipe integrated so as not to move to the storage container. Thereby, the suction connection pipe can be easily washed together with the storage container, for example in a dishwasher, while the internal cleaning of the supply pipe is carried out by the method according to the invention.

  When the apparatus according to the present invention is used in a coffee maker in which a hot water outlet or a steam outlet generally provided in a coffee maker is provided with a connecting device for fixing a supply pipe to the outlet as in the present invention, It is advantageous.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

1 is a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a schematic diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a schematic view of a third embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a schematic diagram of a coffee maker according to the present invention.

  FIG. 1 shows a device 1 according to a first embodiment of the invention for supplying milk from a storage container 2 to a dispensing device 3. The device 1 shown in the schematic can be used as part of any device that handles milk in the manner described above. In the illustrated embodiment, the device 1 is formed as a device for preparing and dispensing heated frothed milk, and for that purpose a frothing device 4 which can be formed as known, for example in DE 44 45 436. The whipping device described is provided. The operation mode and structure of the foaming device are known and need not be described.

  The frothing device 4 is connected to the milk storage container 2 via a supply pipe 5. The supply pipe 5 is fixed to the storage container 2 in such a manner that its inlet end 5 a is removable. In the illustrated embodiment, the inlet end 5 a is simply inserted into the storage container 2. An outlet end portion 5 b of the supply pipe 5 is fixed to the foaming device 4. The outlet end 5b may be removably provided to allow disassembly for basic cleaning. The supply pipe 5 is preferably flexible, and specifically, is preferably a flexible hose made of resin or rubber.

  In the case of the illustrated embodiment, air is supplied to the foaming device 4 from a tube 6. Air is sucked according to the Venturi principle or supplied as compressed air from a compressed air source 7 such as a compressed air cartridge or pump.

  The frothing device 4 is supplied with water vapor through another tube 8 in order to heat the milk. This tube is connected to a suitable steam generator 9. The steam generator 9 has a conventional structure, and may be formed as a flow heater, for example. However, it is preferable to use a combined hot water / steam generator that not only supplies steam for the foaming device 4 but also supplies hot water for the hot water outlet 10. Steam components can also be discharged from the hot water outlet 10. The hot water outlet 10 is located within the reach of the user and is positioned so as to be within the range of the inlet end 5a of the supply pipe 5 when the supply pipe 5 is connected to the foaming device 4. Has been. The hot water outlet 10 should be disposed from the outlet end 5b of the supply pipe 5 at a distance equal to or less than the entire length of the supply pipe 5 between the inlet end 5a and the outlet end 5b. It is preferable to arrange the hot water outlet 10 within the range of the storage container 2 for milk.

  The hot water outlet 10 and / or the inlet end 5 a of the supply pipe 5 is provided with a connecting device 11. In the illustrated embodiment, the connection device 11 has a joint part 12 fixed to the hot water outlet 10. However, the connecting device 11 may be configured by connecting parts provided at the outlet 10 and the inlet end 5a, or may be configured by only one joint component provided at the inlet end 5a. The connecting device may be constituted by any suitable structure, for example, suitable for easily connecting the supply pipe 5 and the outlet 10 in a separable manner, and being pushed out by flowing hot water or pressure. A lock joint, a plug-in joint, or a plug-in joint that can withstand a mechanical load caused by hot water can be used. Furthermore, it is possible to form the connecting device 11 in which the inlet end 5a and the outlet 10 can be easily inserted only by adapting the outer and inner dimensions of the outlet 10 and the inlet end 5a. This is particularly suitable when the inlet end 5a has a certain degree of material elasticity, as in the case of a hose made of rubber or synthetic resin, for example.

  The outlet 10 with the connecting device 11 for the inlet end 5 a of the supply pipe 5 forms a cleaning device for the supply pipe 5.

  The apparatus 1 according to the present invention is operated in the same manner as in the prior art to produce and dispense frothed milk, i.e. heating and dispensing milk or dispensing cold milk. In order to froth milk, air and steam are supplied to the frothing device, milk is sucked from the storage container 2 via the supply pipe 5, and the finished frothed milk is dispensed from the dispensing device 3. If only milk is to be heated, only steam is supplied to the frothing device 4, milk is sucked from the storage container 2, and heated milk is dispensed from the dispensing device 3. If only milk is to be dispensed, only air is supplied to the frothing device 4, milk is sucked from the storage container 2, and cold milk is dispensed from the dispensing device 3.

  The washing of the foaming device 4 can be performed by steam injection as in the prior art. However, in order to clean the supply pipe 5, the inlet end 5 a of the supply pipe 5 is removed from the storage container 2, that is, in the case of the illustrated embodiment, the supply pipe 5 is pulled out of the storage container 2 and the hot water outlet 10 is connected. At this time, the outlet end portion 5 b of the supply pipe 5 remains connected to the dispensing device 3 and the foaming device 4. Then, a hot water jet is supplied from the outlet 10 to the supply pipe 5 for a short period of time, for example a few seconds, by requesting it (preferably by the user). This hot water jet cleans the supply pipe 5 and at the same time cleans the parts of the frothing device 4 and the dispensing device 3 that are soiled with milk and then flows out of the dispensing device 3.

  Since the hot water is hot, especially when hot water is produced by the combined hot water / steam generator 9, when the inlet end 5 a of the supply pipe 5 is separated from the outlet 10 again, the supply pipe There should be no hot water in 5. This can be achieved by various means. For example, the arrangement and the structural formation of the components can be selected such that the outlet end 5b of the supply pipe 5 is located at the lowest position of the supply pipe 5 so that residual hot water flows out by the action of gravity. In the case of producing hot water with a flow heater, the heating is stopped before the washing process is finished, so that only low-temperature water remains in the supply pipe 5 after the washing process is finished. May be controlled. If steam can be supplied from the hot water outlet 10, steam can be injected from the outlet 10 at the end of the cleaning process to push residual hot water out of the supply pipe. As shown in FIG. 1, when foaming is performed with steam in the foaming device 4, the steam can be jetted from the tube 8 to the foaming device 4 and the residual hot water can be sucked out from the tube 5.

  FIG. 2 shows a device 1 'according to the invention. The difference between this apparatus and the apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 will be described in detail below. In this case, the same or similar components are indicated by the same reference numerals and will not be described again.

  The device 1 ′ differs from the device 1 only in that the supply of milk from the storage container 2 to the dispensing device 3 or the frothing device 4 is effected or assisted by a pump 13. The pump 13 is arranged in the supply pipe 5 between the inlet end 5 a in the storage container 2 and the outlet end 5 b in the foaming device 4. The operation and cleaning process of the device 1 'is performed in the same way as already described with reference to FIG. By operating the pump 13, the residual hot water can be easily discharged.

  FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the device 1 ″ according to the invention. The differences between this device and the device 1 or 1 ′ shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 will now be described in detail. The same or similar parts are indicated with the same reference numerals and will not be described again.

  The device 1 "differs only in the modified storage container 2". The storage container includes a milk storage chamber and a suction connecting pipe 2a fixed to the storage container. In the illustrated embodiment, the suction connection pipe 2a is connected to the storage container so that it and the storage container 2 "can be cleaned together in the dishwasher without problems. In this way, the suction connection pipe 2a is connected to the storage container 2". Permanently connected to the storage container 2 ″ or separably connected. The suction connection pipe is dimensioned and arranged so that the inlet end 5a of the supply pipe 5 is separably connected to the suction connection pipe above the milk surface in the storage container 2 ″. In the embodiment, the suction connecting pipe is a short pipe immersed vertically in the storage container 2 ″. This short pipe has a suction port just above the bottom of the storage container 2 ″ and reaches above the milk surface in the storage container 2 ″, where it can be connected to the inlet end 5 a of the supply pipe 5. In this case, it is preferable that the inlet end 5a is fitted into the suction connecting pipe 2a. For cleaning, the inlet end 5 a is removed from the suction connecting pipe 2 a and connected to the connecting device 11.

  The apparatus 1, 1 ', 1 "according to the present invention may be formed as a separate apparatus, but may be integrated into the coffee maker 100 of Fig. 4. A coffee maker equipped with the apparatus according to the present invention is an ordinary one. That is, it is formed as a semi-automatic machine or a fully automatic machine and is controlled via a control unit not shown.

  The coffee maker 100 comprises a housing 17 in which the usual components of the coffee maker are arranged. The user can request various drinks via the operation device 14. The drink is then automatically prepared and dispensed by the coffee maker.

  For this purpose, the coffee maker 100 includes, for example, an ordinary boiling unit 15. Hot water is supplied to the boiling unit from the hot water generator 9 via the pipe 15a, and the boiling unit is connected to the drink outlet 16 via the pipe 15b. The coffee maker 100 further includes the above-described foaming device 4 together with the supply pipe 5. In the case of the illustrated embodiment, the milk storage container 2 is, for example, a commercially available paper milk container accommodated in a holder. The storage container 2 may be a chamber in the housing 17 of the coffee maker 100, which is preferably cooled.

  The coffee maker 100 includes an ordinary hot water outlet 10 such as that provided for tea. The coffee maker is further provided with another steam outlet 18. This steam outlet is formed as a rotating lever and serves, for example, to warm a drink or other liquid (soup).

  The hot water outlet 10 and / or the steam outlet 18 includes a connecting device 11 for connecting the inlet end 5 a of the supply pipe 5. In the illustrated embodiment, joint parts 12 are provided at both connection portions.

  The hot water outlet 10 is arranged in the illustrated embodiment in the vicinity of the storage vessel 2, 2 ″. Therefore, the supply pipe 5 can be easily connected to the hot water outlet. Although it is located on the side of the foaming device 4 opposite to 2 ″, the distance of the joint part 12 from the foaming device 4 is shorter than the length of the supply pipe 5, so that the inlet end 5a is connected to the steam outlet 18. can do.

  Also in the case of the coffee maker 100, the cleaning process for the supply pipe 5 is performed by the method already described with reference to FIGS. At that time, the supply pipe 5 is washed with hot water or steam. To do so, the user connects the inlet end 5a to the hot water outlet or steam outlet 10, 18 and then a hot water jet for preparing tea depending on where the supply pipe 5 is connected. Or a steam jet to start warming must be started.

  The residual hot water can be discharged by the method already described.

  The washing process according to the present invention can be carried out at the time of general washing of the apparatus or coffee maker, but it is preferably carried out as an intermediate washing treatment each time after milk is dispensed if necessary. Thereby, the growth of harmful bacteria is suppressed. The suction connecting pipe may be fixed to the storage container by other methods. For example, the wall of the storage container may be penetrated from the side or may extend from the bottom of the storage container. A storage container with a suction connection pipe is used for a coffee maker or other milk dispensing device without a connection device, i.e. a coffee maker or other milk dispensing device whose supply tube must be cleaned in a conventional manner. Even in the case of easy cleaning.

Claims (9)

A hot water generator and / or steam generator connected to the hot water outlet and / or steam outlet (10, 18), comprising a dispensing device (3) and a milk storage container (2, 2 ") A hot water generator and / or a steam generator connected to a milk frothing device (4) arranged between
A milk supply pipe (5) to the frothing device (4), provided with a supply pipe (5) whose inlet end (5a) is removably connected to the storage container (2, 2 ″);
Connection for removably connecting the hot water outlet and / or steam outlet (10, 18) and the inlet end (5a) of the supply pipe (5) to the hot water outlet and / or steam outlet (10, 18) A coffee maker, characterized in that a washing device for the supply pipe (5) including the device (11) is provided. 2. Coffee machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the connecting device (11) comprises a joint part (12). 3. Coffee maker according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the hot water outlet and / or the steam outlet (10) are arranged within the storage container (2, 2 "). The cleaning device has a hot water outlet (10) and is provided with a device for removing residual hot water from the supply pipe (5). The listed coffee maker. The connecting device (11) is formed by a plug-in joint adapted to the dimensions of the inlet end (5a) of the supply pipe (5) and the outlet end of the hot water outlet and / or steam outlet (10). The coffee maker according to claim 3 or 4, wherein 6. Coffee maker according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inlet end (5a) of the supply pipe (5) is fixed to the storage container (2 "). A method of operating a coffee maker according to any one of claims 1-6,
For cleaning, the inlet end (5a) of the supply pipe (5) is removed from the storage vessel (2, 2 ″) and connected to the hot water outlet and / or the steam outlet (10), followed by the supply pipe (5). A method characterized by flowing hot water and / or steam into the inside.   8. Process according to claim 7, characterized in that residual hot water remaining in the supply pipe (5) is removed after washing with hot water.   9. A method according to claim 8, characterized in that the residual hot water is rinsed away, sucked out or swept away.

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