Patent Application
20200360874
The present disclosure relates generally to a mechanism for preparing milk for espresso or cocoa-based drinks such as cappuccinos, cafe lattes, and mochas.
One exemplary embodiment of the disclosed subject matter is a frothing device preferably having a handle, a rotatable shaft coupled to the handle, an impeller rotatable by the shaft, and a screen disposed about the impeller opposite the handle. The frothing device may further include a holder disposed about the impeller and the screen. The screen is preferably annular in shape. The shaft may be integral to the impeller but preferably is coupled via a threaded arrangement.
In another exemplary embodiment, the frothing device includes a rotatable shaft, an impeller rotatable by the shaft, and a screen disposed about the bottom of the impeller downstream of the flow of fluid being pushed by the impeller. This frothing device may also have a handle coupled to the rotatable shaft. A holder may be disposed about the impeller and the screen.
In the alternative to the handle arrangement, the frothing device may include a pitcher having a bottom wall, wherein the rotatable shaft extends upward from the bottom wall of the pitcher. With this configuration, the impeller preferably includes a channel configured to receive the rotatable shaft. Moreover, the frothing device may include a housing having a heater and a nub extending upwardly from the housing. The shaft has an opening at its bottom, wherein the opening of the shaft is configured to receive the nub. A holder is preferably disposed about the impeller and the screen, wherein the screen has a hole configured to receive the impeller.
Another exemplary embodiment of the disclosed subject matter is a method of frothing comprising creating a vortex in milk using a frothing device, wherein the frothing device includes a rotatable shaft, an impeller rotatable by the shaft, and a screen disposed about the bottom of the impeller downstream of the flow of fluid being pushed by the impeller. The vortex is then stopped, either by moving the impeller away from the center or by slowing down the rotation of the impeller, wherein the milk is churned until microfoam is generated. The rotatable shaft may be coupled to a handle. In the alternative, the frothing device may include a pitcher, wherein the rotatable shaft is disposed about the bottom wall of the pitcher. The pitcher is disposed about the housing having a heater and a nub extending from the housing, wherein the rotatable shaft is configured to receive the nub. A holder may be disposed about the impeller and the screen.
Some non-limiting exemplary embodiments of the disclosed subject matter are illustrated in the following drawings. Identical or duplicate or equivalent or similar structures, elements, or parts that appear in one or more drawings are generally labeled with the same reference numeral, optionally with an additional letter or letters to distinguish between similar objects or variants of objects, and may not be repeatedly labeled and/or described. Dimensions of components and features shown in the figures are chosen for convenience or clarity of presentation. For convenience or clarity, some elements or structures are not shown or shown only partially and/or with different perspective or from different point of views.
The preparation of quality silky textured milk for a cappuccino that allows a barista to create elegant patterns on the drink known as “latte art” is commonly seen in coffee shops. Such shops use large commercial espresso machines containing multiple water boilers, one of which is dedicated to creating scalding and high pressured steam. This steam is pushed through a steam wand at high velocity to heat the milk and create foam. A knowledgeable barista may further break down the bubbles in the foam to create even smaller bubbles, which may be referred to as microfoam. Microfoamed milk mixes with the espresso when being poured and adds a nice perceived sweetness to the final drink.
While it is possible for the home barista to create foam using an espresso machine having a steam boiler and wand, it is quite a different feat to create silky microfoam textured milk suitable for creating latte art. The typical home machine is just not as stout as the commercial machines found in coffee shops. Furthermore, many small home espresso machines do not include a second boiler or steam wand at all and only produce espresso, leaving the user unable to create any kind of microfoam milk. In an attempt to supplement these deficiencies, frothing devices have been designed for home use. Such devices usually employ a small whisk to create ordinarily sized bubbles, resulting in the milk almost immediately separating and having a thick foam texture on top with milk at the bottom. When poured, the milk will come out first followed by a blob of foam at the end. This foam blob does not mix well with the espresso drink, creates a separation of flavors with frothy milk on top and espresso on the bottom, and does not permit the desirable latte art.
Accordingly, a frothing device solving these and other problems is desired.
A general non-limiting overview of practicing the present disclosure is presented below. The overview outlines exemplary practice of embodiments of the present disclosure, providing a constructive basis for variant and/or alternative and/or divergent embodiments, some of which are subsequently described.
As best seen in
Turning back to
In operation, device 100 is operated by placing hot or cold milk into a pitcher 122 or container and submerging the impeller 106 and screen 112 into the milk near the center, as illustrated by
Thus, it is the particular configuration of the screen 112 disposed below the impeller 106, i.e., downstream of the flow, that creates the microfoam rather than the use of steam or a whisk. Moreover, it is worth noting that such a configuration is counter-intuitive and/or opposite to what may be thought of as a conventional filter and impeller arrangement. In other words, screens or filters would typically be disposed above the impeller, i.e., upstream of the flow, to filter out unwanted material from passing into the impeller and thus irreparably damaging it. However, with the disclosed embodiments, the screen 112 is downstream of the flow—not for the purpose of filtering out any undesirable material—but rather for breaking down bubbles in the flow to create the desirable microfoam.
The device 200 further includes an impeller 214 having blades 216 of varying dimensions and shapes depending on user preference, as discussed above in the context of
The screen 222 may be permanently attached to impeller 214 or removable as discussed above. Moreover, an optional holder 210 may partially encapsulate the impeller 214 and screen 222, the latter of which preferably has a cut-out centrally located therein to receive the bottom portion of the rotatable impeller 214, as best seen in
Referring again to
While certain embodiments have been described, the embodiments have been presented by way of example only and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventions. Indeed, the novel frothing device and corresponding method described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, and changes in the form of the disclosed elements may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventions. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the inventions.
