The invention relates to a method and device for preparing a beverage, preferably milk froth or hot milk, in accordance with the preambles to claim 1 and claim 6 respectively.
For the production of steam, in particular in a coffee machine, the principle is known, as disclosed in the printed publication DE 44 45 436, of controlling the quantity of delivery of steam by way of a simple valve as a manual operating unit. The emission of steam is used essentially for preparing coffee specialities containing milk, such as Cappuccino, Latte Macchiato, or milk coffee, and in this situation for the production of milk froth. The hot steam is conveyed, by way of a lance immersed into the milk, into a cup or container, such that the milk is heated, and the desired milk froth is produced by the upwards and downwards movement of the cup during the ingress of the steam.
A device of this type is also disclosed in EP-A-1 501 398. This consists essentially of a steam generator and a compressed air source, as well as a steam delivery line and, connected to this, a compressed air line, which is extended by the steam lance immersed into the milk. The mixing of the two media, steam and air, therefore already takes place before the steam lance. As a result, it is difficult to adjust the quality of the milk froth, and to change it depending on the type of beverage which is to be prepared. In this situation, devices of this type are nowadays required to satisfy high demands in respect of product quality, although their conditions of use and operation often vary considerably from case to case.
The invention is based on the object of providing a method and device of the type referred to heretofore, with which fresh milk or the like is at least partially filled in a known manner into a container, such as a jug, but, in consequence, milk froth in particular can be produced in best quality for a beverage.
This object is solved according to the invention by the features of claim 1 and claim 6 respectively.
With this method according to the invention, a container can be used by the operator in an inherently conventional manner for the preparation of the beverage, since in this way the beverage can be prepared manually and individually for the guest in accordance with his preferences, while the milk froth or the like can be produced and served constantly with the same and high quality.
The invention makes provision in this situation for the beverage filled in the container, positioned on a standing surface of a station, to be conveyed through at least one line, leading away from the station, to a device for preparing, preferably, milk froth or hot milk, and back into the container, and this circulation is repeated, preferably until the beverage exhibits a specific temperature and/or consistency.
This device is provided with a froth production unit, which comprises at least one line leading away from the station, a pump suctioning the milk or the like out of the container and conveying it, an air inlet, at least one choke, and a heating means which can be switched on and off, for the milk or the like. The circulating line is guided back to the station, and makes it possible for the milk or the like which has been prepared to be led back again into the container.
With one preferred embodiment of this arrangement, the invention makes provision for this device to be a constituent part of a coffee machine, which is placed out of sight beneath the table. As a result, the arrangement is practically invisible to the customer or consumer using it.
As an alternative to this, the coffee machine equipped with the device can be placed so as to be easily accessible on a counter or table. This allows, among other things, for the direct actuation of the coffee machine, as a result of which handling is made easier.
The invention and its further advantages are explained in greater detail hereinafter on the basis of exemplary embodiments and making reference to the Figures. The Figures show:
The device 1 shown in
With this device 1, provision is preferably made for a standing surface 9′ on a serving table, or, with a coffee machine, for a container 10 which can be put in place by hand. As the container 10, a metal milk jug is being used. Use could also be made of a milk jug or a vessel made of porcelain, or a cup or the like. This container 10 can be raised from the station 9 or set down on it, wherein corresponding centring means, such as centring bolts, make possible the exact positioning of the container on the station.
With the method according to the invention, the filled beverage in the container 10, positioned on the standing surface 9′ of a station 9, is conveyed through a line 5 leading away from the station 9 to the device 1 for preparing preferably cold or hot milk froth or hot milk, and then conveyed back into the container 10. This circulation of the beverage which is to be prepared, from the container through the line, through the device, and back to the container is automatically repeated until the beverage exhibits a specific temperature and/or consistency. This could, however, in principle also be controlled as a dependency of time and/or quantity.
This froth production unit 3 of the device 1 for heating the milk or producing cold or hot milk froth consists essentially of a line 5 leading away from the station 9 on the table, a temperature sensor 21, a choke 14 from a pump 13 conveying the beverage, and, upstream or downstream of this, an air intake 12. Arranged following this is a connection element 16, connected to the steam line 22, leading at a right angle into the line 5, for the delivery of the steam, a temperature measuring device 17, and a mixed froth consistency measuring device 18. The line 5 is then guided back to the station 9.
This milk froth consistency measuring device 18 is advantageously formed by an electrical sensor, with which the electrical conductivity or electrical resistance of the flowing milk froth is measured. It would also be possible to do without this measuring device 18, however, and, in order to attain a desired consistency of the beverage containing froth, its temperature is determined with the temperature measuring device 17, and on the basis of this temperature the revolution speed of the pump 13 is adjusted by regulating or controlling in such a way that a reference temperature can be adjusted, and therefore also this desired consistency. This could also be attained, however, by controlling the quantity of air introduced via the air inlet 12, by means of a proportional valve 12′.
This device 1 comprises a heating assembly with a steam line 22 for heating the beverage, for example by means of steam, which can be delivered in a controlled manner from a boiler, which is not shown in any greater detail. The steam line 22 leads via a closure valve 32, actuated by a corresponding control unit, and a non-return valve 33, into a line 5 of the froth producing unit 3, through which the milk or the like circulates. The hot steam is introduced through this steam line 22 into the beverage flowing in the line 5 in such a way that the beverage is heated rapidly.
The device 1 is further shown with a water feed for cleaning, with a delivery line 19 leading into the line 5, a filter unit 15, and a valve 35. Also provided for this cleaning is a two-way valve 23 for a loop of the line 5 through an additional line 6 with a cleaning medium inlet 19, and also a non-return valve 26.
During the cleaning of the froth production unit 3, the line 5, and the container 10, the valves 35, 23 are switched in such a way that water is suctioned into the line 5 by means of the pump 13, and a circuit is formed through the line 6 with the cleaning medium inlet 19, for example with cleaning tablets 19′, through the line 5, the container 10, and back again through the pump 13 into the line 6, and the water is therefore circulated. At the end of the cleaning process, the two-way valve 24 can be opened, and the cleaning water flows away into a catchment container 37.
Advantageously, cleaning is often carried out only with water without the involvement of the line 6, wherein the water is circulated via the line 5 through the froth production unit 3 and the container 10, and is then guided into the catchment container 37.
According to
Provided in the station 9 are line connections 45 for connecting the passage openings 11, 11′ to the lines 5, and a lifting device 46 with a piston 47 is provided, which is vertically adjustable and comes in contact with the lower face side of the vertical axis 25 in the container 10. This piston 47 can be moved by the lifting device 46 in a controlled manner into two positions, and has the effect that the closure element 31 of the closure element 20 in the interior of the housing can be positioned by way of this vertical axis 25 into a closed position or open position, as can be seen in
In this way, preferably a certain selectable quantity of cold milk or a milk mixture can be filled as required into this container 10, represented as a jug. After the jug has been set down on the station 9, the cold milk is suctioned out of it, and, by way of the circulations, provided for example as cold or hot milk froth. In this way, an excellent milk froth can be produced in seconds. The operator can therefore prepare the beverages more rapidly than if the milk or the like must be produced by a conventional steam lance inserted into the jug on the coffee machine, manually, by hand movements. Added to this is the fact that a person who orders the beverage and is standing next to the table does not see, and also does not perceive, that, for example, milk froth is being produced in the jug standing on the station 9.
With the exemplary embodiment according to
This method and device according to the invention for the heating of milk can be used both with a milk module as a separate unit, or, as explained heretofore, can be integrated in a coffee machine, in particular for producing Cappuccino or other hot milk beverages.
With a further variant according to
According to the invention, the beverage is conveyed by the line 65, leading away from the container 61, into the froth production unit 60, for the preparation of the beverage, preferably of milk froth or hot milk, from which, via a line 65′, it is conveyed into a chamber 62 and then back into the froth production unit 60, and this circulation is repeated preferably until the beverage exhibits a specific temperature and/or consistency, and, following this, the beverage is conveyed to the outlet 73.
For this purpose, in each case a two-way valve 72 is arranged in the line 65, upstream and downstream of the pump 64, through which the beverage is conveyed either via the line 65′ into the chamber 62 for this circulation or this loop, or is conveyed directly to the outlet 73. From this chamber 62, the cold or hot milk mixture is then again suctioned by the pump 64, via the two-way valve 72, and, depending on the situation, is again conveyed either into the chamber 62 or to the outlet 73. The chamber 62 is preferably dimensioned in such a way that the beverage portion which is to be prepared corresponds at least approximately to that portion which is required for the cup or container which has been provided at the outlet 73. This beverage portion is determined by a controlled opening or closing of a valve 74 in the line 65.
Furthermore, a temperature measuring device 17 or a consistency measuring device 18 respectively is arranged in the froth production unit 60, which, depending on the measurement, by means of a corresponding control unit, can cause the two-way valves 72 to be switched.
This device according to
It is of course possible for the invention to be explained by way of other exemplary embodiments. For example, instead of a steam source as the heating medium, another form of heating of the beverage can be provided, for example by means of a known water heater or the like.
The at least one, or both, passage opening(s) provided in the container could also be arranged in its side wall.
In principle, it would also be possible for hoses to be used in the container instead of the passage openings and the closure element, which are immersed into the container. These hoses would then be provided with closure valves having the same effect.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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00816/19 | Jun 2019 | CH | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2020/065061 | 5/29/2020 | WO |