US 11,653,787 B2
Milk supply device and method for supplying milk
Peter Arndt, Blaustein (DE); Frank Göltenboth, Blaustein (DE); Jochen Gussmann, Schwabisch-Gmünd (DE); Alexander Kiefer, Kuchen (DE); Philipp Schirrmacher, Ulm (DE); and Armin Startz, Weidenstetten (DE)
Assigned to WMF GmbH
Appl. No. 16/604,087
Filed by WMF Group GmbH, Geislingen/Steige (DE)
PCT Filed Mar. 13, 2018, PCT No. PCT/EP2018/056220
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 9, 2019,
PCT Pub. No. WO2018/192716, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 25, 2018.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2017 206 767.5 (DE), filed on Apr. 21, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2020/0146503 A1, May 14, 2020
Int. Cl. A47J 31/60 (2006.01); A47J 31/46 (2006.01); A47J 31/44 (2006.01)
CPC A47J 31/60 (2013.01) [A47J 31/4485 (2013.01); A47J 31/461 (2018.08); A47J 31/469 (2018.08)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A milk supply device for supplying milk from a milk supply container to a milk dispensing device, the milk supply device comprising:
a milk transport line which is suitable to be connected or is connected at a first end thereof to the milk supply container and with which, via a second end thereof, milk which has been taken from the milk supply container is deliverable to the milk dispensing device; and
a cleaning agent transport line in fluid communication with the milk transport line between the first end and the second end via a three-way junction, the three-way junction configured to operate optionally either:
in a milk flow operating state, milk is transportable via the three-way junction from the milk supply container to the milk dispensing device whilst the milk transport line at the same time is sealed off in a fluid-impermeable manner relative to the cleaning agent transport line by the three-way junction, or
in one or more cleaning operation state/states, a cleaning agent is conductible from the cleaning agent transport line via the three-way junction in a direction towards the milk dispensing device or in a direction towards a discharge of the milk supply device or in a direction towards the milk dispensing device and to-wards a discharge of the milk supply device;
wherein the milk transport line comprises an inflow portion which is in fluid communication with the three-way junction, and an outflow portion which is in fluid communication with the three-way junction;
wherein the inflow portion is configured to be not completely rigid and has a first connection at the first end of the milk transport line orientated away from the three-way junction;
wherein the milk supply device has a second connection which is in fluid connection with the cleaning agent transport line;
wherein the first connection is detachably connectable to the second connection such that, in the connected state, a fluid connection leading via the first and the second connections exists between the cleaning agent transport line and the inflow portion; and
wherein, in the connected state, a fluid connection leading via the first and the second connections and the inflow portion exists between at least a portion of the cleaning agent transport line and the three-way junction.