US 11,666,175 B2
Device for heating milk or milk foam
Adrian Steiner, Weggis (CH)
Assigned to STEINER AG WEGGIS, Weggis (CH)
Appl. No. 16/463,442
Filed by STEINER AG WEGGIS, Weggis (CH)
PCT Filed Nov. 3, 2017, PCT No. PCT/EP2017/078145
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 23, 2019,
PCT Pub. No. WO2018/103972, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 14, 2018.
Claims priority of application No. 16202735 (EP), filed on Dec. 7, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2019/0350403 A1, Nov. 21, 2019
Int. Cl. A47J 31/44 (2006.01)
CPC A47J 31/4485 (2013.01) 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A device for heating milk or milk froth with steam, comprising:
a milk container;
a steam/liquid mixer defining a mixing chamber and including a pipe connection, at least one steam supply pipe, and a milk/milk froth supply nozzle aligned in a longitudinal direction of said mixing chamber and in flow communication with said mixing chamber, said pipe connection defining an axially directed channel having a milk/milk froth inlet and being in flow communication with said milk/milk froth supply nozzle;
a milk pump that pumps milk from said milk container through said milk/milk froth inlet into said channel and through said channel to said milk/milk froth supply nozzle;
a milk control valve that controls flow of milk from said milk container to said milk/milk froth supply nozzle;
an air supply pipe through which air is supplied to a conduit through which the milk flows between said milk container and said mixer whereby milk froth is prepared when air is supplied to said conduit and milk flows through said conduit; and
an air control valve that controls flow of air through said air supply pipe;
said mixer further defining at least one steam supply chamber upstream of said mixing chamber in a flow direction and which is connected to said mixing chamber by steam inlet holes radially outward of said milk/milk froth supply nozzle, said steam inlet holes extending in the longitudinal direction of said mixing chamber, said at least one steam supply pipe being in flow communication with a respective one of said at least one steam supply chamber.