US 11,684,203 B2
Beverage vending machine
Marcello Coffetti, Chignolo d'Isola (IT)
Assigned to CARIMALI S.P.A., Bergamo (IT)
Appl. No. 16/756,956
Filed by CARIMALI S.P.A., Bergamo (IT)
PCT Filed Oct. 19, 2018, PCT No. PCT/IB2018/058159
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 17, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/077578, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 25, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 17197408 (EP), filed on Oct. 19, 2017; and application No. 102018000001118 (IT), filed on Jan. 16, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0196075 A1, Jul. 1, 2021
Int. Cl. A47J 31/00 (2006.01); A47J 31/44 (2006.01); A47J 31/46 (2006.01)
CPC A47J 31/4485 (2013.01) [A47J 31/4489 (2013.01); A47J 31/469 (2018.08)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A milk frother/heater for a milk supply circuit in a beverage vending machine, the milk frother/heater comprising:
a hollow body composed of one or more undismountably coupled parts, and integrally comprises a first appendage defining a milk inlet to receive either smooth milk or a milk-air mixture, a second appendage defining a steam inlet to receive steam, and a third appendage defining a milk outlet to deliver cold or hot, smooth or frothed milk;
wherein the hollow body internally defines a mixing chamber that is entirely hollow;
wherein the milk inlet, the steam inlet, and the milk outlet internally define a milk inlet passage, a steam inlet passage and a milk outlet passage, respectively, in fluidic communication with the mixing chamber,
wherein the mixing chamber has an axis (A) and comprises a first closed axial end and a second axial end opposite the first axial end;
wherein the steam inlet passage and the milk outlet passage converge at the second axial end;
wherein the milk inlet passage converges at the second axial end or with the steam inlet passage upstream from the mixing chamber, and
wherein the milk frother/heater is configured for use with the milk supply circuit of the beverage vending machine.