US 12,433,444 B2
Apparatus for foaming a beverage
Izaak Koller, Seattle, WA (US); Joshua Kruger, Seattle, WA (US); and Timothy Hurd, Sumner, WA (US)
Assigned to Starbucks Corporation, Seattle, WA (US)
Filed by Starbucks Corporation, Seattle, WA (US)
Filed on Apr. 25, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/646,058.
Application 18/646,058 is a division of application No. 17/938,259, filed on Oct. 5, 2022, granted, now 11,992,148.
Application 17/303,855 is a division of application No. 16/124,048, filed on Sep. 6, 2018, granted, now 11,058,250, issued on Jul. 13, 2021.
Application 17/938,259 is a continuation of application No. 17/303,855, filed on Jun. 9, 2021, granted, now 11,484,147, issued on Nov. 1, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0268598 A1, Aug. 15, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A47J 31/44 (2006.01); A47J 31/52 (2006.01)
CPC A47J 31/4496 (2013.01) [A47J 31/4485 (2013.01); A47J 31/4489 (2013.01); A47J 31/5253 (2018.08); A47J 31/5255 (2018.08)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A beverage foaming system comprising:
a container assembly having an interior configured to receive a volume of a liquid;
a steam supply unit in communication with the interior of the container assembly;
one or more valves configured to control a flow from the steam supply unit to the interior of the container assembly;
a sensor for measuring a characteristic of the liquid within the container assembly, the characteristic excluding a mass of the liquid within the container assembly; and
a control system operatively connected to a user interface, the one or more valves, and the sensor;
wherein the control system is configured to receive a user selection and, in response to at least one signal from the sensor indicative of the characteristic of the liquid, estimate a volume of fluid within the container assembly based upon the at least one signal from the sensor and control an amount of steam from the steam supply unit delivered to the interior of the container assembly based on the user selection and the estimated volume of fluid.