US 12,108,906 B2
Beverage preparation systems and methods
Dan Apone, Seattle, WA (US); Izaak Koller, Seattle, WA (US); Michael Cummer, Seattle, WA (US); and William George Crossland, Seattle, WA (US)
Assigned to Starbucks Corporation, Seattle, WA (US)
Filed by Starbucks Corporation, Seattle, WA (US)
Filed on Dec. 20, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/722,902.
Application 16/722,902 is a division of application No. 15/260,041, filed on Sep. 8, 2016, granted, now 10,531,761.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/220,577, filed on Sep. 18, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2020/0121118 A1, Apr. 23, 2020
Int. Cl. A47J 31/40 (2006.01); A23L 2/54 (2006.01); A23L 5/10 (2016.01); A23P 30/40 (2016.01); A47J 31/44 (2006.01); A47J 31/60 (2006.01)
CPC A47J 31/40 (2013.01) [A23L 2/54 (2013.01); A23L 5/13 (2016.08); A23P 30/40 (2016.08); A47J 31/4403 (2013.01); A47J 31/441 (2013.01); A47J 31/4485 (2013.01); A47J 31/4489 (2013.01); A47J 31/4496 (2013.01); A47J 31/60 (2013.01); A23C 2210/30 (2013.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
an elongate wand unit configured to be inserted into a liquid to prepare a frothed beverage, the elongate wand unit having an upper end, a lower end, and an outer surface;
an apparatus configured to clean the elongate wand unit, the apparatus comprising:
an annular collar configured to receive a flow of cleaning fluid, the annular collar positioned around the outer surface of the upper end of the elongate wand unit, the annular collar comprising an outer face and an inner face, the inner face comprising one or more channels;
the annular collar configured to dispense, through the one or more channels, the cleaning fluid radially inwardly against the outer surface of the upper end of the elongate wand unit, at a radial distance from the elongate wand unit enabling the dispensed cleaning fluid to provide a continuous laminar flow down a longitudinal length of and clean the elongate wand unit,
wherein the outer surface of the elongate wand unit comprises features to promote flow of the cleaning fluid over the outer surface, wherein the features of the outer surface comprise longitudinal channels.