WO2008006623A2 - Device for supplying milk - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1, 11', 1') for supplying milk from a storage tank (2, 2') to a dispensing element (3). Said device is provided with a supply line (5) comprising an inlet end (5a) which is detachably connected to the storage tank (2, 2'). The aim of the invention is to improve the cleaning of such a device. To this end, a cleaning device (10) is provided for the supply line (5), said cleaning device containing a hot water and/or water vapour outlet (10, 18) comprising a connection device (11) for the detachable connection of the inlet end (5a) of the supply line (5).

Description

 Device for feeding milk

The invention relates to a device for supplying milk of the type explained in the preamble of claim 1.

Such a device is known from EP 344 859. The known direction serves for dispensing heated milk and also contains a foaming device, with which the milk can be additionally foamed. Foaming devices for milk are known in a variety of active principles; in the described device, milk is sucked out of a storage container, for example by utilizing the Venturi principle. This is done via a supply line in the form of a tube whose outlet end is connected to the frothing device and whose inlet end is simply plugged into a reservoir for milk. A problem with all devices that handle milk is the cleaning. Milk spoils quickly and therefore the parts in contact with milk should be cleaned as often as possible and as thoroughly as possible. This is less of a problem within the heating and frothing device because it works with steam so that the frothing device can be relatively easily cleaned by a pure steam blast without introduction of milk, with at least until the next thorough cleaning with disassembly of the parts and / or. or use of detergents will safely prevent bacterial growth. However, since there is no natural way for the steam in the supply line, the supply line can not be cleaned in this way, or at least not sufficiently. In the known device is therefore proposed to bring the supply hose in the meantime with its inlet end in a cleaning liquid and sucked by an operation of the device instead of milk now the cleaning liquid through the Zufuhrieitung. However, this is cumbersome and may not lead to the desired result. For a thorough cleaning of the feed line, hot water could also be used shortly before cooking, but this is problematic to handle and is not always available. Cold or warm water does not lead to the desired cleaning result. If chemical cleaning agents are used, then expensive rinsing must be carried out to ensure that all residues are removed from the device. The invention is therefore the object of developing a device of the type mentioned so that the cleaning is facilitated.

The object is achieved in a device by the features of claim 1, in a method by the features of claim 6 and in a coffee machine by the features of claim 9.

The inventive design, a very effective cleaning system for the milk-bearing supply line is created. By the application of hot water and / or steam, which are present anyway for conveying or heating the milk, an effective cleaning of the feed line can be made possible. For this purpose, only a hot water and / or steam outlet must be provided if it is not present anyway (which is the case with most coffee machines), and the user only has to remove and remove the inlet end of the supply line from and to the milk storage container connect the outlet to perform a cleaning process.

Advantageous developments can be found in the dependent claims.

In order to facilitate the transfer of the inlet end of the supply line, the outlet is preferably arranged in the region of the storage container.

When cleaning with hot water, residual hot water remaining in the supply line should be removed to avoid hazards to the user. This can be done by a variety of measures.

In order to simplify the Umsteckcken the Zufuhrieitung, the connection device may include a specially adapted coupling piece. However, it is also possible to adapt the dimensions of the outlet to the dimensions of the supply line so that both are nestable. The supply line can be mounted either in or on the reservoir. A particularly preferred and easy-to-clean design is that the supply line to the reservoir, and that is attached to a fixed integrated into the reservoir suction. In this way, the intake manifold can be cleaned together with the reservoir in a simple manner, for example in a dishwasher, while an internal cleaning of the supply hose takes place in the manner according to the invention.

Of particular advantage is the use of the device according to the invention in a coffee machine, wherein the anyway existing in coffee machines Heißwasseraus- outlet or steam outlet according to the invention is provided with the connection device, that the supply line is attachable there.

Embodiments of the invention are explained below with reference to the drawings. Show it:

1 shows a first principle of the invention in a schematic representation,

2 shows a second principle of the invention in a schematic representation,

Fig. 3 shows a third principle of the invention in a schematic representation, and

Fig. 4 shows a coffee machine according to the invention in a schematic representation.

1 shows a first embodiment of a device 1 according to the invention for feeding milk from a storage container 2 to an output device 3. The device 1 shown only as a schematic diagram can be part of any device that handles milk in the manner described. In the illustrated embodiment, the device 1 is designed as a device for preparing and dispensing heated milk froth and contains for this purpose a foaming device 4, which may be formed in a known manner, for example, the frothing device according to DE 44 45 436 may contain. The mode of action and the structural design of foaming devices are known and need not be explained again. The frothing device 4 is connected via a supply line 5 to the reservoir 2 for the milk in combination. The supply line 5 is detachably attached with its inlet end 5a in or on the storage container 2, in the illustrated embodiment simply inserted into the storage container 2. The outlet end 5b of the supply line 5 is fixed to the frothing device 4, but may also be detachably arranged there to allow disassembly for basic cleaning. The supply line 5 is preferably flexible, and in particular a flexible hose made of plastic or rubber.

The foaming device 4 is supplied in the illustrated embodiment via a line 6 air, which is either sucked by the Venturi principle or provided as compressed air, for example via a compressed air source 7, such as a compressed air cartridge or a pump or the like.

The frothing device 4 is supplied with steam for heating the milk via a further line 8. The line 8 is connected to a suitable steam generator 9. The steam generator 9 is of conventional design and may be formed, for example, as a water heater. Preferably, however, a combined hot water and steam generator is used, which supplies 4 hot water for a hot water outlet 10 in addition to the steam for the Aufschäυeinrichtung. The hot water outlet 10, through which also vapor portions can be discharged, is accessible to the user and arranged so that it lies in the region of the inlet end 5a of the supply line 5 when the supply line 5 is connected to the frothing device 4. The hot water outlet 10 should be located at a distance from the outlet end 5b of the supply line 5, which is equal to or smaller than the total length of the supply line 5 between the inlet and outlet ends 5a, 5b. Preferably, the hot water outlet 10 is arranged in the region of the reservoir 2 for the milk.

The hot water outlet 10 and / or the inlet end 5a of the supply line 5 are provided with a connection device 11. In the illustrated embodiment, the connecting device 11 includes a coupling piece 12 which is fixed to the hot water outlet 10. However, the connection device 11 can also by corresponding fittings on the outlet 10 and at the inlet end 5a or by a coupling piece alone on Inlet end 5a are formed. The attachment means may be of any suitable construction, such as a latching connection, plug connection or bayonet connection, which is capable of providing an easily detachable connection between the supply conduit 5 and the outlet 10, but which nevertheless satisfies the mechanical stresses imposed by the outflow or pressure Hot water withstands. It is further possible to form the connector 11 merely by dimensionally fitting the outer and inner dimensions of the outlet 10 and the inlet end 5a, respectively, so that the inlet end 5a and the outlet 10 can be easily mated. This is particularly useful when the inlet end 5a has a certain material elasticity, as is the case for example with a hose made of rubber or plastic.

The outlet 10 with the inlet end connector 5a of the supply line 5 forms a cleaning device for the supply line 5.

The device 1 according to the invention is operated as usual for preparing and dispensing milk froth, for heating and dispensing heated milk or for dispensing cold milk, with air and steam being added to the frothing device 4 for frothing milk, milk there from the storage container 2 suck in via the feed line 5 and output the finished milk froth from the dispenser 3. If the milk is merely heated, only steam enters the frothing device 4, sucks in milk from the storage container 2 and dispenses heated milk from the dispensing device 3. If milk is only to be dispensed, only air enters the frothing device 4 and sucks in milk from the storage container 2 and dispenses the cold milk from the dispenser 3.

The cleaning of the frothing device 4 can be carried out in the usual way by a jet of steam. However, in order to be able to also clean the feed line 5, the inlet end 5a of the feed line 5 is released from its connection to the storage container 2, ie pulled out of the storage container 2 in the illustrated embodiment, and connected to the hot water outlet 10, while the outlet end 5b of the feed line 5 the output device 3 and the foaming device 4 remains connected. Then, preferably by the user, via an operating element requested for some time, eg a few seconds, a hot water surge from the outlet 10 into the supply line 5 passed. This hot water surge flushes through the supply line 5 and at the same time also cleans the parts of the foaming device 4 and the outlet device 3 contaminated by the milk, and then exits the outlet device 3.

Because of the high temperature of the hot water, especially when provided by a combined hot water steam generator 9, it should be ensured that there is no residual hot water in the supply line 5 when the inlet end 5a of the supply line 5 is again separated from the outlet 10. This can be done by a variety of measures; e.g. the arrangement and structural design of the parts can be chosen so that the outlet end 5b of the supply line 5 is located at the lowest point of the Zufuhrieitung 5, so that the residual hot water flows out by gravity. If a water heater is used for preparing hot water, it can be ensured by a suitable control that the heating is switched off before the end of the cleaning process, so that only cold water is in the supply line 5 after the end of the cleaning process. If steam is also available at the hot water outlet 10, then a steam pulse can be emitted via the outlet 10 at the end of the cleaning process, which pushes residual hot water out of the supply line. If the foaming in the foaming device 4 by means of steam, as shown in Fig. 1, it is also possible to give via the line 8 a burst of steam in the foaming device 4, which sucks the residual hot water from the line 5.

2 shows a device 1 'according to the invention, which differs from the device 1 according to FIG. 1 only by the details described below, wherein identical or comparable components are identified by the same reference numerals and are not explained again.

The device 1 ¹ differs from the device 1 only in that is the introduction of the milk from the reservoir 2 into the outlet 3 and the frothing device 4 is performed by a pump 13 and supported. The pump 13 is disposed in the supply line 5 between the inlet end 5a in the reservoir 2 and the outlet end 5b on the foaming device 4. The operation of the device 1 ' and the cleaning process corresponds to the method as already explained with reference to FIG. Only the expulsion of residual hot water can be done here in a simple manner by pressing the pump 13.

Fig. 3 shows a further embodiment of a device according to the invention 1 ", which differs from the devices 1 and 1 ¹ according to FIGS. 1 and 2 only by the details described below, wherein the same or similar parts with the same reference numerals and are not explained again.

The device 1 "differs only by a modified reservoir 2", which has the receiving space of milk and a suction nozzle attached to the reservoir 2a. In the illustrated embodiment, the intake manifold 2a is connected to the reservoir 2 "so that both can be easily cleaned together in a dishwasher." The intake manifold 2a is thus either permanently or detachably connected to the reservoir 2 ". The intake manifold is dimensioned and arranged such that the inlet end 5a of the supply line 5 is detachably connected to the intake manifold 2a outside the milk level in the reservoir 2 " Bottom of the reservoir 2 "has a suction and extends beyond the milk level in the reservoir 2" and there connected to the inlet end 5a of the supply line 5, wherein the inlet end 5a is preferably attached to the intake manifold 2a. For cleaning, the inlet end 5a is removed from the intake manifold 2a and connected to the connector 11.

The devices 1, 1 ', 1 "according to the invention may be designed as separate devices, but may also be integrated into a coffee machine 100 according to Fig. 4. The coffee machine equipped according to the invention is of the usual type, ie it is designed as a semi-automatic or fully automatic machine and is controlled by a not shown control unit.

The coffee machine 100 includes a housing 17 in and on which the usual in coffee machines elements are arranged. Via an operating device 14, the user request different drinks, which are then automatically prepared and output by the coffee machine.

The coffee machine 100 contains for this purpose, for example, a conventional brewing unit 15, which is supplied via a line 15 a with hot water from the hot water heater 9 and is connected via a line 15 b with a coffee outlet 16. The coffee machine 100 further includes the already described foaming device 4 with the supply line 5. The reservoir 2 for milk is in the illustrated embodiment, for example, a commercial milk carton, which is housed in a holder. However, the hopper 2 may also be a preferably cooled chamber in the interior of the housing 17 of the coffee machine 100.

The coffee machine 100 is provided with one of the usual hot water outlets 10, as they are provided on many coffee machines, so that tea can be prepared. The coffee machine 100 further includes a separate steam outlet 18, which is designed as a pivot lever and is used for example for heating drinks or other liquids (soups).

The hot water outlet 10 and / or the steam outlet 18 are provided with the connector 11 for connecting the inlet end 5a of the supply pipe 5; in the illustrated Ausführungsbeispiei coupling parts 12 are provided at both terminals.

The hot water outlet 10 is arranged in the illustrated exemplary embodiment in the vicinity of the storage container 2, 2 ", so that the supply line 5 can be connected there without problem However, with its coupling piece 12 at a distance from the foaming device 4, which is smaller than the length of the supply line 5, so that the inlet end 5a can also be connected to the steam outlet 18.

The cleaning process for the supply line 5 can also be carried out in the coffee machine 100 in a manner as already described with reference to Figures 1 to 3, wherein the supply line 5 cleaned either with hot water or steam becomes. For this purpose, after connecting the inlet end 5a to the hot water or steam outlet 10, 18 via the operating device 14, the user must initiate either the discharge of a hot water blast for tea preparation or the release of a steam blast for heating, depending on where the supply line 5 is connected ,

The expulsion of residual hot water can also take place in the manner already described.

The cleaning process according to the invention can be carried out either as part of a general cleaning of the device or the coffee machine, but can preferably be carried out as an intermediate cleaning step, optionally after each milk dispensing. This effectively suppresses the proliferation of harmful germs. The intake manifold could be attached to the reservoir in a different way, for example, he could enforce the wall of the reservoir side, or open out of the ground. However, the provided with an intake reservoir facilitates cleaning, however, in coffee machines and other milk dispensing devices that have no connection device, d. H. where the supply line has to be cleaned conventionally.

Claims

claims Device (1, 1 ', 1 ") for supplying milk from a storage container (2, 2") to an output device (3), with a supply line (5) whose inlet end (5a) releasably connected to the reservoir (2 ), characterized in that a cleaning device for the supply line (5) is provided, which has a hot water and / or steam outlet (10, 18) with a connection device (11) for releasably connecting the inlet end (5a) of the supply line (5 ) contains. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the hot water and / or steam outlet (10) in the region of the storage container (2, 2 ") is arranged. 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cleaning device includes a hot water outlet (10) and means for removing residual hot water from the supply line (5) is provided. 4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the connection device (11) includes a coupling piece (12). 5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the connection device (11) by a plug connection with a dimensional adjustment between the inlet end (5a) of the supply line (5) and an outlet end of the hot water and / or steam outlet (10 ) is formed. 6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the inlet end (5a) of the supply line (5) on the reservoir (2 ") is attached. A method of cleaning a device for supplying milk to an output device (3) comprising a reservoir (2, 2 ") detachably connected to an inlet end (5a) of a supply line (5) and via the supply line (5) the output device (3) is connected, characterized in that the inlet end (5a) of the supply line (5) for cleaning of the reservoir (2, 2 ") dissolved, with a hot water and / or steam outlet (10) connected and then a hot water and / or steam output in the supply line (5) is effected. 8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that after cleaning with hot water in the feed line (5) remaining residual hot water is removed. 9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the residual hot water is rinsed or sucked or expelled. 10. A coffee machine, with a frothing device (4) for milk, which is arranged between an output device (3) and a milk reservoir (2, 2 "), wherein a supply line (5) is provided, which with its inlet end (5a) detachably connected to the storage container (2, 2 "), and with a hot water and / or steam outlet (10, 18), characterized in that a cleaning device for the supply line (5) is provided which the hot water and / or Steam outlet (10, 18) and a connection device (11) for releasably connecting the inlet end (5a) of the supply line (5) to the hot water and / or steam outlet (10, 18). 11. Coffee machine according to claim 10, characterized in that the connection device (11) contains a coupling piece (12).