IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0885465
(2006-03-03)
|
등록번호 |
US-8230778
(2012-07-31)
|
우선권정보 |
NL-1028460 (2005-03-04) |
국제출원번호 |
PCT/NL2006/000113
(2006-03-03)
|
§371/§102 date |
20080702
(20080702)
|
국제공개번호 |
WO2006/093406
(2006-09-08)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Piscaer, Petrus Josephus Carolus
- Wessels, Hendrikus Christinus Maria
|
출원인 / 주소 |
- Koninklijke Douwe Egberts B.V.
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
3 인용 특허 :
19 |
초록
▼
The invention relates to an apparatus for preparing and dispensing a beverage such as coffee, tea, milk, chocolate milk, soup or the like, which beverage, if desired, may be at least partly foamed. To that end, the apparatus comprises a foaming chamber (3), provided with an inlet opening (4) for sup
The invention relates to an apparatus for preparing and dispensing a beverage such as coffee, tea, milk, chocolate milk, soup or the like, which beverage, if desired, may be at least partly foamed. To that end, the apparatus comprises a foaming chamber (3), provided with an inlet opening (4) for supply of beverage prepared upstream, an outlet opening (6) for dispensing the beverage, and foaming means (8) for foaming beverage fed through the foaming chamber, and dosing means (15) for regulating a beverage flow rate flowing from the foaming chamber (3). The foaming means (8) and outlet opening (6) are preferably displaceable relative to each other, so that the foaming means can close off or clear this opening at least partly and can thus function as dosing means (15). The foaming means (8) can for comprise, for instance, a drive shaft (9, 20) with paddles (10).
대표청구항
▼
1. An apparatus for preparing and dispensing at least one beverage such as coffee, tea, milk, chocolate milk, or soup, which beverage can, if desired, be at least partly foamed, the apparatus comprising: at least one foaming chamber having at least one inlet opening for supplying to the foaming cham
1. An apparatus for preparing and dispensing at least one beverage such as coffee, tea, milk, chocolate milk, or soup, which beverage can, if desired, be at least partly foamed, the apparatus comprising: at least one foaming chamber having at least one inlet opening for supplying to the foaming chamber a beverage or ingredients for a beverage, and a foaming device for foaming the beverage which flows through the foaming chamber;at least one outlet which is in fluid communication with the foaming chamber for dispensing the beverage from the foaming chamber;at least one dosing unit for regulating a flow rate of the beverage which flows from the outlet;wherein the at least one outlet and at least a portion of the at least one dosing unit are movable relative to one another such that the outlet can be closed off to a greater or lesser extent, andwherein the foaming device is provided with at least one stirrer included in the at least one foaming chamber. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dosing unit is provided with a constriction in a fluid communication between the foaming chamber and the outlet, and a plug which can be moved to and fro in a direction of movement of the plug within at least a part of the fluid communication so that the plug can be moved in a position wherein the plug closes off the fluid communication at the constriction, and the plug can be moved away from the constriction for releasing the fluid communication at least partly. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein a passage is formed between the plug and the fluid communication when the plug partly releases the fluid communication at the constriction. 4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the fluid communication is closed off from an environment of the apparatus. 5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the constriction and the plug are designed to be round. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein at least one closed loop-forming split is formed when the plug partly releases the fluid communication at the constriction. 7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein an outer surface of the plug tapers at least partly in the direction of movement from the plug to the constriction. 8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the plug for closing off the fluid communication is to be moved from a position wherein the fluid communication is at least partly released in downstream direction of the beverage. 9. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the plug is provided with outside surface which is at least partly manufactured from a flexible material such as rubber. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stirrer is provided with a drive shaft directed at least virtually horizontally. 11. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus is further provided with a drive for moving the plug. 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one dosing unit is located downstream of the foaming device. 13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the foaming device can be operated independently of the at least one dosing unit. 14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the foaming device also function as the dosing unit. 15. An apparatus for preparing and dispensing at least one beverage such as coffee, tea, milk, chocolate milk, or soup, which beverage can, if desired, be at least partly foamed, the apparatus comprising: at least one foaming chamber having at least one inlet opening for supplying to the foaming chamber a beverage or ingredients for a beverage, and a foaming device for foaming the beverage which flows through the foaming chamber;at least one outlet which is in fluid communication with the foaming chamber for dispensing the beverage from the foaming chamber;at least one dosing unit for regulating a flow rate of the beverage which flows from the outlet;wherein the dosing unit is provided with a constriction in a fluid communication between the foaming chamber and the outlet, andwherein the fluid communication is provided with a buffer chamber and an outflow channel located downstream of the buffer chamber and ending up in the outlet. 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the constriction is formed by the transition between the buffer chamber and the outflow channel. 17. An apparatus for preparing and dispensing at least one beverage such as coffee, tea, milk, chocolate milk, or soup, which beverage can, if desired, be at least partly foamed, the apparatus comprising: at least one foaming chamber having at least one inlet opening for supplying to the foaming chamber a beverage or ingredients for a beverage, and a foaming device for foaming the beverage which flows through the foaming chamber;at least one outlet which is in fluid communication with the foaming chamber for dispensing the beverage from the foaming chamber;at least one dosing unit for regulating a flow rate of the beverage which flows from the outlet;wherein the foaming device comprises a drive shaft arranged for rotation, provided with a stirrer provided with, for instance, paddles extending in radial direction. 18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein operation of the dosing unit is coupled to rotation of the drive shaft. 19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the dosing unit comprises a part slideable along the drive shaft for closing off or clearing, respectively, the outlet. 20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the slideable part is coupled to the drive shaft such that sliding therealong can take place under the influence of forces of inertia upon an abrupt change in the speed of rotation of the drive shaft. 21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the paddles are connected to the slideable part. 22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outlet is provided in a lowest part, at least in use, of the foaming chamber. 23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the drive shaft, at least in use, extends substantially in vertical direction. 24. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the quality and/or quantity of foam formed, in use, in the foaming chamber is adjustable by varying the axial position of the paddles relative to the drive shaft. 25. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the foaming chamber tapers in the flow direction towards the outlet while the stirrer is positioned in the foaming chamber such that, in use, when the stirrer rotates sufficiently rapidly, as a result of centrifugal forces, the beverage flows in the direction of the tapering wall. 26. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further provided with at least one beverage unit for supplying the beverage or the ingredients of the beverage to the foaming chamber. 27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein a flow path from the beverage unit to the outlet is designed to be closed off from the environment. 28. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is provided with two outlets which are each in connection with the foaming chamber and which are each provided with a dosing unit. 29. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is provided with at least two foaming chambers and at least two outlets, each outlet being in fluid communication with one of the foaming chamber, each foaming chamber being in fluid communication with at least one of the outlets which are each connected to at least one outlet while each outlet is provided with one of the dosing units.
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