The beverage appliance of the present invention includes a venturi having a steam inlet and a milk inlet. The steam inlet and milk inlet each include a solenoid valve configurable between an open state and a closed state. The solenoid valves are electrically coupled to a processor and are controllable through first and second switches. In operation, upon activation of the first switch, the solenoid valves are controlled to their open states to deliver milk and steam to the venturi to produce frothed milk. When a desired amount of frothed milk has been dispensed, the user deactivates the first switch and the processor controls only the milk inlet solenoid valve to its closed state. The steam inlet solenoid valve remains in its open state for a predetermined amount of time such that a burst of steam only is forced through the venturi and distribution lines to purge them of milk.

A beverage preparation device (1) having a disk valve (6), comprising a valve housing (12) and a disk stack (7) arranged therein, having a cover disk (8) that has at least one fluid opening, configured as a fluid inlet opening, for fluid (5), in particular water and/or steam, and having at least one control disk (10) that is arranged on a side of the cover disk (8) facing away from an outer end side of the cover disk (8), wherein the control disk (10) is rotatable, manually and/or by means of a drive, about an axis of rotation (R) relative to the cover disk (8) between different selection positions, wherein a pressure chamber (15) is formed outside the fluid opening (11), within which pressure chamber (15) a contact pressure (P) is exertable, by means of the fluid (5) flowing therethrough, on the outer end side (14) of the cover disk (9) along the axis of rotation (R) in the direction of the control disk (10), and wherein the pressure chamber (15) is bounded in the radial direction with respect to the axis of rotation (R) by an elastomer seal (13), which is supported on the cover disk (8) in the axial direction, and wherein a pressure-chamber cross-sectional area enclosed by the elastomer seal (13) and/or the pressure-surface portion (17), able to be loaded with hydraulic pressure, of the outer cover disk (8) next to the fluid opening (11) corresponds to at least 20% of the axial projection surface of the cover disk (8), and/or is greater than a fluid-opening cross-sectional area of the fluid opening (11).

Milk frothing apparatus (1) having a container (2) which delimits a supply space (3) for milk (4), and having a frothing element which can be rotated by electric motor with the function of frothing the milk (4) by way of rotation of the frothing element, the supply space being assigned a filling opening (22), wherein the frothing element is configured as a feed rotor (7), with the function of conveying, by way of the rotation of said feed rotor (7), the milk which was frothed by way of rotation of the frothing element (7) to an outlet (10) through a milk froth line (9) of the milk frothing apparatus (1), and wherein the feed rotor (7) is arranged at least in sections, preferably completely, in a frothing chamber (6) which is connected in a fluid-conducting manner to the supply space (3), from which frothing chamber (6) the milk froth line (9) opens, and wherein the feed rotor (7) is assigned at least one airline (15, 15) for sucking in air by way of the rotation of the feed rotor (7), and wherein the air line (15, 15) opens into the frothing chamber (16) or the fluid-conducting connection (16) between the supply space (3) and the frothing chamber (6).

The present invention provides a steam milk frother, the steam milk frother arranges a steam control valve, to control a flow of the steam entering the injection pipe, being able to better control forming small and dense milk foams in the beverage. The steam milk frother, on one hand, is able to form small and dense milk foams in the beverage stably, making the beverage feel delicate and dense, improving the taste of the beverage; on other hand, owns a simple and quick operation, and it is needed only open a switch, and put the injection pipe into the liquid, before forming small and dense milk foams in the liquid, without a need to manually add air or adjust an angle of the injection tube.

A coffee machine makes use of a valve arrangement for controlling the coupling of a water heater outlet selectively to one of two or more outlets, such as a steam delivery nozzle, a brew chamber and a water collection unit (e.g. drip tray). The valve arrangement comprises a rotatable routing element, wherein the angular position of the routing element controls the coupling of the inlet channel to one of the outlets. The rotation is driven by rotational coupling to a brew chamber motor. This coffee machine design makes use of a single valve arrangement to provide the flow control from the water heater. This provides a compact arrangement with a low component count and simple control mechanism.

A jug for use with a frothing apparatus. The jug comprising: a vessel body for holding a liquid to be heated; a handle attached to the vessel body, the handle for holding the jug; a user interface for receiving an operation-related user input; a communication means adapted to communicate data associated with the jug to the frothing apparatus; and a controller for controlling the user interface and the communication means. In an embodiment, The frothing apparatus comprises: a steam heater, a steam nozzle, and a steam path providing fluid communication from the steam heater to the steam nozzle for delivering heating steam to the jug; communication means adapted to receive operating data from a cooperating communication means associated with the jug, the data comprising an operation-related user input; and a controller for controlling operation of the steam heater and the steam path based on the operation-related user input.

Method for manually controlling an operating unit for steam discharged from a steam lance in a controlled manner using a manually displaceable operating element. The operating element is displaced in one direction from an engaged starting position, in which there is no steam discharge, into engaged positions for discharge of determined amounts of steam, or displaced in the opposite direction, in which the amount of steam varies with the displacement. The operating element has a fixed casing, an outlet head displaceably mounted on the casing, a steam lance fastened to the head, and a displaceable casing including the operating element. The casing is engaged in the starting position or in the positions or can be displaced in the opposite direction, in which the steam is almost continuously variable. Milk froth is produced optimally according to the desired discharge type, in accordance with the amount of milk located in a cup.

A jug for use with a frothing apparatus. The jug comprising: a vessel body for holding a liquid to be heated; a handle attached to the vessel body, the handle for holding the jug; a user interface for receiving an operation-related user input; a communication means adapted to communicate data associated with the jug to the frothing apparatus; and a controller for controlling the user interface and the communication means. In an embodiment, The frothing apparatus comprises: a steam heater, a steam nozzle, and a steam path providing fluid communication from the steam heater to the steam nozzle for delivering heating steam to the jug; communication means adapted to receive operating data from a cooperating communication means associated with the jug, the data comprising an operation-related user input; and a controller for controlling operation of the steam heater and the steam path based on the operation-related user input.

It is disclosed an apparatus for frothing a quantity of milk for preparing a beverage, the apparatus comprises: a platform (1) for supporting a jug (50) containing the quantity of milk to be frothed and a steam wand (10) configured for emitting steam, wherein either said platform (1) is tiltable around a horizontal axis (X, Y) or the steam wand (10) is tiltable around a horizontal axis and wherein said steam wand (10) and said platform (1) are reciprocally movable by a translational movement in the vertical direction one with respect to the other. Preferably, there is provided a translational vertical motion of the steam wand with respect to the jug and/or of the jug with respect to the steam wand.

A sensor assembly for determining a temperature and an orientation of a jug having a bottom surface to rest on the assembly, the sensor assembly comprising: a temperature sensor for producing a temperature signal indicative of the temperature of the bottom surface, the temperature sensor being urged to move in a first direction; a diaphragm, the diaphragm being sealingly engageable with the temperature sensor and a platform supporting the jug, such that the temperature sensor extends through the platform to engage the bottom surface; a retainer, the retainer being connected to the temperature sensor and limiting movement of the temperature sensor in the first direction; and a signal generator for producing a signal when the temperature sensor is moved against the urge to move in the first direction.