Enables a coffee making apparatus with a froth spoon and at least one impeller configured to enable users to make a cup of coffee, agitate the coffee grounds with the at least one impeller, for example before or after as the plunger is pushed to the bottom of the carafe. Embodiments thus enable a user to make additional froth, pour out the coffee into a cup, and after the cup is filled to the desired level, spoon out froth over the coffee with the froth spoon without pouring excess coffee into the cup.

An apparatus for layering fluids in a container is provided. The apparatus may include a first component and a second component. The first component may include a first extension, a second extension, and a support portion disposed between the first extension and the second extension. When the first extension and the second extension are supported by the top of the drinking container, the support portion may be disposed at a vertical opening into the drinking container. The second component may include an upper portion defining a basin and a plurality of apertures extending between the basin and an exterior of the upper portion, a middle portion, and a lower portion. The lower portion or the middle portion may be configured to be coupled with the support portion of the first component to suspend the second component at the vertical opening into the drinking container.

A merchandise security system for an electronic item of merchandise is provided. In one example, the merchandise security system includes a continuous alarming power cord comprising at least one electrical conductor. The alarming power cord has a first end adapted to be electrically connected to the electronic item of merchandise and a second end. The merchandise security system also includes a reel for receiving the second end of the alarming power cord and adapted for storing at least a portion of the alarming power cord thereon. In addition, the merchandise security system includes monitoring circuitry in electrical communication with the alarming power cord and configured to detect an interruption in an electrical signal provided to the alarming power cord.

A method for operating an automatic beverage dispenser, such as a coffee machine provided with a control panel by using a mobile device with a communication unit. A communication link is automatically established between the beverage dispenser and the mobile device. A data set representing a user personalized recipe is transmitted from the mobile device to the coffee machine which temporarily stores the dataset. The personalized recipe is displayed as a selection option on the control panel of the beverage dispenser. Preparation of the beverage is triggered by selecting the desired personalized recipe in response to which a personalized beverage is dispensed by the beverage dispenser.

The invention relates to a method for selectively producing beverages or foamed beverages, preferably foamed milk, in which method the beverage is mixed by at least one powder mixing unit (2) which can be connected to at least one powder container (30; 31) for supplying instant powder and to at least one water supply (21). The mixed beverage is at least processed by a foamer unit (5) to form a beverage foam and conveyed in a cold or hot state to an outlet (6). This means that even with a mixture of powder and water, both hot and cold milk foam having an excellent foam quality in terms of consistency and healthiness can be produced.

An apparatus for high yield foaming of coffee has a pressure control mechanism, a gas pressure source, a water reservoir and a back pressure resonance mechanism, wherein a coffee outlet is arranged at a lower part of the back pressure resonance mechanism. When a button is pressed, water having a controlled water pressure enters a coffee placement cavity to be mixed with the coffee and extracted. One resonance needle and a colloid ring constitute a resonance cavity. When pressed coffee slurry passes through the resonance cavity, due to the pressed coffee slurry and a special structure of the resonance cavity, the coffee slurry is sufficiently foamed after high-frequency oscillation and flows out of the coffee outlet.

Provided is a device, comprising: a barrier configured to impeded or prevent particles shed by a robot in a first volume of space from entering a second volume of space in which the robot manipulates a workpiece; and a robot having three or more degrees of freedom, the robot comprising: a first portion disposed on a first side of the barrier in the first volume, the first portion comprising an actuator of the robot, the actuator being configured to drive movement of the robot to manipulate the workpiece; and a second portion disposed on a second side of the barrier in the second volume, the second portion comprising an end-effector of the robot by which the robot makes contact with the workpiece.

The invention provides a mixing apparatus having a first port for receiving milk, a second port for receiving steam, an air intake channel for receiving air, and a mixing chamber for mixing milk, steam and air. A barrier element is provided at an output of the mixing chamber, wherein the barrier element is adjustable to define different degrees of frothing.

A coffee dispensing apparatus (200) includes a base (210) and an at least one nozzle (208). Further, base (210) and nozzle (208) are arranged such that the dispensed coffee flows via inner upstanding wall (214a) of a standard sized coffee container (212). The coffee thus collected in the container has an aesthetically improved crema.

A monitoring system for an apparatus for making beverages is provided, comprising a sensor unit having at least one sensor to determine current sensor data of a beverage production environment, a processing unit to determine current feature data from the current sensor data and a monitoring unit adapted to determine a current beverage production state by comparing the current feature data with reference feature data of a reference beverage production process. A control unit is adapted for controlling actuators in dependence of a current beverage production state determined by the monitoring unit.