A handheld cylinder (103) capable of containing hot water. The cylinder has a pump 105 for pressurised the headspace above the hot water with air. The cylinder (103) also has a spout (107) which can be open and closed by a valve (500). When the pressurised air which has been warmed by the hot water is released from the spout (107), the air can be directed into a body of milk to swirl the milk in its container (109) to cause frothing and foaming of the milk.

Coffee machine including a housing frame and device for generating coffee, and an integrated device for dispensing milk froth onto a coffee drink in a container. This device, possibly in the form of a robot, includes a dispenser controllable to enable automated movement in two or three coordinate directions, and dispenses the milk froth directly onto a surface of the coffee drink previously poured into the container. An automated movement mechanism controls movement of the dispenser during dispensing of the milk froth to cause automatic and controlled addition of a specific amount of the milk froth onto the coffee drink surface and produce an aesthetically decorative graphic pattern thereon. The specific amount of milk froth remains on and/or beneath the coffee drink surface. The coffee drink is poured into the container and the graphic pattern of milk forth is produced on the coffee drink surface by the same coffee machine.

A device (1) for preparing a beverage on the basis of interaction between a beverage extract and an extracting fluid, particularly a beverage having a crema layer, comprises a brewing chamber (10) for accommodating a quantity of the beverage extract, having an inlet (11) for receiving the extracting fluid and an outlet (12) for discharging the beverage. Furthermore, the device (1) comprises restricting means (60) which are movable between an activated position for realizing a restriction (61) in the outlet (12) of the brewing chamber (10) and an inactivated position for minimizing the restriction (61) in the outlet (12) of the brewing chamber (10), and also actuator means (70) for controlling the position of the restricting means (60) in relation to an actual state of pumping means (30) as present in the device (1) for realizing a flow of the extracting fluid.

The milk frother (1) comprises a container that has a chamber (2) for containing the milk, a mixing chamber (3) equipped with an external dispenser (4) for dispensing the milk, a connecting channel (5) for connection between the containment chamber (2) and the mixing chamber (3), a transfer impeller (6) for transferring the milk from the containment chamber (2) to the mixing chamber, a mixing impeller (8) provided in the mixing chamber (3), and disconnectable connection means (9) for connection between the transfer impeller (6) and the mixing impeller (8).

The invention refers to a pumping and foaming device (10) comprising a mixing unit (201) where air and a foamable fluid are conveyed and pre-mixed, and a foaming unit (203) where the mixture of air and fluid is foamed; the device (10) further comprising a processing element (202) rotatable with respect to the foaming unit (203), such that the rotation of the processing element (202) sucks air and fluid by centrifugal forces into the mixing unit (201), where they are conveyed and pre-mixed, that same rotation of the processing element (202) with respect to the foaming unit (203) driving the mixture of air and fluid under a certain level of shear stress which allows the mixture to be foamed. The invention further refers to a pack (100) comprising a device (10) and a fluid container (20), and further to a machine (200) to which such a pack (100) is connectable. The invention also refers to a system (300) comprising a machine (200) and a pack (100).

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.

An appliance to foam a liquid for consumption, the appliance comprising: a container mounting portion to mount thereto a container to contain said liquid; an agitation system configured to foam said liquid, said system comprising a stator arranged external a mounted container, said stator configured to generate a rotating magnetic field for transmission of torque to rotate a rotary agitator arranged in a mounted container, wherein said stator comprises at a circuit board with electrically conductive portions formed thereon.

Various automated and semi-automated beverage preparation systems and methods are shown. The beverage preparation system can include a container assembly configured to receive beverage, such as a milk. The container assembly can be configured to receive a flow of steam, air, or additional gasses and vapors to heat and/or aerate the beverage residing therein. The container assembly can include a temperature sensor configured to monitor the rate of heating, and automatically adjust the heating and aeration parameters accordingly.

The coffee dispenser disclosed herein may serve a single serving of coffee. The coffee dispenser may including a coffee concentrate fluid line which intersects with a water fluid line at a junction to allow mixing of coffee concentrate with water as the respective fluids flow through the coffee dispenser.

A dispensing assembly for cold beverages comprises a beverage supply conduit, an opening and closing tap for closing or opening the beverage supply conduit, a beverage dispensing conduit delimiting a fluid passage, a dispensing outlet arranged at the end of the dispensing conduit, an air supply conduit delimiting an air passage. The tap is directly connected to the dispensing outlet by providing a connecting coupling which connects the air supply conduit to the beverage dispensing conduit, the beverage dispensing conduit comprising a Venturi segment between the tap and the outlet in which, by flowing through the Venturi segment, the fluid passage reduces the cross section thereof and then increases the cross section thereof as in a Venturi conduit. An air passage regulating valve is provided in said air supply conduit for regulating the width of the air passage.