BEVERAGE PREPARATION MACHINES AND METHODS OF CONNECTING STEAM WANDS THERETO

Abstract

The invention provides a beverage preparation machine comprising a steam wand connector wherein the connector comprises an aperture having a first portion having a first maximum width which tapers and/or curves to a second portion which has a second narrower width.

Claims

1: A beverage preparation machine comprising a steam wand connector wherein the connector comprises an aperture having a first portion having a first maximum width which tapers and/or curves to a second portion which has a second narrower width.

2: A beverage preparation machine according to claim 1 wherein said first portion is circular, balloon-shaped, semi-circular, circular sector, circular cap or funnel-shaped in cross-section.

3: A beverage preparation machine according to claim 1 wherein said second portion has a tubular or channel cross-section.

4: A beverage preparation machine according to claim 1 wherein the second portion extends below said first portion.

5: A beverage preparation machine according to claim 1 wherein said aperture of said connector is directly or indirectly in fluid communication with a steam source of the beverage preparation machine.

6: A beverage preparation machine according to claim 1 wherein said aperture comprises a slot or cavity.

7: A beverage preparation machine according to claim 6 wherein said slot comprises a keyhole shape or said cavity comprises a keyhole cross-sectional shape.

8: A beverage preparation machine according to claim 1 wherein the connector comprises a connector plate and said aperture is set back in a pocket or depression formed in said connector plate.

9: A beverage preparation machine according to claim 8 wherein said connector plate is arranged on a front face of said beverage preparation machine.

10: A system comprising a beverage preparation machine according to claim 1 and a steam wand wherein the steam wand comprises a head and body, wherein the head is wider than the body and wherein a steam conduit extends through the head and body of said steam wand.

11: A system according to claim 10 wherein the width of said head is smaller than the width of the first portion of the connector, but wider than the width of the second portion, and wherein the width of said body is smaller than the width of the second portion of the connector.

12: A system according to claim 10 wherein said head comprises a spherical, hemispherical, balloon-shape, spherical cap, spherical segment or funnel-shape.

13: A system according to claim 10 wherein said head is integrally attached or detachable from said body.

14: A system according to claim 10 wherein said steam wand further comprises a handle.

15: A system according to claim 10, wherein the width of the body of the steam wand is no more than 75% of the width of the head of the steam wand.

16: A method of attaching a steam wand to a beverage preparation machine according to claim 1 comprising the steps of: providing a steam wand having a head and body, wherein the head is wider than the body and wherein a steam conduit extends through the head and body of said steam wand; introducing the steam wand head into the first portion of the beverage preparation machine connector aperture; orienting the wand body into the second portion of the beverage preparation machine connector aperture.

17: A steam wand comprising a head having a first maximum width which tapers and/or curves to a body which has a second narrower width.

18: A steam wand according to claim 17 wherein said head comprises a spherical, balloon, hemispherical, spherical sector, spherical cap or funnel shape and said body comprises a tubular, prismatic or channel shape, such as a half-cylinder shape.

19: A steam wand according to claim 17 wherein said head comprises a beverage preparation machine steam conduit connector comprising a beverage preparation machine steam conduit sealing means.

20: A steam wand according to claim 19 wherein said sealing means comprises a resilient sealing means.

21: A steam wand according to claim 20 wherein said resilient sealing means comprises a rubber or silicone seal.

22: A steam wand according to claim 19 wherein said sealing means comprises an O-ring.

23: A steam wand according to claim 19 wherein said sealing means comprises a removable sealing means.

24: A steam wand head comprising a steam inlet, a steam outlet and a steam conduit extending therebetween through the steam wand head, wherein the head further comprises a beverage preparation machine steam conduit connector, arranged in use to receive a steam conduit of a beverage preparation machine, the connector comprising a recess or depression formed at an upper end of the head, wherein the steam inlet is located within the recess or depression and wherein a beverage preparation machine steam conduit sealing means is located within the recess or depression around the periphery of the steam inlet.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0050] In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:

[0051] FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of a wand connector of a first embodiment of a beverage preparation machine according to the first aspect of the invention;

[0052] FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the wand connector of FIG. 1;

[0053] FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a steam wand, according to the fourth aspect of the invention:

[0054] FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a system according to the second aspect of the invention;

[0055] FIG. 5 illustrates a front cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the system of FIG. 4, in a rest position, according to the second aspect of the invention.

[0056] FIG. 6 illustrates a front cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the system of FIG. 5, in a working (operative) position, according to the second aspect of the invention.

[0057] Referring to the Figures, like numbers represent like components.

[0058] Referring firstly to FIGS. 1 and 2, a beverage preparation machine wand connector (1) connected to a beverage preparation machine faceplate (12) is shown. For simplicity's sake the remainder of the beverage preparation machine is not shown, but may be, for example, a coffee preparation machine.

[0059] The beverage preparation machine wand connector (1) comprises a steam wand connector plate (2) consisting of a steam wand connector aperture (4) which includes a first, upper (6) and a second, lower (8) connector portion, adjacent to and contiguous with each other. A steam wand connector plate peripheral wall (10) delimits said connector plate (2) within the beverage preparation machine faceplate (12).

[0060] The steam wand aperture (4) is set back in a pocket formed by upper, left and right sloping sides (13, 15, 17 respectively) within the connector plate (2). Said aperture (4) includes an entrance slot having the two superposed and adjacent portions (6, 8) in the form of two cavities which are in communication with each other. These two portions (6,8) have specific shapes which differ from each other. Particularly the first, upper portion (6) is a substantially balloon-shaped cavity which has a maximum width which tapers and/or curves to the second portion (8), which comprises a half-cylindrical shaped cavity and which has a narrower maximum width than the maximum width of the first portion (6). The first portion (6) comprises a cavity within the connector plate (2) having substantially balloon-shaped cross-sectional shape which tapers at its bottom towards the second portion (8) which comprises a cavity in the connector plate (2) having a slot-shaped cross-sectional shape, extending from said first portion (6) toward an outlet (not shown). The cross section of the overall aperture (4) leading to the cavities is substantially a keyhole shape, but other shapes are equally desirable, for example a funnel and/or tenon shape. The continuous cavity formed by the cavities of the first portion (6) and the second portion (8) is also keyhole-shaped in cross-section.

[0061] Referring to FIG. 3, a steam wand (3) according to the fourth aspect of the invention is shown.

[0062] Said steam wand (3) comprises a head (301), a body (303), a steam wand conduit (305) which extends through the head (301) and body (303), a handle (307) and a steam wand exit (300) which allows steam to exit the wand (3) into a beverage container, in use.

[0063] Said wand head (301) is wider than the body (303) and particularly the wand head (301) presents a maximum width which is greater than the maximum width of the body (303).

[0064] The wand head (301) has a substantially spherical shape, the bottom end of which tapers toward the contiguous wand body (303) which has a tubular (cylindrical) shape.

[0065] The steam wand conduit (305) comprises an inlet at the top thereof, which opens into a seat or depression (315) formed into the top of the wand head (301).

[0066] In some embodiments, the wand body (303) is integrally attached to the wand head (301). Alternatively, the body (303) can be removably attached to the wand head (301).

[0067] The assembly consisting of the head (301) and the body (303) can itself be removably attached or integrally connected to the rest of a steam wand (3) represented in FIG. 3.

[0068] The steam wand conduit (305) ensures fluid communication between the wand head (301) and the body (303) and extends through the entire length of the wand (3) down to the steam wand exit (300).

[0069] The handle (307) is positioned on the head (301), but in other embodiments can be positioned on the body (303). In other embodiments the handle may be omitted.

[0070] The steam wand head (301), the body (303) and the handle (307) can be made from materials such as metal, alloy, polymer substrates such as for instance polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polylactic acid (PLA), polyamide (PA), polycarbonate (PC), rubber, silicone and/or any combination thereof.

[0071] The head (301) and the body (303) are obtained through conventional manufacturing processes, such as moulding (for example 2-stage moulding and/or over-moulding), casting, extrusion.

[0072] Referring now to FIG. 4, a system comprising a beverage preparation machine connector (1) of FIGS. 1 and 2, and a steam wand (3) of FIG. 3 is shown.

[0073] The steam wand (3) is located in the beverage preparation machine connector (1) through the steam wand connector aperture (4). The circular cross-sectional shape of the entrance of the connector aperture first portion (6) matches the cross-sectional shape of the head (301) of the steam wand (3), allowing the insertion of the head (301) through the aperture (4). The width of the head (301) of the steam wand (3) is slightly smaller than the width of the first portion (6) of the connector (1). The substantially spherical head (301) fits within the cavity represented by the connector first portion (6) which matches the head's (301) shape.

[0074] The cross-sectional shape of the wand body (303) being slot-shaped, matches the cross-sectional shape of the second portion (8) of the aperture (4) and is slightly narrower than the second portion (8) so that it slots in the second portion (8) when correctly oriented.

[0075] The head (301) and body (303) therefore slot into the keyhole-shaped cavity of the aperture (4) formed by the substantially hemispherical first portion (6) and channel-shaped second portion (8). The head of the wand (301) being wider than the widest part of the channel-shaped second portion (8) of the connector plate (2), rests thereon preventing the wand (3) from dropping out of the aperture (4). In addition, because the head of the wand (301) is spherical and the first portion (6) of the aperture (4) of the connector plate (2) is also substantially circular in cross-section (and the cavity is substantially hemispherical), the head (301) can be inserted in multiple positions/orientations, and then rotated easily to align the body (303) with the channel-shaped second portion (8) of the aperture (4) for easy orientation and insertion. This enables a user to insert the wand (3) without carefully initially aligning the wand with the connector plate (2).

[0076] The handle (307) of the wand (3) is fixedly attached to the wand head (301) and allows an easy insertion of the wand (3) in the connector aperture (4), through the connector plate aperture (4).

[0077] In alternative embodiments the handle (307) may be positioned on the body (303) or there may be no handle (307).

[0078] In the embodiment of FIG. 4 the aperture (4) is in the form of a slot with a shape of a keyhole (leading to a cavity with a keyhole cross-sectional shape). In alternative embodiments the cross-sectional shape may be funnel, balloon or tenon shaped, for example.

[0079] In use, in order to form the system, the steam wand (3) is placed into the beverage preparation machine connector plate (2) by means of the handle (307). The head (301) of said wand (3) is inserted into the first portion (6) of the connector plate aperture (4) and then guided with the help of the handle (307) in such a way to position the body (303) of the wand (3) within the tubular second portion (8) of the connector plate (2). The handle (307) is then released and the wand drops into its final position within the cavity of the connector plate (2) by means of gravity.

[0080] FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a front cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the system of FIG. 4 comprising a beverage preparation machine connector (1) and a steam wand (3) in rest (FIG. 5) and working (or operative) (FIG. 6) positions.

[0081] FIG. 5 shows the beverage preparation machine connector (1) in a rest position with the steam wand (3) placed into the beverage preparation machine connector (1). The wand head (301), body (303) and wand steam conduit (305) extending therethrough are located beneath a steam source outlet (50) within the beverage preparation machine connector (1). A sealing means in the form of a gasket (59), i.e. an O-ring, is placed around the steam source outlet (50) to ensure a water-tight sealing of the system when in the working position.

[0082] In use, the steam wand (3) is placed into the beverage preparation machine connector (1) as described herein above in relation to FIG. 4, such that the system is in the rest position. In the rest position of FIG. 5, the conduit (305) of the wand (3) is disconnected from the steam source outlet (50) of the beverage preparation machine connector (1), as shown in FIG. 5. Once the beverage preparation machine (not shown) is turned on and a steam delivery is required for the frothing process, the steam source outlet (50) of the beverage preparation machine connector (1) is lowered towards the wand head (301) and engages with the conduit (305) of said wand (3), as shown in FIG. 6 (working position). The O-ring gasket (59) of the steam source outlet (50) then seals the periphery of the wand steam conduit (305), by deformation of the O-ring gasket (59) which enters the seat or depression (315) formed at the top of the wand head (301) and locates around the periphery of the steam conduit inlet of the wand steam conduit (305). The deformed O-ring gasket (59) resiliently grips the join between the steam source outlet (50) and wand steam conduit (305), ensuring steam cannot leak out. This ensures a watertight sealing of the wand (3) with the steam source outlet (50) of the beverage preparation machine whilst creating a continuous steam channel/conduit from the machine through the wand (3). Steam is then sent through the steam source outlet (50) to the wand exit (300) for the preparation of frothed beverages.

[0083] In some embodiments (not shown) a stiff silicone and/or rubber wand head (301) is particularly suitable to engage with the steam source outlet (50) of a beverage preparation machine, ensuring a watertight seal of the wand (3) to the beverage preparation machine connector (1), sealing the wand without need of any further gasket (for example an O-ring type gasket), reducing complexity and cost of the assembly mechanism of the beverage machine itself.

[0084] In other alternative embodiments (not shown), a sealing means in the form of, for example, a resilient O-ring is placed on the top of the steam wand head (301), at the entrance of the steam wand conduit (305) in the recess or depression (315) formed at the top of the steam wand head (301), rather than on the steam source outlet of the beverage preparation machine, to ensure sealing once the conduit (305) inlet engages the steam source outlet (50) of a beverage preparation machine, deforming the O-ring within the recess or depression (315), which resiliently grips the steam source outlet (50) and the join between the steam source outlet (50) and conduit inlet, ensuring steam cannot leak out. One of the advantages of these alternative embodiments in which the sealing means (the O-ring) is positioned on the head of the steam wand (301) is that the sealing means can be easily replaced if deteriorated by use, without requiring access to the inside of the beverage preparation machine.

[0085] The above embodiments are described by way of example only. Many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.