LIQUID FROTHING SET, COMPRISING A LIQUID FROTHING DEVICE INCLUDING A LIQUID SUCTION CONDUIT, AND A LIQUID CONTAINER

Abstract

A liquid frothing set includes a liquid frothing device including a liquid suction conduit, and a liquid container. The liquid container includes a container housing having an inlet, and further a closure arrangement located in the inlet, including a seat that is arranged in the inlet and a closure body that is arranged in the seat. Both the seat and the closure body have a through hole for allowing a liquid suction conduit to pass through. The closure body is movable in the seat between at least an opened position in which the respective through holes are aligned with each other, and a closed position in which the closure body blocks the through hole of the seat.

Claims

1. A liquid frothing set, comprising a liquid frothing device including a liquid suction conduit, and a liquid container, the liquid container comprising: a container housing having an inlet, and a closure arrangement comprising a seat and a closure body, wherein the seat has a first through hole, wherein the closure body is arranged in the seat and has a second through hole, and wherein the closure body is movable in the seat between at least two different positions, at least one position being an opened position in which the second through hole of the closure body is aligned with the first through hole of the seat, and at least one other position being a closed position in which the closure body blocks the first through hole of the seat, wherein: the inlet allows insertion of the liquid suction conduit of the liquid frothing device in the container housing, the seat is arranged in the inlet, the first through hole of the seat allows the liquid suction conduit to pass through, and the second through hole of the closure body allows the liquid suction conduit to pass through.

2. The liquid frothing set according to claim 1, wherein, in the liquid container, the seat is configured to block the second through hole of the closure body in the closed position of the closure body.

3. The liquid frothing set according to claim 1, wherein, in the liquid container, the closure body is rotatably arranged in the seat.

4. The liquid frothing set according to claim 1, wherein, in the liquid container, the closure body is of spherical shape.

5. The liquid frothing set according to claim 1, wherein, in the liquid container, the closure body comprises a tab extending from the closure body to a position outside of the container housing.

6. The liquid frothing set according to claim 1, wherein, in the liquid container, the closure body is removably arranged in the seat.

7. The liquid frothing set according to claim 1, wherein, in the liquid container, the seat comprises a resilient material.

8. The liquid frothing set according to claim 1, wherein, in the liquid container, the container housing has an air inlet.

9. The liquid frothing set according to claim 8, wherein, in the liquid container, the air inlet is included in the closure arrangement.

10. The liquid frothing set according to claim 1, wherein the second through hole of the closure body of the liquid container is shaped to contact the liquid suction conduit of the liquid frothing device, in inserted condition, along part of its perimeter only.

11. The liquid frothing set according to claim 1, wherein, in the liquid container, the container housing comprises a cup-shaped basic member having a bottom and a standing wall extending from the bottom, and a cover for closing the cup-shaped basic member, and wherein the inlet and the closure arrangement are located in the cover.

12. The liquid frothing set according to claim 11, wherein, in the liquid container, the cover is removably connectable to the cup-shaped basic member.

13. The liquid frothing set according to claim 1, wherein the liquid frothing device is part of a coffee maker.

14. A liquid container configured for use with a liquid frothing device including a liquid suction conduit, the liquid container comprising: a seat having a first through hole, and a closure body arranged in the seat and having a second through hole, wherein the closure body is movable in the seat between at least two different positions, at least one position being an opened position in which the second through hole of the closure body is aligned with the first through hole of the seat, and at least one other position being a closed position in which the closure body blocks the first through hole of the seat, wherein: the first through hole of the seat allows the liquid suction conduit to pass through, and the second through hole of the closure body allows the liquid suction conduit to pass through.

15. The liquid container according to claim 14, wherein the seat is configured to block the second through hole of the closure body in the closed position of the closure body.

16. The liquid container according to claim 14, wherein the closure body is rotatably arranged in the seat.

17. The liquid container according to claim 14, wherein the closure body is of spherical shape.

18. The liquid container according to claim 14, wherein the closure body is removably arranged in the seat.

19. The liquid container according to claim 14, wherein the seat comprises a resilient material.

20. The liquid container according to claim 14, wherein the second through hole of the closure body of the liquid container is shaped to contact the liquid suction conduit of the liquid frothing device, in inserted condition, along part of its perimeter only.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] The invention will now be explained in greater detail with reference to the figures, in which equal or similar parts are indicated by the same reference signs. In particular,

[0029] FIG. 1 schematically shows a perspective view of the liquid container, the closure body being in the opened position;

[0030] FIG. 2 schematically shows a sectional view of the liquid container with the closure body in the opened position;

[0031] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 2;

[0032] FIG. 4 schematically shows a perspective view of the liquid container, the closure body being in the opened position and a liquid suction conduit of a liquid frothing device extending through the closure body;

[0033] FIG. 5 schematically shows a sectional view of the liquid container with the closure body in the opened position and the liquid suction conduit extending therethrough;

[0034] FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 5;

[0035] FIG. 7 schematically shows a perspective view of the liquid container, the closure body being in the closed position;

[0036] FIG. 8 schematically shows a sectional view of the liquid container with the closure body in the closed position;

[0037] FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 8;

[0038] FIG. 10 schematically shows a perspective view of the liquid container, the closure body being removed from the seat; and

[0039] FIG. 11 illustrates use of the liquid container with a liquid frothing device including a liquid suction conduit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0040] The invention is in the field of liquid containers for use with a liquid frothing device including a liquid suction conduit. In the following description of an advantageous embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the figures, it is assumed that the liquid container is a milk container that is designed for use with a milk frother including a milk suction conduit. In this respect, for the sake of completeness, it is noted that the features of the liquid container according to the invention are independent of the type of liquid that may be contained in the liquid container.

[0041] In general, a liquid frothing device such as a milk frother comprises a liquid suction conduit for sucking liquid to be frothed from a source of the liquid. Further, a liquid frothing device has some kind of air supply for taking in air to a space where it can be made to interact with the liquid so as to form froth. As is known per se in the art, various measures may be taken for promoting a frothing process, such as letting a jet of liquid squirt against a surface for beating air into the liquid. As the invention is not related to the design of a liquid frothing device, further details of such a device will not be explained here. The aspect of a liquid frothing device that is relevant in the context of the invention is the fact that the liquid frothing device is equipped with a mechanism for retrieving liquid from a source of the liquid, particularly with a liquid suction conduit.

[0042] With reference to the figures, details of the invention as embodied in a milk container 1 as shown will now be explained. The milk container 1 comprises a container housing 10, i.e. an enclosure for the milk to be contained by the milk container 1. The container housing 10 comprises two parts, namely a basic member 11 and a cover 12. The basic member 11 is generally shaped like a cup having a bottom, a standing wall and an open side, wherein the cover 12 has a function in closing the open side of the basic member 11. The basic member 11 and the cover 12 are separate components which are connectable to each other by means of screw thread. Particularly, as can be seen in the sectional views of FIGS. 2, 3, 5, 6, 8 and 9, a top portion of the basic member 11 is provided with external screw thread and the cover 12 is provided with internal screw thread. A screw thread connection is just one of many possibilities when it comes to closing the open side of the basic member 11 by means of the cover 12. Examples of another possibility include a snap connection and a twist-lock connection. Alternatively, the cover 12 may be hingeably connected to the basic member 11, or may be slideable in/on the basic member 11, for example. The invention is not restricted to any particular design of the container housing 10, and the details of the milk container 1 as described herein are not implicitly related to any particular design of the container housing 10 either.

[0043] The basic member 11 and the cover 12 may be made of any suitable materials, including plastic materials. For the sake of completeness, it is noted that the basic member 11 is shown in the figures as being transparent, whereas the cover 12 is shown in the figures as being opaque.

[0044] The milk container 1 may serve as a milk source for a milk frother 100 as schematically depicted in FIG. 11, in which a set of the milk frother 100 and the milk container 1 is indicated by reference numeral 110. The milk frother 100 includes a milk suction conduit 101 for the purpose of sucking milk from the milk container 1. In view thereof, the container housing 10 has an inlet 13 for allowing insertion of the suction conduit 101, more particularly, an end portion 102 thereof, in the container housing 10. The inlet 13 may have any suitable position in the container housing 10. In the shown example, the inlet 13 is centrally located in the cover 12. Prior to operation of the milk frother 100, a user is supposed to maneuver the milk suction conduit 101 or at least the end portion 102 thereof into the container housing 10 through the inlet 13. For the purpose of supporting the milk container 1 and also guiding a user in putting the milk container 1 in an appropriate position with respect to the milk frother 100, the milk frother 100 may comprise a supporting member 103 as schematically depicted in FIG. 11.

[0045] In general, the milk suction conduit 101 may be shaped like a tube or a pipe. It may have a flexible portion to enhance its maneuverability. The end portion 102 of the milk suction conduit 101 may be rigid. As illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the end portion 102 may be provided as a separate component that is coupled to the remainder of the milk suction conduit 101.

[0046] The milk container 1 is not only suitable for delivering milk to a milk frother 100 but may also serve to store the milk when not used. To that end, the milk container 1 can be placed in a fridge or another cool spot. In order to preserve the milk in the best possible way, the milk container 1 comprises a closure arrangement 20 that is located in the inlet 13, so that a fully closed condition of the container housing 10 can be realized for storage purposes. In particular, the closure arrangement 20 is designed to be capable of leaving the inlet 13 open when it is desired to have the milk suction conduit 101 inserted in the container housing 10 as well as to be capable of closing the inlet 13 when it is desired to preserve the content of the container housing 10.

[0047] In the advantageous embodiment of the milk container 1 as shown in the figures, the closure arrangement 20 comprises a seat 21 and a closure body 22, wherein the seat 21 is arranged in the inlet 13, and wherein the closure body 22 is arranged in the seat 21. As can be seen in the sectional views of FIGS. 2, 3, 5, 6, 8 and 9, the cover 12 is designed with a holding section 14 for accommodating the closure arrangement 20 at the position of the inlet 13. The seat 21 has a through hole 23 for allowing the milk suction conduit 101 to pass through, and the closure body 22 has a through hole 24 for allowing the milk suction conduit 101 to pass through as well. The closure body 22 is of spherical shape, in other words, the closure body 22 is ball-shaped, and is rotatably arranged in the seat 21. The seat 21 is designed so as to be capable of encompassing a part of the closure body 22 and holding the closure body 22 in that way. In an alternative embodiment, the closure body 22 could be of cylindrical shape, with the seat 21 being shaped accordingly.

[0048] In the shown closure arrangement 20, it is possible to have the closure body 22 in an opened position, i.e. a position in which the through hole 24 of the closure body 22 is aligned with the through hole 23 of the seat 21. This is done when it is desired to retrieve milk from the milk container 1. On the other hand, it is possible to have the closure body 22 in a closed position, i.e. a position in which the through hole 23 of the seat 21 is blocked by the closure body 22. All that is needed to move the closure body 22 between the opened position and the closed position is rotating the closure body 22 over an angle of 90. For the purpose of enabling a user to operate the closure body 22, a tab 25 is arranged on the closure body 22, extending from the closure body 22 to a position outside of the container housing 10. The tab 25 may be positioned on the closure body 22 in such a way that it may serve as a stop that helps a user in actually realizing the predetermined positions of the closure body 22. As mentioned, the seat 21 is designed so as to be capable of encompassing a part of the closure body 22. This is advantageously done in such a way that when the closure body 22 is in the closed position, the through hole 24 of the closure body 22 is blocked by the seat 21.

[0049] The seat 21 may comprise a resilient material. For example, the seat 21 may be made of rubber. Resilient properties of the seat 21 may help in obtaining a sealing closure of the container housing 10 in the closed position of the closure body 22. Further, resilient properties of the seat 21 may help in offering a possibility of removing the closure body 22 from the seat 21, as illustrated in FIG. 10. This possibility may be useful for cleaning purposes, for example. In that case, the closure body 22 can easily be removed from the seat 21, wherein the tab 25 may be used for lifting the closure body 22 from the seat 21, and can easily be snapped back in place in the seat 21 again.

[0050] As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 9, the closure body 22 comprises a set of ribs 26 extending on a surface 27 of the closure body 22 delimiting the through hole 24. The ribs 26 extend in the direction in which the milk suction conduit 101, 102 is moved through the through hole 24. The ribs 26 may serve to calibrate the insertion force and at the same time ensure a presence of air gaps so as to allow air to flow in the container housing during a milk sucking process. Thanks to the fact that the closure body 22 can be rotated in the seat 21, it is easy to adjust the position of the closure body 22, and in particular the orientation of the through hole 24, as may be necessary during insertion or removal of the milk suction conduit 101, 102 in, respectively from the container housing 10. The rotatable arrangement of the closure body 22 allows the closure body 22, and more particularly the through hole 24, to follow tilting movements of the milk suction conduit 101, 102, which may occur in a process of maneuvering the milk container 1 and the milk suction conduit 101, 102 in and out of place with respect to each other.

[0051] Thanks to a closure arrangement according to the invention, a user is not compelled to realize and maintain a strictly perpendicular orientation of the milk suction conduit 101, 102 relative to the cover 12 during insertion and removal of the milk suction conduit 101, 102. This advantageous effect of the invention is independent of a length along which the milk suction conduit 101 is actually encompassed in the cover 12 and thus guided. Hence, the invention offers a possibility of realizing a robust and reliable arrangement of the milk suction conduit 101 with respect to the milk container 1, without affecting ease of insertion and removal of the liquid suction conduit 101.

[0052] It will be clear to a person skilled in the art that the scope of the invention is not limited to the examples discussed in the foregoing, but that several amendments and modifications thereof are possible without deviating from the scope of the invention as defined in the attached claims. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such amendments and modifications insofar they come within the scope of the claims or the equivalents thereof. While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the figures and the description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary only, and not restrictive. The invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. The drawings are schematic, wherein details that are not required for understanding the invention may have been omitted, and not necessarily to scale.

[0053] Variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by a person skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the figures, the description and the attached claims. In the claims, the word comprising does not exclude other steps or elements, and the indefinite article a or an does not exclude a plurality. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

[0054] Elements and aspects discussed for or in relation with a particular embodiment may be suitably combined with elements and aspects of other embodiments, unless explicitly stated otherwise. Thus, the mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.

[0055] The term comprise as used in this text will be understood by a person skilled in the art as covering the term consist of. Hence, the term comprise may in respect of an embodiment mean consist of, but may in another embodiment mean contain/include at least the defined species and optionally one or more other species.

[0056] A possible summary of the invention reads as follows. A liquid frothing set 110 is provided, comprising a liquid frothing device 100 including a liquid suction conduit 101, and a liquid container 1. The liquid container 1 comprises a container housing 10 having an inlet 13 and a closure arrangement 20. The closure arrangement comprises a seat 21 that is arranged in the inlet 13 and a closure body 22 that is arranged in the seat 21. Both the seat 21 and the closure body 22 have a through hole 23, 24 for allowing a liquid suction conduit 101 of a liquid frothing device 100 to pass through. The closure body 22 is movable in the seat 21 between at least an opened position in which the respective through holes 23, 24 of the seat 21 and the closure body 22 are aligned with each other, and a closed position in which the closure body 22 blocks the through hole 23 of the seat 21.