Patent ID: 11903515
Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
Field: Furniture, games (Other fields)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. A drinks machine comprising:
a housing;
a milk frothing unit external to the housing, having a steam inlet;
a steam outlet integrated in a socket-like interface in the housing for connection to the milk frothing unit;
a water heater; and
a user interface for enabling user selection of a hot water option or an option which requires generation of steam;
wherein the socket-like interface comprises an output nozzle for delivering hot water or steam depending on the user selection at the user interface;
wherein the drinks machine is configurable in at least two modes:
a first mode in which the hot water option is selected at the user interface, and the hot water is delivered by the output nozzle directly to an exterior of the drinks machine for collection in a drinks vessel; and
a second mode in which the user selection at the user interface is the option which requires generation of steam, and the steam is delivered by the output nozzle to the steam inlet of the milk frothing unit, wherein the steam, in the second mode, is delivered by the same output nozzle that delivers the hot water in the first mode, and wherein the output nozzle remains uncontacted with milk in the second mode.