Patent EA-003654-B1 (EA)
Title: Coffee machine with integrated steam delivery device
Inventor: YOAKIM ALFRED
IPC: A47J31/24
Filed: 2000-09-28
Abstract: 1. Coffee machine comprising a water tank, a pump, a heater unit and circuits for feeding hot water and steam to a percolation nozzle (2), characterized in that it possesses an integrated steam delivery device (3) comprising a steam inlet (12) connected to the steam feed circuit and a steam outlet (10) together with means (13, 14, 17) enabling the steam outlet (10) to be brought into contact with an aperture (9, 26) in the closure (4) covering a receptacle (5) containing a liquid to be heated or emulsified. 2. Coffee machine according to Claim 1, characterized in that the said means enabling the steam outlet (10) to be brought into contact with the closure (4) of the receptacle (5) are formed by a hollow body (14) provided with a radial aperture (15) and by a piece (13) which can be moved against the action of a resilient member within the body (14) by means of a control member entrained by the outer surface of the receptacle (5). 3. Coffee machine according to Claim 2, characterized in that the control member is formed by a control finger (17) emerging from the frame of the machine and pivoted about a pivot (18) of which one end is solidly fixed to the body (14) and the other end, shaped like a sprout (22), acts on a microswitch controlling the production of steam, and in that this control finger (17) is displaced by the lateral wall of the receptacle when the latter is in the operating position defined by the guide means (7, 8) of the machine. 4. Coffee machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the closure (4) of the receptacle (5) possesses a steam tube (11) connected to the aperture (9) in the closure (4) and directed towards the interior of the receptacle (5). 5. Coffee machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the closure (4) of the receptacle (5) comprises means allowing the liquid to be aspirated by the tube (11) and directed towards an outlet jet (25) by the venturi effect. 6. Coffee machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the said means are formed by an intake chamber (27) communicating in its upper part with a pipe (31) connected to the steam tube (11) and in its lower part with a pipe (28) ending in an aperture (32) of the outlet jet (25). 7. Coffee machine according to Claim 5, characterized in that the outlet jet (25) is pivoted in the closure (4) and in that, depending on its relative position in relation to the closure, it allows the liquid to pass towards the outlet or steam to enter directly into the receptacle (5). 8. Coffee machine according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the closure (4) of the receptacle (5) comprises a steam tube (11), an outlet jet (25) and an internal jet (35), the outlet tube (25) being pivotable to enable the liquid to emerge either to the said jet (25) or to the internal jet (35). 9. Coffee machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a base (6) provided with guide means (7) and stop means (8) defining a seating intended to accommodate and maintain the receptacle (5) in the operating position. 10. Receptacle for emulsifying a liquid, characterized in that it possesses a leaktight closure (4) having an aperture (9) connected to a steam tube (11) extending within the receptacle, the aperture (26) of the receptacle being intended to be connected to the steam outlet of a coffee machine. 11. Receptacle according to Claim 10, characterized in that the aperture (9) in the closure (4) is connected to an intake chamber (27) which is itself connected on one side to an outlet jet (25) and on the other side by a venturi tube to the steam tube (11). 12. Receptacle according to Claim 11, characterized in that the outlet jet (25) is mounted to pivot in the closure (4) of the receptacle (5) and in that, depending on its relative position in relation to that closure, a connection with the intake chamber (27) is sealed or otherwise. 13. Receptacle according to one of Claims 10 to 12, characterized in that its aperture (9) is shaped so as to be automatically connected to the steam outlet of a coffee machine according to one of Claims 1 to 8 when the receptacle is positioned on that machine. 14. Receptacle according to Claim 10, characterized in that the aperture (26) in the closure (4) is connected to an intake chamber (27) which is itself connected to an outlet jet (25), by a venturi tube to a steam tube (11) and to an internal jet (35).